http://www.tri247.com/article_5955_Columnist%3A+Sarah+Lovelock.html?region_id=&category=
Tri247 are pleased to announce that they have a new columnist, and thankfully she's female! With so many men on our books it was about time to add an another interesting lady - to help add to the feminine flair to our columnist page.
Sarah, who when she's not working as a physiotherapist (there's an interesting story in her debut column about how physiotherapists deal with their injuries - it's an interesting one!) is an athlete with a mission; to get back to Kona in 2010.
Not one to do things by half, in 2005 Sarah raced her first triathlon, not a nice little sprint distance, but the Vitruvian Middle Distance. In 2007 she raced Ironman Florida, her first Ironman event and finished in a highly commendable time of 10:35:39 - a time which qualified her for the 2008 Ironman World Championships.
The road hasn't always been easy, but now with the motivation of watching this year's event from the sidelines and a new coach onboard, Sarah is raring to go and is looking forward to returning to Kona in 2010 - this time hopefully with her body well and truly intact.
To read Sarah's first ever Tri247 column click here.
Kona 2010
Posted by: Sarah Lovelock
Posted on: Thursday 1st October 2009
When Tri247's deputy editor, Annie Emmerson replied to inform me that I was welcome to join their team of columnists, initially I was excited (this did include a moment of dancing around the room like a crazy person!), then the panic set in. With the racing season now coming to an end, what would I write about?
2010 for me is going to be all about qualifying for the Hawaii Ironman World Championships again. Being an NHS Physiotherapist, with limited holiday and money (more importantly), I'm going to have one shot - Ironman Nice. I was fortunate enough to qualify for the 2008 Ironman World Championships at Ironman Florida in 2007, my first attempt at the Ironman distance. Unfortunately my race last year didn't go at all to plan. I'd had a solid 2008 season both in terms of training and racing, but two weeks before flying out to Hawaii I developed shin pain. The Physiotherapist in me suspected it was something slightly more sinister than tendonitis, but the athlete in me hoped that with rest, all would be good by race day. But it was not, I hadn't been able to run for three weeks and had definitely started to develop a 'pain avoiding' limp. However, I was in Hawaii and wasn't about to not try to finish (the thought of not starting never cross my mind).
Entering the water on race morning was the most awesome feeling. Just that alone makes me want to get back there. The swim (my least favourite discipline) flew by, and I soon found myself being yanked out of the water and up onto the pier.
The bike started well but by mile 80, my shin had become sore and despite painkillers I couldn't really push powerfully through my right leg. Ever hopeful, I started the run optimistically and physically feeling really strong (except for the pain!). Trotting out of T2 I was running on adrenaline, but I guess by mile three I was starting to hurt. Coming back through town before heading out onto the Queen K, my boyfriend Simon was waiting, by this point I was hobbling/running and had a pain stricken face. Over the next three miles it got worse, to the point my leg was giving way every time I landed and it became quicker and safer to walk. I cried a bit, actually a lot! But as the race went on and it started to get dark I found new strength and inspiration from everyone else out on the course and I started to enjoy the experience again.
I crossed the finish line in 12:21. Way off what I'd hoped and disappointed, but having hobbled the last half of the marathon felt proud that I'd survived a tough day.
Returning to the UK, Dr Nick Webborn at SportsWise, Eastbourne scanned my leg and confirmed what I already really knew - that I had a nasty proximal tibia stress fracture and was lucky it had not fractured completely. Since coming back a friend has commented that a physiotherapist who attempts to run (let alone do a marathon) on what she suspects is a stress fracture should be struck off. Luckily for me the Health Professionals Council has not heard and I'm still happily employed. Even better, I have recovered and am back training and racing. But now I have to go back!
One year on and with this year's World Championships less than two weeks away, I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about the pre race tension at the pier. All the nervous energy building up. The big island of Hawaii is such an awesome place.
My return to training and racing this year has been helped along by my new coach Sarah Coope of Bodyworks XTC (before Chrissie, she was the highest placed Brit in Kona, with third in 1991), and being able to train with other super talented and dedicated Bodyworks XTC athletes, swimming under the ever watchful eyes of Glenn Cook. I've also been very fortunate to have had fantastic ongoing support from The Tri Store in Eastbourne and Martin Bramfoot / DJM Products the UK distributors of Zoot.
I finished off this year with a return to ironman distance racing, in the form of the UK's 'The Big Woody'. I finished as first women and fifth overall. Proving to myself that I'd recovered fully from injury and putting the nasty little demons that creep out when you have an injury, that make you doubt yourself, back locked away deep at the back of my brain.
So I'm already looking forward to 2010, looking forward to logging the winter miles and building on my triathlon experiences (my first tri was at the end of 2005), and more importantly getting even faster! So my column will be writing about getting back to Kona. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.
Happy Training
Sarah
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Sunday, 13 September 2009
Britains Dirty Beaches.
Watched this Panorama episode last night! Yuk!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00mg5cg/Panorama_Britains_Dirty_Beaches/
and then go join Surfers againist Sewage http://www.sas.org.uk/
Happy Swimming!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00mg5cg/Panorama_Britains_Dirty_Beaches/
and then go join Surfers againist Sewage http://www.sas.org.uk/
Happy Swimming!!
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
The Big Woody Race Report - Dominating the Dojo!
I actually wrote this on Sunday morning, but unfortunately I've been lost in the Forest of Dean for two days!!! A broken exhaust on the van prevented us heading back out to civilisation and down to Devon and Cornwall.
I'm writing this feeling unexpectedly stiff and sore, drinking coffee and eating pastries! Yesterday was the Big Woody Ironman Distance race. Having had a Tibia stress fracture during Ironman Hawaii, last October, (and more importantly lacking in cash to go abroad for an Ironman) it was good to feel like I could race Ironman again. My goal was just to put in a solid performance. The day before the race it was blowing a gale and very cold – had fingers and toes crossed that the weather would improve. The crossing of all digits obviously worked as race morning was pretty much perfect – cool, with just a light breeze. After a 20 minute delay to the start the 4 laps of Drummonds Dub. Swimming up the lake, into the low sun was a nightmare. I swear I swam in a zig zag fashion adding on 100m each lap. My orange lenses probably didn't help (In that 20 minute delay the sun came up and stayed out!!). But I've been reassured by my boyfriend who did the Little Woody that with dark lens it wasn't much better. Some how my 1:10 swim got me out as 1st lady, must have been by Zoot Wetsuit (shameless plug). Looking at swim times think it was a bit long. Out of transition saw us going straight up a hill – nice to wake the legs up. Before joining the course, of which i'd do 2 and a bit times. The course was winding and hilly, typical British - “I'm riding along, then who put that steep, out the saddle climb, in my path” making it hard to maintain pedalling rhythm. I'll shamelessly admit that I used by 29 sprocket on each of the three times going up the 12% climb out of English Bicknor. Better to save my legs for the run. I was sensible on the bike – my coach Sarah Coope will be proud. I came off the bike still in first place. To be cheered by my boyfriend Simon, who on finishing the Little Woody, had become my support crew. Out on the run, my back was feeling tight, but I quickly found my run legs and settled into a comfortable pace. The run was a lumpy! mainly off road run, of 4 out and backs. I'm not sure where I first saw the 2nd lady but knew I had a comfortable lead. Each time heading back through transition, I was greeted by cheers, encouragement and new bottles for my fuel belt from Simon. By the 3rd lap, my soles of my feet had become really sore (something to do with wearing new Birkenstocks to walk to work, then from work to the seafront and back home on the Monday before the race, stupid!). I passed up the offer of new socks and trainers on the last lap, I've been told I looked liked I was going to burst into tears, but then just trotted off again. If I can try to run with a stress fracture, I can run with sore and blistered soles. In the last mile I lapped the 2nd place lady – I could see her up ahead, she was too much of a target. I finished in 10:55:05, in 5th overall. Swim 1:10. Bike 6:17. Run 3:23 (run a bit short!) Still can't quite believe that my performance and result. Being injured last winter, had put a lot of doubt into my running ability, but had also given me a lot of focus and determination.
Thanks to Trevor and Julian, at Black Sheep Sports for putting on a good event. Challenging course to say the least! If you're after something a bit different from the M dot events this is definitely one to test yourself on, both physically, but also mentally due to minimal crowd support on the course.
Thanks to Martin Branfoot, DJM Products/ Zoot sports from continuing his sponsorship of me this year. Providing me with lots of lovely Zoot training and racing kit – Ultra Tri Shorts are just fabulous!! (girls, you know what I mean).
Also thank you to The Tri Store (Eastbourne), Lawrence and Simon for continued support and interest. Especially thanks and kisses to Simon for all his support both at the race and in training.
Thanks to Sarah Coope, Bodywork xtc, for coaching me this year and being a constant source of encouragement and enthusiasm and also to Glen Cook, for letting me join his morning squad sessions. I'm sure the trashing by speedy 10 – 12 year old swimmers, had built my mental toughness and I definitely came out the water feeling fresher, than previous races, if not faster.
So now for holiday, 10 days in Devon and Cornwall, this time I might get to have a go at surfing. Not quite the north shore of Ohau, Hawaii but at least I can stand and balance after this Ironman!
I'm writing this feeling unexpectedly stiff and sore, drinking coffee and eating pastries! Yesterday was the Big Woody Ironman Distance race. Having had a Tibia stress fracture during Ironman Hawaii, last October, (and more importantly lacking in cash to go abroad for an Ironman) it was good to feel like I could race Ironman again. My goal was just to put in a solid performance. The day before the race it was blowing a gale and very cold – had fingers and toes crossed that the weather would improve. The crossing of all digits obviously worked as race morning was pretty much perfect – cool, with just a light breeze. After a 20 minute delay to the start the 4 laps of Drummonds Dub. Swimming up the lake, into the low sun was a nightmare. I swear I swam in a zig zag fashion adding on 100m each lap. My orange lenses probably didn't help (In that 20 minute delay the sun came up and stayed out!!). But I've been reassured by my boyfriend who did the Little Woody that with dark lens it wasn't much better. Some how my 1:10 swim got me out as 1st lady, must have been by Zoot Wetsuit (shameless plug). Looking at swim times think it was a bit long. Out of transition saw us going straight up a hill – nice to wake the legs up. Before joining the course, of which i'd do 2 and a bit times. The course was winding and hilly, typical British - “I'm riding along, then who put that steep, out the saddle climb, in my path” making it hard to maintain pedalling rhythm. I'll shamelessly admit that I used by 29 sprocket on each of the three times going up the 12% climb out of English Bicknor. Better to save my legs for the run. I was sensible on the bike – my coach Sarah Coope will be proud. I came off the bike still in first place. To be cheered by my boyfriend Simon, who on finishing the Little Woody, had become my support crew. Out on the run, my back was feeling tight, but I quickly found my run legs and settled into a comfortable pace. The run was a lumpy! mainly off road run, of 4 out and backs. I'm not sure where I first saw the 2nd lady but knew I had a comfortable lead. Each time heading back through transition, I was greeted by cheers, encouragement and new bottles for my fuel belt from Simon. By the 3rd lap, my soles of my feet had become really sore (something to do with wearing new Birkenstocks to walk to work, then from work to the seafront and back home on the Monday before the race, stupid!). I passed up the offer of new socks and trainers on the last lap, I've been told I looked liked I was going to burst into tears, but then just trotted off again. If I can try to run with a stress fracture, I can run with sore and blistered soles. In the last mile I lapped the 2nd place lady – I could see her up ahead, she was too much of a target. I finished in 10:55:05, in 5th overall. Swim 1:10. Bike 6:17. Run 3:23 (run a bit short!) Still can't quite believe that my performance and result. Being injured last winter, had put a lot of doubt into my running ability, but had also given me a lot of focus and determination.
Thanks to Trevor and Julian, at Black Sheep Sports for putting on a good event. Challenging course to say the least! If you're after something a bit different from the M dot events this is definitely one to test yourself on, both physically, but also mentally due to minimal crowd support on the course.
Thanks to Martin Branfoot, DJM Products/ Zoot sports from continuing his sponsorship of me this year. Providing me with lots of lovely Zoot training and racing kit – Ultra Tri Shorts are just fabulous!! (girls, you know what I mean).
Also thank you to The Tri Store (Eastbourne), Lawrence and Simon for continued support and interest. Especially thanks and kisses to Simon for all his support both at the race and in training.
Thanks to Sarah Coope, Bodywork xtc, for coaching me this year and being a constant source of encouragement and enthusiasm and also to Glen Cook, for letting me join his morning squad sessions. I'm sure the trashing by speedy 10 – 12 year old swimmers, had built my mental toughness and I definitely came out the water feeling fresher, than previous races, if not faster.
So now for holiday, 10 days in Devon and Cornwall, this time I might get to have a go at surfing. Not quite the north shore of Ohau, Hawaii but at least I can stand and balance after this Ironman!
Wednesday, 26 August 2009
3 days until The Big Woody!
I should be in bed 10:30pm! but sorting and packing and now wide awake. Also ate way too much Homemade Pizza for dinner and might be sick if I lay down!
Pic of my new Cervelo - race ready! Hopefully I am too!
Keep fingers crossed for me.Our vans looking fab and very live-able, if I get a chance will take a few pics tomorrow.
Sarah x
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