Jamie Oakey Team GB Age Group Triathlete

Jamie is an aspiring elite triathlete who represents Team GB as an Age-Group athlete. He talks to Sundried about life as an athlete and remembers some of his best races.

Tell us a little about you and your sport.

I am an engineer working and living in London. I am a club sprint swimmer who fell in love with triathlon about 2 years ago. I now eat, sleep, and dream about triathlon. My background in swimming gives me an advantage in the water over a large amount of the field putting me in a strong position for both the bike and then my favourite discipline the run.  

What kind of training do you have to do to stay on top of your game?

I train all three disciplines in the week. Normally on a full training week, outside of competitions, I would swim 3 maybe 4 sessions, cycle 3 maybe 4, and then hopefully get a sprint run session, a hills session, and a long run in.

What’s been your favourite race to date?

My favourite triathlon has to be representing Team GB with the Age-Group squad at the European Triathlon Championships in 2016. It’s an honour to wear your country's kit and I was excited to share that experience with my parents, friends, and training partners. My other fond memory was of the London triathlon in 2015 when I came 16th out of 3500+ men and I came out the water really far up in my wave. I was relatively inexperienced at that point and it was a tad surreal to have only a few people ahead of me.

My other favourite race was the London Triathlon in 2015, when I came 16th out of 3,500+ men and I came out of the water really far up in my wave. I was relatively inexperienced at that point and it was a tad surreal to have only a few people ahead of me.

I would never venture back into the world of off-road triathlon. I did the UK Xterra Race and I did not prepare well enough for the bike course. I came out the water in the top 5 but was subsequently passed by nearly every other competitor. It was an experience which made me realise how skilled you have to be to ride fast off-road. I knew the off-road ride was going to be hard, but the level of concentration required was something else. I lost my nerve early on in the course and it was a slow day from then on.

What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of fitness?

In my first and only marathon, I refused to quit. I can be quite stubborn but having entered not only a marathon but an off-road marathon, I was determined to finish. I tripped over a tree root about 2 miles in and my knee jarred. I hobbled/jogged to half way in 2 hours managing the pain before subsequently falling on a descent after seeing my parents. This rendered my knee in agony and I had to walk the last 9-10 miles to eventually finish in about 6 hours. But I wasn’t last!

Have you any tips for those looking to complete their first triathlon?

Take everything as it comes. You can prepare to swim, bike, and run but very little will prepare you for how you will feel when you put them all together. If you can practice doing a cycle ride and then a short run (known as a brick workout) you’ll get a better idea of how you’ll feel. In your first race, hydrate well and don’t go out too hard, better to finish strong than not at all.

What made you interested in Sundried?

Sundried is a little different to most other brands, and I identify with that. Sundried desire to be better and to provide better quality products without compromising on style or comfort. The innovative nature of their designs and the materials used are representative of how a modern day sportswear company should be. When you wear their clothing, you wonder why you ever chose any other brand!