Emma out to have fun in the sun with world’s best
Craven Arms’ Emma Lewis is travelling to Malaga for the World Triathlon Aquabike Championships.
Competitors swim 1500 metres before cycling 40 kilometres under the Spanish sun on October 19th.
The Shropshire teacher will be competing in the 30-34 Female race against athletes from Mexico, Canada, Slovakia, and Switzerland as one of ten representing Great Britain.
She said: “I used to do triathlons and then I decided that running had quite a lot of injury risk, and I get injured. It's like a triathlon really, but you just don't do the run at the end.
“I got into it quite late, I suppose. About 6-7 years ago, maybe not even that.”
Lewis is a teacher at Longnor CE Primary School and is keen to inspire the kids with her experiences.
The school are really supportive because obviously I've got to miss a little bit of work to get myself to Malaga to compete and they've just been really on board.
“I mean, I'm going to do some assemblies with them. Let the kids know exactly what I'm doing, and I think we're going to try and organise some school competitions as well.
“Some cycling awards and some swimming things that we can do just to kind of promote it even more.”
It’s the first time Lewis has been abroad to compete, and she’s prepared for a different challenge.
"I need to acclimatise a little bit because it's going to be warmer than here, definitely. Then, try and practise the sea swim a little bit because that's different to living in Shropshire, and then maybe do a bit of a bike.
“You’ve got the waves to contend with and the salt water is not very nice if you have a mouthful.
“I think we're going to have to do beach starts - we have to run in and then start to swim - so that's going to be a challenge as well. Different to the river that I swim in down here.
“To be honest, I just want to have a good time to soak up the atmosphere. And just, you know, be proud of managing to get into the competition. I’m not expecting to win anything, just want to have a good time and enjoy the event.”
She competes as part of a team call ‘Stomp the Pedal’, which has a wide community which is great for sharing advice and chatting about race experiences.
“Wearing the same team kit as each other, that then helps at races. You kind of get a shout out from fellow members. Maybe you've not even met them before, but they shout, you know, ‘Go stop the pedal!’ and so you make friends that way as well.”
“It's nice to have something to train for and to enter because, although cycling and swimming can be quite solo sports, when you come together at a big event like that you realise how many other people share those same interests, so you can make a lot more friends.”
Lewis isn’t travelling alone: “My husband's going, and my mum and my dad are. I think for a holiday.”
