run bike swim beat cancer

I know I’ve said it before, and you’re probably tired of hearing me say it, but there were definitely times over the past 6 months when I didn’t think I’d even make it to Hamburg, far less compete !! My goal originally was just to get here, maybe just for a holiday – then as I started to feel better, I thought I could definitely take part, just get round the course and enjoy the atmosphere – but after the mastectomy, I felt ok, and then once the nightmare of chemotherapy was over, my recovery went pretty well, and I was actually feeling relatively fit :-)) but I did even better than I ever thought I could :-)) 21st !!! In the world !!! Quite a long way to come after feeling so ill during chemo, not that long ago !!

The few days beforehand were a bit stressy – just with travel, logistics and timings. Travelling is always a bit stressful, even when everything goes ok, and you have to keep your fingers crossed all the way there, that the Airbnb is going to be ok !

We travelled over on the ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam. Stacked full of food from the dinner buffet and the breakfast buffet 🙂 Went to the cinema on the boat too. We spent a day in Amsterdam fleeing about on bikes – so much fun 🤩 Chris asked the guy in the bike shop where the best coffee shop was – I was behind him shouting cafe, cafe, not coffee shop !!!

We stayed just outside Amsterdam then drove over to Hamburg – 4 hour drive – roof down – roasty toasty 😁☀️ (with fingers crossed!).

The Airbnb was nice 👍 looked just like the photos, so all good 😊

Over the next few days there were lots of things to do for the event – registration, team meeting, recces, a parade !! – while keeping chris amused and fed !! 😆 We met up with the rest of the M3 guys and girls, and families, new and ‘old’ tri friends 😁

Going back and forwards to all the various things is really tiring and you are on your feet, doing lots of walking – over 27 thousand steps one day !! not ideal prep for a race, but heyho !! we tried to use the electric hire scooters as much as possible, they were great fun.

On the day, I was nervous, of course. It was also a ‘wetsuit – no wetsuit – wetsuit’ situation because the water temperature was 21.9 degrees !! Anything over 22 means no wetsuit is allowed 😬 I like to swim in my wetsuit because I’m not very floaty, and I’m not a brilliant swimmer (I swim fine but I’m not a swimmer, if you know what I mean). Anyhooo, the temperature stayed at 21.9, conveniently, so I wore my wetsuit.

And the swim was fine – good – felt ok, and thought I was fairly far up the field. I found my bike in T1 ok 😁 bit of a faff with bike shoes !! but no worries, then it was a mahooosive run up transition – in bike shoes 😱

The bike was absolutely brilliant 🤩😁 I had sooooo much fun, I was actually cheesing the whole time 😁😁 I was in a group of 5 and we were properly working as a group – I took my turn at the front like I was supposed to – like I knew what I was doing hahaha – I loved it so much ❤️😁

And when I ran after the bike my legs felt really fresh !! I had a great run – felt great the whole time and overtook loads of people. Did the run in about 21 minutes 😁 🏃‍♀️

And that was it done !!

I chatted to everyone afterwards – actually everyone and anyone, because I was on such a high.

Someone looked up my result – I was totally blown away to finish 21st – really, really delighted, surprised, grateful, happy, amazed – I can’t describe the feeling !!

I cried !!!

I felt genuinely grateful to be there. I was missing my boys and it was all a bit emotional 🥹

Still teetotalling 😁😁 so I celebrated with alcohol free Erdinger hahaha🍻

We also did the mixed team relay on the Sunday. It was brilliant fun, fast and furious and very exciting. Our team – Dougal, Norrie and super sub Fiona were great :-))) there are lots of photos !!!

So it’s fair to say, I had a great time !!

In between my triathlon shenanigans – we managed to watch the elites who were amazing, and I got to do some fan girling !!

We did some touristy things too – the chocolate museum – which included lots of chocolate tasting and making your own chocolate bar – oohhh yehhh 😁

We went to miniature world too – it was really cool, clever and with lots of funny little things in it.

We ate lots of nice food – Chris had curry wurst more than once !!

Now we are off to Denmark for a chill holiday – with no triathlons :-))) :-((