End of Season Review 2006.
Monday, 15th January 2007
After a great winter, I approached the race season fit and confident. My first test was over 3km at the BUSA indoor athletics championships in February. I ran a personal best (PB) in the heats, and then took another seven seconds off in the final, clocking 8m45. After a long winter of endurance training, I was chuffed with this result.
My first triathlon of the year was at the BUSA triathlon champs in Wiltshire at the beginning of April. I finished 23rd; proving I still had a lot of work to do to get race fit. Two weeks later I travelled to Edinburgh for the National Elite Duathlon Championships. On a tough course, I finished 12th and more importantly learnt a massive amount about elite racing.
Next I raced a sprint distance race in Milton Keynes in order to try out a few things before Windsor. I finished 4th, and was pleased to swim and ride strongly. I then travelled down to Windsor for the British Elite and under-23 triathlon championships. I got bashed a bit in the swim, and ended up off the pace. I never really managed to get back on terms with the big bike packs, but after a strong run I finished 27th. I then had a couple more training races, first in Eton where I finished 9th in a draft legal race, and then the National age-group championships in Wakefield. I won my age group at Wakefield, and also recorded the 2nd fastest time of the day.
I made my international debut in a European Cup race in Holland. I had my best swim of the year, coming out of the water near the front of the second pack. I struggled in the heat on the bike and although I had a disappointing run I came home in 31st. More importantly I had started to learn my trade on the European stage.
At the National Aquathlon Championships in Salford I finished 3rd overall, and won my age group. I went out hard on the swim, leading round the first buoy, and going onto the run in about 5th. Although I was disappointed with my run I had importantly done enough to gain the last qualifying slot for the Elite World Aquathlon Championships in Lausanne.
The following week I was at the London Triathlon. After a physical swim, I exited off the pace of the front packs. My bike group worked well together, but onto the run we were too far behind the bigger packs and after an OK run, I finished 38th.
I travelled to Geneva for my second taste of continental racing and this is where I experienced my first, and only DNF of the year. After a poor swim, I felt I was doing more harm than good, so pulled the plug. Having flown home to celebrate my 21st birthday, I returned to Lausanne for my first ever world championship, and my first ever British vest. Although finishing in 15th place the race itself was a personal disappointment. I felt I swam poorly and made no real inroads on the run. However, the experience was amazing. This coming season I will be build on the successes of 2006 and over the winter continue to work towards international representation.
Steve Worthington is well poised to achieve his ultimate professional ambition of representing his country at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. 2006 saw him represent Great Britain in the aquathlon at the World Championships and he was invited by Brendan Foster to race at the Great Ethiopian Run. He is currently under the experienced guidance of Jack Maitland at the BTA North of England Performance Centre.