Far from considering herself an athlete in the past, Audrey's story began not dissimilarly to others. However, an interest in fitness turned into a quest to conquer a triathlon. And that was just the beginning...
"Like most people, I did the usual sports at school (and it must be noted that at both primary and senior schools, we had really great passionate PE teachers). If you were really good you got on the team but if not, you cheered from the side. I never made it onto any teams but somehow got picked go to Crystal Palace National Sports Centre for a week of sports (and a week away from the classroom!)
I don’t remember doing anything that involved fitness or sports when I left college but a few years into my working life, there must have been the “I bet you can’t” or “that looks like a laugh” conversation one night in my local pub because 3 of us ended up doing the 1986 Sport Aid Run in Hyde Park. From what I remember I didn’t do any training for that event. It was hard work and it didn’t help that I smoked at the time.
I started going to the gym and doing aerobics classes – I think it was after the Jane Fonda leg warmers and leotards era! Years later, after many aqua aerobics, step, dancercise, body condition classes and lots of resistance/strength training, I felt the need to do something more than just keep fit, so I decided to become a personal trainer and on qualifying in 2005, stopped smoking and trained a few of my work colleagues.
After reading an article about different ways in which to fund-raise, I thought about triathlon – I mean, how hard could it be! I could run, ride a bike (last time was on holiday in Spain many many moons ago) and I could swim. However, I was worried that at 42, I’d left it too late.
I joined Crystal Palace Triathletes in 2006 and was made to feel very welcomed and soon realised that there was a lot more to triathlon than just swim, bike, run. I was very lucky with amazing support from fellow triathletes and had great coaches who taught me how to swim PROPERLY (I used to take one breath and get as far as I could! Not a good way to do a 750m swim apparently), how to use cleats, what transitions were and even though I was “only going to ever do one triathlon” to raise money for charity, I had got the bug and entered 2 more before I had even completed the 1st.
I loved the sense of achievement when you crossed the finish line and the support you got from your fellow club members no matter how slow you are. For me it was not about being the best in my age-group, but about doing my best. Yes, I have been disappointed sometimes with the outcome, but it has helped me focus on what I need to do next. I’ve enjoyed the new friends that I had made and the help that I got and still get with great coaching.
I did not hesitate to put myself forward as a one of the coaching volunteers when the club launched its junior section in 2008. It meant extra coached sessions for me and I got a great insight in to how sessions were planned and delivered. So it was no surprise that when my club offered to pay for my level 1 qualification that I took them up on their offer. I also got approached to do a Race Official course at the same time, so did that as well.
Fast forward to 2015, I am now 51 and I have competed in over 80 events from sprints to middle distance triathlons, 5k’s to half marathons, aquathlons and duathlons, Sportives including the Caledonian Etape, Ride100 and the Wales Velothon. I have volunteered/worked behind the scenes in the UK (including 2012 as a Games Maker), Austria and France. I am now a Level 4 Personal Trainer; Level 3 Triathlon Coach; Regional Technical Official; UKAthletics Coach in Running Fitness; Level 2 British Cycling Coach; the Coaching Coordinator on the London Region Committee (I recently helped organised a series of nutrition talks for the London Coaches at GSK HPL and got to meet Dame Kelly Holmes!)
I get a great sense of achievement when I see that smile on a participants face when they “get it”; that “light bulb” moment when it all falls in to place. When they email or text you to say they got a PB or won their age-group or even just finished. When they finish a training session and they say thank you, that’s what I love about what I do now.
What does the future hold for me? Who knows. But it will be whatever I want it to be; whether it’s a Skills School Coach, Swim Smooth Coach, National Technical Official or Mentor. In 9 years I have moved from Media to Sports Health and Fitness and I truly love everything that I do."
