I raced in Worthing triathlon this weekend and my first ever sea swim tri! I was kind of looking forward to it with part of me hoping the sea would be very calm and the other part of me hoping that if the sea is too rough it will be a duathlon and I can get out of a sea swim! In the end it was a lovely morning and very calm water.

I finished the race in about 4th or 5th place and won my age group. I was quite pleased but I'm still getting used to my new bike set up and its still feeling like hard work. Swim wasn't too great but for my first sea swim effort I can't be too disappointed. Would really have hoped for a top 3 place. Still a damn site better than the disaster of Bedford!

Last weekend I think I had my worst race ever! It was the Bedford tri and I had a shocker! Swim was terrible. It was in the river which was quite narrow and full of thick weeds. I probably started in the wrong place, then someone in front of me stopped (possibly having a panic about the weeds), got around them then had a bit of a moment myself where I seriously thought about getting out.

Then onto the bike. I had my bike set up completely changed last week. I was told that with the changes I would feel tight in my hamstrings and glutes but I just thought that being a runner those are the muscles I use to run so shouldn't be a problem. How wrong was I?!! Got about 8 miles in and everything just felt tight. Still tried hard to push through but my HR just wouldn't get into my race zone. Never mind!

I managed to have a good run which was something and at least the change of set up and tight muscles hasn't affected my run!

I just have to forget about it and move on. If you have great races all the time they would never feel special so I guess you have to have crap ones sometimes to appreciate it when it all goes right!

A bit of a late start to the tri season for me mainly due to competing in duathlon, but I finally did my first tri of the year last weekend! The Northampton olympic distance and also doubled up as the Army champs.

I had a comfortable swim - I really need to learn how to push myself more in the water. A long run to T1 and onto an undulating bike with some tight bends! I felt good on the bike and was pleased with how it went. Although I still need to improve on going faster round tight bends! I had the 2nd fastest bike! A fairly quick T2 and onto the 4 lap run. I had no idea what position I was in as the Army girls started in a wave 10 mins earlier which is where my my competition was. I ran quite comfortably and finished feeling strong. Dan had kept an eye on the girls from the previous wave and said I'd finished 1st but I wasn't convinced. I had to wait over an hour until the presentation to find out I had won - by almost 5 mins! Really pleased - a good start to the tri season.

What a tiring weekend! Flew out to France on Thursday night and stayed with Raphiel's family (he's the president of my french club Cesson Sevigne). Then picked up on Friday afternoon and a 5 hour drive to Cuincy for tomorrow's race.

The race was at 3.30 in the afternoon so had a fairly chilled out morning and cycled the bike course.

My plan this time was to stay with the lead girls on the first run and then try and hang on to them on the bike. Well the run started off so much faster than normal - mostly down to a Mexican girl starting off a 100mph! She didn't last long at this pace and after about 600m she had dropped off! I wasn't feeling too great still and couldn't quite stay with the leaders. I came into transition with a group of other girls and worked really hard at the beginning of the bike to make sure I didn't get dropped.

I had a really good bike leg - my best out of the 3 french races by a long way. The course was 3 laps and at the end of each lap and beginning of the next it was very technical. The girls at the front of the pack would surge here to try and break the pack up. In the past this is where I've really suffered but this time I worked really hard not to get dropped and managed to hang on as the pace soon settles back down again.

Onto the 2nd run and I just didn't have much in me. I can normally overtake lots of girls on my second run but I just seemed to lack something today. I think I'm still getting over the illness I had and its knocked a bit of sharpness from my running legs! It was still an enjoyable race and a really good atmosphere.

I've had such a rough week! I feel tired all the time and run down. I haven't been ill since Christmas before last and I don't do being ill very well! After not racing at the weekend I took it easy on Sunday as still felt a bit run down. Just did an easy bike ride on Monday, then Tuesday went for a run after work and felt really good. HR was in the right place for a steady run and I was running quite fast. About an hour after getting back I couldn't stop coughing and was up during the night with coughing fits. I ended up taking Wednesday off work sick and slept most of the day!

I took it easy for the rest of the week as I have a french duathlon race next week and can't be ill for that! I'm not a good person to be around when I can't train - I feel sorry for Dan having to put up with me moaning - mostly about feeling fat!

After a hot week at work I was all set for my first triathlon at the weekend in Conniston. I was really looking forward to it. Friday came and the weather decided to change - typical! Driving up there it was miserable - cloudy and drizzly. We camped there and in the middle of the night I woke with a sore throat. I didn't think too much of it - just drank lots of water. I then woke in the morning feeling really rough. Just generally run down and feeling cold. The race wasn't until the afternoon so I had a good few hours to try and feel better!

We went for a walk down to the lake and tested the water temperature - it was freezing! I then decided that I just couldn't face it. I was quite sure that if I made it through the swim (which was doubtful with how I was feeling and that I suffer quite badly in cold water anyway) that I would probably get too cold on the bike.

For the rest of the morning I kept thinking maybe I should just get on and do it and see what happens, then I'd think more sensibly and decide that it wasn't a very good idea.

We watched everyone come out of that water and into T1 and a lot of the men were even cursing at how cold the water was. Just as well I didn't do it! Never mind. I just need to make sure I'm ok for my french duathlon race in 2 weeks!

For my 2nd french duathlon race in Chateauroux I was less nervous and a bit more controlled. I started off my 1st run at the front again and felt really comfortable. I forced myself to slow down a bit half way through as last week I think I suffered a bit at the beginning of the bike. I came out of transition just behind a pack and just couldn't catch up to them. I worked with another girl for a bit and we slowly started to catch them. Then I made a mistake going around a corner and lost touch! I then got caught by a big pack and just sat in with them. It was a great experience as I've never cycled in such a big group. It was a bit scary in places too.

I then had a really strong 2nd run and finished 12th. Really pleased as it was an improvement on last week. I was also 2nd in for our club which was a good feeling. I just hope they ask me to come back for the next race in June.

I had a really good time during my week in France. A big thanks to Raphael and his family for looking after me and also to Raphael for the use of his bike. Everyone from the club was really friendly and I promise I will learn some french for next time when I come out!!