{"id":156432,"date":"2025-06-04T03:16:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-04T03:16:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/156432\/"},"modified":"2025-06-04T03:16:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T03:16:10","slug":"i-felt-like-a-total-newbie-again-new-mum-holly-lawrence-on-fantastic-t100-comeback-elite-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/156432\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I felt like a total newbie again’ – new mum Holly Lawrence on fantastic T100 comeback – Elite News"},"content":{"rendered":"

The smile on Holly Lawrence<\/strong>\u2019s face said it all as the beaming triathlete marked her return to T100 action with a stunning performance in San Francisco<\/a> \u2013\u00a0just eight months after giving birth to her daughter Poppy.<\/p>\n

Delighted, and possibly also a little surprised, the 35-year-old British athlete admitted that finishing fifth \u2018feels like a win\u2019 as she competed for the first time since the Miami T100 back in March 2024.<\/p>\n

Her third-place podium finish that day was achieved while in the early stages of pregnancy, and it was only fitting that young Poppy and husband Sean were there at the finish line on Saturday to welcome her home in California.<\/p>\n

Lawrence, a two-time \u2018Escape From Alcatraz\u2019 winner in the past, was right in the mix in the swim and early on the bike and then kept on strongly on the run to move up the field to fifth.<\/p>\n

\u2018To come fifth feels like a win\u2019<\/p>\n

And with the first race now out of the way, Lawrence is determined to come back even stronger next time she steps up to the start line, with technical work at the top of her training roster.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Speaking afterwards and also writing on Instagram<\/a>, she said: \u201cI thought the best case scenario was top 10 so to come fifth feels like a win,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was really fun, the bike I was kind of beating myself up a bit and taking the technical parts of it too gingerly but I just had an open mind on the run.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t really expect much out of it because I\u2019ve only done about three weeks of workouts on the run. I\u2019ve had steady progression, but I feel strong and not fast. It just felt super steady and smooth.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I know it sounds super clich\u00e9 but I would usually tune out all the shouts from people in the crowd, but I genuinely felt all the cheers on the run. Everyone was saying \u2018welcome back\u2019 and it was really nice. I had no expectations and felt like a total newbie again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kona calling<\/p>\n

She missed out on a podium in San Francisco, with Switzerland\u2019s Julie Derron taking her maiden T100 win, and the USA\u2019s Taylor Knibb<\/a> and Britian\u2019s Kate Waugh completing the top three.<\/p>\n

While Lawrence has yet to confirm when or where she will be competing next, her recent YouTube training VLOG sees her targeting qualification for the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona on October 11th.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s likely to be attempted at IRONMAN Lake Placid which would be her first full-distance race and takes place on July 20th.<\/p>\n

\"HollyHolly Lawrence was all smiles at T100 San Francisco [Photo credit: PTO]
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