Despite being sporty and healthy at school, I broke my leg at 17 and consequently lost my way for a little while. I ate and drank whatever I wanted for three years at university without being able to play sport and PILED on weight. I don’t really recognise the person in the photographs now. I also ended up very poorly (I believe as a consequence of not looking after myself) and spent 9 months in and out of hospital and having 5 operations until I was healed.
One day in 2015, I had a lightbulb moment that something had to change. I started a 100 healthy day challenge and took small steps every day towards positive change. I started eating healthily and exercising daily. I bought a bike, started cycling then discovered sprint triathlons in my local area. I haven’t really looked back since. I prioritise my health because I know how it feels when it is taken away from you. Exercise has become a way of life.
In the last 5 years, my love of exercise has grown and in the last year has become one of the most important things in my life. It makes me very happy and I love training and racing to see what I can achieve when I put my heart and soul into it. I have always set myself challenges and worked towards them. It is what gives me drive.
The only thing missing really was someone to share it with. I spent most of my twenties, single or dating but never meeting the one. Friends teased me when I said that they weren’t quite what I was looking for (especially if they didn’t cycle).
But, in the summer of 2019, two things happened. First, I decided to spend a year training hard to compete in Ironman 70.3 distance triathlons. I was living in Singapore but going home to the UK for the summer. I booked a race in Bintan (near Singapore) and a trip to Europe for the summer so I could train and cycle in Cornwall and Mallorca. Then, a handsome man appeared on my Tinder, his photo an Ironman finish line. The timing was perfect, although we had to message for 6 weeks until I returned from my summer holidays. But, we chatted all summer, finally met and that was it. The one, found!
A year later and we both know that we want the same things and challenge each other in all the right ways. Now, we have set ourselves the goal to qualify as professional triathletes. It may be too late, it may not happen for us, but nothing worth having comes easy. So, here we are, starting our Tri2 coaching company and #oneyeartogopro journey. I’m so excited for what the future holds and can’t wait to get stuck into training.
There will be sweat and there will be tears and it won’t be easy. Anyone who knows me will agree that I have never been afraid of a challenge. This challenge is different though, and better, because I have Richard at my side. If you’d told me ten years ago as hobbled around school on crutches and the doctors said I would probably struggle to play sport again, I wouldn’t have believed you. Life’s funny like that! So there it is – the difference a decade makes.
