A NEW endeavour is reaping big rewards for former Bemboka woman Chantelle Lloyd.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
After just three months of training and competing in only one event prior, Lloyd finished second for her division in a Nowra triathlon last week.
Lloyd said she had taken up the sport with club members from her running team.
“I joined a running group the Batemans Bay All-Stars,” Lloyd said.
“It’s a women’s running group that a bunch of mothers started to get back in shape.
“A few of them mentioned that they were going to get into it [triathlons], and I thought why not?
“It was pure serendipity I suppose,” she said.
Lloyd said the competition she joined was a good starting point known as an “enticer” and she had been satisfied with her results, but wasn’t aware she had finished second until results were posted 15 minutes after the race.
“I thought I had done quite well, I was happy with my results.
“You don’t realise that you’ve placed until they post the results about 15 minutes after.”
Lloyd was astonished when the results board displayed her name in second.
“I couldn’t believe what I was reading,” she said.
“I had to keep double checking and I didn’t believe my eyes until they called my name out to get my medal.”
Lloyd, who had started out using a mountain bike for the ride, said she had just upgraded to a road bike and was eager to continue with the sport after getting a good start.
“When I did my first triathlon the difference was huge when I had a mountain bike and everyone else was racing road bikes.
“So it’s also getting used to the lock in pedals,” she said.
Other members from the Batemans Bay All-Stars too had been taking part, so training for the events had become part of the club’s routine.
“Because a few of us from the club have started doing it [triathlons] we’ve started training as part of the group.
“We usually do interval training with swimming and running at the pool over four reps.
“We also do 1.5 hour low heart rate runs once a week.”
Following her phenomenal result in just her second triathlon, Lloyd has signed up to compete in Huskisson where the event is more than twice as long.
“Its definitely something I want to continue to do, the one at Huskisson is the next step up for me.
“It’s going to be a challenge because I’ve only got about three weeks to step up to that level.”
Lloyd said she had great support from family and friends and wanted to share the joys she has experienced competing with them.
“There has been huge support from family and friends,
“I love coming back home and sharing my stories.
“I’m hoping to get people to start doing it, because the endorphins and the camaraderie that you get are just amazing.
“Even though these events are competitive, everyone is there with the right mentality.
“Everyone wants everybody else to do really well, it’s sharing your passions,” she said.