I was involved in many sports growing up, from American football to swimming, representing Newcastle City for rugby union and my university playing American football, I even made GB University trials as a running back! But my fallback activities have always been swimming and cycling. I also got involved in coaching because people don’t, and that reduces the opportunity for kids to get involved in sport which can have a positive influence on them now and into later life.

For me coaching means I can spend more time with my kids, which can be challenging at times, but in the long term it’s great to see them and the other athletes learning new skills and becoming more confident at training, in races and in life. Working as part of the coaching team is great, its not the day job, and when you coach a good session; see the kids master a new skill or race well, you can see it in their faces which makes the effort truly worthwhile.