Chris Lewis Athlete Ambassador
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Chris is a triathlete who originally took part in triathlon to beat a friend. He talks to Sundried about his passion for sport.
Have you always been into sport?
Yes, I’ve always been interested in sport. My main love for sport was Rugby League which began when I started playing at 7 years old.
How did you first get into triathlon?
My friend asked me in 2017 to enter a triathlon he was doing. My response was, “absolutely not, why would I want to do that?” He asked me again in January 2018. My response that time was, “yeah go on then I’m not doing anything else”
My main aim for that race was to beat him. If I beat him then I thought I wouldn’t have to do another triathlon. Well, triathlon is now an addiction.
What has been your favourite race to date and why?
I’ve raced in a European Championship and qualified for other European and World Championships, but my favourite race was Chateaux de Chantilly in 2019. It wasn’t my best race but it was very well organised with closed roads on the bike and a great run loop around the grounds.
What is your proudest achievement?
Qualifying for the World Championships only 15 months after my first triathlon
Have you ever had any racing disasters?
In 2019, every race apart from one was a disaster. Nothing went right that year. If I swam well then I had a mechanical on the bike, if I biked well then I blew up on the run. I’ve had 2 really good results in 2020 despite having limited races.
How do you overcome setbacks?
I’m quite a determined person. I’ve ruptured my ACL 3 times. I technically need a 3rd knee reconstruction but realistically that won’t happen. There isn’t a straight line to success. Sometimes you’ve got to go sideways or even backwards. It’s all part of the process. I like to evaluate and adapt so I can achieve the things I want.
What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?
I would have liked advice on equipment. I bought good things for swimming, cycling and running but not particularly great for triathlon. I eventually had to replace or upgrade most things. Starting out in triathlon, after a few years' absence competing in sport, I was training wrong but I was training and loving it. It was enjoyable, advise that early may not have worked for me.
What are your goals?
I have the European and World Championships next year but my main goal is to go for my Elite license in middle distance. With the right coaching and training, I know I’ll get it.
Who inspires you?
There is a small group of us that train together in East London. We all have different strengths in each discipline. We all race different distances. We are so competitive against each other which pushes us harder in training. The energy and motivation in our group is great. We thrive off each other’s success and inspire each other.
Why work with Sundried?
I don’t know much about Sundried apart from what is on the website. I want to see what Sundried can offer in triathlon. I want to see how Sundried can help me progress and achieve my main goal.
