Jake Dean - Athlete Ambassador
Have you always been into sport?
I have always been into sport ever since high school. I was never one for ‘skilled team sports’ such as football/cricket etc, I was more into things such as Athletics and Cross Country growing up.
How did you first get into triathlon?
I have never done a triathlon so I won’t lie there. My first ever triathlon is going to be Ironman Bolton 2021. However I have done a few Duathlons and I really enjoyed the fact it was multi discipline. My first ever race was the London Duathlon in 2019.
If you are interested in getting into Triathlon, Sundried's kit is suitable for beginners as well as seasoned athletes. We have both men's and women's options available.
What has been your favourite race to date and why?
My favourite race to date would have to be a Spartan race which is part of the obstacle course racing sport. I enjoyed it because it hit every aspect of fitness - strength, speed, power, agility, flexibility and lots of running through bogs/hills etc. The next day I really felt it as it had worked my whole body.
What is your proudest achievement?
My proudest achievement to date would have to be either 1) becoming a father or 2) running the London marathon carrying 50 lbs and wearing boots and combat trousers for charity and completing it in 5:56:31.
Have you ever had any racing disasters?
No racing disasters to date.
How do you overcome setbacks?
No major set backs to date, but I’ve had a few injuries during training which caused me to take a good few rest weeks where I turned my attention to flexibility/range of motion training and lots of rest to get better to start training again.
What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?
Don’t worry about what anybody thinks of you, be an open book and be willing to try new sports and events. Once you find something you enjoy stick with it. Don’t bow down to peer pressure just because all your mates play football but you are an epic cyclist. It doesn’t mean you have to play football, get out on your bike and spend your limited free time enjoying a sport rather than clock watching playing something you don’t enjoy.
What are your goals?
To get a sub 12 hour first ever triathlon which is an Ironman. To represent the British Army in a sporting context. To always be hunting the next biggest challenge that will test me physically and mentally.
Who inspires you?
I am inspired by all professional athletes in their respective sporting fields. But if I had to choose one specific athlete I would say the Brownlee brothers and that moment where one of them put his brother before his race time and went back for him and helped carry him to the finish line.
Why work with Sundried?
I love the look of the brand ever since seeing it advertised. I then noticed it more on fellow cyclists on the roads and I thought that’s really nice kit! I like the fact the main emphasis is providing a good quality kit for fellow athletes at a very decent price, because as athletes we all know how many outfits we can go through in a week, through training sessions as you don’t want to have to keep washing and washing when you could be training. So by keeping the clothing price down people can afford to buy more training kit meaning more training time.
To hear more from our ambassadors and get free tips on workout plans and more, connect with the Sundried Personal Trainers on our app.
