September kicked off with a trip to France for my very first D2 French GP in Quiberon, racing for MSA Triathlon. It was also my first ever draft-legal sprint-distance race, giving me valuable practice at the distance ahead of the British Triathlon Super Series Grand Final the following weekend.

The race itself didn’t go as well as I had hoped, but there were still positives to take away. I went out too hard in the swim and blew up about 200 m in, which left me just short of the second pack coming out of the water. I dug deep to bridge the gap but eventually slotted into the third pack. Fortunately, I managed to finish it off with a strong run, crossing the line in 56th place. Barely had I caught my breath before I was back in the team van and on my way to the airport for the flight home.

Back in Scotland, I had a few days of easier training before heading to Mallory Park for the Super Series Grand Final. We arrived in Leicester on Friday and the Scotland squad headed out for a short shake-out jog. A few strides later, my legs felt primed and ready for the challenge ahead.

The race was a sprint-distance classic: 750 m swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run. I felt confident after my run the day before, but I couldn’t ignore the forecast. Heavy rain was expected, and with Mallory Park being a motor-racing circuit, the combination of rain and old oil spills can make the corners slick and treacherous.

Race morning looked promising, dry and calm, until the girls’ race started. Then black clouds rolled in and the heavens opened. As one of the higher-ranked athletes I got to line up near the front, just behind the juniors we were racing against, giving me a good spot on the start line.

From the first strokes of the swim I felt heavy-armed and flat. I missed the front pack and had to bridge across to the second, where I tucked in and conserved as much energy as I could. The bike leg was carnage, with crashes happening all around me, but I managed to stay upright and composed. Hopping off the bike, I felt surprisingly strong and ran well, narrowly missing the podium, finishing 4th in Youth B and 15th overall. The result also secured me 2nd place in the overall Super Series rankings, which was a great way to close out the domestic season.

Or so I thought.

Just as I was easing into the idea of some off-season mountain biking and surfing, I got a last-minute call-up for the French GP finale in Cabourg. I couldn’t resist. The bike course looked amazing, the kind of technical, corner-packed challenge I love.

The race started on the beautiful sandy beach of Cabourg. At the gun, about 90 of us charged into the water. I braced for a chaotic, physical swim, but to my relief it wasn’t as brutal as I had expected. I only got punched in the face once. I exited the water about 30 seconds behind the leaders, which I was pleased with.

The bike leg was brutal. I found myself in a big second pack chasing a small lead group around the technical course. Every single corner demanded an all-out sprint to get back up to speed. It was one of the hardest bike efforts I have ever done. I spent six and a half minutes at over 415 watts. By the time I hit transition I was deep in the red. My legs were shot as I started the run and I faded back through the field.

Even so, it was an unforgettable experience. Racing at that level on such a demanding course pushed me in new ways and left me hungry to come back stronger.