Many of you who have attended our coached swim and run sessions will at some time have been under the watchfull eyes of Fred,Jacqui and Oliver Saxon – Formerly Team Saxon and now Team Animis. They’ve been with the club a long time and given Ollies recent race success we thought it was time to find out what makes them tick.
So tell us how you got started in triathlon.
Jacqui (JS) We joined Lincsquad in 2011 after Oliver had watched the test event for the London Olympics and brigg sprint that year. We first came to the running sessions in the October while we learnt to swim thanks to a friend we met at slimming world. We both picked up niggles running and were looking for some good cross training. We’ve loved the sport and being part of the club all these years and seeing the club grow to the level it’s had.
So the transition into coaching was a logical progression?
Oliver (OS) Yes we have always liked helping others and when we were at slimming world we coached a group of ladies from nothing to a 5k and then they completed a 10k. We absolutely loved seeing them achieve. When we got the opportunity to become level one coaches we jumped at it. That really gave us a thirst to find out more about the science of coaching and putting a program together across the year. The level 2 coach allowed us to do that so that we could help more people within the club.
OK back to your first triathlon, what do you remember about it?
OS The first race I ever did was 1/4/12 at east hunsley. It was the coldest thing I have ever done. I remember it being -1 when we got there and 0 when I got out of the pool at 8am. My feet froze on the bike and were like blocks of ice for the first 3k of the run. I couldn’t feel them.
JS My first race was also in Hull at the David Lloyd. It absolutely hammered it down and I was so nervous I left the van unlocked with the keys in the ignition and didnt realise until we got back post race!
Who are you influences with regard to coaching?
JS Our influences are Brett Sutton with his no nonsense approach and reverse periodisation. It’s what we believe it. We also love taking ideas from other top coaches like Joel Filliol Paulo Sousa and Matt Dixon. We believe that coaching at grass routes should filter down from what the pros are doing and we try and incorporate that in to our programs and sessions.
As mentioned in the introduction you’ve had two stand out performances this year – Steelman and Sundowner half ironman distance races.
OS. I wanted to concentrate my first foray in to this on local and relatively inexpensive (I am a tight Yorkshireman after all) races. I really enjoyed steelman and had decent race. I was happy with my swim and the bike also went well despite starting to tire the last 10 miles or so. The run was a real mental thing but I stuck to my plan and executed it almost to perfection. I was completely spent at the end of it. Sundowner was absolutely the opposite in terms of weather. I did ok, but my cycle shoes and boots retained all the rain in them so by half way of the first lap I was pushing much more weight per revolution than ideal. Still you crack on and I ran faster than Steelman off the bike.
So what about your season Jacqui?
JS Many of you know that I had a horrific knee injury (Ruptured ACL & MCL) a few weeks after representing Great Britain in The European Duathlon Age Group Championships in 2015 so after reconstruction this last 12 months has been about recovery and learning to walk again. During this enforced break I’ve been honing my coaching skills and has successfully coached an age group Silver medalist, a novice to competing in a sprint triathlon and another to a half ironman and recently 10 absolute novices to completing a GoTri Duathlon. Training for me now starts in earnest this ‘off season’ and I’m aiming to surprise a few people….
We’ve all seen you out in Mallorca and at races in your new team kit. Tell us about your new venture – Animis Racing.
OS Animis racing triathlon club is our new community club based in Crowle in the isle of axholme. We see loads of people running and cycling and want to encourage them to take up triathlon. We are also looking forward to the new leisure centre being built. Our sessions are for all abilities and all athletes. They will compliment the Lincsquad sessions perfectly. We have
Swimming @ the pods 8-9pm on Wednesdays
Running @ axholme academy 6.30-7.30pm on Fridays.
All sessions are £5.
JS Our go tri runs at 11am on the last Sunday of each month. Go tri is a great way to have a go at a mini multi sport race and we cater for athletes from aged 8 up. We have a multitude of distances, off road on a secluded school playing field. All you need is a bike and a helmet. Why not come and give it a go?
Finally, as triathletes we are all looking for coaches to give us the Golden Nugget of advice.!…… give us that nugget!
OS Consistency in your training is paramount to improvement
JS Enjoy it and have fun.
Lincsquad wish you every success and we will continue to work together to promote triathlon in the area.