There’s something special about standing on a start line again; that mix of nerves, excitement, and quiet gratitude just to be there.

Last weekend I lined up at the Husky Triathlon Festival, racing in the Aquabike event. It marked my first race since the World Championships and my first real test since the long road back from injury.

After everything that’s happened over the past few months; from setbacks to rehab and rebuilding, this one felt different. Not because of any expectation, but because I finally felt ready to put all that behind-the-scenes effort to the test.

The race itself went well. Better than expected, actually. I knew I wasn’t back to top form, so I had to rely on my experience from almost a hundred multisport races and focus on racing smart; saving energy, being patient, and only pushing when it really mattered.

That meant keeping my heart rate under control in the swim rather than charging ahead, and being incredibly disciplined on the bike; staying aero, staying calm, and leveraging all the work Lisa and I had done around core stability and control. Every pedal stroke was about staying connected, efficient, and composed.

After all the challenges of recent months, I managed to find some rhythm, hold it together throughout the race and cross the line not just first in my age group, but first overall, with a time I was genuinely proud of given where things are at.

The win was a bonus, but it wasn’t really about that. It was about validation; proof that the consistency, patience, and foundations built during the toughest times really do pay off.

It was also great to share the day with family, friends and familiar faces, all out there pushing themselves and celebrating the same joy of racing again.

My coach, Tim Reed (Reedy) from RPG Coaching, recently shared a post about shifting your mindset when injury strikes moving from frustration to opportunity. That message really hit home. Over the past few months, that’s exactly what we tried to do; focus on what I could work on rather than what I couldn’t. Whether that meant strength, stability, or simply staying consistent, it became less about being injured and more about rebuilding smarter.

You can check out Reedy’s Instagram post here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DQu9BKpE3bs/?img_index=1&igsh=ZGgxMzdudXJoa3Vz 

More than anything, Husky was a reminder of why I do this; the early mornings, the rehab sessions, the evening swims, the solo indoor rides. They all lead to moments like this: where you get to line up again, test yourself, and remember why you love the sport.

It’s been a long road, but this one felt like a turning point.

Not just a race, but a small redemption; a reminder that with patience, persistence, and the right support, you can always find your way back.

Big thanks as always to Lisa and the team for keeping me strong, stable, and believing through the rebuild.

📖: Read more about the event and reflections on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7391256186840461312/