HOW TO FLY TO THE FINISH LINE Part 2

A few issues ago we met the Wiggle x HOKA Flyers, a mega competition-winning age-group team. Now, with their race goal Ironman Wales looming on the horizon, we catch up with them to reflect on the highs and lows of their journey so far...

- JAMES WITTS

Ironman Wales, we're going to destroy you. Your sea swim, hilly bike and marathon run hold no fears. You, my friend, will be putty in our collective hands." That's the message from the Wiggle x HOKA Flyers, the team who won myriad HOKA and Wiggle gear through a competition at the end of 2021, including Ironman Wales entry.

Okay, that might not be the exact message as, understandably, each athletes' journey's presented numerous physical and mental hurdles.

"Ironman Wales, most humbly we're hoping that our commitment to the cause will pay dividends over your brutal course", might be a more accurate assessment.

But the team are doing well and most recently caught up for a training camp at the University of Birmingham. Out of the four competition winners, three attended - Lisa Stockdale was off galivanting around the world - plus Wiggle's Gabs Burden.

"The athletes at the HOKA weekend were all on a recovery week," explains coach Susie Cheetham. Cheetham's also a top Ironman athlete and recently finished fourth at Ironman Des Moines in June.

"They'd just had five easy days and cruelly we made them do a 400m time-trial in the pool." Beyond that sadism, our age-group army also 'enjoyed' an 80min run, a 90min strength-and-conditioning class, gait analysis, plus some massage.

Here, we catch up with the Wiggle x HOKA Flyers as they reflect on their training so far and how they're feeling ahead of Ironman Wales on 11 September...

SIM GILL

Bedfordshire's Sim was inspired to tri by watching the Ironman World Champs several years back and is making this the year he stops dreaming.