Howell Reed

Chairman/Club Welfare Officer

My career in teaching PE since 1991 lends itself well to my role within the club. Whilst I am not formally qualified as a triathlon coach I have nearly 20 years experience of teaching in a wide variety of sports and have various coaching / teaching / umpiring qualifications

My background is predominantly in running and athletics representing the county on several occasions. Running continues to be my strength to this day.

I first took up the challenge of triathlon in 1989 coming 2nd in the u21 age group in the Tanners Triathlon in Dorking I was hooked!

I became involved in Andover Triathlon Club shortly after it started. I have, over the past few years improved my swimming (thanks to Shaun's sessions) and continued to progress on the bike too. I now have approximately 30 races under my belt over Sprint & Olympic distance in addition to numerous runs, duathlons and tour type rides.

In the past, I have had a variety of roles within the club, but with my recent appointment to Chairman, jobs have been restructured and I now do this in addition to club Welfare Officer.

For the club, I now organise the Saturday rides, choosing suitably scenic and challenging routes around Andover in addition and a few one off events such as mountain biking trips. I also organise some structured run and transition sessions and I occasionally help out with turbo and circuit training session too.  In addition, I help to organise our own successful triathlon each year and also am in charge of the club kit.

Francesca Cortvriend

Club Secretary

I have been interested in triathlon at amateur level since 1991 as I found cross training kinder to aging joints. I am living proof that one doesn’t need to have talent to enjoy the sport. My main motivation is to keep fit, and to exercise and socialise with good friends. Whilst competing isn’t essential, I enjoy racing mostly at sprint distance a few times during the season.

As secretary to the club I look after applications and memberships, deal with correspondence, organise contracts with our training venues such as Tidworth Leisure centre, organise and minute the monthly committee meetings, support the preparation of our annual general meeting, and take a lead role in our annual race at Farleigh school.

Michael Bland

Treasurer

I come from a background of running and confess to enjoying duathlon (run, cycle run) more than triathlon as swimming, whilst amusing for spectators, is not my strength. However, I am fast progressing following expert club coaching sessions. I joined the club further to encouragement from my wife, the secretary, and in response to the old saying "if you can’t beat them join them". My career in finance naturally supports my role as club treasurer. I ensure that the books balance and that the club remains financially viable.

Sam Pratt

Coach Development/Coach Liaison

I decided to get involved with triathlon shortly after a friend emigrated to Canada and although I realised I would never achieve her high standards, I liked the idea of the challenge of completing three sporting activities back to back.

I subsequently conned a friend into joining me and shortly after this along with yet another friend, Leanne Versteege and Tony Ireland respectively, we decided to start a local club and so Andover Triathlon Club was conceived!!! I therefore had little choice but to be on the committee! I served for 3 years before going off to do some travelling. I thought that that was it, but somehow I seem to have found my way back on to the committee!

I am also one of the coaches and this came about because of my background as a physio and not the huge number of races (NOT!) under my belt. My strength with respect to the coaching is being picky about technique which should result in injury prevention, particularly when it comes to the strength and conditioning circuits session!

My preference with respect to triathlon is for the training and therefore keeping fit whilst at the same time having good company. The club was initially small and whilst it has grown significantly over its short lifespan the mentality of the members has remained the same, to welcome with open arms likeminded health and fitness individuals wishing to join us.

Jason Briley

IT/Website

I am an Ex-Army Physical Training Instructor who was extremely fit until I left in '95 through a shoulder injury. I then did no exercise for 10 years!!

When I finally decided that being so heavily overweight had to change, I knew I needed a fresh challenge with a really good support group. The Andover Triathlon club welcomed me with open arms.

In my first year the coaches helped me to improve in all the disciplines.  I went from being able to swim only 200m in a pool, to being able to cover 2.5 miles in open water.  My cycling has progressed from 10 miles at a time to being able to ride 95 miles in one session, and my running comfort zone has gone from 3 to in excess of 13 miles. And all this has all been possible despite being one of the heaviest triathletes in the club.

This was all made possible by the motivation I get from the like-minded friends I have made along the way and the first class instruction by the coaches. This is the closest thing I found to the feeling of camaraderie I got in the Army and I love it.

As a committee member I bring my I.T knowledge, my passion for the ongoing success of the club, and my sense of humour to the table.

Paul Wills

PR

It all started at 9am in November 2007 on a chilly Saturday morning...Having gone out on my bike alone and puncturing about 2 miles from home I decided to turn round and head back to put some decent pressure in my tyres before setting off once again, and that's when I passed a group of cyclists assembled outside the Behind the Bikeshed cycle shop in Charlton. Tentatively I approached the group and asked "hey do you mind if I join you guys for a ride today?", to which I was answered, "of course, no problem!", it really was as easy as that and so the addiction that is called Triathlon began!

Now in 2009, I've just completed my first year in Triathlon and I find myself constantly asking "Why didn't I do this years ago?" I find that as a person I am now much more focused and determined, always looking for the next big challenge, usually encouraged and spurred on my my fellow friends in the club. As a club member, I like to think I have a light-hearted approach to the sometimes tough but always rewarding training sessions (the Saturday longer rides are rewarded with a fry up), always the joker, enjoying a laugh and never one to shy out of good natured banter with a great bunch of people!!

Martin Brown

Committee Member

I have always been a keen cyclist and initially joined the club mainly for a group to ride with but have also now embraced swimming and running as well although I do find the swim to be the most demanding of the three. I managed to complete two sprint events in my first year of training following the excellent coaching provided by the club.