It's taken me ages to start writing this blog. I think I am still coming to terms with the fact that I have finally reached my ultimate goal. After 6 years of training hard and racing even harder I can finally say that I am a World Champion. Yes a WORLD CHAMPION! Me!
Obviously this hasn't always been my goal. When I did my first triathlon my goal was like everyone else's - to just finish without drowning or falling off my bike or making a complete idiot of myself. In the end I actually did quite well coming 3rd overall so I guess this was a sign that I might be quite good at this sport. I never ever dreamed that I would end up doing what I do now though.
I have to admit I was more nervous about this race than any other. I think it was because I knew that I had a good chance of winning and I really wanted to be a World Champion. There were 28 athletes in my age group from 8 different countries so I didn't have a clue who I would be racing but I was fit and uninjured and my training had gone to plan so it all looked good. But all I could think about were all the things that could go wrong (see previous post about the British Champs) The bike leg is basically 6 miles up and then 6 miles down a big hill and I had a recurring dream for about 3 weeks where I seemed to be cycling in treacle and everyone rode past me.
Team TRIKS
So the World Champs started just like many other races - with a road trip via Gatwick airport to Pontevedra in Spain with my husband Mark. We travelled out by ourselves but soon met lots of friends starting with Vicky and Ron (from Malvern) at airport check-in. Alister and Chris were also going to be there along with my other TRiKS club mates Catherine and Dave. I was looking forward to seeing Jess, Karen and her mum, Ray, Nev, Kate, Julie etc - the list goes on. I love meeting so many brilliant people at these events. Sadly my bestest friend Sam had decided not to race and I was really going to miss her!Our hotel was lovely and full of triathletes from lots of other countries. We soon settled in and started to think about the next couple of days. I had raced in Pontevedra in 2011 so I knew the area which was helpful. We were about 3 miles from the race venue which was nice as we could get away from it all and just chill before the race. I find the team GB hotel a bit too much sometimes. Lots of nervous people only make me more nervous!
We registered as soon as we arrived and I am so happy that we did because I actually managed to get an event Tshirt that fits me - they had just 2 XXSmall's and me and another GB lady snapped them up. Chris and Alister arrived and we spent a nice time messing around with the merchandise and taking photos.
We are so cool!
The next day we rode the bike course. The hill was just like I remembered and we scared ourselves silly descending in the tail wind. Chris said he had to back off when his front wheel started to wobble at 51 mph! This was going to be interesting on race day. A hot chocolate cafe stop soon made us feel better and Alister nearly sold his bike to a local guy who really liked it (god knows why but he passed over my Boardman 9.8 TT and Chris's carbon Swift TT for an XXL Focus road bike!). I also met a new friend - Suzie - who was staying in the same hotel as Chris and Alister. What a lovely girl - so talented and very down to earth. None of the usual ego that you can sometimes come across. Although she has every right - she had just won the Slateman Triathlon the week before!Team briefing was the best one I have ever sat through. Jez Cox, team manager, is very down to earth and really knows his stuff. He soon put everyone at ease and allowed no silly questions!! Well I thought it was really good but Alister fell asleep! Team photos and a quick walk round the run course and I was ready. We had a lovely meal with Chris, Alister and Suzie that night and I thank them for taking my mind off what was coming the next day.
When the gun went off it was crazy. It still amazes me how fast some of the younger girls go off but you can't just let them go so I chased after them. I had decided that I wanted to put in as much time as I could in the first run as I really wasn't that confident of how I would do on the bike because of the hill and Anke is a very strong cyclist. I was soon in a small group and as I looked around I could see they were all much younger than me (good!) including my team mate Donna McHugh. She won at the Europeans so I knew she was good. We flew round the twisty circuit through the town and the crowds were amazing, it was so noisy as we ran up the short sharp hill and back into the stadium to start lap 2. First split 19.04 - not bad for a hilly twisty route.
Coming into T1 Mark shouted that I had over a minute on Anke in second place - that was great news. All I had to do was get to the top of the hill before her and I could relax a bit. I actually had one of my best bike rides ever - I set off hard but paced it just right all the up. As I got to the top I realised that no-one had caught me and I allowed myself a little smile. Just stay upright on the descent and surely Anke can't catch me? I started to cramp up as I reached the top but it wasn't a problem and I was soon flying back down. I loved that descent. Smooth tarmac and wide sweeping bends. I stayed on my tri bars the whole way - even Chris wasn't that brave and he's supposed to be a good cyclist!! 2nd split 35:35 (which was actually had the fastest female bike split overall so the disgusting Malvern hills training sets definitely worked)I flew into T2 knowing that all I had to do was stay on my feet for 2.5 k - someone shouted that I was in 5th place overall surely not I didn't think I was that far up? That meant I was one of the first GB girls too and I couldn't think who was in front. Maybe I was first GB, now that would be really something. (it turns out that Abi Bagshaw was way out in front winning overall after an amazing 17 minute first run!!) Anyway I couldn't dwell on that for long asI had to get up the last hill without getting cramp - I just about managed it and then I just went for it. I knew that Donna was right behind me as her partner was shouting really loudly for her (but she wasn't going to catch me if I could help it). Mark was there too, I could see him smiling and shouting, really pleased as he knew I was going to win. I was actually going to enjoy the finish of this race. As I ran into the stadium the crowds were amazing - so loud. I ran down the blue carpet with a big smile on my face and tried to look good for the official photos. Final split 10:15 - Finish time 01:07:56 - 5th overall (2nd GB) and 1st in my age group.
I then saw Alister, Chris and Catherine - they had all had good races. Catherine had come 7th at her first attempt, Chris had managed a sprint finish and Alister was just all smiles as he was a GB virgin no longer. Thanks for making it a great weekend guys!
We spent the rest of the day watching the Standard race, drinking beer in the sun and shouting for the GB team. It was absolutely brilliant to watch Suzie destroy the field and win the womens event overall. She is amazing.
I do love that blue carpet!
So a perfect race at last (they do happen sometimes) and nothing had gone wrong. The only stupid thing I did was leave it really late to get my bike out of transition - by the time I arrived they had dismantled all the racking apart from a tiny section where my bike was - a bit embarrassing but as even the security had gone home by then I don't think anyone saw me.
Ooops!
The medal ceremony that night was just awesome! They had put up a huge stage big screens. I thought it was just for the triathletes - but no - apparently a really popular local rock band was performing and half the town had come to see them. I don't think they were that pleased to see loads of triathletes delaying their entertainment. My friends Ray and Jess had also won Gold and Bronze so we had loads to celebrate. A couple more beers and I was ready for bed though, it had been a really long crazy day.....
Me and Vicky with our medals...and big smiles!
It's been quite a journey over the years and I want to thank so many people as it's absolutely true that you can't do this by yourself. Everyone needs a 'team'around them and my team is amazing. (sorry this is the cheesy bit)
Thank you to my parents for giving me their genes - my Dad for his 'cycling engine' and mum for giving me her 'no-one is going to tell me I can't do that' attitude.
Thank you to my old friend Jacqui who bullied me into doing my first triathlon and told me that I might be able to qualify for the GB team one day. I didn't believe her.
Thank you to all the coaches, athletes, club mates and friends who have helped with my training over the years - especially Jamie at Success Cycling for his hill training plans and Russell at The Muscle Clinic for keeping me in one piece - and of course Sam for her special friendship and her enthusiasm for life.
My sponsors - Fred Williams bike shop who have helped me loads over the years. They are also so supportive and interested in my results. I don't feel like I can let them down.And my two main sponsors this year - KWB Workplace and The Senator Group - who have made my many trips abroad almost affordable.
But most importantly my husband Mark who really is the other half of Team Phillips. I couldn't do it without him.
I've always been into sport and have rowed, run and cycled competitively but because of a young family had never been able to give anything 100% and so I've never really found out how good I could be. I never ever dreamed that, at the age of 47, I would end up doing something that I love so much and that gives me such a feeling of achievement.
So what does a World Champion do next then? Unfortunately I have to get straight back to hard training - I've got my 3rd big goal of the year coming up - the World Triathlon Championships in Canada in August...................!
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