Blogs

Mon, 3 Oct 2011

Dallas Toyota Cup... Mojito Magic!

By Jodie Stimpson - Vision Fitness Ambassador

I arrived in Dallas on the Friday from LA, and have to say that there wasn't much training going on at all. LA took loads out of me, and it was only on Friday that I started to get the feeling back in my leg. So our last days out in LA was pretty much shopping, cinema, chilling and having lots and lots of giggles with Team Dillon.

On Friday it was a day of traveling, where me and Hollie were up at 7.00am to get our flight, and we arrived in our hotel in Dallas at 6.00pm, just in time for the Toyota Cup dinner, yum!!! I have to say the Americans really took care of us out there, they put on a big dinner for the pros and the sponsors and some of the other athletes, which was so nice of them, and then it was off to bed.

The day before the race I did a little bit of everything in training, which included a swim around the course. What a great place to have a race, lovely warm lake, no wetsuits . . . lovely. We had an early dinner and then got an early night as the race was to start at 7.20am, just as I like them!!!!

Race day

Well last night I felt the sniffles coming on, worst thing that could ever happen is to get a cold before a race, but hey nothing ho, nothing I could do a bout it, I felt fine in myself, so just thought I'd see how I'd go. I put it to the back of my mind, got up out of bed, had my coffee and powerbars breakfast = 4.30am, ready for the race starts at 7.24am.

I cyled over to the start and did a bit of a bike warm up, set up transition in the dark (always good fun), and then had a little jog and swim warm up just as the skies started to brighten. It was time to get this show on the road. It was a cold morning, with all the athletes freezing at the start (so much for the warm lake). It must have been a sudden change as we were now diving into deep water, and yesterday it was shallow??? How random!!!!

I was not warm enough, and couldn't get going in the swim until the far bouy, and by this time there was a group away, and I was left leading the chase group with Lisa Norden, so not that bad of company hey ;-);-)

Onto the bike and I didn't see much of Lisa after that, the machine dominated yet again and was gone!!!!!! Congratulations Lisa you are a beast (in a good way of course)! My legs didn't feel as good as last week on the bike and were screaming all the way, but I just kept on trying to push on and I just couldn't wait to get off the bike, even though I hadn't got a clue how my legs would feel. As the norm, I bolted out of T2 and was on a mission, and even though my legs didn't feel great I felt I was movong ok, and was able to put myself in the hurt box which is what has been missing recently (apart from LA last weekend). I started on the run in about 8th or 9th position, and found myself running through eventually into 4th position where I finished. I could see Annabel Luxford in the distance but ran out of road to catch her, and missed by place on the podium, gutted about that, but still a happy chappy and will be leaving the USA in good spirits, and very greatful for the organisers of LA and Dallas Toyota Cup races, for hosting a teriffic show! I'll be back for sure!

So tonight I'm going to party and let my hair down (for a change) and then fly back to the UK tomorrow to have a few weeks at home before my last race of the season in Barcelona.

Thanks for reading guys, my season 2011 season is nearly over

Jodie xxx

For more information about Jodie Stimpson - Great Britain Triathlete, visit www.jodiestimpson.co.uk.