I tend to disagree with the phrase
"things happen for a reason". Funny, because it used to be one of my
favourites. But sometimes, things don't happen for a reason. Sometimes, whilst
you may be able to grow, learn and become stronger, and even see some positives
through an experience, it is still just brutally unfair, painful and without
reason.
Loss is one such experience. It sucks. Pure and simple. Even for the most optimistic and positive of us, the feeling of loss can be hard to shirk off. Sadly, my family got to experience this feeling twice this year. Finding positives in such a situation is a decision, it's in the head. It doesn't make you feel less sad no matter how much positive self talk you do - trust me, I've tried! 2015 will be filed away with the title "that rough year".
But...Even the steepest and deepest dips on a roller coaster also have their ups.
Loss is one such experience. It sucks. Pure and simple. Even for the most optimistic and positive of us, the feeling of loss can be hard to shirk off. Sadly, my family got to experience this feeling twice this year. Finding positives in such a situation is a decision, it's in the head. It doesn't make you feel less sad no matter how much positive self talk you do - trust me, I've tried! 2015 will be filed away with the title "that rough year".
But...Even the steepest and deepest dips on a roller coaster also have their ups.
As an athlete too, this year was a tricky one
to navigate. Illness marred the first half of my athletic season but even
within that I need to remember that I did manage to pull out some performances
with which I'm satisfied - A podium at one of Melbourne's largest fun runs, Run
for the Kids (32,000+ competitors in total); a training session of 10x1kms in times I still don't believe I
actually did; my best swim of the first half of the year perfectly timed at the
ITU Oceania Championships where I finished 13th Elite (and taking
home important ITU ranking points); a couple of Gatorade Elite podiums and
scoring valuable ITU points at Oceania Cups....
The second half of the year was a lot kinder to me as an athlete. It too was the most difficult though on a personal level. In June, loss number one occurred, just as I had landed in Spain for three months. In October, loss number two occurred, two days before the Noosa Triathlon.
But.....
Whilst nothing can offset the gravity of grief, again I need to extrapolate the positives from this year. I need to focus on those and use them as the building blocks for 2016. 2015, whilst having the lowest of lows, did have some very satisfying high points too.
The second half of the year was a lot kinder to me as an athlete. It too was the most difficult though on a personal level. In June, loss number one occurred, just as I had landed in Spain for three months. In October, loss number two occurred, two days before the Noosa Triathlon.
But.....
Whilst nothing can offset the gravity of grief, again I need to extrapolate the positives from this year. I need to focus on those and use them as the building blocks for 2016. 2015, whilst having the lowest of lows, did have some very satisfying high points too.
I surprised myself to finish on the pro
podium (3rd) in my first non-drafting professional race at the 5150 in
Marseille, France with the fastest female run time of the day (also my best
10km run off the bike of my life).
I finished 7th in the ITU European Cup in
Turkey (within the all-important ITU points threshold) and had a top 5 run time
at the ITU European Cup in Latvia (riding and running my way into 14th after
being almost 30th out of the water).
Closer
to home, I was happy to win the overall female Victorian Duathlon Title, and be
in the middle of two World Champ representative athletes on the podium at Raby
Bay. An 8th place (7th Australian) at Australia's richest triathlon, the Nepean
Triathlon, in an intimidating pro field, was my last race this season that I
finished.
Uncharacteristically, my body started to cave in Sept. The long haul flights and thus sitting and sleeping in odd positions, probably just catching up with me. A niggle in my back since the last week of September seemed to ease and was managed through the State Duathlon Champs, Gatorade Triathlon and the Nepean Triathlon. But at some point, you've got to be realistic, smart and know when to call it. And so, with an irritated back turning into an angry back, over and out to 2015 one race sooner than hoped was the only smart choice.
Throughout this debacle of a year, my coach, Warwick Dalziel has been exceptional. He has coached me this year as a person, not as an athlete. In a year that has thrown at us what it did, that was what was needed, but it's what many coaches would fail to do. In high performance sport, it's so easy to forget that we athletes are people first and athletes second. Warwick recognized this and it needs to be acknowledged. Thank you.
Uncharacteristically, my body started to cave in Sept. The long haul flights and thus sitting and sleeping in odd positions, probably just catching up with me. A niggle in my back since the last week of September seemed to ease and was managed through the State Duathlon Champs, Gatorade Triathlon and the Nepean Triathlon. But at some point, you've got to be realistic, smart and know when to call it. And so, with an irritated back turning into an angry back, over and out to 2015 one race sooner than hoped was the only smart choice.
Throughout this debacle of a year, my coach, Warwick Dalziel has been exceptional. He has coached me this year as a person, not as an athlete. In a year that has thrown at us what it did, that was what was needed, but it's what many coaches would fail to do. In high performance sport, it's so easy to forget that we athletes are people first and athletes second. Warwick recognized this and it needs to be acknowledged. Thank you.
To my sponsors - Funkita Swimwear, Merida
Bikes, Fitzroy Cycles, Injinji, Asics, Pure Sports Hydration, and Melbourne Sports Hub –
thank you! You probably have no idea just how truly thankful I am for your
support, particularly this year.
With all that has happened this year, on and off the track, I keep forgetting how new I am to this game. After all, it was just two and bit years ago that I started this crazy journey of a professional triathlete. My first little parcel of ITU racing was Sept/Oct of 2013. I did 3 Asian Cups in 5 weeks, had a break and hit Oceania and European Cups for the first time just last year. Wow, these two years have included so much more than it feels could happen in just two years. 2016 can't come around soon enough.
So to 2015 I say "good riddance" but I also say "thank you". Thank you for challenging me in ways I've never before been challenged. Thank you for making me stronger. Thank you for teaching me more about myself as an athlete and a person than I thought possible in just one season. And thank you for some surprise good performances (amongst the disappointments), that showed me what I'm capable of in 2016.
With all that has happened this year, on and off the track, I keep forgetting how new I am to this game. After all, it was just two and bit years ago that I started this crazy journey of a professional triathlete. My first little parcel of ITU racing was Sept/Oct of 2013. I did 3 Asian Cups in 5 weeks, had a break and hit Oceania and European Cups for the first time just last year. Wow, these two years have included so much more than it feels could happen in just two years. 2016 can't come around soon enough.
So to 2015 I say "good riddance" but I also say "thank you". Thank you for challenging me in ways I've never before been challenged. Thank you for making me stronger. Thank you for teaching me more about myself as an athlete and a person than I thought possible in just one season. And thank you for some surprise good performances (amongst the disappointments), that showed me what I'm capable of in 2016.
Onward and upward.
