Siobhan - a triathlete with a sweet tooth

ONE Forres woman will be tri-ing to do her best for Britain in an international contest next month.

Siobhan Evans will be representing the country at the European Standard Triathlon Championships being held in Eliat, Israel.

This will see her tackle a 1500 metre (0.9 miles) swim through the Red Sea followed by a 20 kilometre bicycle ride (12.4 miles) down a highway finished off with a 10km (6.2 miles) run.

“I qualified last year at the Strathclyde Standard Triahtlon,” Siobhan (39) said. “I never thought I’d get through.”

Siobhan has finished at the front of events around Britain and the rest of Europe. Her accolades include being first female at ‘sprint’ events, covering half the distance she will in Eliat, in Barcelona and Durty in the Scottish Borders.

She took up sport – sometimes referred to as a multi-sport because it comprises three events held one-after-the-other – after years of experience as a competitive runner.

An injury to her foot, caused when she was 20-years-old and fell from a horse, started to affect her running. She was looking for a way to remain active and competitive and a friend suggested she take up triathlon.

Siobhan fits her training around bringing up her two children Lucy (9) – who has also had some impressive results in junior triathlons – and Bruce (7) and studying for a French degree with the Open University.

She heads out regularly with running group Forres Harriers and with Forres Cycling Club. She doesn’t do evtra training with a swimming club because “there’s only so many hours in a day”.

The swim is what she describes as a “warm-up” for the rest of the event, saying the place where most of the time can be made up is on the bike. Her local club have given her help, advice and support in bringing down her cycling times.

The heat in Israel, with temperatures of 28 degrees Celsius (82.4 degrees Farenheit) common at this time of year will be a challenge for her. She is preparing for this by training in several layers of clothing.

Siobhan also has another secret weapon to help her get to the finish line – jelly babies.

She’ll be taking them to munch on during the cycle as an energy booster. “They’re not wonderful for teeth but they are a good energy booster,” she commented.

Her life is set to change when she takes on a full-time primary teaching course, which may affect her ability to compete in the future. “I wouldn’t say it’s my last chance, but it’s probably one of my best opportunities,” she said.

Siobhan will be competing in the 40-45 age group at the event, which takes from April 17-22. For more details visit www.triathlon-championships-2012.com.