YouCanCoaching

09/09/2026

It's Medal Monday....only it's Wednesday and 9 days after my race.

I haven't had a medal for a few years as they don't really do medals in bike packing.

But also I feel conflicted about medals, race tshirts and general race paraphernalia in relation to unnecessary stuff that I'm not sure if I need.

But this is actually a Silver Medal for a National Championship!

So nice they sent it to me in the post but a shame I didn't get an actual prize giving.

I usually make some small point of marking an achievement and celebrating a challenge myself. Especially if I didn't get the opportunity for a prize giving.

Whether that's a post race dinner, wearing my race tshirt till it smells, buying that expensive branded item, getting a jumping photo (slacking on this lately) or walking round with my medal in my pocket (if you see me do ask to see it).

I also encourage all the athletes I coach to think about this in advance and add it to their race plan.

This helps to stop the post race blues that are real!! But actually taking time to celebrate the successes helps to build confident and belief. And marks the ending of a process so the next one can begin.

Let me know what are you doing to celebrate successes? Or how you're coping with the post race dip!

But always please share a jumping photo!!!!

06/09/2026

A few fantastic photos from Rob Gardiner The Perfidious Albion from Mountains of Merfynion the other week.

A few fun highlights of my ride
☕️ Coffee at the top of Devils Staircase
🤝 Meeting and chatting with at Bala Co-op
👌Cute Toll Bridge and giving friendly Toll Bridge man my 50p. (I do like a Bridge as long as it's not swaying)
🎵 A group of youngsters on loaded bikes on their way to Bristol were having a roadside pitstop with dance music gave me a cheer and a fiat pump
🎻Gate crashing the Latin American music festival jam session in Mchynclleth and sharing their campsite
💪 Lifting my bike over gates and survivng

And of course endless spectacular scenery, mountains, forests and many reservoirs!

04/09/2026

03/09/2026

This is my bestest super crew ever! Natalie Williamson Clare Burgum Diego Valencia

Natalie got up at the crack of dawn to set up the most professional feed station ever!

Diego Valencia cleaned the farm yard manure off my bike

Clare Burgum was there till the end. And went over and above by sticking her hand down my sweaty bum to rearrange my race number.

They provided drinks and support - and never batted an eye lid when all I did was p*e behind Natalie's car, apply chamois cream and complain about feeling sick!

It's not glamorous - they literally sat at the side of the road for 10hrs!

Anyhow proud that I managed 233miles in 12hrs. Never thought it was possible especially as I felt sick for 5hrs.

I finished 2nd female and 10th overall. There were only 3 women racing but you do have to be in it to win it. 😆😅

It's a bit niche - but this was officially a national championship! 🥈🥈🏆🏆

Lots of great things about this event - so big thanks to all the other volunteers, race officials and time keepers.

Just one thing.....maybe we could have timing chips or trackers some time soon to save frustrating results debacle.

19/08/2026

Super proud to have finished The Mountains of Merfynion as 1st and only woman and in 4th place overall.

The mountains were big, the hike-a-bike was mega, there were lots of smelly sheep, and not enough sleep.

There were diversions for forest fires 😪multiple of sketchy (eg scary as f ) off road sections, I lifted my loaded bike over multiple gates and a barbed wire fence, I hauled my bike over Hay Bluff in the dark. But a tiny suspension bridge did beat me. 😆😅

Great to meet all the other riders on the road and big thanks to Rob, Nadine, Kitty and Joe from The Perfidious Albion for organising

03/08/2026

04/05/2026

First Open Water lesson today.

A lovely 16 degrees - just about warm enough for some learning.

And the cold somehow felt good on my poorly-tired legs from the nonsense bike ride I did! 🤣.

Loved helping a first timer get used to the open water and learn how to sight as well as a triathlete in their final taper before

More open water slots coming soon!

24/04/2026

First Open Water Coaching sessions of the season on Monday 4th May.

Very limited spaces - but could be perfect for anyone with an early season race like Outlaw Half.

21/01/2026

Calling all the women I know who cycle!

Come and join us at our
Audax.

This is year we are part of the 50:50 @50 campaign!!

To celebrate 50 years of Audax UK we're trying to get more women riding and maybe even a 50:50 gender split!

Who's gonna join us?