Pete Jacobs guest edits Triathlon Plus’ latest Ironman Guide

Triathlon Plus have joined forces with Ironman World Champion Pete Jacobs and Boardman Bikes to bring you Pete Jacobs’ Guide to Ironman – the Ironman handbook from the man at the very top of the sport.

Covering swim, bike and run, as well as tackling the Ironman lifestyle, nutrition and positive mental techniques, Jacobs gives his expert guidance and top tips to get you through your first Ironman or go even faster in your next event.

“I’ve struggled with fatigue since I was 15,” says Jacobs. “I could never train as much as any other athlete. But I kept making the same mistakes over and over again and ending up on the sidelines for weeks, too tired to think or train. I always believed I could win Hawaii if I could find the missing link and somehow train as much as the others. It wasn’t until two years ago when I said to myself, ‘If I train less than them, I can beat them’. I finally had the confidence to listen to my body and embrace my strengths and weaknesses.

“Over the years of battling fatigue, I had gained an incredible connection to my body, one I would not have formed if I could have trained like everyone else. Whatever your limits are, work with them, not against them.”

Whether you’re looking to beat the cut-off or post a new PB, Pete’s insight will help you believe in your potential and get you on your way to Ironman glory.

Pete Jacobs’ Guide To Ironman is a free supplement coming with issue 55 of Triathlon Plus – hitting newsstands on 28 May. You can also have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

The Great Britain Age-Group Team is in action this weekend at the 2013 Barcelona ETU Challenge Middle Distance Triathlon European Championships with over 50 athletes preparing to take part on Sunday 19 May.
The event consists of a 1.9km swim, 90km bike over testing terrain and final 21km run. The bike course will certainly favour those athletes with strong bike handling skills, as the route takes in some fast descents through two national parks.

Members of the Great Britain Age-Group Team are looking forward to racing after months of preparation and training.

Ben Christopher competing in the 40-44 age-group commented: “This’ll be the sixth time I’ve represented GB in an age-group event. I’m so excited about racing in Calella [Barcelona]; the course looks awesome with some challenging sections on the bike. I can’t believe we’ll have Javier Gomez, a Spanish legend after his London silver medal and Chris McCormack in the mix! It all makes it that bit more special.”

Adam Hamilton racing in the 25-29 age-group added: “This is a dream to me; I was born an athlete with competition in my blood. To be part of the GB team from an age-group perspective is fantastic. It’s one of my greatest achievements.”

Joan Lennon, Great Britain Age-Group Team Manager, who has been working hard behind the scenes to prepare the team, commented: “I am really looking forward to the racing this weekend and seeing how our age-groupers perform on the same course some very high profile elite athletes. The technical and fast descent in the mountains is going to be very tough and will require top bike handling skills. To see all the athletes crossing the line with their GB flags waving will be a fantastic experience.”

In the elite races, Mark Threlfall a member of the British Triathlon Elite Multisport Squad will be joined by Ritchie Nicholls, Joe Skipper and Chris Goodfellow in the men’s event. In the women’s race, Holly Lawrence and Eleanor Haresign will complete the Great Britain Team in Barcelona.

The 2013 Barcelona ETU Challenge Middle Distance Triathlon European Championships will be streamed live online on Sunday, 19th May through www.challenge-barcelona.es.

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



The Big Cow Cowman is Triathlon England’s first ever middle distance National Championship and is the third in seven races which make up the 2013 Triathlon England – National Championships. Members looking to take part in this prestigious event are being encouraged to get their entry in as places in these events are selling fast; the Triathlon England – National Standard Distance Triathlon Championships has already sold out.

The Big Cow Cowman represents the third opportunity for Triathlon England members to be crowned National Champion and will take place in the scenic surrounds of Emberton Country Park near Olney, Buckinghamshire. The well respected course starts with a 1.9k swim on the country park’s picturesque boating lake, followed by an undulating bike and run through the mixed terrain surrounding the park.
After the Big Cow Cowman the next Triathlon England – National Championship event will be the sprint distance race at Blithfield Triathlon on 4 August.

Nigel Woods of Big Cow events said: “Big Cow are delighted to be hosting the Triathlon England – National Middle Distance Championships for 2013. The Cowman has become synonymous with Championship races in recent years and the Big Cow crew will, as always, encourage and support everyone taking part. The Big Cow atmosphere ensures that everyone racing or supporting will have a great day out.”

Duncan Hough, Triathlon England Director for Events, Rules and Technical is delighted to be seeing middle distance triathlon racing at Emberton County Park commenting: “It’s really exciting to be running our first ever Triathlon England – National Middle Distance Triathlon Championships at the Big Cow Cowman this year. Last month we got off to a great start in Cambridge and I am sure the Big Cow Cowman will help make 2013 the best year yet for our members. Get your entry in soon, before entries close!”

The cut off for entries for the Cowman is 8 July 2013, to enter please visit:-  www.big-cow.com

The Challenge Barcelona organisers have agreed a collaboration with local TV Channel, M1TV, to broadcast this event around the world.

The special program will start at 6.45 am. Over thirty people will be distributed to give the best coverage of the race. Fifteen cameras around the course will allow the viewers to keep pace with the race from key points around the race.

Catalan will be the main language used, but also Spanish and English will be present during the broadcast, keeping the spectator updated. Nevertheless, graphics information will be available in English.

The broadcast will be divided in two parts. The first part will start at 6.45am until 12pm. From that time, transmission will continue until 4pm, focusing on the finishers completing the race at that time. There will be a camera ready, in case triathletes want to leave a message, right after the race.

Watch online all the events through www.challenge-barcelona.es or on the TV website, www.m1tv.cat .

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



“I couldn’t be happier with the response from athletes and industry people to the announcement of Challenge Melbourne,” said David Hansen, Challenge Melbourne director. “The emails and phone calls of encouragement have been overwhelming and to now sell out the event in less than a week of opening entries is humbling.”
Challenge Family CEO, Felix Walchshöfer, is also thrilled with the huge response from athletes.  “Athletes have been asking us for nearly two years to come back to Australia and today it seems as though they have greeted Challenge Family’s return in the best way possible with so many signing up, not just for Melbourne but for all three races. I’d like to take this opportunity to say thank you to each and every athlete for your support and I very much look forward to welcoming you across the finish line!”
The inaugural Challenge Melbourne event will take place on February 2, 2014.
Last week the Challenge Family announced their re-entry into the Australian triathlon scene with Challenge Melbourne, Challenge Forster and Challenge Bateman’s Bay.
The Challenge Forster event is currently open for entries and continues to fill quickly as athletes rush to make sure they are apart of this traditional event.
“Athletes care about tradition and love to recall history, so for Challenge Forster to allow the new generation of athletes to experience the course on which our sport was built is very exciting,” said Mark Emerton, Challenge Forster and Challenge Bateman’s Bay race director. “Entries are pouring in and I would expect the race to fill very soon. We’re also really pleased with the way Bateman’s Bay entries are going so early on.
Challenge Forster will take place in the idyllic twin towns of Forster-Tuncurry on the NSW Mid-North Coast on Sunday November 24, 2013 while Challenge Bateman’s Bay will be held on March 16, 2014. Challenge Bateman’s Bay entries opened today, Monday.
The Challenge Family global series of long distance triathlons is changing the face of long distance racing around the world with its focus on athlete experience. Featuring spectacular courses in iconic destinations, Challenge Family events focus on delivering the race-of-a-lifetime to every athlete, and creating a memorable spectator experience that captures all the excitement and emotion of this inspirational sport.
The addition of the Australian races takes the Challenge Family to 21 events around the world including the world’s largest long distance triathlon, Challenge Roth in Germany. Other Challenge Family races are held in Germany, Austria, Canada, UK, France, Spain, Italy, Denmark, New Zealand, Thailand and Taiwan.
Entries to Challenge Forster and Challenge Bateman’s Bay are currently opened to the general public at www.challenge-australia.com.au

For further information on Challenge Family, please visit www.challenge-family.com, follow on Twitter @Challenge_Family or like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ChallengeFamily

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



Alex Lawton powered through the bike leg to take the overall victory

The Wilmslow Triathlon, which took place on Sunday for the 7th year, has again proved its ever-growing popularity with a record number of 596 competitors taking part and a strong presence from triathlon clubs across the region.

A sprint distance race and widely referred to as ‘the biggest and best sprint triathlon in Greater Manchester and beyond’ this is the perfect event for novices as well as experienced athletes, and the Cheshire weather conditions made for some great racing.

Based at the Wilmslow Leisure Centre, the 400m swim took place in the 25m indoor pool with the transition area as well as the start and finish on the cricket pitch. The picturesque, mainly flat 24.2 km cycle ride took the competitors around the Cheshire countryside before finishing with a 6.3 km run around Wilmslow’s leafy roads.

With Roger Witz Barnes, who won the race the last three years, not present to defend his title the Wilmslow Triathlon saw Alex Lawton from Manchester Triathlon Club take this year’s title in a time of 01:07:19. Ranking in 16th position after the swim Lawton put in a strong cycle and run to claim the overall men’s title with a 29 second lead. Paul Hawkins, who was using the race to regain his fitness after injury, was the runner up in 01:07:48 with Rob Bridges from Manchester Triathlon Club coming third in a time of 01:08:18.

Rebecca Brand from Manchester Triathlon Club won the women’s race in a time of 01:20:00, putting in strong performances in all three disciplines and excelling with a fast time on the cycle leg. Sarah Rhodes came second in a time of 01:23:20 and Deirdre McCarthy from Manchester Triathlon Club took third place in 01:26:07.

World Series Renault 3.5 racing driver Oliver Webb was also amongst the competitors, making his triathlon debut at Wilmslow and finishing in a time of 01:35:23.

More than 45% of the competitors were novices and had never taken part in a triathlon before.

Simon Hill, race organiser commented: “I am pleased that the growing popularity and media exposure for triathlon is reflecting onto grass roots level, with a record number of athletes taking part in this year’s Wilmslow Triathlon, lots of which beginners and new to the sport.

“I would like to express a big thank you to everyone competing and supporting; and to all those involved in making the Wilmslow Triathlon a success which includes the marshals from Poynton and Timperley Lacrosse Clubs, Dean Row Girl Guides, 6th Wilmslow Scouts and Alderley Edge Explorer Scouts, Scarab Tri Club as well as the BTF Referees and Manchester Medical Services.”

Results (provisional):

MEN

1) Alex Lawton (Manchester Triathlon Club), 01:07:19

2) Paul Hawkins, 01:07.48

3) Rob Bridges (Manchester Triathlon Club), 01:08:18

WOMEN

1) Rebecca Brand (Manchester Triathlon Club), 01:20:00

2) Sarah Rhodes, 01:23:20

3) Deirdre McCarthy (Manchester Triathlon Club), 01:26:07

The full results are available on http://www.xtramileevents.com/results .

The Wilmslow Triathlon also kicked off the Xtra Mile Events Tri Sprint Series 2013, with the Buxton Triathlon (14 July 2013), Leeds Xpress Triathlon (28 July 2013), Macclesfield Triathlon (18 August 2013) and South Manchester Triathlon (22 September 2013) being part of the Series.

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



Zone3 will be providing the RG Active coaching team with wetsuits, trisuits and swim accessories to assist their delivery of open water coaching and event sessions. Zone3 will also be on hand at a number of swim sessions to help budding open water swimmers and triathletes into the right wetsuits.

In 2012 RG Active worked with over 5000 individual athletes across the three disciplines of triathlon helping people achieve their goals and enjoy the sport that has found its way into the Nation’s heart after the success of the Olympics.

RG Active has grown from strength to strength since its inception in 2008. 2013 sees further growth with the addition of many new faces to the coaching team, new training sessions and races added to the already crammed calendar and a host of exciting training holidays in the UK and abroad.

In a statement earlier John Brame, one of RG Active’s founding coaches, said this about the new partnership…

“We are very excited about starting this relationship with Zone3. Being a South East based company allows for a close working relationship and this can only benefit our client-base and theirs. We have been fortunate enough to get our hands on some of the Zone3 product range already and have been very impressed with the quality and level of performance that it offered. The contract with Zone3 is a multi-year deal that will allow us to really build a formidable partnership for future seasons.”

RG Active will be hosting many training races in 2013, and even more coaching sessions to help newcomers to the sport of Open Water Swimming and Triathlon. Zone3 at the same time will be offering hire or purchase options on their Award Winning entry level wetsuit the Advance

When asked, Craig Wood the sponsorship manager, had this to say:-

“This is a partnership that will really state our intentions for the area of Greater London. RG Active has been providing coaching excellence and a growing popularity of events for the London area for many years – and in fact many outside of that. We are looking forward to supplying their coaches with our award winning products”.

In 2013 Zone3 will introduce its newest range of entry level to elite wetsuits. For further details visit www.racezone3.com

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



The reigning 2012 Ironman World Champion, Leanda Cave, is hosting a charity auction on eBay with all proceeds going to Blazeman Foundation for ALS. On offer is the tri suit she wore last October when she raced to victory at her first ever Ironman World Championships in Kona.

The auction ends on May 19th – so hurry if you want to get involved. The eBay item description is below:

Auction Item Description

This is THE tri-suit that I wore when I won the 2012 Ironman World Championships in Kona………it has been washed by the way!

I will be donating all the money from the sale of this tri-suit to my charity of choice: the Blazeman Foundation for ALS. I have been supporting this charity since 2007 and every year I do something in a bid to raise money and awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. This year the multi-sport community lost a dear friend to many, Pete Zucker. I was fortunate to meet Pete and get to know a little of the impact his battle with this disease had on his family and friends. This one is for you Pete.

PLEASE be generous and PLEASE tell all your friends. Below is a little more about ALS and for further information about the Blazeman Foundation for ALS, please visit their website.

ALS is a progressive degenerative disease that attacks the motor neurons, or nerve cells, in the brain and spinal cord. Motor neurons control the movement of voluntary muscles. Death of the motor neurons makes it impossible for the brain to control muscles or signal them to move. As the muscles atrophy, it results in weakness and loss of coordination.

ALS is unpreventable, untreatable and incurable. ALS attacks otherwise healthy adults randomly and spontaneously. Once diagnosed, people with ALS have an average life expectancy of 2 – 5 years.

Link to Leanda Cave’s World Champion Triathlon Suit Auction on eBay

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



The Slateman is sure to be another fantastic event this year

With a little over a week to go until the 2013 Seen2Help Snowdonia Slateman triathlon, event organisers Always Aim High Events are promising another historic triathlon and festival-style atmosphere in Wales’ unofficial ‘outdoor capital’ Llanberis on May 19th.

The Snowdonia Slateman was launched in 2011 and has since been acclaimed as one of the most exciting events on the UK triathlon calendar, hosting 400 entrants in its first year, 700 in year two, and in 2013 selling-out over 1000 places almost 5 months ahead of race day.

2013 has seen Always Aim High Events recruit Seen2Help as their headline sponsor for the Slateman, which sees competitors take on the mighty Llyn Padarn for a 1000m lake swim, the Llanberis Pass and Ogwen Valley for a challenging 51km bike leg and the slate quarries overlooking Llanberis for the final 11km trail run. A Slateman ‘sprint’ event will also take place this year with a 400m (swim), 20km (bike) and 6km (run) option.

Chain Reaction Cycles are once again the official retail partner of the Triathlon Series – which includes the Slateman, Sandman and Snowman triathlons, nutrition will once again be provided by Kinetica Sports Nutrition and newcomers Sports Tours International are also partnering up for the first time at the Slateman.

Aside from the 1000+ competitors taking on the event, the day will also see a number of new attractions in 2013. The programme of festival-type activities on race day includes a live music stage featuring local live acts, slate splitting displays, children’s races, the Kinetix free running display team, a climbing wall, kids activities and entertainment and an array of terrific outdoor cuisine, from a hog roast to pizza ovens and the famous Snowdonia Market of local food producers.

Tim Lloyd from Always Aim High Events is rightly excited about the day:

“We have laid on a terrific programme for people to take part in at the event this year. We feel that the Slateman is much more than a triathlon. Of course that is what brings people to Llanberis in the first place, but at Always Aim High we feel that by providing a range of attractions to see and do on the day, the whole community benefits and our reputation as a company who put on world-class events is only underlined.

“This is in addition to perhaps the biggest story of all, which is the international TV coverage that the event will enjoy once again in 2013. This will give competitors a unique opportunity to see themselves racing on Channel 4, Eurosport and Sky Sports, all from the comfort of their own homes!

“Our brand partners have once again got heavily involved in things and will have a some great displays on the day. Chain Reaction Cycles will have their retail display, Kinetica and Aquasphere will be displaying their full product ranges, as well as Sports Tours International and of course we are very pleased to have our new headline sponsors Seen2Help working alongside us this year.”

Head of Marketing at Seen2Help, Jill Woods comments:

“This is a great opportunity for us to spread our message as an organisation. Our whole business is built around interacting with and supporting people, and from what we hear this years Slateman is bringing together an exciting mix of people, so it’s a great event for us to be part of.

“It’s going to be a really exciting day and who knows it might just inspire more people from within the military community to get involved with future events. We are really proud to be working with Tim and all of the Always Aim High Events team this year and are really looking forward to the day.”

The full programme of events sees the Slateman triathlon kick-off at 9.30am with the first of four waves of triathletes as they enter the depths of Llyn Padarn. From then on the day gathers momentum, with the following programme:

Race action

·     Live race action and commentary of both the adult and junior races starting at 09.30, including the prize giving at approx. 14.15. Come and give our winners a huge cheer.

·     TV cameras for the race which is to be shown on CH4 (Sunday 21st July 07.30 and 8.30 on plus 1), Eurosport and Sky Sports. Make sure you give all our participants a big Welsh cheer!

Entertainment

·     Live local bands will be playing from 11.00, with the headline act We Are Animal set to come on stage at 13.15. The full music line up can be found below.

·     Parcour performances and workshops from the Kinetix free running events team will be happening throughout the day.

·     A climbing wall and bouncy castle will be on site to provide fun and adventure for the kids

·     Llechwedd Slate Splitting displays

·     Llechwedd childrens slate painting workshops

Food, Drink and Refreshments

There will be lots of local fresh food retailers including;

·     Hog Roast

·     Pizza Oven

·     Organic local farm burgers

·     Fresh coffee and cake

·     Special offers on Jones o Gymru crisps

·     Snowdonia Market local food producers

Retailers and Partners

There will also be lots on offer from our event partners and retailers including:

·     The Always Aim High Stall will have fantastic offers on Always Aim High goodies, including buffs and T-shirts as well as Kinetica sports nutrition products, including bars and gels and Aquasphere swim products.

Seen2Help – If you run a small business and have tasks you hate to do – come and find out how outsourcing can take away that pain and help support and grow your business whilst supporting the UK military community. It’s easier & cheaper than you might think.

·     Chain Reaction Cycles will have competitions taking place from sunrise to sunset all day Sunday with a huge amount of prizes to giveaway. Every hour, on the hour for five hours, the guys over at CRC will be giving away a goodie bag worth a massive £100. That’s not your only chance to win!  They will be giving away the prize of a lifetime, a FREE entry into this year’s ITU World Triathlon Grand Final in London. The first of the prizes will be announced at 10am over at the Chain Reaction Cycles area and continue throughout the afternoon with the announcement for the ITU entry coming at 2pm.

·     Sports Tours International will have lots of information and deals on events and sporting holidays throughout the world.

Music Line Up

11.00 – 11.30                       Stonehouse

11.45 – 12.15                       Acoustic Artist (TBC)

12.30 – 13.15                       Ed Holden

13.30-2.15                            We Are Animal (fantastic local band)

All artists are subject to change.

For further information about the Always Aim High Events line-up and to learn more about our 2013 programme of events, head on over to www.alwaysaimhighevents.com

Triradar.com is the online home of Triathlon Plus – the best source of triathlon training advice, triathlon gear reviews and triathlon news.

Log your training for free at the TriRadar.com Training Zone.

Have every issue delivered to your digital device by getting Triathlon Plus through Apple Newsstand, Google Play or Zinio. Subscribe to the print edition with massive savings at MyFavouriteMagazines.

Join the conversation on the Triathlon Plus Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @TriathlonPlus.



Corinne Abraham has been making a big impact in the long-distance triathlon world over the last couple of years and her most recent race in Melbourne – where the Welsh athlete took apart the rest of the field with a stellar bike and a savage run – put her on top of the podium in one of the biggest Ironman events outside of Kona.

Corinne Abraham is looking to build on her success in the Ironman Asia-Pacific Championships to prepare for Kona this October (Photo: Rob Holden Photography)

Growing up as a national-level Judo competitor, Abraham built the foundations of her commitment to training at a young age, but it wasn’t until 2004 that she tried multi-sport racing.

“Back in 2004, at the suggestion of a friend, I did the London triathlon. I enjoyed it but didn’t throw myself into the sport at that point,” Abraham says. “I carried on with my other sports and was more focused on my work as a lecturer of sports biomechanics at St Mary’s University in Twickenham. It wasn’t until I met my boyfriend in 2009 and went to watch him do Ironman Switzerland in Zurich that I even understood what a long-distance triathlon involved!

“Having decided to enter Ironman Regensburg in Germany, I joined Berkshire Tri Squad, asked my colleagues at the university and my boyfriend for training advice and set to it!”

And so she did. Abraham’s 2010 results sheet is full of first place amateur finishes including running events, winning the three-day Tour of Wessex sportive and perhaps most promisingly, coming second to Yvette Grice at the Big Cow middle distance triathlon.

With superb form, Abraham put in a spectacular performance at Ironman Regensburg to cross the line of her first ever Ironman in 9:41:21 and didn’t only smash her age group, but was third female overall.

“I’d entered into a long-distance triathlon for the challenge and it was all about doing the event and getting to the finish line. I didn’t realise at the time who I was overtaking, I was just concentrating on cycling and running, hydrating and taking in the calories, the basics that I still focus on today in my races.

“On coming first age-grouper and third overall, I was sat on the stage at the awards ceremony and Faris Al-Sultan, who had won the men’s race, said something about my performance being pretty impressive and I remember thinking that it was nice of him to say something like that.”

Having already shown such promise, Abraham had to make a decision about whether to dive head first into the world of long distance triathlon.

“Racing at Regensburg coincided with a sabbatical from my work and I decided at the end of this break not to return to teaching but to pursue triathlon training full time and applied for my professional WTC license.”

Abraham went to Kona in October 2010, racing as an age grouper on triathlon’s hallowed isle, but admits she was unaware of the full history and mystique of the event.

“I was pretty ignorant of the sport to be honest. I didn’t know who anyone was, I didn’t know who any of the icons or heroes of the sport were and I had no idea what Kona was all about other than it being the world championships – which is quite funny looking back!”

Abraham finished tenth in the 30-34 age group, only 15 minutes behind the top spot in 10:09:22, but it was the lessons she learnt on the Big Island that she took the most value from.

“A friend of mine knew [British Pro] Nick Saunders who was racing there that year and so we shared an apartment. With hindsight I was able to learn so much from the way that Nick went about his preparations for the race; staying away from the hype, focusing on your training and recovery and concentrating on controlling the controllables. Solid advice that I still uphold in my own racing. I don’t think that you need to be aware of all of the history and the legendary reputation of the race in order to feel the energy of it, you can just feel the magic as soon as you land on the island.

“It was a tough day and it was everything that Kona is supposed to be, hot, windy, dry and humid – the full package! I stayed hydrated, I took on calories and I paced myself well, and it was an amazing experience.”

Abraham was officially a pro for the 2011 season, but the change wasn’t such a culture clash as might be expected.

“There are probably more things that have stayed the same than have changed in my attitude and training. I’ve always tried to commit myself to what I am doing, and always felt that I’ve been focused on my training, but now I think that I am more committed and more focused!”

Though the 2011 season provided some decent results including a fifth-place pro finish at Ironman 70.3 Antwerp, Abraham’s two biggest races of the year, Ironman Texas and Ironman Wales, both ended with the dreaded label of DNF due to injury. However, Abraham took these potentially devastating missteps in her stride, remaining positive despite her relative inexperience in the sport.

“Even though the DNF’s were hard – really hard – I still knew that they did not reflect my potential as an athlete. This knowledge along with encouragement and support from those around me enabled me to keep training and striving for a better performance at the next race.”

2012 was to be a year of redemption, improvement and experience. Abraham returned to Ironman Texas to finish fourth in a strong field with a time of 9:18:39 before going on to the Ironman European Championships at Ironman Frankfurt where the Brit grabbed her first pro Ironman podium, coming third behind powerhouse-athletes Caroline Steffen and Anja Beranek in 9:21:03. In October Abraham showed her short(er) course chops with a fifth place finish at Ironman 70.3 Miami before going on to race Ironman Arizona the following month. At this race, which often features a strong post-Kona field looking for end of season glory, Abraham put in a stellar race to finish third in 9:15:10, rounding of a stunning season that wiped away the ghosts of 2011.

“2012 was really the year that I hoped I might have had in 2011, but life doesn’t work that way we find! Every Ironman race that I did was a development for me in terms of race experience and performances. I tapped into some of my 70.3 potential as well at the Miami race and that was a big step forward for me. Up until that point I didn’t feel that I’d dialled into how to race at 70.3 distance so that was also exciting.”

Despite qualifying to race as a pro at Kona in 2012, Abraham made the decision not to make the long trip to Hawaii.

“It’s very expensive to race there, my potential to ‘earn’ money there was solely limited to the prize money and nor did it seem to be in the interests of my sponsors,” she says. “As a professional you are required to accept your place or notify the race organizers if you will not be racing by the middle of July. At that point, my coaches David Tilbury-Davis of PhysFarm Training and Tim Armstrong, my run coach, and I discussed my future goals and aspirations. We made the decision to race at Ironman Arizona and Ironman Melbourne for early season qualification points for Kona 2013.

At the end of the 2012 season, Abraham was in great form but still determined to improve.

“Even though the results and the progression were good, it is still obvious to me where I have the potential to improve further and there was no problem identifying areas for training and development. I think that I’ll always be critical of my performances and will always be looking to achieve further progress.”

Further progression was certainly on the cards when after a winter of tough workouts – “my winter was all about consistent training and staying healthy” – and enough time on the turbo trainer to boost any athlete’s mental strength, Abraham made preparations for her first big race of 2013, the Ironman Asia-Pacific Championships at Ironman Melbourne. This would prove to be Abraham’s greatest performance to date and one that would see her better many more established superstars of the sport.

“In the build up and on race day I just tend to focus on my own training, my own performance goals and to control the things that I can control. As it was, this lead me to the front of the race on the bike and I was able to maintain this through the marathon to take the win – it felt fantastic running up the finishing chute!”

To get to that finishing chute, Abraham put in a 28:23 swim over the weather-shortened sea-swim course before smashing the bike course in 4:42:09, nearly five minutes faster than nearest rival Natscha Badmann. Abraham only upped the pressure on the rest of the field during the run, where even the likes of Caroline Steffen, Gina Crawford and Yvonne Van Vlerken had no response to the savage pace set by the Welshwoman. A 2:56:50 marathon secured victory in 8:10:56, some 15 minutes ahead of the rest of the field.

“It is an incredible feeling to have won an Ironman and it is something that we work towards day in and day out in training. It’s a fantastic reward, not only for all the training that I’ve put in, but also for all of my friends, family and sponsors who have been supporting me and believed in my athletic abilities.”

So what’s next for the hugely talented long-distance star? A return to Hawaii of course.

“We’d not planned races beyond Melbourne as we wanted to see how many points I might need, and what the best strategy would be for achieving these. Obviously that all changed with the win and now we can focus on developing a training and racing schedule that will focus solely on preparing me for the Ironman World Championships in October. I live in France near Geneva and while the weather conditions are still great for the skiers, it will mean more turbo training for me – but that has worked out pretty well so far so perhaps that’s not such a bad thing!”

Stay up to date with Corinne Abraham at corinneabraham.com, follow her on twitter @CorinneAbraham and like her facebook page facebook.com/Corinne.Abraham.Triathlon