I took up triathlon in 2005 after participating in a sprint distance race as part of my job as a journalist. Having done very little training beforehand, I wasn’t sure whether I’d even finish it – so I was overwhelmed when I not only loved it but did really well. The tri bug soon took hold and I entered more races. Less than a year later I qualified for the Great Britain age group team for the ITU World Championships. From 2006 to 2008 I continued to improve rapidly at age group racing, winning World and European age group medals. At the end of 2008 I left my full-time job as a newspaper journalist and began to work from home as a freelance journalist so that I could dedicate more time to training. I began to race pro in 2009 and knew it would take time for results to come. I achieved two top-three 70.3 results in 2010 and finished 10th at the 70.3 Worlds in Clearwater, but my real “breakthrough” came in 2011 when I won three Ironman 70.3 races (Mallorca, UK and Augusta). I also finished 10th at my long course debut in Abu Dhabi and 8th at the 70.3 Worlds in Vegas. At the end of 2011 I teamed up with Matt Dixon of purplepatch fitness and we have exciting plans for the future.
I have a first class honours degree in English and Sports Science from Loughborough University, Britain’s top sports university, and a post-graduate diploma in newspaper journalism from Cardiff University, which is home to one of the UK’s leading schools of journalism. I worked as a journalist for more than five years before dedicating more time to triathlon and during this time worked as a news and sports writer.
Still a keen writer, I continue to combine my passion for multisport with my natural flair for writing and contribute to a number of magazines and websites both in the UK and the US.
I feel very fortunate to be involved in a sport I love so much, travelling to all parts of the world and meeting new people who will no doubt be lifelong friends. Ever since that first triathlon back in 2005, the same line has rung true on countless occasions: “Just look where triathlon’s taken me now”.
You can find out more about me via some of these interviews, blogs and race reports:
- Slowtwitch: Emma-Kate’s on the rise
- LAVA blog from Fuerteventura training camp, winter 2012
- LAVA race reports from 2011: Phuket 70.3, UK 70.3 and Mallorca 70.3
- My blog is available via http://blog.wiggle.com/