I found my heart in San Francisco, Training and Euro-Trip

I'd like to begin this post with the poem that Nelson Mandela read while imprisoned and was used as inspiration. It is what helped him through 27 years of imprisonment, I hope you can take some inspiration from it too.

Invictus

 by William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll.

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

I made the trip down to San Francisco with Carlos Certucha for the San Francisco Treasure Island Continental Cup. I always get excited about this race. It is an awesome course and an awesome city. The race was a good step in the right direction from my performances that preceded. I feel i executed this race well. my fitness was not where it should be but I raced smart and the results showed. I had clear water from the beginning but settled for 2nd position in the bay. I felt the pace was high enough to stretch out the pack so I was content for a second finish out of the water. On to the bike we were all very split up and it took about a lap and a half to get organized. eventually a pack of 10 of us worked together to pull away. Off on to the run I built into the run for a 7th place finish. Overall I raced well and feel I am on the upward swing.

Since I have been home I have been logging some major miles both on the bike and the run. I feel I am finally having a solid training block leading into my next adventure. Come August 2nd I will be flying to Europe for the Europe Competition Tour. The targeted events include:

Aug 7th/8th -Tiszaujvaros, Hungary ETU Junior Race and ITU World Cup

Aug 15th -Geneva, Switzerland Junior Race and ETU Continental Cup

Aug 21st/22nd -Lausanne, Switzerland ITU Sprint and Team Relay World Champs

We will initially travel to Tiszaujvaros, and transfer to Aix Les Bain, France, following the Tiszaujvaros races. Aix Les Bains is near the Switzerland border, and offers easy access to Geneva and Lausanne. We will stay in Aix Les Bains until August 19th, when we will transfer to Lausanne in advance of the last weekend of racing.

And so it is just under 2 weeks left of hard training here in Victoria and I will be off. The second half of the season is apon us and I feel good things are to come.

That is all for now.

Hope all is well, n'ciao for now,
Andrew