Richard Addison Athlete Ambassador

Richard is a triathlete who was inspired by the 2012 London Olympics to change his life and get into sport. He talks to Sundried about his journey.

Have you always been into sport?

When I was younger I hated PE; I enjoyed the odd kick about with my local friends but it wasn’t until I was an adult and being inspired by the 2012 Olympics that I decided to get more involved and got my first road bike. This was the start of a better life for me. When I started out, I was overweight at 15 stone and unfit. Not only has it got me into triathlon but also a career change as a qualified personal trainer and S+C Coach.

How did you first get into triathlon?

In 2012, I was inspired by the London Olympics. It was the cycling that started my fitness journey but with the increased news coverage of the Brownlee brothers, I thought "I could do that!" Well, that's what I thought. I started to get knee pain from running and needed physiotherapy, but as I adapted slowly I started to see progress and enjoyed the sport more and more and set new goals and challenges.

What has been your favourite race to date and why?

My favourite race to date has to be Ironman UK due to the atmosphere and the overall accomplishment and believing you can achieve what you thought was impossible when you first took up the sport.

What is your proudest achievement?

My proudest sporting achievement has got to be qualifying for the GB Age Group team to race at the European Championships.

Have you ever had any racing disasters?

Yes, in 2019 I raced at the Windermere Olympic triathlon and missed my swim wave so I started the race late by 5 minutes. Luckily it wasn’t a major race and was a good opportunity to turn it in to a training race and an opportunity to try new things so it was good to turn a negative into a positive.

How do you overcome setbacks?

At first I would always be goal-driven and it would lead to injuries and illness and even going backwards in my training. But as the years get on and my knowledge improves, I've learnt that setbacks are a way of life and a way of learning. Setbacks are a good way to progress as you learn from them and hopefully prevent them from happening again as you can learn from your mistakes.

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

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself; just enjoy every moment of it as you develop into the sport you can make more realistic goals. Focus on small improvements one at a time and build on them.

What are your goals?

I feel I have achieved more goals than I ever thought possible from when I started, especially with finishing my first Ironman and qualifying for the GB Age Group Team. But I am always looking at improving my times, especially in the swim section as I feel this is my weaker area.

Who inspires you?

It has to be Ali Brownlee. The achievements he has had in triathlon are amazing, even with injury setbacks.

Why work with Sundried?

Sundried is a brand that cares about the environment as well as looking after their staff's health and wellness. The kit is of great quality with fantastic designs. What's not to love about Sundried?