Quick background...
My short story is just that - short, this is a new chapter in my life and I wish to inspire anyone who reads this blog, especially parents and/or the over 30's who wanted to have a sporting career and feel they've missed the boat... I'm here to challenge that.
2018: Gave birth to my first baby girl - Isla
2019: Gave birth to my second baby girl - Gracie
2020: The craziest year for everyone - LOCKDOWN - so I decided to train for triathlons
2021: Compete in triathlons… in first race qualified for the Great Britain Age Group Team
2022: Will compete in the Europeans Championships… and WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE - watch this space, literally...
I am extremely shocked and humbled to have qualified to represent my country for a sport, just months after becoming a mother of two gorgeous girls, whom I wish to be a positive role model and who drive my motivation.
... it’s been something I have always dreamt of as a child, having a sporting career.
I absolutely LOVED sports and tried everything and anything even if it was classed as the ‘boys’ sport I didn’t care.. I just did it… that said, I wasn’t ever encouraged to pursue this from family. They were not sporty and thought careers were not made here.
Fast forward through uni, first jobs etc where I settled into the world of marketing and customer experience. I currently run European Marketing campaigns for an International software company based in Salt Lake City and have done so for over 7 years now, and plan to continue to do so while training for the Championships.
I meet my husband ,who was at the time a rugby player, totally gets how to juggle sport and work - with the understanding of how important it is to lead an active lifestyle. We regularly camp, hike, mountain bike together, have fire pits in the evening with beers and wine…
We get married and have babies… TWO GORGEOUS GIRLS!! This by far is the hardest and most rewarding part of my journey. Born in 2018 and 2019 they are still tiny and are going to be part of this amazing Triathlon journey I have just started. Don't worry mums and dads, I will not pretend it's easy... being a parent and juggling life is truly hard enough but to add in this amount of training to the day is a skill which I will go over in my blog posts.
And we arrive to now, June 2021.
At the start of March 2021 I hired a coach, specific to triathlon, figured if I wanted to do it I should do it right and after years of being pregnant, giving birth, having a newborn and repeat… it was time to have a little bit of ‘me’ back…. in balance of course without neglecting the family.
So… I start the training and each week I improve, 3 months of hard training, come to my first race Southport Triathlon Standard Distance in May 2021 - it’s a Great Britain Age Group Team Qualifying race, I register my intent because I wanted to just see where I would come.
I start the race SO excited, using a battered second hand road bike, road shoes that are two sizes too big for me (they were free so why not!) and been in the open water twice before… then HOOOORN we are off and the race begins…
...you’ll need to read another blog post to hear all about the race as I promised this one would be short… but the results come in and I’m a qualifier for my age group! I am going to represent MY COUNTRY in a sport at the European Championships!! My heart is pounding but yet I have no reaction.. and after weeks I still don’t… it’s too unbelievable I think.
SO… I am making this blog to follow and record the journey, inspire other athletes, mums and working men and women that you CAN DO IT… you just need to put that first foot forward.
Posts cover issues around what is a triathlon, how you juggle fitness and parenting, managing mum guilt, progress on my own training and in the sport.