Aileen's blog

I've only 2days left in Pontresina. And todays a day off! Yipee. I always feel in need of the day off just as it comes so I was delighted to finish early on Friday and head to Livingio (again) for some R&R (and shopping and steak).

The legs are feeling the burn so I decided today I'd go sit in the river (there are glacier rivers here, kina grey and mucho frio).

Conor was the last to leave on Friday morning and competes tomorrow at home in the national sprint champs. So now its just me and the physologist Declan. We searched Livingio for an Iirsh bar yesterday so we could watch the footy, but the 2 we found were closed! Poor dec. On the way home we got stopped at the Italian border for the first time, and asked for our passports. Having brought mine the 5 previous times we'd made the trip and not being asked for it I didnt bother. We got held for 10minutes while they checked our details, two least likely convicts Aileen Morrison & Declan Gamble! HA. Declan is as clean and straight as a... clean straight thing. So it was v funny.

I will miss Pontresina as a training venue. Despite the snow last week and the few days of cold weather it has been an almost perfect location to work from. I think we all agreeded we'd ask the lady to install us internet and a washing machine for next year, but we done just fine without them- washing our clothes in the bath and walking into town and sitting on a wall outside someones house getting their free wifi. So we can barely complain.

I will miss Nussbrot, the kg of neverending jam, the neighbours who hated us and left us messages in swiss (which were useless cos we didnt understand them), getting changed in the dark at the pool, the tv that buuzzed, the scales that read different every time, albula, bernina, our wee lake, the amazing view from our balcony, the funky comfy leaopard print sofas, the toilet with the curatain for a door, and finding a new trail to run on every day.

But it is onwards to Budapest. Im fit, Im ready. Bring it on.

Nothing is impossible (c. G.Noble).

Im pushing an elephant up the stairs, thats what this week felt like. Come wednesday morning swim session I had hit the wall and the piano fell. 4 sets of 4x75, 4x50s was not what I had in mind, but I tried anyhow. Good job we had a decent break and some aerobic work before a half day on Friday spent in Livigino the Italian tax free haven (the town next door to us).

So the cycling been tough going too, but luckily I've got Connor for company. Connors wheel and Connors feet have been my new best friends. Just fast enough to push me harder than I wanted to go, its been great to train with someone on camp. He has joined me on all my cycle sessions and was the reason I made it up Stelvio last week. 40x100s in the pool would have been ridiculoiusly monotonus wihout him, but in fact it was fine and im learning to like the bubbles. In the lake the other day we had decided we should swim closer to each other and 'beat each other up more'- (his words), so we did, and I got a bop on the nose. I stopped to cry for about 30seconds and then got on with it! This year Connor set himself a goal to win the European age groups in Athlone, and the World age groups in Budapest. A sound guy, with targets in mind he deserves the success im sure he will get. Hopfully we will see him on the elite European cicrcuit next year.

Meanwhile we lost a few, Ricki, Gav and Kerry have left us. Gav is racing at home (despite an unexpected copenhagen stop-over) after a fantastic return to training here. It may take some more time to get back to where he was, but im confident that he is fit, and should be in amazing shape for Hautalco and Teongyoung by the end of the season. Kerry is off to Almere and will meet up with Brian there, both racing on Sunday. Good luck to all 3.

A day off calls for feet up and some videos so im off to watch the borne identity, and possibly bake later on.

Big thanks to D for coming on camp, 3hard weeksof training makes for niggles so we were all gald she was able to fix us up. Celebratory curry & vino tonight for D.

The Irish squad have returned in style. We missed Sean Renfer this year so we've rented accomodation instead, a lovely wee apartment which looks across the Swiss Alps.

Chris, Ricki (SINI physiologist) Martina (S&C), D (physio), Gav, Kerry, Connor Murphy and myself have been enjoyiong the thin air and increased workload.

Since we've been in Pontresina we've been working away at swim, bike, run eat and sleep quite well! So far- a few swims in the lake and pool, a few up hill runs, a track session, and the odd cycle, either up albula or even stelvio!

Yes Stelvio has to be the highlight so far. We drove to Levingio as otherwise it would have been a 5hour, 4climb ride. Then we rode through Italy to the infamous Stelvio climb, 35k long, 48 switchbacks, and a finish at 2750m altitude with a few 14% gradients thrown in! Not easy cycling. I enjoyed me caffiene gel that day, and i specifically remember having it on the 33rd corner (there were signs at each switchback counting down), there was an hour to go to the top and i knew i needed it then. 10mins later i was high fiving Connor and woopwoop-ing each 1k count down. We did make it, and had pizza at the top.

We've alos been inspired by a few athletes here again this year, we chatted to Mara Yamauchi, and seen all the Kenyans at the track.

below me gav & connor at the top of bernina for our long run,, up hill!

Its been fine eating with everyone taking their turn at dinner. I think we all most enjoyed Rickis beans on toast!

Pontresina is lovely town im sure we will visit alot in the coming years- at the local market on thursday we enjoyed the swiss hot dogs and live music as a great treat for a hard weeks work.

16th in the worlds cream of the crop is not a bad day at the office. If you'd offered me 16 in Hamburg I'd have bitten your arm off. But this race had everyone in it, there was no-one missing from the line up that you'd expect to be in the top 20 I'd say.

In saying that, a taste of success gives you the desire for more. I was pretty confident by the race start that I belonged here now. My race number was 16, and I lined up next to Paula Findlay on the poontoon. I had a decent start, but lacked the speed in the first 400 to make it round the bouys without a fight. Then I felt like I was constantly swimming over people- wanting to swim faster than the people in front of me, but unable to get past. A poor swim meant second pack.

Nicola Spirig done all the work on the bike in our pack. And everyone knew it. Most of us were just trying to keep up. We didnt make any ground on the lead pack because they were blasting it too with McClarty on the front. By the final 2 laps I felt sort of normal and kept near the middle of the pack as the corners/ cobbles were tricky and Spirig tried to brakeaway (no surprise- you'd get pissed off if you were doing all the work too). Anyhow onto the run and I told myself that she'd be tired and so I should aim to stay with her on the run. I did and even felt better on the last 2 laps, to pass 7 or so people from the lead pack, running myself into 16th.

Again, my ranking has improved. 13th in the Olympic qualification list, 21st in the Dextro Energy WC Series, and 25th in the ITU points list. My aim this year was to put myself in a good position for the Olympic qalification for next year. To be ranked so high now is amazing.

Thanks to Stephen for this week, you were great. and Chris for always.

News on the TI junior front, Laura Casey just placed 9th in the Youth Olympics in Singapore! Flipping amazing girl. Go you. Also well done to Kerry in Geneva who came 8th in a European Cup race on Sunday too.

Next up is a TI camp in Ponresina, Switzerland. Its at altitude and we've been there before. Fantastic opportunity for me to work with Chris 'on site' in the lead up to the WCS Final in Budapest. Myself and Emma have qualified along with Ben & Laura in the junior races.

Ill keep updating.

lastly- Ive got a new TWITTER. Follow me- aileenmorr.

Arrived into Munich and overland into Austria on Tuesday night. I had planned to come straight from the London Tri event, but had the stupid pool fliter incident which intereferred with my running. With the help of the SINI physios and Deidre I was back on my feet in time to fit in a few more sessions. So a decent traning block into the race, and hopefully im in tip top shape.

The race course changed from last year, they have included a tunnell, a cobble section with a pedestrian arch way, and a few tight turns. I've never minded a technical course, but this could cause some falls and be a good course to launch an attcak on the bike (not that I plan to attack). So you'll have to have yer wits about ye as they say. Bearing all that in mind, Chris suggested that I could benefit from having Stephen Delaney out here for a few days. Stephen is a former pro cyclist and having won the RAS and a few others besides, he has been instrumental in helping with the juniors bike skills etc. So, Stephen and I have been riding the course and enjoying the scenery and bakeries together since then.

Austria is absolutly beautiful, the hills and trails are amazing. We rode into the hills the other day and there was a surprise around every corner.

This morning I had a dip in the lake, and rode the course again with closed roads. I also had a wee interview with the ITU guys.

Yesterday on the way out for the ride I was stopped by the Antidoping guys. The ITU have started a process they call a 'biological passport', whereby they want to have an ongoing profile of our bloods. This is great news, we all welcome what can keep our sport clean. The blood test and associated paperwork took no more that 10minutes and off we went on our ride!

Race on Sunday at 2pm here, 1pm Irish time. Its free to watch on triathlon.org so go watch it!