We welcome to Viceroys another active local who enjoys both running and team sports – Charlotte Saunders: ‘My love of multisport began in 2001 during my final years of University. Two of my housemates were keen runners and triathletes and decided that I should be too! I started running again and quickly found that I was really enjoying it and began to run on a more regular basis competing in races from 5km to half marathons. The timely loan of a (rather large) bike saw my first triathlon in 2002 and I was hooked!

I found that although I was placing in both the bike and the run sections, the swim was letting me down and rather than focus on that I swapped from triathlon to duathlon! (obviously the only sensible option!). I loved duathlon and in 2002 I qualified for my first World and European Age Group Championships which was one of the most amazing experiences. I was fortunate to qualify again on a few occasions and managed to secure a Silver medal at the European Championships in 2004.

Following this I had a few years of struggling with running injuries which meant that I turned my attention to cycling and time trials. I really enjoyed these races and competed in local 10’s and also the Duo Normand 2-up time trial which is a brilliant race (and also a target for 2014 with fellow Viceroy Alan Clark where we will be against Kim Bainbridge and Nick Harmon, also new Viceroys!)

Having vowed that I would never compete in triathlons again I was convinced that I should give it one more go so I dusted off my bike and completed a sprint triathlon. Instantly I was hooked again and have been racing in sprints and Olympic distance races ever since. 2013 saw my first ironman distance race in Barcelona with ‘The C Team’ and I loved it. I would definitely like to do another.

I am looking forward to the season ahead and am pleased to be a part of the Viceroys team.’

Welcome to Viceroys Charlotte.

Hot on the heels of his wife, we welcome Nick Collins to team Viceroys: ‘I have a bit of an all round sport background – rugby until the body gave up (I was in the little but quick camp), running, and lots of skiing and sailing. Mountain biking got me back into cycling, and my wife’s love of triathlon got me into a few sprints. I had a motorbike accident two years ago – 10 ops later running may be a long way off, so I am learning to love my road bike. My goals? Concentrate on the bike, and at some point keep up with my wife in the water.’

Welcome to Viceroys Nick.

Starting in the UK’s smallest city of St David’s the Tour Of Pembrokeshire is a spring sportive along the Welsh coastline, there can be few rides that are quite as scenic as this from the start in St David’s to some of the stunning coastal bays en route.  The biblical weather and the severity of the course meant that I didn’t really pay any attention to any of this, and certainly wasn’t going to take any photos. My group, which included, my wife Libby, the local vicar (on a Trek Madone) and an assortment of friends, had opted for the truncated 79 mile (127km) route, which featured 7515ft (2,290m) of climbing.

The first few flat  miles under the spring sun were glorious, and the only easy miles of the day, once hit the hills everything changed, the rain was relentless, the hills were sapping and the wind was terrifying. It quickly became clear that staying on the bike would be today’s real challenge. The first real climb was a short 25% gradient, this was probably the least challenging section of the ride, it was here that we came across the Mavic support team, yellow car, yellow bikes,  loads of wheels the real deal. They cheered us on and and pushed me up the gentlest section of the climb. The summit plateau’ed out to an exposed plain with crosswinds threatening to blow you clean off the road. These same winds made the following descent torturously treacherous.

Then started the steady, leg-sapping, soul-destroying 8km 400m high climb to overlook Newport bay. Mind bogglingly there were groups of spectators through the route many ringing cow bells, to create a real grand tour feel. At the summit the view across the bay was breathtaking, so was the wind. The descent which followed was sheer hell, the gale force winds were determined to blow us off or bikes, I have never been more determined to stay on the bike, more people walked down the descent than up the ascent. Thankfully we all made it to the feed station. Which was by far the best feed station I have ever seen, the range and quantity of foods was staggering, faggots and welsh cakes. Despite the rain and hail we stayed a little too long at this stop and felt it on the next climb a rain drenched 20% to the summit of Tom’s Bend (907ft/276m). This was the closest I came to cracking and only Jens Voigts famous phrase “shut up legs, you’ll do what I tell you” got me through.  Finally the first sheltered, but still sodden, descent of the day. The next feed station was  at The Jubilee Inn in Letterston, the feed station was in a pub, awesome. Of course I enjoyed more welsh cakes and a Guinness (only a half there was still 19 miles to go). The last section was wonderful, fuelled by Guinness I was able to take advantage of the drop in wind and lack of hills for a fast finish. The final half mile ran past the stunning cathedral, Before finishing on a savage little climb. This hurt, it really hurt, but Libby and I finished together. The roast pork rolls, with crackling, stuffing and apple sauce, gradually eased the pain.

This was undoubtably the toughest bike event I have ever done, the course was challenging enough, but the weather, especially the wind, made this event utterly formidable. This is one of the few occasions when the climbs were more enjoyable than the descents. Well done to everyone who completed this gruelling event. Will I do it again next year, I’ll think about it…

Mike Armer has joined Viceroys from Serpentine after moving to the Walton area from Wapping.  After some promising early teen years as an 800m runner, he discovered beer and other distractions at 17 and, after a couple of years playing rugby, got bigger and bigger each year enjoying the social scene in London!  He started running again 2 yrs ago, bought a bike and decided to give triathlon a go.

‘My girlfriend told me about a guy opposite her who was always in his garage on a bike. I popped over to check out his bike one Sunday morning and it turned out it was Mr Yeoman.  After some googling I decided I should do a bit of what he was doing!”    Highlights thus far of my new triathlon life have been competing in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon (definitely a location triathlon worth considering) and getting into the GB age groupers for the ETU & ITU sprint duathlons.  I am looking forward to a few Shepperton Lake sessions and the Sunday ride with the Viceroys, as well as pulling on some pink kit for this year’s races!’

Welcome to Viceroys Mike – look forward to seeing you in a bit of pink…

Viceroys are tough, Viceroys are crazy and new Viceroys certainly fits the mould, as after not running for 2 years after an accident which had doctors saying she would never run again, proved everyone wrong this weekend by not only just ‘running’, but running a challenging 20k, completing a Tough Mudder – respect and congratulations to personal trainer Lilly Mazzoni. Unbelieveably, Lilly has only just managed to start running again on the past month, after some amazing treatments from Steve Hobson (another new Viceroy!).

Lilly (originally from Brazil), tells us about her race: ‘It was very hard, mainly because of the weather as it was quite cold, but the team work was the main thing for me, as a few times I struggled a lot as I was scared of some obstacles, but they made me do it! It was a huge mental challenge because when you think you are nearly there someone say to it that’s it’s only half way… You think, what the hell? But you carry on because that’s why you are there, to get to the end no matter what.

The last 2 miles was the hardest, as any race really, but the feeling of crossing the finishing line after been electrocuted is priceless! I enjoyed a lot and can’t wait to do it again – it was a amazing experience and I recommend it.’

The amazing Lilly has been into sports since the age of 6, doing a lot of swimming and playing handball around the country representing her school. She moved to England in 2005 and loved it!

‘My aim now is to do an Ironman, which is happening in Brazil next May. I’m really looking forward to achieve this massive goal and I’m very inspired by some of our Viceroys athletes and I know they will give me more strength and help my training to make me an ironwoman.

Looking forward to meet you all guys!’

Can’t wait to meet you Lilly – we’re certainly in awe of you already.

New Viceroy Suzy Blandford has just started doing triathlons after a background  in running:  ‘I have completed 4 marathons and decided after injury at last year’s London marathon to have a break from the long distance for a while. My boyfriend had got into triathlons from a swimming background, so my first hurdle of being able to swim a few lengths was solved by his swimming lessons! I moved up from Devon to Surrey in December to be with my boyfriend (now fiance!) and as he was already a member of the pink club I decided to join too. I am hoping to get to know the local area a lot better on long bike rides, get use to riding in packs and learn to swim well enough so that I don’t have such a big gap to catch up my fiancé up on the run! As I am fairly new to Surrey and I am also looking forward to meeting lots of people.’

You’ve come to the right club Suzy – we’re a very friendly bunch! And huge congratulations on your engagement to Viceroy Matt Storr.

Julian Marsh is another extreme endurance triathlete, who joined Viceroys, ‘as I have registered for the UK Ironman in 2014 and wanted to have some training partners and meet like-minded individuals. I have always done a lot of swimming and a fair bit of running, but was missing the cycling part until I did the London- Brighton a few years ago. I then registered for the Olympic Distance London triathlon in 2012 and then again in 2013 and decided to take it up a level this year.

I am 36 and would consider myself an intermediate level (I will not be qualifying for Kona), but enjoy the challenge of pushing my body. I have always enjoyed team sports and joining the club will hopefully make an individual sport feel that way. I look forward to meeting everyone and getting to know them better.’

Good luck with your training Julian and welcome to Viceroys.