After a week in France, it was time for my final race before heading home – the French triathlon championships. The scorching French heat made for a long 8-hour drive from Bordeaux, not ideal preparation for the race. Feeling stiff and tired, I prioritised recovery and mobility before the event.

Race day arrived with a lovely 25-degree temperature and no wind. The course featured a beautiful open water swim, hilly bike ride and gravel run. I started the race with a poor swim, emerging in the second pack. My goal on the bike was to conserve energy, but the hilly course made that difficult. I finished the run in 19th place but was disqualified. I tried to ask the officials about the disqualification, but they were unhelpful. It was a mediocre performance and a frustrating end to my time in France.

Back home, I focused on preparing for Bristol (European champs qualifiers) in a few weeks time. My training has become more race-specific, incorporating harder and faster sessions. This weekend, I headed to Mallory Park for a super series race in preparation for Bristol. The race format was heats and finals, with heats on Saturday and finals on Sunday. On Saturday, I comfortably qualified second in my heat after a fun breakaway. Sunday, I finished sixth in the A final after a hard-fought run battle with Oscar.