Newsletter April 2025

Newsletter April 2025

Upcoming Events

Check club Stack Team App for all upcoming events.

Tri2O Key Dates for the calendar:

• 17th May Women’s Bike Ride & Tri20 Lake Swim (details on TeamApp)
• 21st May 5K Handicap run Swinley Forest
• 23rd May Club BBQ & 2nd hand kit exchange
• 7th June Blenheim Palace Triathlon
• 18th June 5K Handicap run Swinley Forest
• 21st June Fish & Chips ride (more details to come)
• 12th June TVT/Tri2O Social Pizza Event (details on TeamApp) Tickets £10
• 9th July Mark Stoke’s memorial swim (details on TeamApp)

Club regular events:

• Monday – Strength and Conditioning online session
• Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday – coached swim sessions
• Monthly Social Parkrun – 1st Saturday of the month
• Monthly Social Tri2o lake swim – 3rd Saturday of the month

Mark’s memorial swim – 9th July

Join us for a special tribute event to honour our dear friend and club member, Mark Stokes, who sadly passed away while competing in the Triathlon World Championships in Torremolinos, Spain, on 17th October 2024. Mark was a kind and generous gentleman and athlete who was an integral and
very supportive member of our Triathlon Club. He contributed so fully, and he is deeply missed. His passion for swimming and his love for our club’s lake made it the perfect place for us to come together and remember him.

Tribute Event Details:
📅 Date: Wednesday evening, 9th July
⏰ Time: from 6:00 PM
📍 Location: Hi5 Watersports – Reading Lake Hotel, Reading RG30 3UN

In memory of Mark, we will gather for a memorial swim/dip and take a slow round of the lake together as a club. You can choose how long you want to stay in the water. This is an opportunity to do something Mark loved in a place he cherished, and to share our memories and support each other during this time.

As a nice touch, please bring your tow float and put a light inside. If it gets dark, it will look lovely and add to the tribute.

What to Bring:

• Tow float with a light inside (if you have one)
• Dishes, cakes, or other food items to share
  (please mention what you will bring in the notes when you RSVP)

This event is about coming together to honour Mark’s memory and share our fond memories of him.

Membership Update

Please join me in welcoming our new members to the club:

Rosie Mammatt
Beccy Dunn
Rhys Herbst
Atik
John Harold
Vesta Zermaite
Olivia Turner Jones
David Ferguson
Juliet Hookey

I hope you will enjoy training with us.

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Coach Corner

Open water season is well and truly here!

It’s time to dust off your wetsuit, and head to the lake for some swimming in the great outdoors! Some things that are different (may seem obvious) compared to pool swimming include:

• Colder water temperature (pool usually around 28-29° degrees, lake currently anything from 15 to 19°)
• Can’t see where you’re going – no black line on the bottom!
• Choppy water, waves, weather, wildlife, weeds!
• No rest at the end of the length … just keep swimming
• May not be able to stand up or touch the bottom
• Wetsuit might feel restrictive on the chest, shoulders, neck, impacting on breathing & stroke
• Swimming close to others, particularly in races
• No feedback from your watch or pace clock; you need to rely on your internal cues

All of these differences can affect your swimming; your stroke technique (e.g. lifting head more to breathe, altered recovery arm, body position), breathing, perceived exertion, and distance swum. So, if you have a race or event in open water, you need to practise in open water and not just rely on pool training till the last minute. There are also things you can practise in the pool such as sighting, drafting other swimmers, different breathing patterns and even turning without touching the ends.

The coached club swims rotate through different themes, including “open water”, which comes around for each session every 7 weeks. As we have 4 club sessions per week, that means there’ll be a session every 2 3 weeks focussing on developing your open water skills. There is a social swim on the third Saturday of the month at the Hi5 Open Water swim centre, throughout the year, where you will find fellow club members including experienced open water swimmers who can offer support, advice and company. Sign up on Stack TeamApp. Many of us swim almost every week as well. Both myself and Jennie offer one-to- one or small group open water coaching at the Hi5 Open Water swim centre, Reading lake, if you want specific help.

If you have any questions or want to buddy up with another member for a swim, particularly if you’re new to open water, then feel free to contact me directly or via the Swimming Group in the Tri2O WhatsApp community.

I also wrote a blog in 2023 about making the most of your open water swimming, which you can read here.

Happy swimming!
Georgia

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A Ride Back into Cycling: My Journey to Group Rides (by Stella Ferguson)

Have you ever thought about joining a group bike ride but felt unsure? Let me share my story of how I discovered the joy of cycling with a group.

I’ve been cycling for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Germany, family bike rides through forests often ended at beer gardens with delicious food. Cycling was my primary mode of transportation before I could drive, and I was fortunate to have access to excellent cycling infrastructure, which made it safe and enjoyable.

After moving to England, however, my cycling adventures dwindled. The only time I would ride was during holidays at Centre Parcs. That changed when my office moved to the center of Reading, where parking was scarce. I decided to invest in a Brompton folding bike, which allowed me to cycle to the nearest train station, take the train to Reading, and then ride to work. Occasionally, I would even cycle the entire 14-mile journey from Bramley to Reading on my Brompton. It was fun, albeit a bit slow!

During the lockdown, I continued to rely on my trusty Brompton for short trips. While I sometimes felt a bit out of place when speedy road cyclists whizzed past me, they always greeted me with friendly waves. It was a different world from my little Brompton bubble.

In October 2023, I joined Tri2O to improve my swimming and prepare for a long-distance swim in 2024. While I noticed some chatter about cycling within the club, I didn’t pay much attention since I couldn’t imagine participating in “serious cycling” with my Brompton. However, after the tragic passing of a club member, Mark, conversations about social bike rides began to pique my interest. Fellow members reassured me that these rides were social, and no one would be left behind, a concept that was new to me. Despite never having participated in a group ride before, I decided to give it a try.

On November 9th, I embarked on my first group bike ride using my husband’s borrowed mountain bike. From the very start, I was hooked! The supportive nature of the other members, engaging conversations, sense of accomplishment as we clocked miles, and the delightful cake and coffee stops made the experience incredibly enjoyable. Over the next six months, my cycling increased significantly, and I even entered the Audax Long Distance Bike Ride in April. Although I still occasionally worry about being “too slow” or getting a flat tire, the camaraderie and fun keep me coming back.

My Top Tips for Your First Social Bike Ride:

1. Check TeamApp or Cycling WhatsApp Group: Look for upcoming rides with details about meeting points, times, distances, speeds, and breaks.

2. Reach Out: Contact the ride creator or bike officers (Stella/Gareth) for more information. Remember, there’s no such thing as a stupid question! bike@tri2o.club 

3. Start Small: If you prefer shorter rides and don’t see any listed, ask members in the WhatsApp group if they’d like to join you or contact the bike officers to help organize one.

4. Essential Equipment:

• Bike: No need for a road bike to start, there are other options. Reach out to bike officers for advice.
• Helmet!!
• Appropriate Clothing: Dress for the weather. Padded shorts, a cycling jersey for snacks, and gloves for comfort.
• Water Bottle & Cage: Essential for hydration, especially on hot or long rides.
• Basic Repair Kit: Spare inner tube, tire levers, and a multi-tool.
• Cash & Emergency Contact Info: Always carry some cash, an ID, and a card with emergency contact information and medical details.
• Optional: Download the route to a device.
• Sunscreen: Protect your skin from UV rays, even on cloudy days.

Come and join us on a ride soon! Never hesitate to message the bike officers or any club members for reassurance, questions, or advice. We would love to have you on our club bike rides!

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When Obsession Meets Chaos: managing sport & life with a brain that’s at war with itself (By Kate Kitto)

Last week, Simon Barbour delivered an insightful and thought-provoking online session on his experience in living with ADHD and Autism while training and achieving great things in endurance sports.

Simon was diagnosed with ADHD and Austism in his mid-30s, having suffered from poor mental health. Despite this he has rowed at Henley Royal Regatta, represented GB in age-group cycling and completed an ironman.

My biggest take aways from Simon’s discussion are as follows:

• 12 years ago, it was not possible to diagnose someone with both ADHD and Autism – now known as (AuDHD). Around 40% of people with a diagnosis of Autism also meet the criteria for ADHD. It’s smaller the other way around but still significant. 
• ADHD is a disorder of opposites – having ADHD and Autism means even greater opposites – training for an endurance event where consistency is key is therefore tough! 

“Having ADHD makes life paradoxical. You can superfocus sometimes, but also space out when you least mean to. You can radiate confidence and also feel as insecure as a cat in a kennel. You can perform at the highest level, feeling incompetent as you do so. You can be loved by many, but feel as if no one really likes you. You can absolutely, totally, intend to do something, then forget to do it. You can have the greatest ideas in the world, but feel as if you can’t accomplish a thing.”

• Having a structured training plan and someone to hold you to account is super helpful, fear of a big event is often not enough.
• As individuals, we can help by being tolerant. Try different communication styles if the first does not work. The start of races and transitions can be particularly difficult – give people space!

The full recording of the session can be found here:

Passcode: S3YgA79& 

Social Media Corner

Follow us on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram for the latest updates!

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We would love to hear from you

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