Life Without Limits, A
Page 29
29. A new world record and my third consecutive victory at Roth (© Rebecca Marshall)
30. My traditional ‘Blazeman’ roll, a few seconds later, ended in tears of joy. (© Rebecca Marshall)
31. Displaying my ‘road rash’ shortly after the crash I suffered two weeks before Kona 2011.
32. Leanda Cave gives me a pat of encouragement as I pass her during the marathon at Kona 2011. There is such a wonderful camaraderie among the ironman athletes. (© Larry Maurer)
33. The win to end all wins. My fourth world title and my thirteenth ironman win out of thirteen, during which I was forced to dig deeper than I ever have before. (© Larry Maurer)
Plates
1. At five months old with my mother, Lin.
2. At home in Feltwell, Norfolk, where my parents still live. The perfect platform for any wannabe Wonder Woman.
3. At the Thetford Dolphins Swimming Club, with my nemesis in the water, Julie Williams, holding the trophy.
4. Aged 11 at Downham Market High School. My hair was short and my skirt was sensible – not one of the ‘cool’ girls.
5. With Gabriel at Beaver Country Day School, Boston in 1996. We had so much in common, not least an obsession with body image.
6. And with Jude in 1998, the person who changed everything.
7. After the 2002 London Marathon, with Dad, Matty and Mum. I was stunned by my time of 3hr 08min.
8. In sight of Everest, with Tina, whose example of calmness keeps me grounded even now.
9. I’m no mountain goat, but I entered the famous Coast to Coast race in New Zealand, a bike-run-kayak triathlon, in 2006 and managed to come second.
(© Paul’s Camera Shop)
10. On the occasion of my grandfather Harry’s 100th birthday, with my mum and dad, brother, cousins, Rob (centre) and Tim, my aunt and uncle, Jen and Tom, and, seated, Grandad and Nanna Romey.
11. The Boss. Life was never boring with Brett Sutton around – the man who turned this nobody into a world champion.
12. You cannot be serious. Winning my first world title. No one can believe it, least of all me.
(© Rich Cruse)
13. One of the inspirational messages on the roadside at Ironman Australia. Also my screensaver.
14. In 2008, after my second world title, I pushed bikes where no bikes had been pushed before on a cycle tour through the Andean mountains in Argentina.
15. Here I am, taking my turn at one of the many river crossings.
16. Settling down for a night in the Andes: from left, my soul-mate Billi, Helen, me, Tina’s husband, Seba, his friend Ricardo (or ‘Rata’) and Tina.
17. In the hills outside Boulder.
18. Make sure you remember where your bike is. It’s one among thousands.
(© Jesse Hammond/Active.com)
19. The all-out brawl that is the start of an ironman.
(© Rich Cruse)
20. Out on the Queen K Highway during the 2009 World Championships, knifing through the unforgiving lava fields.
(© Rich Cruse)
21. Winning my third consecutive world title in 2009, breaking the seventeen-year-old course record, and enjoying the moment with Mum and Dad.
(© Rich Cruse)
22. On the turbo three days after breaking my arm in January, 2010.
23. With my manager, Ben Mansford, Tom and Cat Morrison.
24. The Wellington support crew at Roth, 2010.
25. With Tom at the Ironman Arizona finish line in 2010. Breaking the official Ironman world record was the best way to bounce back from the illness that had ruled me out of Kona that year. Sharing it with Tom, who broke the British ironman record in his first attempt at the distance, made it even more special.
(© Rich Cruse)
26. At the wedding in 2011 of my brother, Matty, and his bride, Kelly.
27. In thought before Roth 2011. The words of ‘If ’ are written on my water bottle.
(© Kristen WinterKamp)
28. The legendary climb of Solarerberg. The atmosphere at Challenge Roth is unlike any other.
(© Challenge Roth)
29. A new world record and my third consecutive victory at Roth
(© Rebecca Marshall)
30. My traditional ‘Blazeman’ roll, a few seconds later, ended in tears of joy.
(© Rebecca Marshall)
31. Displaying my ‘road rash’ shortly after the crash I suffered two weeks before Kona 2011.
32. Leanda Cave gives me a pat of encouragement as I pass her during the marathon at Kona 2011. There is such a wonderful camaraderie among the ironman athletes.
(© Larry Maurer)
33. The win to end all wins. My fourth world title and my thirteenth ironman win out of thirteen, during which I was forced to dig deeper than I ever have before.
(© Larry Maurer)