Amy Ritchie Athlete Ambassador

Amy is an up-and-coming triathlete who has achieved a lot in a short space of time. She talks to Sundried about life as a triathlete. 

Have you always been into sport?

Yes, I've always been into sport. I joined my local swimming club when I was 8 then swam throughout my teens.  I took up running competitively with a club in University, which led me into triathlon.

How did you first get into triathlon?

Having a background in swimming and running I always thought it would make sense for me to do a triathlon. Eventually my boyfriend convinced me to enter one last year. I joined a club and haven't looked back since then.

What's been your best race to date?

I recently did the Nottingham Sprint Triathlon which was super flat and fast. It was only my third ever triathlon and I qualified to represent GB at the ETU European Age Group Sprint Championships in Glasgow this August which was a big bonus! It was also the first time I felt really confident on the bike leg.

And your proudest achievement?

In my late teens, I had quite a bad relationship with exercise and food, becoming quite weak and underweight at one point. My proudest achievement is coming through that and learning to love sport and competing again.

Have you ever had any racing disasters/your toughest race yet?

I've not had any racing disasters in triathlon (yet!) but I've had numerous run or swim races where I've had bad races or haven't achieved what I wanted to. You live and learn though.

How do you overcome setbacks?

I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well. I work full time and volunteer outside of sport so it's often hard to juggle everything, which can be frustrating. However, I think it's important to listen to your body and to know when you need a break, be that physically or mentally. I'll take a few days off, reassess where I'm at, then come back stronger next week. I try to think positively because at the end of the day, I do triathlon because I love it!

What is the best piece of advice you wish someone had told you before you started competing?

You don't have to have the most expensive kit to do well. I turned up to my first race terrified because people had told me to upgrade my wheels, put tri bars on my bike and so on! Of course better kit can help, but you don't necessarily need it. That, and to enjoy it!

What are your goals for 2018?

My main goal for 2018 was to make the GB age group team, which I have, so I'm aiming towards racing well at the European Sprint Championships in Glasgow. I live in Glasgow so it'll be amazing to have lots of home support! After that, I'm looking forward to setting some new goals. I seem to have taken to triathlon quite naturally, as I've only done 3 full triathlons so far, so I'm excited to see how much more I can achieve. I would like to move up to some longer distances next season.

Who do you take your inspiration from?

I take inspiration from the people around me. I train with people who do triathlon alongside having demanding full time jobs and looking after their families. Most importantly, they love what they're doing. They inspire me to continue to work hard but also to enjoy what I'm doing.

What do you like about Sundried and what's your favourite bit of our kit?

I love the emphasis on being completely ethical, sustainable and transparent. I work in the sustainability sector and I'm very conscious of the negative impact clothing can have on the environment, so it's amazing that Sundried prioritise the ethics and quality behind their products.