A positive start to his first season as a PRO.
Sam Wordley.
A 27-year-old Professional Triathlete and Royal Marines Commando from North Devon, UK. After attaining my PRO license at Outlaw X during my first year racing Middle Distance in 2023, I am now racing as an Elite in the 2024 season.
I currently still work a full-time job as a Royal Marine, and I am not in any way a supported athlete. I have a normal job role and work the normal 8-4 working hours, as well as unsociable hours often. Around this I then train between 20-25 hours per week. Which is challenging, but when you have big goals like me, you make it work.
As well as representing the Royal Marines and the wider Royal Navy, I also race for Train Xhale which is an Online Training Platform. Together with my Coach Mark Livesey, we have handpicked some top-quality races this year for me to get stuck into and carry on perfecting my race craft…but it has not been all smooth sailing.
In April this year, I fell off my bike and broke my collarbone in two. A big crash which required surgery. This was only 2 weeks out from Challenge Gran Canaria which was set to be my PRO debut. After 7 weeks of recovery and a new bike later, I was on the start line of Challenge Wales. I raced conservatively but strong and finished 15th/21 finishing Pros. Exceeding all expectations only a few weeks post-crash.
After a perfect dress rehearsal, I toed the line at 70.3 Swansea. A race I knew well after finishing 3rd Overall AG in 2023, and the course defiantly suiting me, mimicking the profile of my home roads nicely.
After racing well again and much within myself, having fun, and battling the other British Professionals, I secured 8th place and posting PB’s across all three disciplines. This was another huge confidence boost, as I am now starting to see some of what I have seen in training, translate over to the middle distance on race day.
Although extremely happy with my performance, in true athlete style, I know there is plenty more in there. Which I hope to begin to unlock and unravel over the remainder of the season. Racing at the top of the sport is what I live for, and I have really enjoyed racing at this level on home soil. The atmosphere and conditions have been amazing. You cannot quite beat whizzing through country lanes in the sunshine. Racing names I have seen on tele, but also athletes I have trained with in the past all contributes to the fun. Fellow CES athlete and from North Devon Jack Hutchens, has been a motivator for me growing up, watching his progression has added to the belief than you can do it from a small town, and you do not have to be part of a big training setup. That is not to say we have not had support along the way.
Performances like these are a team effort. I have had plenty of good council from my coach, family, friends, massage therapist and other gurus in the sport, who are all very willing and able to lend a hand whenever I come screaming…or laughing with niggles or simply crazy ideas about training. These are the people who bring you down to earth and guide you in the right direction. Surrounding yourself with sound individuals and brands who genuinely want the best for you, especially in a dog-eat-dog world, is something you cannot put a price on.
So after only 6 months with the pro license under my belt, I have posted two very progressive results, but I have also made some fantastic connections within the sport. One of these is the CES brand. I now have a wheelset and a spare front wheel from CES in my locker, ready to deploy in the next phase of my 2024 PRO racing schedule. Along with my EZgains disc cover, these have got me to T2 in good spirits and without fail. Pretty damn quickly too if I must say. After posting a 2:15 on a course like Swansea, this has given me the confidence that I can swim, bike, and run fast, while having full faith in my equipment.
As a look forward, I will use this confidence, as I prepare and then tow the start line in Zell Am See. This is an Ironman Pro Series race and rumour has it, is stacked and full of the world’s best talent.
I would lastly just like to mention:
– CES and EZgains for some super-fast wheels and equipment.
– My coach Mark Livesey (thebricksession)
– My massage therapist Martin Blight…big up Martin!
– Precision Fuel and Hydration for supporting me and fuelling my movements.
– And to all my friends, family and brands who show support.
