Ian Seeney Athlete Ambassador
Ian is a triathlete who got into the sport through cross-training for running. He talks to Sundried about life as a triathlete as well as his favourite race: the Disney marathon.
Have you always been into sport?
Yes, growing up I played baseball and American football. I actually didn’t get into running and triathlon until my late 20s after university. I started running as a way to lose weight as my weight ballooned to 91 kilos (14st) while at university. With running and dietary changes I was able to lose 25 kilos (4st).
What made you enter triathlon?
Like many novice runners, I over-trained and under-stretched which led to injuries so to rehab I began cycling and swimming. I found that the cross-training really helped my running. I figured if I was doing all three disciplines already I might as well try my hand at triathlon.
What is your favourite race to date and why?
The Disney Marathon was my favourite race. To be able to run a marathon through all of the Disney parks and see all of the characters was pretty amazing. Also, the support for the event was top notch.
What is your proudest achievement?
I would say my proudest achievement would be running my first marathon in 2006 and qualifying for the Boston Marathon. Having not started running until 2005 and literally starting by trying to run 1 mile without stopping, the idea of running a marathon seemed absurd. So to not only complete a marathon but to qualify for Boston at the same time was pretty special.
Have you ever had any racing disasters/toughest race yet?
My toughest race yet was certainly Ironman Lake Placid in 2012. Let alone the fact it’s an Ironman, the second half of the bike got pretty warm and led to me getting behind on my nutrition; that made the marathon pretty brutal. I didn’t realise how getting just a little behind on in-race nutrition can have a huge impact later in the day. I really learned a lot from that experience.
How do you overcome setbacks?
It took a bit of maturation on my part, but my mindset is not to get down about things that are out of my control. If the weather is rubbish, then I can only do what I can do. As long as I know I’ve prepared properly, the rest will just sort itself out.
What advice do you wish you’d been given before you started competing?
There are so many variables that can affect the outcome of a race and you can’t plan for everything. Only worry about your preparation and arriving at the starting line healthy.
What are your goals for 2019?
Since my kids were born, my goals each year have been the same: to be the fittest version of myself that I can be. I realise my prime racing years are behind me and rather than try to roll back the clock to my late 20s/early 30s, I focus on staying fit enough to be able to jump into a race at a moment’s notice.
Who do you take inspiration from?
It may sound cliche, but I take inspiration from my children for a couple of reasons. First, they’re 3 and 6 so they love to swim and run purely for the joy of swimming and running. They also inspire me to keep everything in perspective. They don’t care if I come in first. They only care about having fun and being outside in nature.
What do you like about Sundried and what’s your favourite bit of our kit?
I love that Sundried was started by athletes for athletes and the commitment to the environment. Making great clothing from renewable sources is just awesome. It’s the only word I can think of. I absolutely LOVE the cycling kit! Let alone the fact that the black, grey and red colourway perfectly matches the colours of my road bike, it instantly became my favourite kit. It’s super comfortable and breathes really well! I can’t wait to add more pieces to my collection once the weather starts to turn cooler.
