Mitch’s Races:
ITU Holten European Cup, Netherlands (5th July)
ITU Geneva European Cup, Switzerland (20th July)
ITU Istanbul European Cup, Turkey (4th August)
ITU Riga European Cup, Latvia (10th August)
Before focusing on more pressing current matters, I felt it
necessary to revisit my latest European adventure to keep the timeline up to
date. My training buddies and I returned to the picturesque alpine village of Morzine
for the second year running. It felt like it was home as soon as I arrived and
it was great to see the same friendly faces at the local shops and swimming pool.
The town was looking rather neat and had clearly benefited from a prosperous
winter season with new construction and facilities all around. Despite the run
of weather we had, the town remains one of my favourite places in the world.
Unlike the season before when I rarely left the village, I travelled
to race a lot this year and had a real taste for life on the road. I’m not
always the most flexible of people and do like a routine, so handling my
training, health and budget was a real learning curve. World travel continues
to amaze me! It’s much the same everywhere you go! Waiting at airports, eating
unsatisfying snacks and loading the shuttle bus with bike bags and back packs. At the time you hardly feel
like your absorbing lifes' gifts, however when you reflect, the experience is
priceless. Especially when you have good quality people to share it with!
I spent three months attached at the hip with Sean Jefferson (USA).
We shared a one-bedroom apartment (with separate beds) in Morzine and followed
the same race schedule for most of the year. We trained together, we ate
together and we travelled together without ever sharing bad words between us.
There are few people you can do that with so I’m sure he will be a mate for
life. Along with the others in my squad, my French team and other
buddies like James Chronis who I met at several races throughout the summer, all combined to make the season so much more memorable.
In terms of the racing, the season provided experience more so than
breakthroughs. All of which is valuable, but requires much of my patience to
see the long-term reward, as opposed to the short term frustration. I have been saying this for a few years now,
but the deeper I dive into the sport, the more I’m sure it will work out. The
highlights included a podium in the La Rochelle French GP, a Top 10 finish in
the Istanbul ITU event and a few handy run splits in Geneva and Latvia. Unfortunately
more often than not I found myself chasing from the second pack on the bike and I failed to
give myself enough opportunities to run with the leaders. I have always felt it
is important to step outside your comfort zone and race against better
athletes, and this was the reality this year. I trained hard and tried my
best, but I wasn’t at the level I needed to be to compete with the best in
Europe. Hopefully my next campaign will be more structured and I’ll arrive at
the start line with a clearer mind and a fresher body!
Back home the rest of my family and friends have been kicking goals.
My sister Stephanie has this year graduated as an Air Traffic Controller and
has been working out of Brisbane Airport for the past year. She’s proof that
the journey is not always easy but its always worthwhile and I’m very proud of
her. My mum Leanne (Louie) has been busy working away at Mossgreen, an auction
house in Melbourne, which sells all things artistic, memorable and down right
expensive! Mum loves her work and it is nice to know that some people out there
have $20k to spend on a stamp. And Dad continues to look younger everyday and
remains the smartest person I know. He has had his fair share of world travel
over the past year on route to various seminars and training courses to
teach other Chemists (Scientists not Pharmacists) how to use the Agilent
equipment. I’ve always had a picture in my mind about what it is that he does,
but I can’t help thinking he walks around a lab all day in his long white coat
nursing a test tube full of florescent green potion...
As this update has come well after the fact, tune in for my next post
to get the next chapter in my evolving journey…
Thanks for reading!
Mitch's Pictures:
Morzine Aquatic Centre
Admiring the view!
Jeffo in the 2014 "Triathlon Budget" range!
Cam Good (AUS) acting tough :/
James Chronis (GRE) clocking up the travel time...
Cheering Jodie Stimpson (ENG) to GOLD in Glasgow!
Bakala Academy in Leuven, Belgium!
Holten, Netherlands
Shopping in Riga, Latvia
Evening ride in Istanbul, Turkey (Beautiful Place)
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