Coming off her European duathlon gold medal win in April of 2009, roscrea triathlete Ailbhe Carroll had a tough battle with injury in the preceding months. After six months out of training with much physio and rehab work she finally got herself back on track for the start of the 2010 season.
2010 was to be a good year for Ailbhe, where she made great changes and improvements in training and racing became a good way for Ailbhe to show how far she had come.
At the end of 2010, Ailbhe, together with her coach Stephan Teeling Lynch, made a big decision to set the bike training aside, along with racing, for the 2011 season. This sacrifice was made with the hope of soley focusing on her swim and run so as to achieve the standards required for the elite national triathlon squad. As Ailbhe doesnt hail from a swim,bike or run background, the partnership of Ailbhe and her coach felt that this sacrifice needed to be made to get her one step closer to her dream of competing on an international level.
2011 saw Ailbhe put in swimming weeks of over 50,000m, swimming 10/11 sessions and running between 7-9 times a week also. Huge improvements were made in both disciplines throughout the year and with trials for the squad in Novemeber of 2011, everything was firing for Ailbhe up until three weeks out from trial day where Ailbhe fell injured again, with a suspected stress fracture to the spine.
Three months later, after much sought help and assistance, Ailbhe finally got back on her feet and opened a chapter in her book. Her return to training started in New Zealand which was to be her home for the next 7 months. However, after 4months of her 7 month stay, she has decided to defer her final year of her Sports and Exercise degree in the University of Limerick, to stay out in New Zealand/Australia for another year at least. The big decision came about following the many training opportunitites that presented themselves to the triathlete. Since she has been in New Zealand she has trained with three different olympians, something she will cherish for quite a while.
In October 2012, the triathlon world championships take place in Auckland, New Zealand and Ailbhe has her sights set on this race as a nice way to show she is back in form and injury free and happy. At only 20 years of age, the decision is a big one but one she hopes will pay off in future years to come.
Check Ailbhe’s website for regular updates on her progress and adventures as she makes the move to further her career in the wonderfully exciting sport that is triathlon. http://www.ailbhecarroll.com/ | |
