Triathlon

Why is there so much depth in British Women’s triathlon right now? What do you attribute it to?

Rise of British Women's Triathlon: Role Models, Investment, and Club Scene

I think that's a really, really good question. I think partly probably the number of Role Models we've had like both across the men's and the women's sports in Triathlon and across all the different distances, you know. I think we obviously had success at the Olympic distance from kind of 2012 onwards. But then looking at the kind of women in particular, we've just got so many across all the different disciplines which I think gives those Role models that allow us to look up to people and see the way that they've done it and different Role Models as well. You know people like Jess Lamont that came in later to the sport as well as people that have done it from being really young. So I think it's like partly the kind of role models we have to look up to I think partly the kind of infrastructure and money that British Triathlon of put into it to kind of bring the Olympic distance people up. And I think we just have quite a good club scene. I think at that kind of age group, amateur level, there's a really good club scene. All across the country that allows people to train with people, enjoy it and kind of have access to various facilities, and coaches, and, and kind of develop and go from there.

I think the success of British Triathlon has been due in part to the number of Role Models we have, both in men's and women's sports. We've had success at the Olympic distance since 2012, and there are plenty of different Role Models to look up to. Also, British Triathlon has put money into bringing people up to the Olympic standard and there is a good club scene which gives people access to coaches, facilities, and other resources they need to develop their skills.

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The depth in British Women's triathlon right now can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the presence of strong role models across both men's and women's sports in triathlon has played a significant role. Success at the Olympic distance since 2012 has provided inspiration, and there are numerous women excelling in different disciplines, offering diverse role models to look up to. This range includes athletes like Jess Lamont, who entered the sport later, as well as those who started at a young age.

Additionally, the investment and support from British Triathlon in terms of infrastructure and funding have contributed to the development of athletes in the Olympic distance category. The presence of a robust club scene at the amateur level across the country has also played a crucial role. This club scene provides opportunities for training with peers, access to facilities, coaches, and overall development within the sport.

In summary, the depth in British Women's triathlon can be attributed to the availability of role models, the investment from British Triathlon, and the strong club scene that fosters training, enjoyment, and access to resources for athletes to develop and excel.

What did you learn after your first Ironman?

First Ironman: Overcoming Challenges, Finding Camaraderie

I don't so many things out of my first Ironman. I did, I man Lanzarote is my first Iron Man, which my coach told me was a really stupid idea because so hard, it was really hard made, like Harder by the fact that I'd like, over carb loaded. I was sick in the swim. I had to make a couple of toilet stops on the bike and then the marathon was basically running from portal to portal. Ooh, see ya. What did I learn? Don't over carb. Load. It's a really long day. But anyone can do it. Like, definitely one of the things I found amazing about that day was the amount of people around that you might kind of look at and be like, no way can you do an Ironman? But you know they were all doing it. The kind of also that kind of camaraderie and support like all the other competitors. Also you know, super encouraging everybody to help see ya. I think therefore the key things I took and that even though it is a really long A hard day out you finish and you get down that red carpet and you're like, I think I want to do another one.

I learned that anyone can do an Ironman and it is a really long day, but the camaraderie and support of the other competitors make it bearable. Don't over carb load or you may get sick during the swim.

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After my first Ironman in Lanzarote, I learned several valuable lessons. Despite my coach warning me about the difficulty, I went ahead with it. I made the mistake of over carb-loading, which made the already challenging race even harder. I got sick during the swim and had to make multiple toilet stops during the bike leg. The marathon felt like a never-ending journey from one portal to another.

From this experience, I learned the importance of not overloading on carbs. I realized that an Ironman is an incredibly long and demanding day. However, what amazed me was seeing people of all backgrounds and abilities participating in the race. It showed me that anyone can do it with determination and training. The camaraderie and support among competitors were also remarkable, with everyone encouraging and helping each other.

Despite the grueling nature of the race, crossing the finish line and walking down the red carpet left me with a surprising thought: I think I want to do another one.

Doing my first Ironman in Chattoonga & I’m a little concerned about the swim. What kind of advice can you give to help quiet the fear?

Overcoming Swim Anxiety: Tips to Conquer Your Fear and Succeed in Your First Ironman

So I think it depends what you're worried about In The Swim. You know if it's actually getting the distance done I think the best tip for that is going and doing the distance like all in one go. So you know that you've done it. If it's about kind of being around that many people, you know, I think again, trying to get some practice, I think most places have a lake that do kind of swim sessions that you can swim with other people depending on where you're based. I mean, in the UK at You have opportunity to can swim with lots of other people at Lakes. You get that kind of experience being around people. If it's just, yeah, kind of General Open Water, Swimming fear. Again, the main tip is go and go and do some go and practice. I mean, I still get freaked out by weeds and fish or whatever in Lakes, but the more that you can kind of do it and get used to it and know that there's like, you're not going to get hurt in there that That that definitely helps. And if you have any friends or people from a try club that you can persuade to come and do it with you because he has, for me, I really struggle to any kind of Open Water by myself to find some friends. Go and practice would be the main tips.

The best tip for conquering fear of open water swimming is to practice by going out and doing it. If you can find a lake or pool with other swimmers, that can help you get used to being around people while swimming. Additionally, try to bring friends along with you when swimming in open water as it can be helpful to have someone else there.

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If you're feeling concerned about the swim portion of your first Ironman in Chattanooga, it's important to identify what specifically worries you. If it's about completing the distance, the best advice is to practice swimming the full distance in one go. This will give you the confidence of knowing that you can do it.

If your fear revolves around being around a large number of people during the swim, seek opportunities to practice swimming with others. Many places offer swim sessions in lakes where you can swim alongside other people. This will help you become more comfortable in a crowded swim environment.

If your fear is more general, such as swimming in open water, the key is to practice. The more you expose yourself to open water swimming, the more you will become accustomed to it and realize that there is no harm in the water. It's normal to feel uneasy about things like weeds or fish in lakes, but with practice, you'll become more at ease.

If possible, try to find friends or fellow members of a triathlon club who can join you for practice swims. Having others with you can provide support and make the experience less daunting.

Remember, the main tip is to go out and practice. The more you swim in open water, the more comfortable and confident you will become.

How do you balance coaching your athletes and training as a pro?

Pro athlete's secret to balancing coaching and training

So a dash find it too hard to balance. Coaching athletes and trainings a pro. I'm actually also still working two days a week for Lloyd's. But yeah as someone who used to work like 60 hours a week I'm trained on top of that. I'm training. What about 25-ish? I was a week maybe sometimes 30, but usually 25 coaching on average as maybe like an hour a day. So That much and yeah then the works like 14 hours a week so I'm still basically doing less the mice to do by quite a long way so I still feel like I've got lots of time. BS. Still have to be fairly organized and just know what I'm doing when but yeah I don't find it too hard to balance.

I don't find it too hard to balance coaching athletes and my job at Lloyd's. I typically coach around 25 hours a week, and work 14 hours. With time management and organization, it is possible to balance both.

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Balancing coaching athletes and training as a pro can be challenging, but I personally don't find it too difficult. In addition to my coaching responsibilities, I also work two days a week for Lloyd's. Previously, I used to work around 60 hours a week and trained on top of that, totaling about 25-30 hours of training per week.

Now, I spend around an hour a day coaching on average, which adds up to about 14 hours a week. Compared to my previous workload, I feel like I have more time available. It's important to stay organized and have a clear plan of what needs to be done and when. With proper organization, I am able to manage both coaching and training without feeling overwhelmed.

What's your go-to set for open water swimming?

Open Water Swimmer's Ideal Set: Steady, Building, and Intervals

Some definitely not the expert in swimming, but generally my kind of Open Water sets would be doing sort of 15 to 20 minute steady swimming with maybe a bit of building for warm up the lake that I usually swim in. That's basically one big lap all the way around the outside and then depends a bit on the focus of the session but usually it'll just be doing a bit of harder and They are swimming in between the boys. So something like one boy, 121 boy, kind of harder. One boy steady two, boys harder to boys 33 boys harder, three boys study and kind of going up and down with that because it gives you, you know, some shorter intervals where you can go about harder, some kind of longer intervals, we can get into your stroke helps with the practicing of sighting. See ya, it's usually something quite simple like that.

I usually swim open water sets of 15-20 minutes, with a warm up lap around the lake. I do intervals of 1:2:3:4, alternating between harder and steady swimming for each interval. This helps me practice sighting and keeps the session interesting.

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I'm not an expert in swimming, but my go-to set for open water swimming typically involves a 15 to 20-minute steady swim with some building for warm-up. In the lake where I usually swim, I complete one big lap around the outside.

The focus of the session may vary, but generally, I incorporate some harder swimming intervals between buoys. For example, I might swim harder to one buoy, then swim steadily to the next two buoys, and repeat this pattern. This allows for shorter intervals to push harder and longer intervals to work on stroke technique and practice sighting.

Overall, my open water swimming sets are usually quite simple, but they provide a mix of intervals to challenge different aspects of the swim.

What was the toughest part about transitioning into a pro athlete?

Pro athlete's toughest challenge: the mental side of constant self-doubt

For me, one of the toughest Parts about transitioning to be a pro athlete is probably the mental side of things and the kind of continuous questioning of kind of. Am I good enough? Should I be here? Yeah I think especially when you come from not having a particularly well not having a kind of Elite Sporting background like I was always sporty and active as a child but never a kind of elite level so then kind of In a world where you are, a professional athlete, still feels quite weird especially after having a kind of another career in the very corporate world. So yeah. I think mainly that kind of mental side of is this a kind of real career sort of, you know, like a my especially because at the start, you're not really making any money. So it doesn't really feel like a career but you're definitely doing it for the enjoyment, the satisfaction and the challenge, but yeah, I've had Had like many moments of kind of doubting myself wondering if I'm good enough to do it, especially when you've had, you know, for me with swimming and the challenges I've had trying to get better at swimming. Often has resulted in me kind of questioning. Should I be here? Am I good enough? So yeah, I think it's been that mental side of wondering whether I kind of fit in and whether I should be on that start line.

The toughest part about transitioning to a professional athlete for me is the mental side of it, such as questioning if I'm good enough, doubting myself and wondering if I should be there. Especially since I have no Elite sporting background, it's been hard to adjust and make this transition.

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The toughest part of transitioning into a professional athlete, for me, was the mental aspect. I constantly questioned myself, wondering if I was good enough and if I deserved to be in that position. Coming from a non-elite sporting background, it felt strange to suddenly be in the world of professional athletics, especially after having a previous career in the corporate world.

The mental challenge was amplified by the fact that, in the beginning, I wasn't making much money from being a pro athlete. It didn't feel like a traditional career, but rather something I pursued for the enjoyment, satisfaction, and personal challenge. I often doubted myself and questioned if I had what it takes to succeed, particularly in swimming where I faced numerous challenges in trying to improve.

Overall, the mental side of things, including the constant questioning of my abilities and whether I truly belonged, was the toughest part of transitioning into a professional athlete.

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