I have been a trithlete now for 6 years. My main achievements by season are as follows:
1998
Whilst still at University I joined the Mersey Triathletes and took part in my first Sprint Distance triathlon at Skelmesdale. I completed the 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run in 1:14:30.
1999
In my final year at University I competed in my first Olympic Distance triathlon at Swanage which I completed in around 2 hours 15. At the end of the year I finished University and moved down south joining Farnham Triathlon Club.
2000
After moving down south to Farnham to start work in IT, I had a bad season which was probably due to the added stress of work, but also I did my first half Ironman at Weymouth. The race itself went well and I finished in under 5 hours, but I did not allow time to recover from this and trained to hard. After several weeks off ill, I tried repeatedly to get back into training, but was probably trying too hard.
2001
This season went much better. Completed the London Marathon in a time of 2 hours 53. I finished Weymouth half Ironman again in 4 hours 45. Came 7th at Swanage in a time of 2 hours 7. And completed the innaugural Half Ironman UK at Llanberis in 88th place helping Farnham Tri to a 2nd place in the team classification.
2002
Ironman year finally. Having built up the distances, I completed my first Ironman at Wolverhampton in a time of 9 hours 52. I had doubted whether I would complete this race, but not only finished, but finished in 7th place in what is the British Long Course Traithlon Championships!!! Other achievements of the year were a 3rd place at Wantage Triathlon in which I also won the King of the Hill competition for the fastest hill climb on the run section. Also came 253rd in the London Marathon in a time of 2:43:30
At the Half Ironman UK at Llanberis, I narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, coming 5th in my age group, with the 2nd and 3rd placed people taking the available slots.
2003
I had a good result in the London Marathon once more - 2 hours 39, coming home in 128th place! For the rest of the year, all my result started to slip as I started building up my guitar teaching on top of my day job. The plan was to replace my day job eventually and become a full time guitar teacher and Yoga instructor along with my girlfriend Zoe who is a personal trainer.
2004
In March, myself and Zoe both completed the New Zealand Ironman in times of 11 hours 20 and 13 hours 10! This was a tremendous achivement as we did the training on top of all the work we were doing, and also whilst preparing get married and move to Devon! We are taking running and triathlon much less seriously now as we focus on establishing our Yoga, Fitness and Guitar businesses, but I managed to come 9th in the Plymouth 10km and 2nd in the Plymouth Tri Club Aquathlon.
2005
In March we both did the Paris Marathon, myself in 2 hours 44 and Zoe in 3 hours 39. I have had a knee injury since.
2006
Just running this year, and just ticking along.
2007
Saw a return to form in the autumn, coming 3rd in the Dartmoor Vale Marathon and winning the Ivybridge Beacon Challenge. I won this race in thick mist on the Moors, getting lost once, but not as lost as leader and top athlete Kairn Stone. When I found the top of the Beacon I was still 10 seconds ahead of 3rd and 4th, holding them off on the decent to take my first tape and winning the solid granite rock trophy!
2008
This year I am looking forwards to defending my Ivybridge Beacon Challenge trophy and qualifying for the elites for the London Marathon next year.
