Adrian Kaczmarek Athlete Ambassador
Adrian has his sights set on qualifying for the GB Age Group team and works hard to achieve his results. He talks to Sundried about training and racing.
Have you always been into sport?
Yes, from a young age I have been into competitive sports. I started off with football and enjoyed running on the side, so after joining a swimming club and cycling at the weekends, I decided to give triathlon a go towards the end of high school.
What made you decide to enter the world of triathlon?
After having a passion for athletics and running, and my dad being a keen cyclist and mum being into swimming, I ended up doing all three and then found out I could combine it into one sport.
What’s been your favourite race to date and why?
Worcester Sprint Triathlon 2019. The weather was perfect, I didn't have any issues during the race, everything went to plan, and I managed to get the fastest swim and transition split times, which helped me to finished 2nd overall.
Have you ever had any racing disasters/your toughest race yet?
My toughest race would either have to be the English Schools Cross Country 2017 or Nationals Cross Country 2020, due to the harsh weather conditions on the day and how challenging the race course was! Luckily, however, I have never had a racing disaster bad enough that I have had to pull out of a race.
How do you overcome setbacks?
I try to look at the bigger picture and focus on my long term goals, rather than getting bogged down on minor setbacks in training or races, by treating each day as a fresh start.
What advice do you wish you'd been given before you started competing?
Work hard, have fun, and make sure to not over train leading up to races!
What are your goals for 2020?
On top of my university races (BUCS Triathlons), I would like to race the junior super series and try to qualify for some bigger races or try to represent the GB Age Group Team abroad in races in Europe.
Who do you take your inspiration from?
The list would be too long to include on here, but Javier Gomez, the Brownlee Brothers, Jan Frodeno, and Lionel Sanders are definitely up there to name a few. I can relate each of them in different ways and really enjoy watching them race in both ITU races as well as Long Distance (Ironman) events.
What do you like about Sundried and what’s your favourite bit of our kit?
I am a big fan of the cycling kit range, especially the jackets and aero skinsuit.