Renato Pilipovic Athlete Ambassador

Renato only discovered sport very late in life after living unhealthily until he was almost 40. He can now say he's done a half Ironman and a marathon.

Have you always been into sport?

No! I lived very unhealthily until I was 39.

What made you decide to enter the world of triathlon?

One day I realised I was too overweight and smoked too much; I would be out of breath just walking 10 steps! So, I started to run and after a while I started to swim too. I then went to the local triathlon club and started training under the supervision of the coach. The rest is history!

What’s been your favourite race to date and why?

I ran the Lubljana Marathon in Slovenia in October 2017. It's a beautiful race in a romantic city with excellent organisation. Plus it's my only marathon to date. 

And your proudest achievement?

For me, the fact that I practise sport at all is a big achievement. 

Have you ever had any racing disasters/your toughest race yet?

I didn't fuel properly during my first half Ironman. This resulted in agony that lasted for hours. But I finished the race!

How do you overcome setbacks?

Triathlon taught me that perseverance is the key to everything. Not only in racing but in life too.

What advice do you wish you'd been given before you started competing?

I wish I had started earlier!

What are your goals for 2019?

Improving on my personal records in all distances.

What do you like about Sundried and what’s your favourite bit of our kit?

The Plaret men's training t-shirt is my favourite as it is so soft and comfortable.