Experience: The Streatley Man event was pretty much supposed to be a bit of a private event for me to push myself further than I considered possible and find that physical limit, and generally cheer myself up having the race of a lifetime cancelled.

The event turned out to be so much more... Turns out if Vikki posts a sneaky FB message to TVT 2 days before, everyone is willing to drop their entire Saturday to come and support.. and I seriously wouldn’t have even come close to finishing without everyone’s help, which really says something about ‘physical’ limits I think. It was so energising getting a cheer every time I passed and having at least one person by my side all day, and it was so distracting I hardly noticed the physical effort all day, and I hardly even thought about giving up!

Experience: Streatley Man was an incredible journey through a small part of Berkshire’s beautiful countryside. It was more than a race; it was about friendship, personal challenge, and the thrill of pushing my boundaries. I swam in the Thames, cycled up stunning hills multiple times with enthusiastic supporters, and ran through varied trails under the stars. The warmth from friends, family, and even strangers made it truly memorable. I savoured every moment, embraced the challenge, and felt an immense sense of accomplishment at the end. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event I will never forget.

Experience: Only a lunatic would come up with this! I genuinely didn’t know if I could finish, as the whole thing seemed insurmountable. I had to play a very strong mental game. The swim was wonderful, the only part I'd happily do again. The only way I could get through the rest of this triathlon was to break it down into small attainable challenges, set myself litter landmarks at the side of the road and play number games with my segment times! Seeing Steve and Mat every lap on the bike pushed me on and seeing the amazing support from family, friends and TVT club mates was just incredible.

Experience: I was happy to be joined by two other nutters to do this event but sad Barry was not able to be with us. The swim was beautiful, sun coming up in a clear sky. After the usual cramp stop I arrived in Goring where transition was Jo’s van and the pavement outside the cafe. Bike ride was vicious but the sight of foxes, rabbits, red kites, deer all going to bed (and later coming out again) made it bearable as well as all the support from Barry, Debbie (egg custard and coffee supplier) and the TVT crew – it was immense. Finished in the dark and was glad to be on the run – for about 15 minutes until I arrived at the first big uphill. The slog began through the night (quick sleep) and a sunny day to finish. It battered me, it took every ounce of mental strength, I am so glad I did it. Thank you Matt Picozzi, you pushed me to my limits so I extended them just a little bit more!