After 3 1/2  weeks down under, I can finally write this end of season blog.  I was going to do it yesterday, but after the flight from hell and no sleep, all I could think about was sleep.  What was meant to be a short nap before dinner turned into a 15 hour sleep!
So before the jetlag hits me again, I am going to condense the last 3 weeks into this short blog!

Australia, you have stolen my heart!  I'm barely 24 hours back in the UK and I already want to go back!  It all started in Burleigh Heads, Gold Coast.  I am never going to forget the view we had from our apartment and pictures do not do it justice (see below).   I spent some time in this area before moving up the coast and took in some amazing sights whilst cycle training with a local triathlon club.  We even had a kangaroo bouncing alongside us during one ride!  Amazing.   

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A few days before the race, we moved to an apartment directly next to the competition site, and that was when the nerves started!  As my race was on the last day of a 4-day race schedule, I could watch everything from my apartment balcony, so there was no escaping the atmosphere of it.  Although I love the atmosphere of a race, having the cheers of the crowd, the sound of the official's motorcycle going past, and the view of everyone else's race happening all day everyday can be quite annoying in the build up to your own race!

After the 3 days of registration, team briefing and bike check-in, it was finally race day.  I have raced at all sorts of hours, from early morning to late afternoon, however, this was a whole new experience for me!  We were up at 3am to get ready for this day, with a 4:30am transition check-in.  It was still pitch black outside, and the floodlights over transition that were meant to help us see our bike area only cast everything in an even darker shadow.  I have never had to set up my transition with a torch light before! 
Although the circumstances were not ideal, it did bring out a whole new level of comradery between the countries.  I had a fellow Brit on my right, and a Mexican competitor I had made friends with a few days before on my left, with a New Zealander on her other side.  Although we were all competing against each other, we held torches whilst the other sorted their wheels, held bikes whiles pumping up the tires, and offered words of encouragement when the nerves got too much!  It was the nicest and most relaxed ambience I have felt before a Triathlon, and I wish I could have stayed and chatted with the girls for a lot longer.

Nevertheless, we had a competition to get through.  Once transition was set up and the sun decided to rise (typical it was after I had finished setting up transition!), it was time to head down to the competition start.  Just like the European Championships, the swim was a straight 1500m swim with no turns which I prefer. It did mean a long walk to the start line, but at least the walk was on part of the run course!

And then came the run.  I will not hesitate to say that the run hasn't worked for me this year, but ask any Triathlete and they will tell you that it is nearly impossible to keep all 3 disciplines at a good level at the same time plus this is the end of a long season for us Brits (Australians are just starting their season so fresh legs!)  That is why I made sure my bike was as fast as I could as I knew the run wouldn't be as good. 
I had put so much effort into the bike that my legs were not having it for the run and I felt like they were extremely heavy, but I managed to keep my 6th position all the way to the end with help from family members who had travelled up from Melbourne to see me and shout me in all the way to the finish!  I knew when I crossed that line that I had given everything I could and couldn't have done any better this year, so I am so proud of myself!  
AND... I'm 6TH IN THE WORLD!!!!

It has been a very long year with many ups and downs, but what a year!  From my shoulder operation in February and thinking I wasn't going to be able to compete this year at all , to becoming European Champion in July and now 6th in the World! 
Now that I have had my 2 week break from all training - spent travelling up and down the East Coast of Australia and having eaten a year's worth of chocolate and TimTams in that time, it is time to get stuck into my winter training to prepare for next year and get my strength up in this shoulder.
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This 'short' blog has now turned into quite a long one, so I think I will leave my down-time blog to another time!

Thank you everyone for the lovely words of encouragement and congratulations I have received not just for this race, but for this whole year!  I love you all!! 

Before the sun had even risen from behind the horizon, I was in transition setting up my bike, shoes and helmet for the approaching race.  I would say the one downfall of this race is the transition - although it is so big that it can easily fit all of the competitors in, they decided to put the entrance and exit (for the people who hadn't started their race yet) in the same corner as the bike in and out, which made for some close collisions between cycles and people!
 
​Soon enough, the swim was upon me.  All of the men's waves went off before mine, and it was only then, watching them go off,  that I realised that this is what I was so nervous about, having not done a full 1500m in training since my op without stopping before this I was unsure whether I would make it round!  So you can imagine my relief when they announced that the swim would be reduced to 750m due to the amount of mist over the lake! 
​But of course, as usual, luck wasn't on my side - I was the first female wave after the men, and just happened to be the first wave that had the swim put back up to 1500m!   In a way though, this was better, because  I now know that I can do that distance  This was my only Standard distance Triathlon before the Europeans, so at least I have actually done the correct distance before having to compete abroad.
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It has been a while since I was on here, and A LOT has happened so here we go...

​Firstly, and probably the most important part, is that I CAN FINALLY SWIM AGAIN!!! When I found out that I needed an operation, the doctor told me that although this operation will considerably improve my shoulder stability, that I may not get back to the level I was before and I may even struggle to swim at all. 

Obviously, this was a huge obstacle for me and made it a lot harder to make my decision, but I have met many people who have struggled with injuries yet still been able to carry on competing.  

I also knew that having my arm permanently dislocated from my shoulder socket for any longer would mean problems with tendons, muscles etc later on.  Therefore, I took the risk of having the operation as I knew nothing could be worse than continue competing with the pain I was in before as well as my times worsening each month.

​Now, almost 3 months later, I have returned to my swim club (which I havent swum with for 8 months) and I have just been able to get my arm over the water when swimming front crawl!  This is a HUGE step in the right direction for me, because at last now I know that as long as I get my strength back, I will be able to compete again. 

There is still the possibility of not getting my full rotation of the shoulder back, but for now, I am happy with how it is going!    Next task: getting a wetsuit on!

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The bike - I haven't been able to go onto the road because my shoulder wouldn't have been able to reach the bars and hold me up.  Last week I was finally able to get out onto the road, and just in time for the nice weather!

It was lovely to have that freedom again with the wind blowing the cobwebs away.   Although I could only do about 17ish miles before I had to cycle home holding my arm to my chest, I would say that was a good start! 
However today I went out again on the quiet country roads of Hanningfield.   I felt so much stronger and was able to ride for longer and enjoy it more.   I got up some good speed and didn't ache as much.

​I still cannot go on my TT bike because I can't get my arms onto the bars or arm rests in the correct position and to be safe (see picture below, this was taken before the operation).  It puts an awful lot of pressure on my shoulder being in this position and I wouldn't be able to control the bars, brakes or gears,  or concentrate on the road enough.
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I am hoping it happens soon as I NEED TO GET ON THAT BIKE!

  It's coming up to nearly 6 weeks post-op, and I'm finally starting to feel like I can do some proper training.
Don't get me wrong, I am ages away from getting back to how I used to train, but at least this is better than just walking on the treadmill like I was for the first 3 weeks!

​I am now able to run on the treadmill and road as long as my arm is strapped down to my side (like the picture below), and go on the turbo/back to the gym,  but I still cannot cycle on the road as I can't put pressure on my shoulder as it may dislodge the 4 metal rods from the bone which are now becoming embedded
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​But the bit that I am most excited about is that I can get back in the pool!  My stitches are well healed, and it felt good to just be in the pool again, and with my arm strapped down to my side I managed to do my whole swim with one arm.  It is REALLY hard, especially as I haven't swam properly since September, but it's a start and I am grateful that it is healing well  - and quickly.   We just need some decent weather now.  
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'You never realise what you have until it is gone'.  This phrase has never related much to me before, until now, but its going to be a very long 6 weeks without the use of my left arm!

​Of course it is only temporary, and I take my hat off to the people who cannot use one or more of their limbs permanently, because I didn't realise how much I rely on my left arm until now!  Even typing this  blog is a lot harder with just one hand!   I can't tie my hair up, cut my own food, get dressed, or even wash my own hair.  And have you tried pulling up jeans with one hand!! 
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But the hardest part is sleeping - as you can see by the photo ** my sling keeps my arm in a neutral position, and as I have to wear it day and night, when I am on my back my arm sticks up in the air and I lose circulation in my hand and fingers. Therefore, I've discovered its easier to sleep in a sitting position so my heart is higher than my arm - consequently, it is a real operation (no pun intended) to get set up ready for bed with about 20 cushions and pillows!  But of course, Just when I had gotten into a comfortable position, I had to get up to use the toilet!

​If I do my exercises every day and do not use my arm or its muscles then I should be in this sling for 3 weeks rather than the 6 they were threatening and then in a smaller sling for the other 3 weeks.  It will then be the long road to recovery and getting my fitness back before the Europeans in July.  It will only give me about a two months to get my new swim stroke sorted and some resemblance of fitness back. 
I know that's a very tall order considering I haven't swum since September but with the help of my coach Kris - who just so happens to be a great swim coach - it might be possible.   

​However, for me, the hardest part of it all is going to be not training.  I'm finding it impossible to keep still now and its only been 2 days since the operation.  I am already driving my parents up the wall, mum says I'm a very 'impatient patient'.  I cannot stand being in pain and incapacitated and I know I shall be missing my running and cycling.  Although I've discovered I can at least walk at a fast pace with the incline right up on my treadmill today so there's a light at the end of the tunnel.  

​**The blue sling with the pipe laid over my black arm sling in the photo above is a cryo-ice sling. It is filled with cold water and is placed over my shoulder after exercising/stretching/physio (after being stored in the freezer) and designed to reduce swelling and oedema.