I’ve always been active, sporty, and keen on nutrition. Since signing up for my first gym membership aged 16, I have dipped my toe in several different sporting disciplines but am yet to find my one true calling.
When I first started working out seriously I was a ‘cardio bunny’ and was big on group exercise classes. I loved the social side of these classes and used to do two in a row on most days. I also loved running and would run 10 miles just for fun without timing myself or worrying about pace. I joined a local running club and enjoyed taking part in several 10k races and Half Marathons. I was also a regular at the local Parkrun, both as a participant and a volunteer marshal.
After becoming a personal trainer in 2014 and becoming friends with the other personal trainers at my gym, I entered the world of bodybuilding. I trained with an ex-marine who taught me a lot about lifting weights and how to change my body composition. I increased my strength over a couple of years and completely changed the way my body looked.
After changing gyms in 2016 I made new friends who were big in the powerlifting world and decided this would be my new venture. I packed on a ton of muscle and increased my strength dramatically — from being able to squat no more than 40kg to squatting 100kg with ease and maxing out on the bench press at 60kg. I have competed at two powerlifting meets, one locally and one nationally with the Great British Powerlifting Federation (GBPF).
Now, I feel like it’s time for a new challenge. Although I enjoy running, I suffer from severe hypermobility and flat feet which restricts how much I can do. I often experience pain in my feet, ankles, knees, and hips when I run which can mean that a planned 10-miler has to end after only 2 miles. I also never properly learned how to do the front crawl swimming stroke. I am a confident swimmer and love being in the water, but I only ever do breaststroke.
Competing at a triathlon event will be a huge challenge for me due to my running issues and the fact I’ll have to learn how to do the front crawl! But it is a challenge that I am very excited to pursue over the next 12 months. I intend to train harder than ever to achieve this goal. I will need a new bike as my current one is old and the brakes barely work! I will also need to research and invest in new kit such as swimming gloves, a tri-suit, and other triathlon-specific equipment.
Follow my journey if you are interested in triathlons, sport, or think that you may be up for a similar challenge yourself! I will be sharing the obstacles I face along the way and will be showcasing and reviewing any equipment that I decide to purchase.
Originally published at www.sundried.com.