This OD was the A race of my triathlon season. I knew I could complete each leg individually but I hadn't tried them all together. The season before I had raced in four triathlons, the longest being a sprint distance. The OD is twice as long. This season I had already finished three triathlons, climbing up to a distance that was partway between a sprint and OD. I felt ready to tackle the longer race.

 

I had signed up for a six week triathlon training course a few months before the event. This not only gave me some great tips (particularly in the swim department) but also introduced me to wonderful people, who I also learned much from. As well as this I was taking weekly swimming classes, hoping to improve my technique so that I could at least be slightly competitive in this leg of the race.

 

My training was similar to last year's schedule, covering three swims, bike sessions and runs each week, as well as strength training, core work and my regular kickboxing class. It was busy, working out morning and night almost every day, but I loved it. I think the huge variety in my training plan helped to prevent any injuries from occurring, so my preparation was mostly uninterrupted (except for some indulgence around Christmas and New Year).

 

I had never worn a wetsuit before, as the water was generally warm in Western Australia and it was a bit of a waste of time in a sprint triathlon. Something told me that I should invest in one for the longer swim - the buoyancy of the suit would reduce the amount of energy I expended, and I needed all the help I could get. I found out about a sponsor event at a local triathlon store, offering discounts on their new line of wetsuits. It was now or never. I listened to their spiel, got fitted up and walked away with a shiny, new, expensive, neoprene toy.

 

Living only five minutes drive from the beach, I often practised my swimming in the open water. Benefits: free, resembles race day conditions, get used to fighting currents and reading waves. Negatives: jellyfish. But now with a wetsuit on, the chances of being stung were significantly reduced. You would think. The beasts still got me, leaving nice red welts along my hands and neck. The wetsuit wasn't going to protect me from aquatic animals, so I hoped it would at least help to improve my swimming times.

 

I partially resented the wetsuit, only because of the extra labour involved. I usually swam in the morning before work, but now having to consider the additional effort required, I needed to set the alarm earlier. The suit wasn't too bad to squeeze into, but getting out was a different story. I used all the creams and gels suggested, but it wasn't coming off in a hurry. I wondered how long I would be sitting in transition wrestling with the thing come race day. There was also the clean up; you can't leave a wetsuit full of salty water, I was warned. So after each swim I drove home, strung it over the clothes line in the backyard and hosed it down, hoping to extend its life as long as possible. 

 

Everything was going well in my preparation for the race. There was, however, a small amount of stress in my life outside of sport. After signing up for the triathlon, my husband and I decided to go on a holiday. Originally it was only going to be a month, but it then extended into a six month backpacking trip around Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. We wanted to experience as much of the dry weather on that side of the world as possible, which meant leaving early in the year. My race was on February 1st. We booked our flight out of the country on February 1st. I don't like to waste time.

 

So why was this stressful? Aren't holidays exciting? They sure are, but the planning for this holiday was a little different to most. Firstly, we had to pack up all the personal effects in our house, as we were going to rent it out while we were away. It is amazing how much you have to pack even when no furniture is included. Secondly, we needed to find a renter, without the assistance of real estate agents (costs were too high). We also wanted to offload our cars onto people we knew so they didn't have to go into storage. Lastly, we needed time to actually plan for the trip. Between full time employment and a heavy training schedule, there was little time left to figure out where we were going and what we wanted to do. I finished up work only two days before we left.

 

We were staying in Busselton the night before the race, so everything had to be ready at the house the day before. Packing for the triathlon, packing for the six month holiday, packing up the house, cleaning, organising keys/bills/cars, running around like a lunatic - it wasn't exactly the ideal worry-free buildup to an event that I would have liked.