Georgia Taylor-Brown fully accepts that she is still very much learning the ropes after moving up to middle distance – and even admits there are times when she gets a little bit bored.
As Britain’s most decorated Olympic triathlete and multiple world and European medal winner, GTB is testing the waters of new endurance experiences as she takes advantage of a Games gap year.
Saturday’s fourth-placed finish in the punishing heat of Dubai represented her best yet in the three T100 races that she has competed in this season, and has given her hope that the harsh lessons of longer-distance competition are at least sinking in.
Making the jump for Olympic distances
Making the jump from the Olympic/Standard distance of a 1.5km swim, 40km bike, and 10km run has not been easy for the Leeds-based athlete, who describes herself as a novice in T100 where the swim is 2km, the bike 80km, and the run 18km.
Her first two attempts came back in August when she took on the London T100 and finished in a credible 12th place despite a length mechanical delay on the bike, before she then went across to the French Riviera, where she achieved her first top ten finish in ninth.
Saturday’s effort in Dubai saw her improvement graph continue to climb in the right direction as she followed Julie Derron (SWI), Kate Waugh (GBR) and Jess Learmonth (GBR) over the line in fourth place – the same place GTB occupied a week earlier on her IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship debut.
The T100 Triathlon World Championship Finals in Qatar next month is up in the air but the question remains whether her dabble at 100km has been enough to convince her to try again next season.
‘I had to see what I had left for the run’
Talking after Saturday’s race in Dubai, she said: “The race was okay. I was having a good swim on the first lap, but then I lost the front girls, which was my fault because I was at the back of the pack. I didn’t want to go out too hard on the bike, because I didn’t want to get too hot. I just had to try and pace it and then see what I had on the run, which wasn’t very much.
“I don’t know if I’ll do Qatar yet, because I’ve only done three races. So we’ll see what happens, but I’m still learning. It’s like a completely different sport, this longer distance… completely different.
“I’m still learning, but I do feel like I’m getting a little bit closer every time, so I’ll keep pushing. I’m not going to say that I’m fully enjoying it yet, because it does get a little bit boring, but maybe that’s because I’m not in the front group. Maybe if I can get to the front, it’ll be a bit more exciting. I get a bit bored after around 15 minutes on the bike.”
She would later back those words up with an Instagram post that read: “I say middle-distance racing is too long; I get bored & it’s not for me: but I’m always coming back for more… riddle me that!
‘I just want to get to the front with the fast girls’
“It’s true, I do find it a bit of a mental battle out there, but I just want to get to the front with the fast girls & join the real party! So I’ll keep pushing and hopefully keep getting closer! & thank you always to T100 for the wildcard opportunities 😇.”
Whether further wildcard opportunities are going to be available in Qatar remains to be seen, but it is a fair bet that we will see this impressive athlete gracing more T100 events again next season.
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