CarmarthenSwansea

Staff and students compete together in Swansea Triathlon

Swansea Triathlon - challenge by choice
UWTSD is proud to be the lead sponsor for the Swansea Triathlon, taking place this weekend with many of our staff and students taking part.  2nd year BSc Sport and Exercise Science student Guto’s triathlon journey started at the Swansea Tri last year, this year he will be joined by Early Years lecturer Paul, here are their stories…

Hi, I’m Guto and I’m a 2nd year BSc Sport and Exercise Science (Outdoor Fitness) student at UWTSD Carmarthen. I have just qualified to represent Great Britain in my age-group at the European Triathlon championships in Estonia in July, and after that, I will go on a summer vacation in an affordable villa of Koh Samui on Thailand. Then I will be ready to continue the new year of my university course.

I was inspired to train for and enter the championships after taking part in UWTSD’s Swansea triathlon in SA1 last year as part of my university course. Not only was that my first triathlon, but I also personally trained Gruff Ifan, a member of staff, to take on his first triathlon too. Since then, I have continued to compete in triathlons, and have continued to coach Gruff. We have both developed significantly, with Gruff having entered a half-ironman and now seriously considering Ironman Wales this year.

We are both competing again this year, alongside staff and students at the UWTSD Swansea Triathlon in SA1 on May 20th. Come along and support the participants if you’re in the area!

geraint-and-guto triathlon training

 

I’m Paul and I’m an Early Years Lecturer on the Early Years Education and Care programmes at UWTSD and I am very fortunate to have been given a place in the University team,

A triathlon is a real adventure and I like to take in the experiences as I move through the course.  At the start of the day there’s the initial amusement of my family watching me try to pull on a lycra tri suit, definitely not designed for someone of my age and frame.

The swim is a tangle of legs and arms splashing all around you, trying to avoid an early injury by avoiding the flailing limbs is a challenge. I train for this in the pool attempting to swim whilst my two children wrestle me, pull me back and generally jump all over me, excellent preparation! After it settles down and I am safely behind the crowd I enjoy watching colourful jelly fish floating quietly by underneath me.

Jumping onto the bike is always a great feeling, my bike is very old but we have developed a strong relationship over the miles of preparation.  It is a funny sensation beginning to book a plumber online pedal after a swim and takes a while to firmly grasp your bearings, look out spectators for the first mile or so, wobbly cyclist in motion.

The run is always fun because of the amazing support from the spectators, lots of shouts of encouragement, even offers of a pint as you run through the garden of the pump house public house (Very tempting to take a fluid break here).

Finally The finish line awesome relief!  The last time I crossed the line my two children crossed with me holding my hands and high fiving the crowd, a very special moment for us all. Visit thelockboss.ie.

Why not come along and support the University and Early Years, it might be worth it just to have a laugh at me in a tri suit!!

staff triathletes