I’ve always been a very active person, childhood holidays often consisted of long walks and lots of bike rides. I also swam from a young age and competed at club level as a junior. I always enjoyed sport at school, especially the cross country running, but I was one of the smallest kids and didn't got picked to represent the school! I never stopped being active (I even did kick boxing for a couple of years) but I didn’t start running properly until I was in my late 20s when I did the 5k race for life and the Cardiff half marathon. I started taking part in triathlons around 6 years ago with a group of friends. I started swimming again and bought my first road bike from a friend for £150. We spent a summer taking part in local novice pool based sprint triathlons and were hooked! The next year I upgraded my road bike, got clip in shoes and joined Cardiff Triathletes. Since then I’ve taken part in several triathlon events of various didtances, outdoor swimming events, cycling and running events including three half iron distance triathlons and Ironman Wales! I have also trained to become a Technical Official so that I can give something back and support others. My moto is to always finish an event with a smile on my face, keep perspective and race for your own personal achievement, not for times or PBs.
I have always wanted to do Triathlon, but couldn’t swim so that plan was put on hold until I learnt to swim in October 2016. The following year I competed in Tri a Tri, and a few months later completed the Long Course Weekend, and was hooked on the sport. I joined the Club shortly after, and the journey to bigger and better things has happened. The great coaching for swimming, running and cycling that the Club offers enabled me to compete in Ironman Wales in 2018.
I have recently qualified as a Level 1 Coach and support members of the club with improving their running form and technique.
In my spare time I love trail running and camping with my hound.
My sporting background is as a fencer, in which I competed on the World Cup circuit for Great Britain and at Home Nations championships for Wales. After retiring from the sport I spent a few years coaching and just staying fit, and it was only a chance encounter with Triathlon that led to me taking up the sport. In September 2014 I was on a family holiday at Tenby, which happened to be during the week leading up to Ironman Wales. Something about it grabbed my interest, and a few weeks later I’d entered for the 2015 event. Eleven months (and a crash-course in swimming) later, I completed IM Wales, and I’ve since gone on to finish two more full Ironmans, Alpe d’Huez Long Course, Long Course Weekend and a variety of 70.3s. I’m supported by my brilliant wife Iona and son Tom (whose only memory of my 2015 Ironman was of me ‘finishing in the dark’), who both now also compete in cycling and Tri. In my everyday life I work as an archaeologist.
I joined Cardiff Triathletes in August 2016, after setting myself a goal of completing a Half Ironman triathlon and entered myself into Cholmondely Castle, The Gauntlet, (one of the Castle Triathlon series events) for the following season. I chose this event because it had a 10 hour cut off. I knew I couldn't complete an Ironman 70.3 given their strict cut off times. I was an average swimmer, not the strongest person on a bike and a very slow runner! I completed the Gauntlet in a time of 9 hours and 20 minutes.
Having found myself a new hobby that I loved, I continued to train hard through the winter and In 2018, I completed Cotswolds 113 in 7 hours and Weymouth 70.3 in 7.5 hours, in conditions that were far from perfect on a very wet and windy day!
In April 2019 I ran Paris marathon in just over 5.5 hours, (a PB of nearly an hour on my previous marathon time) and a month later, completed IM Mallorca 70.3 in just under 8 hours. My ultimate goal, which I am currently training for, is a full distance Iroman.
I have been honoured to be Chair for the past 3 years (Committee member for 5 years), and coach for the past 8 years.
I originally joined the Club early 2005 as I (somewhat naively) entered the first Ironman UK in Sherebourne, Dorset that same year (as my first triathlon!!), and needed some (I really mean a lot!!) swim coaching and training advice. This was given to me……I was amazed at how the coaches and other members offered support and guidance in the sometimes very confusing and tech heavy sport.
Coming from a cycling and coaching background, I transferred my coaching skills and gained the relevant qualifications to coach, primarily the cycle and run sessions, and have been coaching these sessions for a number of years. I can’t think of a better feeling than knowing that I had a small part to play in helping members achieve their goals and challenges each season!!
I am privileged and honoured to be chair of this fantastic Club, and being part of an amazing and energetic group of Committee Members and Coaches. Over the past few years the Club has grown as the sport of triathlon has increased in popularity, with Cardiff Triathletes offering a wide range of training opportunities across Cardiff, with the Club always adapting and looking for further training opportunities.
I took up triathlon more than ten years ago. I’d been competing at running events and cycling purely for transport when I simply became bored of the run training and wanted to mix things up so entered the club’s Try-A-Tri event at Fairwater leisure centre. From there a passion was born. Since then I’ve raced across all distances in the sport, including multiple iron distance events and represented GB in my age group at duathlon. I’ve also embraced the cycling side of the sport and competed at time trials, road race and criterium events. I’ve been on the club committee for the last three years and have enjoyed having a say in the direction of the club and being part of decision making. I’ve also recently started down the path of becoming a qualified coach, hoping to contribute to the all ready excellent roster of coaches we have. I love the fact that Cardiff Triathletes is an inclusive club that is home to athletes of all ability levels and aspirations, my hope is the club can continue to grow whilst maintaining a strong focus on inclusivity and enjoyment.
I started dabbling in triathlon in 2013 when I completed the Stuart MacCormac sprint triathlon and then the Try a Tri in 2014. I can't say it sparked an immediate love for the sport as it took a few more years before I decided to take the plunge and join Cardiff Triathletes!
Since joining I've completed several more sprint triathlons as well as individual swim, bike and run races such as the full swim and bike at Long Course Weekend and a couple of marathons. But I can safely say that I have no immediate desire to combine the three and tackle an Ironman... yet.
My background is in competitive swimming, and because my dad was one of the founding members of the Cardiff triathletes, I was introduced to the tri club when I was a teenager and have been swim coaching ever since!
Having spent most of my youth focusing just on pool swimming, I have grown to love the variety of training triathlon requires. I have also fallen in love with open water swimming. My favourite thing to do is to get into the sea for a good long swim! I also like long walks on the beach at sunset, FYI.
I have always wanted to do Triathlon, but couldn’t swim so that plan was put on hold until I learnt to swim in October 2016. The following year I competed in Tri a Tri, and a few months later completed the Long Course Weekend, and was hooked on the sport. I joined the Club shortly after, and the journey to bigger and better things has happened. The great coaching for swimming, running and cycling that the Club offers enabled me to compete in Ironman Wales in 2018.
I have recently qualified as a Level 1 Coach and support members of the club with improving their running form and technique.
In my spare time I love trail running and camping with my hound.
I joined Cardiff tri in 2006 after completing my first marathon and fancied a new challenge. Over the years I’ve embraced both racing (sprint to middle distance, GB age group at World champs) and volunteering (event organiser, committee roles, technical official and coach). I’ve made the best of friends in the club and love being a part of it.
I became a Level 2 coach in 2015, having been a club ride leader for years. I’m a bit of an all-round coach and enjoy coaching all aspects of triathlon, but running is my strongest discipline. Since having a family in 2017 I’ve taken a break from coaching but enjoy keeping my knowledge up to date and look forward to having the time to come back to it in the future.
I have always been interested in pushing myself to the limit, and after a few duathlon's and an amazing Try a tri hosted by Cardiff Tri I joined the club in 2018. I was unable to swim and was a very naïve cyclist/runner. The club helped me so much with my training and made me a better triathlete. I have completed a few middle distances now and pushing towards Ironman Wales in September 2022. I became a Level 1 coach in 2019 after being in admiration of the work the coaches do and I am currently undertaking my Level 2 coaching course. Seeing all the athletes progress is an indescribable feeling. I always think about how in late 2018 I was unable to swim and within a year of joining the club, I was competing in a middle distance comfortably. I wish to inspire others through my coaching and help them attain their goals as the coaches did for me when I first joined.
I did my first triathlon in 1996, which was Try a Tri in Cardiff, on a borrowed mountain bike. For the next few years I did a few races each season, just for fun, with a group of friends, before joining Cardiff Triathletes.
After marshalling at the various Club events, I began to get involved in the organisational side of the sport. This includes being the Race Director / Safety Officer in numerous Club events, Club Chairman for seven years, Club Coach for twelve years and a Regional Technical Official. From 2014 to 2016 I was employed by Welsh Triathlon as their Development Manager, and learnt how hard they work, to improve the sport across Wales.
I still continue to take part in triathlons each season, mainly sprint events in Wales, and completed Ironman Wales in 2012. My favourite part of the sport is open water swimming and drinking coffee.
What I like about triathlon is the variety of the training and meeting lots of likeminded people. Coaching mantra, you get out what you put in.