Cormac Nisbet Junior Athlete Ambassador
Cormac is a young ambassador who is proving himself in the sport of triathlon. He talks to Sundried about life as a triathlete.
Have you always been into sport?
I can’t remember the days I didn’t do sport, I started playing football as that was the only sport I was introduced to for the first 4 years. I remember being selected for the first time to do a cross country race. I was sceptical and had zero knowledge on what I was actually doing! I came in 6th in a trivial race but it earned me an invite to my running club which I still attend today and sparked an interest in what I am so thankful to find today.
How did you first get into triathlon?
I was competitive in cycling and running and was an able swimmer so was suggested to ‘give it a go’. The swimming standard was way above mine but managed to reel the gap back in on the other disciplines. I thought if I could improve my swimming enough to be competitive in the run then maybe this could work. It was then I was lucky enough to find my coach and begin to start structured training.
What's been your favourite race to date?
My favourite race was the Woburn Tri. It came towards the end of the season and with a shorter swim and road bike it suited me very well. After overestimating the depth of the lake and diving into an area which was a foot deep I came out of the swim 20 seconds down on the leaders, achievable to bring back. A decent enough bike edged it closer but the run is where I reeled in the leaders the most. I made contact with the leader with 400m to go and had the final climb to navigate. My strongest memory of the race came by being sick twice; one with 200m to go and the other at the line the poker face wasn’t the best but managed to get it done!
And your proudest achievement?
My proudest achievement would have to be earning my first national title at the National Hill Climb.
Have you ever had any racing disasters/your toughest race yet?
Very recently I competed at English schools, a race I had been training for 6 months. To keep it short it didn’t go to plan, I had a good start but found myself drifting through the race. I was devastated.
How do you overcome setbacks?
The way I looked at this race it was a lesson. One of my favourite quotes is “there is no losing, you either win or learn”. I knew that it wasn’t the only important race of my lifetime, so I rested physically and mentally until I felt ready to dedicate myself to a new set of goals to become a better athlete.
What advice do you wish you'd been given before you started competing?
In my first few races it felt like the world was on my shoulders, the advice I’d give my past self, is just enjoy every step, stride and stroke.
What are your goals for 2019?
My goals for 2019 are to retain my National Hill Climb championships and perform as well as possible in the triathlons that I do ideally qualifying for IRC.
Who do you take inspiration from?
My hero is Steve Prefontaine, he was an American middle distance runner who played with the minds of his opponents and broke several American records. Sadly he tragically died in a car crash at 24 with so much still to prove. He did come out with some quotes however, my favourite, “to give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.”
What do you like about Sundried and what's your favourite bit of our kit?
Not only do I love the quality and uniqueness of the kit, the eco friendly products put Sundried bounds ahead of any other sporting apparel brand.
My favourite bit of kit would probably have to be the Horizon men's hoodie, I love the weight and pockets!
