Anorexic to GBR Triathlete

Go as far as you can see then see how far you can go….

A few weeks ago at Church a lady shared with us the above statement from a well-known preacher J.John and it has been buzzing around my head ever since. In my head I want everything to be well planned out and in order, I want to know where I am going and I struggle with not being in control. However, I am learning that life doesn’t always work like that and everything doesn’t fit nicely into a box or work out exactly as I want it to. In fact, in recent months life has certainly been a rollercoaster and at times I have had to take a breath and learn to go with the twists and turns, or I would self-combust.

So often we think we have it all planned out with a clear path to follow towards the destination that we want. But what do we do when things don’t quite go to plan and there is a spanner in the works? What happens when we choose to just keep moving forward step by step taking time to keep on breathing and trust that in all things it will be okay?

To clarify, I don’t mean that we don’t plan at all as poor preparation can lead to a poor performance.  It would be like rocking up to a race and expecting to do well even if I hadn’t put the training in!  What I am suggesting  though is that we keep on walking with an open mind, one that isn’t so focused that it's unable to see other opportunities that may come our way. As a business woman just as soon as I think I am fully booked or that I am at a standstill something or someone new comes along with an injury or a goal they want to achieve and I get to stretch myself and work out how to help them to be pushed outside of my comfort zone and think outside the box – this is where I thrive and get my passion from, fixing people that are broken and helping them push past the limitations that they put on themselves!

 If I take a moment to look back over the past few years, I see a pattern forming. When Sarah and I could see lockdown coming we got ahead of the game and geared our clients up for pting online. As it was clear that this would be for a period of time, we set up classes to build community and cooked most nights online to bring fun and laugher to people in a time of struggle. As we came out of lockdown we took a friend up on her offer of using a converted barn that she had as our studio and when lockdown came again we trained people outside. We didn’t know where we were going to end up but what we did do is keep moving forward, taking it step by step and just seeing what would happen.

I just want to take a moment here to explain the significance of the studio we now rent and how you should NEVER LET GO OF YOUR DREAMS! Before going self- employed I worked as a PT and group exercise instructor at David Lloyd. 2/3 years before I left there

I dreamed of having my own studio and took time to plan how it would look. One night I dreamt that the friend we now rent from gave me the keys to our studio – I remember the next morning asking Sarah if our friend had property, as I had never seen her house, I think we all know the answer was YES! The day that Jules gave me the keys I will never forget and in that moment God answered our prayers; nearly 5 years later we have a little community and an amazing place for people to just BE! If I hadn’t kept walking forward and kept trusting the process I would not be where I am now – so NEVER QUIT ON YOU!

I would love to say that it’s been plain sailing but it hasn’t been and last year we nearly lost everything, but we took a breath and chose to fight for what we had worked for. No one said it would be easy but it’s how we face our battles that determines the outcome. With Sarah moving away from the business the last few months have been difficult but as we have both taken a leap of faith doors are opening for her and I am slowly but surely moving the business forward to suit me. That has involved making some tough decisions but at no point have I thought about quitting it’s just not in my nature but I have learnt how to adapt and accept that I am human and at times it’s all a bit much and that is OKAY!

Whilst on the subject of not letting a dream go I want to take you right back to the beginning of my triathlon career when the first race I did I took part with a high temperature and swam in a borrowed wetsuit and cycled on a borrowed bike. I HAD NO IDEA about how transition worked, didn’t own a trisuit and certainly hadn’t learnt about the importance of talcum powder, baby oil and Vaseline! (I know it’s an odd combo but trust me when getting a wetsuit on and off and putting on socks with wet feet it is a real God Send!

The thing was, despite being completely out of my comfort zoneI absolutely loved it and quickly signed up for my next one. As time went on I TRAINED SMARTER , I got quicker and learnt the art of getting in and out of transition as quickly as I could. I remember when I first started competing and it was about seeing how far up the field I could finish, it progressed to aiming for top 10, then for the age group win and now for top 3.

When I began to want to become part of the age group team for GBR, one of my friends sat me down and together we looked at my results and as an Age Group Triathlete herself she told me that I could qualify. To be honest I thought it was a pipedream and at the time was also finding my feet as a marathon runner going from a 5 hour marathoner to a sub 4hour hour one. However deep down I knew I wanted to give it a shot, so in typical Charlie style I rocked up to my third ever standard distance race and qualified for the European Team – I can tell you, I think I was more shocked than anyone else which to be honest isn’t much different to how I feel now. Imposter syndrome is real and I keep waiting for someone to find me out!

At the time my friends bought me the book ‘ DARE TO TRI’ which is written by Louise Minchin and she details her journey from TV PRESENTER to GBR TRIATHLETE. When I read it, a spark was lit and I thought if she could do it so could I.

For someone that in the past has lost so much of my self-worth, home, business, friends, health and in my darkest moment my faith I have developed a resilience and a determination that says; ‘I am gonna do this and fight for it as I AM WORTH IT’! I don’t have the privilege of being part of a club or having a coach but I have an amazing support crew – my wife who is my rock and chief roadie , my training buddy who keeps me calm and a best friend who not only joins me in several races but encourages me all the time as well as friends and family that cheer me on from the side lines.

The bottom line though is that I am the one that must put in the training hours to get fitter and stronger. In the past year as someone who struggles with early mornings,

I have forced myself to get up early and swim and have carved out time in a busy diary to put in the training I NEED To. When I stand on the start line it’s down to me and I have to know that whatever the result I have done all that I CAN DO to be my BEST ME on the day. That includes eating properly and decreasing training leading up to a race day and TRUST ME that is hard! It’s important to know though that we get to choose our hard so decide wisely training isn’t easy but neither is getting unfit and struggling to do what you love!

 As I stood on the start line at the World Sprint Triathlon qualifiers for 2026 on Sunday afternoon, I knew that I had done all I could do that week to prepare well and race hard. I managed to put the pressure aside that I feel over this years race in Australia as in all honesty finance wise it is a stretch and if I do have to pull out knowing I have secured next years place would lift some of the disappointment to have to give up something I have fought so hard for.

 When the gun went, race head Charlie kicked in, the swim was brutal, the bike leg scary and the run was hardcore. A mile into it I wanted to quit and walk but the voice in my head would not let me do that and with 500 metres to go the finish line and building behind it started to become hazy but determination kicked in and I just kept pushing. As I lay on the ground recovering I was done in but knew I had done what Sarah had said to do “give it your all that is all anyone  can ask of you and whatever the result I am proud of you ’’ I  am still waiting for official confirmation that I have qualified but I know I fought hard against a hard field and for that I AM PROUD OF ME!

So can I encourage you to keep on pushing forward, to not quit on your dreams and see how far you can go!