About

I am an Ironman World Champion and ITU Sprint Triathlon World Champion living in Weymouth, Dorset, UK (home of Weymouth 70.3 Ironman.) I am also a British Triathlon Level 2 Diploma Coach and qualified as a Chi Running Instructor.

I have spent a life of teaching and coaching, gaining the highest instructor qualifications in sub-aqua diving, when I ran the Sport Diving section for ten years at one of the premier diving schools in the UK as a BSAC National Instructor and Examiner and a PADI Instructor. Prior to retiring I was Head of Maths and Assistant Headteacher at a large comprehensive school. Once retired my passion for Motorcycling lead me to become a National Observer, and Master Rider Mentor, at local, regional and national level, for Advanced Motorcycling with IAM RoadSmart.

I took up triathlons late in life following being diagnosed with Breast Cancer. However, as with all things I quickly became passionate about the sport and set my goal to go from a complete novice to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Kona. It took three years of learning, improving, trying, training to achieve Ironman World Champion in my age group in 2017. in addition to the full Ironman distance triathlon I also have experience at Sprint, Standard Distance and the 70.3 at local, national and World Championship level.

I have a keen interest in increasing my knowledge and skills and have made links with experts across the world on all three disciplines, and associated topics in order to keep up to date with current practices and research.

When I embarked on my triathlon journey I was already a swimmer, probably the most technical and difficult of the three disciplines. Cycling was the one I feared most but, surprisingly, I took to it like a duck to water! My motorcycling background significantly helping with bike control, position on the road, cornering and safely dealing with traffic. Running, was one of the reasons for taking up triathlons as I needed an impact sport, having been diagnosed with osteoporosis and, of course, “Anyone can run!” Or so I thought. Oh no! It quickly became my nemesis. But, desperate for all the help I could get, I found and enrolled on a ChiRunning Course. It took time, but eventually I learned to love running and now am happy whether running a 5k Park Run, a marathon or even an Ultra trail run and I have since qualified as a ChiRunning Instructor. Through ChiRunning I also started to study breathing techniques, starting with Oxygen Advantage, which has has been of great benefice.

I love helping others and am always keen to pass on everything I have learned and approach whatever I need to teach in an objective way, often thinking ‘outside of the box’ as everyone is unique in their ability, motivation and, of course, have different home and work commitments. I would like think of myself as a mentor always approachable as well as a source of information for the umpteen questions triathletes always have in addition to more traditional coaching practices. I am particularly skilled at analysing a movement and able to break it down to minutiae detail to find what what could make a significant, or marginal gain, to someone’s performance. Then there will be helping you to discover, what your short and long term aims are and the nature of training that would suit you best in order for you to achieve your full potential over time.

Summary of my main achievements:

2022 World Champion Sprint Triathlon in my age group, Montreal, Canada

2022 successfully completed The Oner, a 24hour, 85mile Ultra along the Jurassic coast comprising 3000m of elevation.

2021 Qualified for the 2022 World Championships for the Sprint, Standard Distance, 70.3 and full Ironman

2021 Fastest Park Runner in my age group (5km) in the country

2020 1st in my age group at the Bath Half marathon

2020 Completed both a 35 mile and a 50 mile Ultra marathon along the Jurassic Coast

2019 1st in my age group at both the Mallorca and Sables d-Orlonne 70.3’s thus qualifying for 70.3 World Championships, but a fractured pelvis prevented me from competing.

2018 First in my age group at the London Marathon

2018 Swam the English Channel – becoming the oldest woman to do so

2017 World Champion Ironman in my age group – Kona – plus a new course record

2016 2nd in my age group at the World Championships – Kona

2015 3rd in my age group at the World Ironman Championships – Kona

2015 1st in my age group at both UK Ironman (Bolton) and Wales Ironman (Tenby)

2015 1st in my age group 70.3 Mallorca

2014 First triathlon. Pool based sprint triathlon completed in a swim suit, trainers and on a heavy, hybrid, Claude Butler bike! Crossed the finish line second to last – but was hooked!

Swimming:

Brownsea Island Swim

Lock Erne in Ireland

Lake Zurich

Rottnest Island swim – Western Australia

English Channel twice

Swam in both Antarctica and the Arctic

Swam in the highest Salt Water Lake – Pangang Lake – India/Tibet border

1500m short course British and European record 65-69 held for a number of years