Other Sport / Duathlon
Training for the world championships
Kathy Stringer has been a runner for as long as she can remember, but a childhood bike accident put her off cycling until her boyfriend bought her a new road bike as a present in 2016.
Fast-forward less than three years and Kathy has put her running experience and new-found love of cycling together to take up duathlon. She won the very first race she entered and is currently preparing to represent Great Britain in the ITU Multisport World Championships in Spain.
The World Championships in Pontevedra on April 27 will see Kathy take on a 10km run, followed by a 40km bike, followed by a 5km run.
is needed now More than ever
In the city on the north-western coast of Spain, Kathy, 26, will be putting on a GB vest for the first time; the culmination of a lifelong ambition.
Kathy Stringer only took up duathlon in 2017 and is now about to represent GB for the first time
“Seeing my name with GBR is just amazing,” said Kathy, who lives in Cliftonwood and works as a production manager for a company that specialises in making videos about horses.
After completing a zoology degree at the University of Nottingham, Kathy studied for a masters in wildlife filmmaking at UWE and has since made her home in Bristol.
“I remember telling my mates when growing up in Cheshire that I would run for England one day. I never got there and I was gutted, and so I was never satisfied.
“But I’m still not happy. I want to come first. I want to achieve something really great.”
Kathy’s love of duathlon began when she took part in races around the Castle Combe motor racing circuit in Wiltshire.
Her ambitious goals that she sets for herself come with a grueling training schedule that she fits around her full-time job at Equine Productions in Chepstow.
Kathy’s training runs often take her around some of Bristol’s most scenic routes
She often runs with Bristol & West Athletic Club, and puts in hour-long sessions on a turbo bike trainer at home on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Her 10k personal best is 40.18 and half-marathon PB 1.31.24.
The weekend is time for a long run up to 15km in length, and also ‘brick sessions’ where Kathy combines a run and a bike ride to acclimatise her muscles for the change of discipline.
“It’s tiring, especially with my work,” she admits. “I have to plan my training around work which involves quite a lot of shoots, but they have been great.”
She adds: “But I do really love training and love the feeling of getting fitter and stronger each day.”
Kathy is already thinking about improving her swimming to make the leap into triathlon. But her plans for now involve concentrating on duathlon.
“I would love to say that I’m world duathlon champion one day,” she says, with a glint of steely determination in her eye. “But duathlon is a great sport for anybody to get involved in.”
Follow Kathy’s journey via Instagram at @strngr_run
Read more: My Bristol Favourites: Chrissie Wellington
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