Read the Full interveiw below...
1. You've always been very sporty – can you attempt to summarise your early adventures in sport?
Yes, from a young age I was encouraged into sports, my parents thought it would be a great release for my ‘excess energy’. I've attempted pretty much every board sport including Skateboarding, Flowboarding, Wakeskating, Wakeboarding, Snowboarding and so on. Before all the 'extreme' sport came about I was a gymnast/trampolinist! While doing all of this - I was a runner from the age of 8!
2. How did you wind up doing triathlon, and what do you think it was about this particular sport that made it stick?
When I was 10/11 years old I turned from being the best in the county and one of the best U13 runners in the country - to 3rd in the county and slipping down the ranks and I couldn't handle it, much of my ‘competition’ developed before me and I found myself lining up against ‘bigger boys with beards’. Not literally but definitely stronger and bigger. I was becoming despondent with the sport already! It was, in fact, my Middle School PE teacher 'Mr E' who suggested I try a 'kiddie' Aquathlon, so I did. Couldn’t swim so learnt quickly, absolutely loved it! Then I went on, bought a cheap second hand bike, and did my first ‘Tristar’ triathlon and just enjoyed it so much I booked the next one in, the same day!
3. Tell us about your first triathlon race.
My first 'proper' adult race that springs to mind was my local race at St Neots (NiceTri Events). It was such a great event, friendly crowds and fellow competitors, a really great atmosphere, an ideal intro into triathlon. It keeps me going back for more, the course is great - fantastic river swim, awesome fast stretches of road and a pan flat run to finish. Because it’s my local I use it as a barometer to suss out where ‘I’m at’ race-wise. The races are a series of three, I’m a bit of a ‘stats man’ so I can work out what I have to do where and when in order to better my time. I’m chuffed to have won 3 or 4 of them over the last couple of years. I can’t help ‘big upping’ this event, in fact it's such a good event that it's been selected to be the Sprint National Champs and World and Euro qualifiers in … Can’t wait to have the best the UK has to offer on my home turf! It’s going to be awesome.
4. Was there a particular event or moment when you thought you could be pretty good at it?
I have to say it wasn't a particular event - but it was a particular period of time. The winter of 2012/13. I had joined NiceTri Club and St Neots CC and met some great people. Richard Hancock (a local beast on the bike) saw my potential more than I did and took me under his wing. With his help I went from being average/good on the bike in 2012, to one of the best cyclist in triathlon the next year (the fastest bike split, out of everyone, at the World AG Sprint Triathlon Championships in London 2013!).
5. You've had a brilliant year, so what's been the standout for you?
2014 has been a really good year, and a year I'm definitely going to remember. I had qualified but was also lucky enough to travel and compete in 4 major events... European and World Duathlon and Triathlon Championships. I loved when I crossed the line in first place and had the fastest bike split at the World Duathlon Champs in Spain, but have to say - the best moment of the year was the final 2k of the European Triathlon Champs in Kitzbuhel - where
I took a look over my shoulder and was 45 seconds clear of 2nd place in my AG! I could then relax for 2k and take it all in. Looking back, when I realised I had come 2nd overall by only 12 seconds, I wished I had pushed all the way, but hey - it was a great moment none the less!
6. On your blog you mentioned that Edmonton didn't quite go to plan for you – could you talk us through it?
Well, it all went a bit pear shaped when I got an entry to a Junior Elite race which was a week before the World Champs in Edmonton. As most will know, the idea of an elite race is to be good at swimming, then it's fairly easy to sit in the group on the bike as it is draft-legal, then to be awesome at running. So when I found out I got an entry I ramped up my swimming and running and neglected my bike legs!
Another major factor was that when I got to Edmonton... I loved riding out there and went on an 'easy' bike recce the day before - which turned into me putting far too much effort in - a stupid ‘school-boy’ error meaning that on the day I couldn't put any power down! I still had one of the fastest bike splits - but I know I should have had the fastest and should have at least podiumed! Lesson learned!
7. What have you learned from that experience?
Well, the main thing I've learnt is not to be stupid the day before and batter my legs in! But it's also opened my eyes to setting goals at the start of the season and not deviating from 'the plan'. Had I just focussed on Edmonton and not worried about any other race, my experience of it, and my actual race, would have been a lot better!
8. How did it feel winning British Triathlon Male Age-Grouper of the Year?
Well, it came as a complete shock to me! I first found out that I was nominated when my friend sent me the link to the nominees! I had made the top three along with my Corley Cycles team mate - Phil Holland. Then I got the invite to go to the Awards Evening, and when my name was called it was a bit of a shock - as it's only my 2nd year of racing international AG - but it was a wicked feeling and it's one of the events that will make 2014 so much more memorable.
9. Who or what inspires you in triathlon?
I've always been a fan of the Brownlee Brothers and all the British Elite Triathletes. But the main guy I look up to is Javier Gomez. His continued dominance, consistency and attitude towards the sport is amazing. Plus the fact that he is a really nice guy when I've spoken to him.
10. What are your big aims for 2015?
Well, as this season came to a close, I looked back and thought I'd never be able to do the four international races again. Two of the trips this year were funded by very generous backers on Talent backer (an online funding website) lots of people (mainly fellow club mates and other triathletes along with friends and family) giving what they could/wanted that enabled me to compete in Spain and Canada. I really have to take this opportunity to thank them all again, without their help I wouldn’t have achieved half of what I have.
I thought I wouldn't be able to get the same amount of backing again for 2015. But as it happens, 2015 looks like it’s going to be great - I already have in place some great sponsorship, some I can’t reveal yet although I would love to. A couple I can mention though is that I have been given the nod from my sponsors of 2014, Corley Cycles Body Limits Transition, who were a massive support this year and I am back on the team for 2015 - Of course, continueing to race and train with my mates from TriPackRT and ongoing support from coach (Adam Gibson) at GreenlightPT. I have also got on board the very generous backing of ‘Pedal Potential’ – and a generous neighbour in our village who has kindly offered me some of their ‘air miles’ to get me to Chicago and hopefully Brisbane!
So my big aims for 2015? … simple... Top my 2014 results ;)
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