Q&A: GB Triathlete Kate Waugh

Kate Waugh is joining us for a second year and is a multiple International and European medal winner at U23 and Junior level triathlon, who also fits studying Psychology at the University of Leeds into her busy schedule.

In winter it’s about 25 hours a week. I swim 5 times, ride 5 times and run 5 times, do a couple of strength and conditioning sessions and an hour of yoga. My 5 rides are made up of 10-12 hours in total: a couple of easy/recovery rides, two long rides and a hard session on a Thursday.

It is almost all on the road but this winter we have been doing weekly cyclocross sessions which has been great fun. Even after only a few sessions I feel my bike handling has improved. I used to do a bit of mountain biking when I was younger but nothing serious or too difficult.

I used it for the first time during the first lockdown, and I have enjoyed it, and it has certainly made hard turbo sets more enjoyable. But you can’t beat getting out into the countryside north of Leeds, or Northumberland when I am at home.

My favourite loop when I am at home takes me out to Elsdon and Scots Gap and the notorious Winter’s Gibbet, it’s normally a two hour ride, and these days my Dad sometimes joins me on his motorbike as he can’t keep up on his bike. The views are just as good in Yorkshire when you get into the Yorkshire Dales, riding through the likes of Grassington, Burnsall, Pateley Bridge, with a special mention for Thruscross Reservoir. For the Yorkshire Dales, it’s usually a three or four hour ride but there are so many variations of routes it can easily be longer or shorter.

It mainly depends on the result! I think World Champs are towards the top of my list because there is always a good atmosphere and energy to the event with lots of Age group athletes, plus you’ve had to earn your place to be there, so it’s just a little bit more significant. Lausanne in 2019 is freshest in my mind, and whilst I didn’t get on the podium as I hoped (I was 4th in U23), it was a good, honest course which you had to be good across all three disciplines for.

There isn’t one defining moment, to be honest. I did lots of sport from when I was young, and at school too. I was swimming, running, playing hockey, competing competitively at gymnastics (from age 7 to 12), riding my bike with my Dad (who along with my Grandad, love their bike riding) and so it was the natural, or next, thing to have a go at. I think I was 8 or 9 when I did my first triathlon.

Enjoy the challenge! Get some friends involved or join a local triathlon club. Joining a local club is a great way to learn and get advice about what’s in store. Also set targets for yourself, such as entering a race or committing to a number of sessions a week, this will help to create focus in your training.

The short answer is to keep improving as an athlete across all 3 disciplines. As with everyone else, I’m not sure when the triathlon season will start this year or what it will look like but the target is to get a start at the U23 World Champs, and finish as close as I can to the top step of the podium.

That’s too hard to answer! I can’t wait for racing to start as I will be on the new Aeroad, it’s brilliant but as I said earlier, I have started weekly cyclocross sessions on a Thursday and I am also loving my Inflite.

We’re looking forward to following Kate’s racing throughout 2021! You can follow her on Instagram here.