Peta Jarvis Athlete Ambassador
Peta is a junior athlete who has raced against some of the top talent in the world. She talks to Sundried about life as a triathlete.
Have you always been into sport?
Yes, I was always a sporty kid, starting to swim at a swimming club at the age of 6 and starting to ride my bike through the Go Ride events a few years later.
What made you decide to enter the world of triathlon?
I was lucky enough to get into triathlon as a young child when my parents noticed a duathlon advertised. Triathlon hadn’t really taken off as a sport yet so there were only two of us entered in the youngest age category. Despite placing second out of the two, the next day I asked if I could do another one and haven't looked back since.
What’s been your favourite race to date and why?
I don’t have a specific race, but I always love racing at Dorney Lake. The swim is beautifully clear and the bike course is super fast and not too technical.
And your proudest achievement?
Racing twice at the Junior Super League in Jersey. It’s such a privilege to have been able to race wearing the British flag twice and to compete against some really talented young athletes from other countries. It’s also such a different event to usual triathlon which makes it all the more exciting.
Have you ever had any racing disasters/your toughest race yet?
Over the years, I’ve accumulated a few disaster stories, but I think a mention has to go to my only DNF so far, which was a Super Series race in Liverpool as a Youth. I had a great swim and got into a good bike pack, but unfortunately ended up crashing less than a kilometre into the bike… My toughest race has to be a race at Dorney Lake last year where the temperature was upwards of 30 degrees Celsius all day.
How do you overcome setbacks?
I try to take at least one positive out of everything I do. Even if the overall result is not what I wanted, there will always be one thing that went well, and it helps to focus on this as well as evaluating the negatives.
What advice do you wish you'd been given before you started competing?
Not to be afraid to push yourself, as you are always capable of more than you think.
What are your goals for 2020?
This year will be my last year as a Junior and I plan to race the British Triathlon Super Series again. I would love to be able to improve on my position from last year. This year I would also like to race an Olympic distance triathlon, as this is a distance I have not attempted before.
Who do you take your inspiration from?
One of my favourite ITU athletes Sophie Coldwell, who came from the same club as I did. It’s great to see someone from your home town doing well and it serves as a reminder of where hard work and training can take you.
What do you like about Sundried and what’s your favourite bit of our kit?
Sundried’s ethical and sustainable values are what really stand out to me about this brand. In a time of climate crisis, I think that it is really important for brands to think about their sustainability, which is exactly what Sundried is doing.
It might seem like a very boring answer, but I love the Sundried socks! They’re so comfortable!
