Christmas Message from Coach

Dear Team,

Just wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your amazing efforts this year. It really has been a phenomenal year, it’s the first year where the team has had representation at all 3 triathlon Worlds Championships at every distance. This included the London Sprint & Olympic distance World championships, Las Vegas Half Ironman World Championships and also the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships. We also had 2 athletes place inside the top 3 overall at 2 of the toughest Ironman’s ever run in the UK. There was also an unprecedented number of first time sprint, Olympic, half Ironman and Ironman first timers who achieved great success over their chosen distances. The swim squads have also gone from strength to strength with more people taking to the open water than ever before.

I couldn’t feel any more proud when I look back at what everyone has achieved and consider it the best job in the world to work with such amazing people on a daily basis. This includes all my squads at the Park Club, coached athletes, British Gas swimmers and video analysis clients. I cant call it work really because its more of a passion, my enjoyment comes through seeing people of all abilities and ages trying to be the very best they can be. Whether it be one of my swimmers improving their swim stroke or achieving a new personal best, or one of my runners getting their pacing right- its the small things that mean so much to me as a coach. If you can realise how lucky you are to be able to do what you do, help other people along the way, work hard, learn from your mistakes and just try to be a good person then I can ask no more of you as a coach. In doing so you get the best out of me because I will try to match the efforts you put in.

I also wanted to say a very special thank you for all you wonderful people who have supported all our club races this year. We are extremely lucky to be able to hold 3 triathlons, several 10k & 5k races, a duathlon, a kid aquathlon & triathlon at our club. Time and time again its the same people and families who come and support these races, we also have the same people offering to come in and help me run the show every time, for me you are really what the sport is all about because you are prepared to give something back and are justly rewarded for your efforts. For those that do turn up i’m sure you will agree the atmosphere is always fun and friendly and extremely enjoyable. What I really love seeing is your amazing kids who come in and get involved, with plenty of juniors now doing the adults race this is hugely inspiring for everyone to see. If I could request one small thing on my Santa’s list I would ask that more of you make the effort to come in and take part in some way in these races, sport at grass root level is just as important as doing the big events, if not more so. My goal has always been to create a triathlon community at The Park Club which will inspire others to get involved in this amazing sport, you owe it to yourselves and the sport to be a part of what I’ve created here. It doesn’t need to be serious and competitive just come in and have some fun and enjoy being around like-minded people.

There are also some of you that didn’t perform to your high levels of expectation this year so now is time for you to draw a line under 2013 and only look forwards to 2014. Life is like racing, some times you have a great run of success, other times you might feel like you’ve been banging your head against a brick wall. They key thing is to keep learning from each experience and keep putting one foot in front of the other, never give up and be as stubborn as hell, its the athletes that are the most dogged and determined who always come good in the end. I have total belief in these athletes, you know who are and I know it’s only a matter of time before it’s ‘your time’.

So my message to take into 2014 is no matter what your goals and ability, focus purely on what you need to do to become a better athlete. Use your team mates as sources of inspiration and be prepared to give something back to the sports you so love the most, you might be surprised at how rewarding it is. Then if at the end of the season you can say you gave it your very best effort then you can ask no more of yourself and should feel rightly proud.

I will leave you with my favorite quote of the year, which was given to me by a very special person who went on an incredible journey this year.

“You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day”. Marian Wright Edelman.

This was a quote she found on a card and she used it as her daily inspiration to do her first Ironman. The card was then given to me when she had accomplished that goal, it read inside –

” I don’t need the card anymore. I have learned that the way to win is in the trying”.

Those words meant more to be than you could possibly imagine.

Happy Christmas to you all, have a fit & healthy 2014.

Coach x