Kathy’s triathlon journey continues

Sunday was never going to be a PB kind of day for Kathy. Here, she shares her story of racing in the Weymouth Middle Distance Triathlon.

"On Sunday I was due to be racing in the crystal-clear waters and surrounding hills of Lake Walchsee in Austria, in the European Championships. The reality couldn't have been more different.

Thankfully, swimming in choppy seas doesn't phase me. As I watched the swell early on Sunday morning, I knew it was going to be a tough day. The rain beat down heavily, and the wind speed was increasing by the minute. With some trepidation, I plunged into the waves and began the 1.9km slog until I could exit onto terra firma.

I was delighted to spot Justin and our eldest daughter, Olivia, who had driven across to support me before going on to Olivia's hockey training. They cheered as I staggered up the beach, forcing a smile, and eventually found my trainers to run back to transition. My face must have told the true story of how I was feeling as Olivia asked "Daddy, why does mummy do this?", "Because she enjoys it," he replied. It was a fair question on Sunday Olivia.

So, I hopped on my bike and headed out for a 56-mile ride. Never one for paying great attention to road signs, I missed the crucial U-turn sign and ended up riding an extra 16 miles ... Coming back into transition for the second time, soaked to the skin, it's fair to say that quitting did cross my mind. But I pulled on my trainers and set off to run a half marathon.

Running is my true love, so I pushed hard and finally crossed the finish line in just over 7 hours, an hour later than I had planned. I'm only hopeful that the European Championships will finally take place in 2022 in the beautiful city of Bilbao. Surely that will be my reward for enduring these conditions?"