20/08/2026
Leeds Ironman - one of the best days of my life ♥️
The swim was cancelled due to algae, but I still raced the day that was put in front of me. Leeds bike course has 8,400ft of elevation, so it was a big day of climbs. The vibes on black hill were unreal 😍
You might see the red carpet & smiles, but you won’t see the internal fight at 5am to get up and train before work. You won’t see the self doubt, the cuts from falling off the bike, the injury I’ve managed, or the sacrifices I’ve made.
It’s been HARD!!
There’s a reason they call race day the victory lap, because the training is much tougher. And in training, there’s nobody clapping for you. It’s just you, alone in your head for hours at a time.
But I kept at it! Stayed focused. And determined 🫡
I’ll remember the little things forever:
The sleeping cat just before the first aid station on the run. The hand warmer given to me while waiting to start. The other athletes who were so uplifting. The laughs about the Mars bar strapped to my bike. The heavy metal corner. The kid playing the drums. The amazing volunteers
I’m completely honoured to be in the 12.5% of female finishers. We were competing alongside a sea of men, doing the same distance, on the same course and looking good whilst doing it too 😜
A HUGE thank you to my friends & family for supporting me. At times, you’ve certainly questioned my sanity 😂
Thank you to Josh Holman | Triathlon/Running Coach who has coached me through a sprint, Olympic, half and the full. As well as a marathon. You’re a legend 🙌🏼
Thank you to , PAU Run and Ride Trentham, Whitmore Lakes, Newcastle (Staffs) Tri Club and Steve’s masters swim sessions
Special thanks to Ben Hall & Sarah Edwards for being the best support crew, you both being there meant the world ♥️
If I can take away anything from this, it’s that you’re far more capable than you ever realise. You just have to be a bit bonkers and believe you CAN!! I hope I continue to inspire others to challenge themselves.
Maybe there will be another Ironman event pending in the future, who knows 👀 but for now, I’m recovering and eating everything in sight for the foreseeable 😅
