• The next phase…

    Mel 6Melanie Berry – #thetrilifereporter – month 5

    The summer season means so many events which is great to see if you can achieve more and see more! Post Barcelona 70.3 I kinda fell out of love with triathlon, no real reason but I guess I felt I had not done myself justice in a few ways and that bike course was EVIL!! So time to re-dial what made me smile and what could be done to put that sprint in my step!

    First stop three weeks after my 70.3 was an Olympic race in Germany with three good friends and one who’s home town it was called Bocholt. Race day made me smile as it was a non wetsuit race!! Yippee…. but the best reaction was two of my friends who are not lovers of the water as I am… I am sure many of you can image the look I saw! So the race… mass start and two laps and then flat and fast bike course again two laps, which is always fun when you can see if you are being caught or are catching! haha… I am always the rabbit that is being hunted down! But only caught by one of my friends, gotta love that non wetsuit race for a few extra minutes! Then the run… always ouch!! No real running post Barca, made it a hard 10K! And caught on the last lap by one other friend! Boo…. oh well shows how long it takes to catch me hey!

    Mel 5Next – A stage of the Tour de France – L’Etape du Tour from Megeve – Morzine. Beautiful area of the world and a chance to focus on more cycling in the rain in the UK!! What a summer we have had!! But a chance to do climbs in the Peaks to get more leg strength and mental preparation for the big day. I really enjoyed riding more and race day was amazing… I recommend to it anyone.. the event had one climb taken out due to safety issues. Two feelings on that one..relief and disappointment but it was what is was and the last climb was challenging – Col de Joux Plane and 11.6K at an average of 8.5%. Nothing compares to those climbs in this country, but I love ‘em and beat Amy Williams the Olympic gold medallist up it and over an hour faster than model Jodie Kidd! That must be success?

    Next focus… Relay at the Vitruvian and the bike leg and then the Robin Hood Half Marathon. I hope Liz can work her coaching magic and make me love running again like I have found my new found love of riding my bike.