#3 - September: Keep it going
Hey there,
Welcome to September's newsletter!
There is a lot of great content in this month's newsletter so we are going to keep the intro short and sweet. This month's theme is: keep it going.
Inspired by many; an interview with George, Alex's triathlon completion and Papa woo's support, as well as the pure joy in the faces of the people we captured this month. I mean look at those guys - what a feeling!
It's applicable to the work we're putting into woowoo. Our photography. Our personal sporting journeys. We hope it inspires you too.
In this month's edition:
An interview with a hybrid athlete
Being a racer not a photographer at a triathlon
World record breaking charity runs
Why I Tri
Get to know: George
45km of mud, sweat and tears - George on becoming a hybrid athlete, finding his woo and starting a business.
A Hybrid Athlete/ NASM Certified Personal Trainer / Knees Over Toes Injury Prevention
From the age of 14 I have been into fitness. But it has always been about the mental benefits rather than the physical. If you make your body strong, the mind naturally follows and I’m a big advocate for that. As time went on, I started getting more interested in running and weight training specifically and realised that’s what it’s all about - running far and lifting heavy.
What we've been up to
Alpenbrevet
My job at this race was to capture the start and finish. It was quite a long day, we started at 3.30am, and the last racers crossed the finish line (in a bus) at 22.30. Our photo team took a total of 45,000 photos on the day.
Hegau Bike Marathon
The German Championships 2023 - a one day MTB race to decide who gets the title of German champion for the year.
We were only 4 photographers for this event, which meant a location change part way through the day, which added something new and exciting to a sportograf shoot!
Racer, not photographer at Openlakes triathlon
Yes, that’s right - we’re not here just to take pictures! Outside of taking photos at these sport events - I've been training. The big goal is a full ironman in 2024.
It was a good way to test my current fitness, to scope out the course, and over the weekend I realised a couple of other things that will be key for the big event in 2024.
Shout out (a chance to highlight cool people doing cool things - living their woo)
This popped up on our feed and we knew straight away we wanted to share it with you all. We don't want to say too much because this truly deserves to be seen with your eyes, but if we had to sum it up in a few words: a young man is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Decides he wants to break the world record for the most money raised from a marathon.
Guest Column: Why I Tri - If at first you don't succeed...
Tri, Tri, Tri again. September was supposed to be my first Tri …. Of the year… for the last two years.
2021 was an awesome breakthrough for me. Lockdown changed my life, taught me some lessons that I had hoped were lessons for life. Less eating out, less commuting, more exercise, more quality time. These factors combined enabled me to have my best season EVER!! Three ’70.3’s’ – can hardly believe it myself when I say it. The first was unofficial - despairing at the constant cancellations and postponements, with the help of our coach, we set a course and went about it. A great first Tri, with many lessons learned along the way – and a lot less rules and waiting around. My fitness was peaking, and some official races re-opened – just in time. I took part in two Dutch races – Maastricht in the south (turned out to be a run / bike / run because of issues with the water quality in the river) and Westfriesland, in Hoorn, just north of Amsterdam. Fabulous experiences, all of them, I was smitten again. My plan, the trio of Tri’s, was set to be my agenda every year!!
For 2022 I planned the same races – a season opener Olympic distance in Eijsden (neat Maastricht), Maastricht was now off the agenda, so Westfriesland 70.3 in June and Ironlakes (now Openlakes) in September. And the same for 2023. I made neither, none, zip, nada, nowt ☹
Lessons not learnt - back in the office, back in the flow, back into some bad habits (eating!!) and back amongst the germs. Covid / flu struck at the most inopportune moments forcing me to stop training, or worse, DNS the race. (Not complaining about the pandemic, I know many, many people had it far worse than me!!)
But this year I was back on it! I missed the season opener, I missed the Liege Bastogne Liege cycle I throw into the plan for a cycling test, and I missed Westfriesland. But I was well on track for Openlakes, and the support group really helped. I had even been to the venue, cycled the bike loop and ran the run. And then, the week before when I woke up on the Saturday morning, with a last long ride / run planned – I was unable to move and with zero energy…. ☹ I hoped it would be over quick and was thinking I could still do it. But alas, it was not to be. Instead, I took on the support role for Alex, and it inspired me even more to make sure I go again, to make 2024 as good as 2021, if not better.
I am already training, already on the plan, losing weight again, and the support group REALLY helps! Races booked, accommodation secured. Game on!
I do Tri. I am nothing if not determined. That is what gets me through the races (I may be at the back, but I do not slack, and I never ever surrender!!)
That is what will make 2024 a year to remember – especially in September when our group race together !!
In the diary
6th October: x2 private photoshoots across x2 different countries! Alex with a company shoot in Freiburg, Becca in Barcelona for a sunrise yoga session.
8th October: George participating in Strong Viking Ultra - Amsterdam
14th October: Hallwilerseelauf 2023