Dedication, commitment and a splash of passion....

Celebrating our success - Today we look at two amazing members from the squad who have shown commitment and improvement this year. We are lucky enough for them to share their stories.

James Mcleod

This year my season has been completely focused around Ironman Sweden in August.  This was my first Ironman so my target was just completion and to enjoy it.
James looking in Pain after CSS testing. :)

My swimming has come on really well this year (from a CSS of 1.55 in January to 1.39 in June) so that was never a concern for me.  I'm a pretty new cyclist so that was a big limiter for me, not ideal when you've got 180km to get through.  So I've spent many an hour on my bike this year, almost all endurance based work.  My running has pretty much gone to pieces this year as well as I’ve had chronic shin splints for most of the year.  



All my events this year have been pretty enjoyable, except maybe the 11ºC water in the river at the Wetherby triathlon.  The Epic Lake Series in particular were excellent.  Obviously enough Ironman was the highlight of the year with an epic atmosphere in Kalmar.



All in all I’m pretty happy with how my season has turned out, there’s always things that could’ve been done better but that’s all part of the process.

I haven’t got anything specific planned for next season yet, maybe Windermere...

James sent me his times through over the times in the squad: 


Date400m200mCSS
16/07/20138.023.442.09
17/10/20137.463.481.59
12/01/20147.123.201.55
16/03/20146.563.251.45
01/05/20146.403.141.42
25/05/20146.223.041.39
10/08/20146.413.091.49
05/09/20147.213.371.52
12/10/20146.283.021.43
14/12/20146.243.031.41

Thank you for sharing James - Showing what improvements can be made- You can see from the results when James focused on the bike and took time out the water - he is now pulling it back again. Well done and thanks for sharing.





Sarka - Shares her story.

This is going to sound a bit melodramatic but ….I can honestly say that meeting Emma changed my life and completely eliminated that familiar dread we sometimes get on a Sunday night.  Before 2012 I had not considered Open Water swimming as something other than a refreshing dip following a long walk on the fells. In 2012 my Ex suggested I start this new Open Water swimming group run by Emma after he had met her through a mutual friend of ours. This turned out to be one of his best suggestions, EVER.



Over the past three seasons, I have progressed from an occasional wild swimmer to a pretty good Open Water swimmer. I started in the Thursday evening groups and then joined the Sunday evening squad which has dramatically improved my technique helping me increase both my speed and endurance.

Sarka - On the move. 

This reignited love of swimming began to unleash the competitiveness in me and I entered my first open water mile event in 2013 – coming 3rd overall!! This season I took part in a few more events of varying distances, managing another 3rd place in a 2500m swim in Wales. I also completed all four Aquathlons that Emma hosted at Brockhole (coming 3rd for a change) and managed to fit in a little jaunt up the length of Coniston – because it’s there!



So I think we can safely say that Emma has created a monster and I’ve decided that next years goals are to get on a bike and complete a Standard triathlon aswell as swim the length of Ullswater – Thanks Em, see what you’ve done??!


Sarka-jo Cole, October 2014


Sarka. is an amazing person to have in the squad and shows up every week, keen, committed and her results are showing this - With last nights CSS giving her a pb. So well done Sarka, great to have you on board and part of the team. 

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