With the 2012 Virgin Active London Triathlon coming up in September, professional British Triathlete Jodie Stimpson will be our go-to girl on all things Tri -after all she won the event last year.
We’ll be supporting Jodie through her international competitions this year and we’ll keep you up to date with the training she does in our Birmingham Star City Club.
I recently went to meet Jodie at 200 Aldersgate – our swanky new Classic Club in London. When asked what she would be doing if she weren’t a professional triathlete, she simply said there’s nothing she could think of that would be as challenging and fulfilling. So why does she love the up-and-coming sport of triathlons? According to Jodie there’s no other job that lets you train every day and compete around the world.
Aged 4, Jodie began swimming at her local Swimming Club in Oldbury, and it’s because of her success in competing against the older girls that her uncle Derek (more fondly known to Jodie as Auntie Derek) introduced her to a new challenge, the Triathlon. She won her first race at 9 years old and hasn’t looked back since.
It’s easy to describe Jodie as hard-working and competitive. She’s up at 5 am so she can get her 3 to 4 daily workouts in. "I fit my life around triathlon. It’s pretty much a full time job but I don’t think you could beat it." Doing what she loves compensates for her rigorous training regime, and she is an avid spokeswoman for the sport. What’s her advice to beginners? "Practice makes perfect. Practice everything, from the swim to your transition and even taking your running shoes off when coming to the bike."
How does she stay motivated race after race? "It’s quite easy really, I love what I do! I know it’s a cheesy answer but I really do. Finding new limits and pushing my body harder is addictive."
If you want to test the triathlon waters yourself - but aren’t ready to commit to a daily 5am training regime like Jodie’s - think about our Indoor Triathlon which is taking place at 68 clubs across the country in November.
Go on, give it a tri!
More infor on the Virgin Active London Triathlon can be found here.