Ali Longman - Athlete Ambassador

Have you always been into sport?

I’ve always enjoyed sport but didn’t come from a particularly sporty family. I learnt to swim at a young age and really took to it, catching my older sister up in lessons by the time I was 7! I continued competitive swimming all through my childhood and at university where I also started playing waterpolo.

How did you first get into triathlon?

When I started working I found I had much less time to go for long swim sessions so picked up a bit of running which I could do straight from my front door and tired me out way quicker than swimming! And I was encouraged to join a group of colleagues cycling London to Brighton that same year which got me out enjoying my bike. This very quickly led to me doing my first triathlon and I never really looked back!

If you are interested in getting into Triathlon, Sundried's kit is suitable for beginners as well as seasoned athletes. We have both men's and women's options available. 

What has been your favourite race to date and why?

In 2014 my second ever triathlon was an ITU qualifier at Nottingham.  I was so new and naive and everyone looked so serious but I really went for it and was surprised at the pace I was holding on the bike. At the end of the race I was pretty emotional when I realised the time I had finished in gave me a really good chance of qualifying for the world championships.

What is your proudest achievement?

Swimming solo across the English Channel! A crazy challenge I took on as a teenager. At times it feels so long ago but the I remember the highs and lows still so well.

Have you ever had any racing disasters?

No complete disasters but I have realised I don’t cope too well with pressure! I always perform much better and enjoy it when I put no expectations on my race.  Something I need to work on to make race nerves work to my advantage!

How do you overcome setbacks?

I tend to move on from issues pretty quickly and usually do this by setting the next goal or target to aim for.

What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?

Run slowly to enjoy it! I spent my first 5 years of triathlon mostly enduring running rather than enjoying it. I am not natural at running but have learnt if I really slow down it can be enjoyable and still be beneficial.

What are your goals?

To keep improving in all three disciplines to be the best that I can be!

Who inspires you?

Lots of different people.

Why work with Sundried?

Sundried produce really high quality items at reasonable prices which is something that is important when you spend as much time doing sport as I do.  I also love their passion for sustainability and using recycled materials in their clothing.

To hear more from our ambassadors and get free tips on workout plans and more, connect with the Sundried Personal Trainers on our app.