ELSPETH KNOTT

Elspeth Knott is Colchester Rover member who over the years of partaking in the club TT events I have had the pleasure to ride with and speak to, and also have the best banana bread made for me. I had banana bread made for me by a lovely lady who was amazing to watch on a bike as she sped past you and cheered you on, but also a lady who would do a run after racing her TT, which at the time I didn’t realise why or even how someone had the legs left to be able to do that…. but I was watching a multiple world Duathlon champion in her age group, do her thing.

When I say multiple world champion, this isn’t an understatement. I approached Elspeth and asked if she could do a little write up for me, which she kindly did, as she will be partaking in the Worlds in August, as well as the European champs in June.

After I read it, I noticed that Elspeth had included a list of her achievements, which didn’t include a mention of world champion, but Elspeth is a very modest lady and also very grounded so this was no surprise.

So, like anyone who needs to research the subject they are looking into I used ‘Google’ and googled Elspeth’s name. I wasn’t disappointed with my search as the first thing that popped up was an article from 2017 where Elspeth was interviewed about being an ambassador for the Harwich 5k move against cancer, which will make sense when you read Elspeth piece. At the time of this article Elspeth was World champion for the 8th time and also European Champion for the 8th time.

Elspeth’s brother, the late great Jim Reed was the person who enlightened me on Elspeth and why she was running after a TT which I think at the time my comment was ‘that’s nuts’ and then ‘amazing’, to which Jim said with pride ‘yes, it is’.

I hope you join me in wishing Elspeth luck in August for the Worlds.

Kelly P.

I was being honest when I said I had no idea of how many medals I had won, competing for team GB. So, I had to look it up on the World Triathlon website!!!

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I started to take part in duathlons, after watching my son Graeme compete for team GB in Geel. I did watch and cheer him on, but I also looked at the women competing and just decided that I could do that, and secretly thought, I could do it better!!

As more time is spent on the bike, l knew that element had to be improved. I joined Colchester Rovers and rode my mountain bike!! Then with huge encouragement from Geoff, Jim and Graeme and with a brand new bike frame, wheels borrowed from Ed at 5312, I started to get to grips with riding faster than a touring pace.

Cycling was actually easier for me, than running, which was my first love, I had been running since 1981. In 2001 I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and I think the radiotherapy treatment had caused some damage to my right lung. Breathing, or rather gasping for oxygen, seemed to be easier on the bike.
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The first event I qualified for was a Standard Duathlon in Corner Brook, Newfoundland in 2006, which luckily was in school holidays. Being a teacher curbed me from going to some of the championships. This first experience was amazing, not just the competing for the team, but also visiting the country. Who would have dreamt of seeing a caribou just yards away in the back garden of our rented house!

Graeme was also there competing as well. Kate, his partner joined us in the team in the following years in Gyor, Edinburgh, Rimini, Budapest, Concord, Nancy, Limerick and Ottawa. Graeme then became the GB team mechanic.

Travelling to events in places I would never have visited has been a huge part of the excitement and enjoyment, plus meeting and making friends with fellow competitors from all over the world. We have had some strange venues… Kalkar was at a nuclear power station that had never been commissioned!!

I have also taken part in some Sprint triathlons. I am not a swimmer to say the least. But I qualified and took part in 2013 in London Sprint tri, which was swimming in the Serpentine, following a similar course to the 2012 Olympic competition.

Then again after the Commonwealth games I took part in a sprint tri in Glasgow in 2018.

Standard Duathlon has always been my favourite event, 10k run, 40k on the bike and then a final 5k run. Jumping off the bike and running is not easy, and I know Kelly has seen me practising after evening 10s.

This year, I’m trying Sprint triathlons (5k run 20k bike, 2.5k run) as well as the Standard distance in European (Coimbra, Portugal) and World Championships (Townsville, Australia). I’m hoping that the shorter distance event might be better for my ageing legs.

I’m also keeping Jodi company at the World triathlon Championships in Torremolinos. Don’t feel at all confident about the swim, so I’ll be delighted to get my feet back on the ground, or on the pedals! So, it’s going to be a busy year.

Starts 34

1 dnf (hypothermia) in Alcobendas in Spain.

21 gold

5 silver

3 bronze.

As I put this together Elspeth had just competed in the European champs in Portugal and ran away with a Silver in the sprint and Gold in the standard.