1 year older

Saturday was my 23rd birthday (celebrated with a 19 mile run and 30 minutes of core) and it seemed an appropriate point to think about how far I've come since I turned 22.

I distinctly remember being sat at the Hillingdon triathletes Xmas 2007 shindig discussing my aims for the season and mentioning IMUK. When asked what I hoped to achieve I said I'd be happy if I finished. When pushed to give a time I said 12 hours would be OK 11:30 would be great, sub 11 and I'd be ecstatic. It seems strange to think that 9 months later I was writing how disappointed I was with a time of 10:58.

This year at the same Xmas shindig I won the club duathlon series and also got on the club's honourable mention list for my silver at Nat Champs, if I'd have been able to race in Rimini that would have been another accolade to add. Thinking about this now these seem modest achievements, especially considering my lofty aims for this season, but 1 year ago I would have said a top 10 finish in Milton Keynes was pie in the sky.

It just makes me think that when we apply ourselves, are disciplined and train hard, a year is a huge amount of time if used productively. On my 20th birthday I was a rower who had problems running more than 5 miles, on my 21st it was a good day if I covered more then 1500m in the pool without sinking and on my 22nd I was just hoping to cross the finish line at Sherbourne. What will I be thinking when I turn 24... Only time will tell but if the last few years are anything to go by hopefully it will be reflecting on a successful Kona debut.

Thank you to all of Hillingdon for a great evening, especially Dave Wardle, without whom a hell of a lot of things would never get done!