Josh Tucker Athlete Ambassador

Josh is a passionate triathlete with some big goals. He talks to Sundried about training and racing.

Have you always been into sport?

Yes! As a kid I dabbled in any and every sport I could get my hands on, but didn't start challenging myself in sport until after I left high school and took a gap year. During my gap year, I became really interested in pushing my physical limits.

How did you first get into triathlon?

By signing up for Ironman 70.3 Edinburgh in 2018. I had never done a triathlon, let alone an Ironman branded race, but wanted the challenge of seeing if I could complete it. I didn't train, as I had no concept of how hard triathlons actually are! Needless to say, it was a brutal event!

What has been your favourite race to date and why?

Ironman Staffordshire 70.3 in 2019 was very special to me as it was the accumulation of a year's dedicated training to break my goal of a sub 6 hour 70.3 race. On the day, everything went better than I could have ever dreamed! I felt incredibly fit going into the race and more importantly enjoyed the day - and finished with a 5:44.

What is your proudest achievement?

Two stick out to me: Ironman Staffordshire 70.3 for the reasons above, and the second would be a run I did coming back off an injury in 2019. I couldn't run for months, and wanted to prove to myself that I could get back to it, so ran 35 miles unsupported along the Union Canal from Falkirk to Edinburgh. That one felt very special due to it being completely solitary and outside of a race context - just me and the distance.

Have you ever had any racing disasters?

Absolutely! The first triathlon I ever did (Edinburgh 70.3) was one massive disaster. I hadn't trained, my bike saddle was too low, and I finished the bike leg with 13 seconds to spare to cut off. I hobbled out to the run course absolutely destroyed and marched/hobbled round the run despite extreme cramps which had me on the floor stretching at one point. I think I finished as the last person out of the entire field, and it taught me a LOT about the sport.

How do you overcome setbacks?

By working obsessively on everything I can control, and not stressing/worrying about anything outside my direct sphere of influence. Someone told me this advice during a race briefing at a race I was terrified for and almost certain I wouldn't finish - it's stuck with me as the most valuable advice anyone has ever given me.

What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?

Enjoy the process. The process is 99% of triathlon, years of training for a few hours of racing. If you don't enjoy the process then change it up, no matter how hard that is.

What are your goals?

To qualify for the age group IM World Championships in Kona, to cycle around the world, swim the channel, run a 100 mile ultra-marathon, complete a bike everesting...I could go on and on and on. I have a huge list!

Who inspires you?

Anyone who defies the odds and pushes the limits, whether physically or mentally. I think sometimes we can get fixated on the professional athletes in sports and miss out incredibly inspiring stories of amateur athletes doing incredible things with limited resources and time!

Why work with Sundried?

After doing triathlon for 2 years and experimenting with tons of different kit, I've finally found Sundried to be the kit that I consider the best. Because of that, I want to work with Sundried to help other athletes use the best!