Conquering Fears

I said to myself that one of my aims for 2009 would be about conquering and getting over my fears.

Coming out to Aus has been a great start for my New Year's resolution...

For starters, I have to admit, I've never been the most confident when it comes to open water, especially when it's open water with waves! I'll always remember my first French Grand Prix at LesSables d-Olones, it was the first time I was faced with a sea swim. The sea was pretty rough! I practiced the day before with Ben and lost a pair of goggles in the process! I have pictures of just before the race where my face is as white as a ghost - I was not looking forward to running into the sea for the 750m swim! I think the swim took us around 20 minutes, which shows how wavy it was. Ben still laughs at me for running into the water and falling flat on my face at the start - I can laugh at it now, but I was not laughing when it happened!!! Since being in Aus, I've turned a bit of a corner, I no longer panic when I hear Ben say 'We're going swimming in the sea'! We did a great session in the surf with Craig Walton last week, he taught us all about the rip, how to swim under the waves and how to catch a wave. I think spending time in the surf out here has given me a real boost of confidence in the open water.

A big fear for me was being able to run, swim and bike again after having to do three months of nothing! It was hard for me going from the fittest I'd ever been in Korea, pre-Beijing, to doing absolutely no training and then to come back in November and find myself getting out of breath after 5 minutes of running!! But I sit here now and think to myself that I don't regret having my break one bit. Yes - it took a lot of persuasion from Ben and other members of my support team, and I'm sure I put on some right sulks about it, but I know I did it for all the right reasons. Reasons that will make me come back stronger, stronger for many years to come. What is three months of rest in a potentially 20 year career in sport? It's the rest in the bank now that will enable me to keep on going. People will ask why I did it, because most triathletes don't ever have that long off, but I'm not 'most triathletes', I'm Hollie.

Several people who know me will laugh at this one! I have a fear of animals and if you ask me why I will always tell you 'it's because I never know what they're thinking'. Well since I've been in Aus, I've made a new best friend! Buttons, Liz's gorgeous dog, and I get along great!! She sensed that I was leaving today as she saw me packing and wouldn't leave my side!

I fly out of Australia today, pretty sad to be leaving. I've had a fantastic three weeks out here!! As you know for the first part I trained with the Youth Olympic Team, doing some great group training, and then I moved on to stay with Liz Blatchford. For the ten days I spent with Liz I joined in with her training group, which is made up of Emma Snowsill, Felicity Abraham and Liz. We did some great long rides in the hills and early morning runs on the coast! The girls all swim with a swim squad in Miami, so I joined in with them too. The squad is made up of swimmers, surfer life savers and triathletes, a real mix! But it was a tough squad - just what I needed to put some swimming fitness in the bank!

As well as training, I had some great fun on the Gold Coast, from making homemade ice cream with Liz to having surf lessons with Glen, Liz's fiance, as the surf shop - Go Ride A Wave! If I'm being honest - I think I should stick to making ice cream rather then surfing!! I managed to stand up once - but fell off in a matter of seconds! It was great fun though! Cooking skills rather then surf skills run in my family!!!

So it's back to the UK! I'll spend a couple of days back home in Bugbrooke before heading back up the M1 to Loughborough!! I've a couple more exams next week before starting my second semester.

It'll be a fair few months until I get out the bikini, flip flops and shorts, but hey, there's no place like home.

Hollie