Catherine Searcy Athlete Ambassador
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Catherine is an athlete who has some big goals ahead of her. She talks to Sundried about training and racing.
Have you always been into sport?
As a child, I swam within my local borough until my mid-teens and swimming has always been my go-to sport for keeping fit. Other than an on/off relationship with the gym for general fitness in between having 4 kids, I only began taking my own health and fitness seriously in January 2019 when I started running and did the Couch to 5k programme. I now swim (both pool and open water), bike, run, interval training, gym and quite fancy trying paddle boarding next summer too.
How did you first get into triathlon?
I took part in a few relay triathlons with family members a number of years ago, completing the swim element of each, but now I’m hoping to challenge myself and complete one in 2021 solo.
What has been your favourite race to date and why?
The Harborough Carnival 10k – a local road race around where I live. Originally, I had planned on only doing the 5k distance as I didn’t think I would be able to complete 10k, but as the date drew nearer I changed my mind. There were 5 members from my family plus 2 friends who all ran in memory of my brother-in-law and despite the torrential rain and horribly steep hill at 8km, it has lots of special memories.
What is your proudest achievement?
Completing a run streak in 2019 – I ran at least one mile every day of the year and in the end, as a beginner runner, ran almost 800 miles in total! It was such a personal achievement to actually get out and run each day, even when I was ill or injured and I would recommend to anyone to give it a go.
Have you ever had any racing disasters?
I accidentally knotted my trouser loops during my half marathon as I was stopping for a toilet break. I didn’t have time to attempt to untie them so just had to carry on, regretting the amount of water I’d already taken on with another 6 miles to go!
How do you overcome setbacks?
Take a moment to step back and assess what your goals are. It's not about what other people's goals for you may be, but what you are wanting to achieve from the moment. Once you’re clear on the goal, then look at how can you still achieve it
What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?
Make sure you take the time to enjoy each run/ride/swim and each race. What’s the point in being able to complete something if you don’t remember any of it whilst doing it?
What are your goals?
Starting in December 2021, I’m aiming to complete 13 challenges in 13 months, including my first triathlon, aquathlon, another half marathon, a few month-long run streaks and more.
Who inspires you?
I find a lot of my inspiration through social media accounts that I follow. I love being able to gain knowledge and tips from such a wide range of athletes and like-minded people, as well as offering my own to others too.
Why work with Sundried?
Aesthetics plays a big part – I love the look of the kit. But also the quality of it and the company's approach to exercise and sustainability.
