In 2021, I thought this is it.
I am done racing. I proved the naysayers that I have it in me. I can race on the highest level. I got those extra 2 years that no one saw coming. I was supposed to be done with triathlon in 2014. Coming back was never the plan. So, I did it, I proved myself I can be there. But to be racing on the highest level while working is a constant battle and a compromise. You always have to make sacrifices, and it always leaves you with what if… So, I decided that the 2021 world champs is going to be my last race.
But then I won a bronze. And I say won on a purpose because it did feel like a win. It was totally unexpected. These kind of wins feels the absolutely the best. There is no pressure and no relieve. There is only surprise and joy. So, when I got pregnant couple of months later, I knew that it wasn’t my last race. I want to comeback. I am not done.
Coming into 2024 season I had no idea what to expect. I had a crap of a winter. I was fighting an injury the whole autumn. Having a toddler means you are sick every second week and honestly even though it was a year since I gave birth, I felt like I am still recovering. But then somehow, I had a good race at the winter triathlon world champs. I finally won a medal and there was a sense of hope.
Spontaneously, I have decided to race the first world cup of the season. But the moment I booked my ticket to Taiwan, I got sick and unfortunately didn’t get better until the race day. Yet, I’ve got first out of the water and managed to keep my lead halfway through the bike. I bonked terribly and walked most of the second lap of the run. but somehow, I finished 4th anyway and most importantly, I knew I can do much better than that. I also learned that if I want to be really competitive, I need to start riding my MTB.
So I did exactly that. Stayed healthy. Didn’t touch my road bike for the next 5 weeks. And boom, I was second in Greece. In one of the most competitive races of the season. That elevated me to second place overall. I was hoping to confirm I am not just a fluke in the next world cup in Oak Mountain but a rookie mechanical mistake cost me dearly and I finished 6th. Just to make up for it the next day in the short track by scoring another second place. I ain’t no fluke after all.
I felt invincible going into the third stop of the world cup in Belgium. But literally everything went wrong. River swim and long road climb turned into 5k run. Duathlon. The worst possible scenario for anyone whose nickname is a mermaid (me). Surprisingly, I felt great on the first run and went with the lead. And then bonked. And cried. And did not finish. Not my proudest moment. Also, terrible mistake when every race and point counts.
This is when the balancing life work motherhood professional athlete career starting to be difficult. We were not even halfway through the season, and I felt drained. Getting sick after Belgium and missing the ETU Europeans did not help. And I made the hard decision not to hunt the overall (and prize money that would somehow secure my next season) and focus on what has been the goal from the very beginning – the XTERRA Europeans on home soil in Prachatice, Czech Republic.
I can't say wether that was the right decision or not, but I know I wouldn’t have been writing this as a European vice-champion. I desperately needed a training block that would make up for the lack of winter training. But maybe by going to Canada and having average results there and in Prachatice would secure me a podium in the overall ranking. We shall never know.
I probably peaked one week too early and went into XTERRA Czech with a week off running due to a small niggle in my foot, but I still had a very decent day. Average swim, excellent bike and average run meant finishing second in front of home crowd. A dream coming true and a massive boost of confidence going into the last race of the season – the world championship.
But then again life happened. While everyone else had 7 weeks to get ready for the worlds, I had a 3 weeks of PhD defense prep with zero training structure. While I don’t think it took such a big toll on my physical fitness, it was mentally draining. I still had 3 weeks left before travelling to Molveno for the grand finale. I did feel very good in trainings but catching a cold the week of the race was not ideal.
I finished second – again – in the short track which gave me a bit of hope that the sickness didn’t affect me too much, but my HRV was telling my otherwise. Given the circumstances, I am happy with 5th place but I am disappointed that I was not able to show my best when it mattered the most.
The final score is 4 times 2nd place, 4th, 5th and 6th in the XTERRA world cup and 6th overall (with missing 3 races). These results are way above what I thought I am capable of, and I am incredibly happy and proud. But they left me once again with the big question what if.
What if I had the time to swim more than 6k per week (yes, that’s the actual milage I’ve recorded this year). What if I had the space for recovery? What if I actually rode my bike this winter?
Well, let’s find out.
See you in 2025.
Comments