YOG 2010: Triathlon heating up for Thorogood in Singapore

By Tom Reynolds in Singapore, Sportsbeat

 TRIATHLETE Elinor Thorogood has been preparing for her Youth Olympic bow by training in a heat chamber - and is adamant she won't be caught cold in Singapore.

WELL PREPARED: Triathlon Elinor Thorogood has been meticulous about her preparations ahead of Youth Olympic Games triathlon in Singapore

The 18-year-old will join Scot Andrew Hood as one of only two triathletes on the 39-strong British team bound for the inaugural Games in the Far East.

Thorogood has left nothing to chance ahead of her trip training in heat chamber, running in winter clothes and competing right up until making the near 7,000-mile trip from Heathrow Airport.

She tackled the London Triathlon last weekend finishing second in 1:24.01 hours less than two minutes behind Lucy Smith in the female elite junior event.

And Thorogood, while uncertain of what to expect in Singapore, believes her meticulous preparations should be good enough to see her, at least, break into the top ten.

"My preparations are going really well - I don't have any injury worries, I'm feeling good and I'm definitely ready," said Thorogood.

"I've done a lot of training for the different climate that I'll encounter there, particularly in a heat chamber, where I've practised plenty of cycling to get used to it.

"It was really helpful because we discovered that I wasn't drinking enough when I was competing so I drink plenty now and that knowledge could be invaluable.

"I've also done a lot of ‘poor man's acclimatisation' which involves plenty of running in woolly hats and jumpers, which isn't very nice but it has to be done.

"A top ten finish would obviously be great but top 15 is perhaps slightly more realistic. Having said that I'm in good form and feeling fine so who knows, maybe I can push for a medal."

Thorogood is no stranger to trips abroad with Great Britain having travelled to the Australian Youth Olympic Festival last year - finishing 21st and claiming women's team bronze.

And with that being held in Sydney in January compared to the inaugural Youth Olympics being in August - Thorogood believes her trip to Singapore couldn't be better timed.

"I tend to do better in the second half of the season, and that's what we're in now, so I think I'm peaking at the right time," she added.

"I came 21st at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival, which was ok, but I'm desperate to beat that really.

"I raced the London Triathlon just to keep me ticking over. That went well and I came second out of the juniors.

"I led in both the swim and the cycling but eased off a tiny bit at the end as I'm very aware of getting too fatigued in the run-up to the Games and that's the last thing I want to happen."

  Lloyds TSB, proud partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and supporter of Team GB on their journey to the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games. Visit LloydsTSB.com/London2012