Daniel Edwards Athlete Ambassador
Daniel is still new to the sport of triathlon but has quickly found his passion. He talks to Sundried about training and racing.
Have you always been into sport?
As a child, I was pretty active through school and club activities but after finishing my education and starting my working life it subsided a bit. It has only been in the past 5 or so years that I have really got back into it - firstly through running and then getting into triathlon over the past 2 years.
What made you decide to enter the world of triathlon?
In 2017, I trained for and took part in both the Cardiff 10k and Cardiff Half Marathon. At the time of signing up for these events, I thought having something to focus on would give me some motivation to train. I found the training tough, not physically but mentally and I found myself getting bored of the same routes and the same type of training.
Needless to say, I completed both but wanted a different type of challenge and thought a triathlon would help me vary my training. I spent the whole of 2018 training and getting to grips with the different disciplines; I hadn't swum or ridden a bike in years! I joined a triathlon club to help and started racing in 2019 and haven't looked back since.
What’s been your favourite race to date and why?
My favorite race to date has been the Swansea Triathlon. The event is superbly run and is extremely well supported. It's all held on closed roads and the swim is in Swansea Marina so is very well protected from the elements.
And your proudest achievement?
My proudest achievement to date is going sub 25 minutes on a 5k. This was my target since starting out running and I spent months using Parkrun on a Saturday morning to get my time down. Sub 25 is still slow for the elites but a target is a target and is one I have hit. Next up is sub 24!
Have you ever had any racing disasters/your toughest race yet?
I haven't had any disasters yet, being relatively new to triathlon, but my toughest triathlon has to be Mumbles in late September 2019. The weather was awful. It was wet and very windy and the sea swim in Swansea Bay was close to being cancelled. I am not a confident swimmer by any means and I found that swim extremely tough. It was one stroke forward, two strokes back and I thought it would never end! Once I was on the bike and settled into that I was happy...but I wasn't very talkative as I was stumbling out of the water.
How do you overcome setbacks?
I firmly believe everything happens for a reason. If something happens that sets me back, I just keep my head down and carry on. It'll come good in time.
What advice do you wish you'd been given before you started competing?
Never go into an event feeling over-confident. There will always be something that challenges you or something that doesn't go to plan.
What are your goals for 2020?
I want to be on the start line of a 70.3 in 2020.
Who do you take your inspiration from?
My mum is my inspiration. She started running to help with her mental health and has suffered over the years with some persistent injuries but has never given up even if it has meant running with gritted teeth and awful pain in order to finish.
What do you like about Sundried and what’s your favourite bit of our kit?
Sundried is a company that provides not only quality products but products that are affordable. Triathlon is not a cheap sport by any means so being affordable is a massive bonus. I really like the Sundried cycling range. It looks smart, slick and durable.
