Humble Beginnings

So – how not to bore people with my blog of a lifetime! So where to start? I am not new to sport as I was very active as a youngster. I was the first female football team member of the Trimley Red Devils under 11’s team, but luckily for my teammates (I was rubbish) my football career was short lived as a primary school teacher encouraged me to join Ipswich Harriers Athletics Club at 10 years old.

I had immense fun with the club and got to travel all around East Anglia doing what I loved. I somehow still have the under 13’s 800m track record which will be 40 years old next year!!!

I did cross country at school and represented Suffolk at 4 English Schools Championships – I remember very cold and muddy days in our ‘charming’ bright red and yellow kit (very 1970’s). For me athletics stopped at 15 with an on going knee injury and, well just being 15.

Fast forward to 2003 when I starting running again (or rather plodding) to help me cope with the sudden and unexpectedly passing away of my Dad, Frank. In 1998 in solidarity with my Dad I had given up smoking (Dad because he had a heart attack – me because (1) to help and (2) my previous attempt had failed miserably). Looking back what was I thinking? Giving up smoking was hard for us both but we did it.

So in my early 30’s I was plodding, swimming and cycling everywhere as Phil and I only had one car. People at work kept on saying why don’t you do a triathlon and to be honest I couldn’t be bothered! Then my friend Oli persuaded me to enter a pool based sprint triathlon in Thame. I raced on my hybrid mountain bike, consumed about 5 gels, but finished with the biggest smile on my face (and not far behind Oli). In the space of less than in the space of 1hr 20mins I had caught the triathlon bug!