LRC Connected posts are a chance for two LRC athletes to interview each other and discuss topics such as how they lead an active life. In this post, Treena Becker (who lives in Hawaii) and Jayne Jeffries (based in Darlington, UK) ask each other a range of questions about, well, all sorts of things. We think you’ll enjoy everything Treena and Jayne share, from how they balance life with being an athlete, to some of the gear they use too! Take it away Treena and Jayne!
Treena to Jayne:
1. I think you’re a triathlete. What is your favorite event – swim, bike, or run, and why?
I think the answer is that I have become a triathlete; signing up for my first event, a 70.3 in 2022. Before that, I enjoyed cycling and running. But, and this is quite a shock to me, I think swimming has become my favourite of the three – I couldn’t swim at the start of 2022, and by that I mean I couldn’t put my face in the water, and I certainly couldn’t breathe underwater! I have come a long way in the pool, I feel much more confident (and will even wear my Darlington Tri Club hat in the pool now). I feel nervous about the swim before the event, but actually enjoy the open water swim when everyone is in the lake, and feel more relaxed. Having said that, it takes the swim part of the event to make me swim ‘properly’ i.e. freestyle in that location.
2. I think you’re in the UK. So, what is your least favorite part about getting out there to train, in the UK, and why?
I enjoy training, actually I love training, but at times I don’t feel as motivated to get my cycling kit ready and I do love cycling. My first road bike experience was in Cornwall, in the South West of England, where the weather can be nuts (think high hedges, high winds, and occasionally the sunshine that people assume is there). So, it’s not the weather that’s my least favourite, it’s getting all the right kit ready for the right weather, which takes more time when the weather is wet, blustery etc. I have come to realise that getting my kit ready needs to be part of my pre-night routine!
3. Do you have a favorite book, blog, TED Talk or podcast that inspires you to continue to be a triathlete? If yes, what and why?
I like to read and listen to different things, often searching online for content that’s relevant to my training. I have recently found swimming blogs that focus on the theory of technique, and although I know some of it, it helps to embed the right idea in my head, which I try to address in training. I prefer depth, over breadth, so I am much more engaged by a detailed book, blog, or podcast so that I can learn something!
4. What is your training routine like? Do you prefer to train in the morning or afternoon?
Ooooh, well, my current training routine (autumn 2023) is 6 days a week, 1 day of rest – easing back in after a summer break, includes double and single days: 30 min run and Tri club swim – coached and focusing on technique; turbo session and gym for S&C and to activate muscles for all three disciplines; set morning swim, focusing on technique and at times with Georgie (the super swimmer) in the pool and mobility exercises; 30 min run; bike ride or turbo between 1 – 3 hours; finally a longer 1 hr run aiming for trail/off road and a yoga session. Depending on the session depends on when I do it, so if it’s a club session it’s pm, a run can be am or lunch time as I work from home, and I always swim one session early morning.
5. What gets in the way of training? In other words, life! So, what in your life can get in the way of training?
The short answer is – my children! But the fair answer is probably me. Since joining the triathlon madness with my husband when our children were 1, 3 and 6, we realised that ‘finding’ the time to complete our training schedules, with a higher training load than with my current coach was the biggest challenge. However, when we settled into that routine, and knew if we missed our window to train (early morning before they wake up, in the day when they are in childcare, at night when one of us but them all to bed, on the night/s when the smaller two would sleep at their Grandparents, on the turbo at an unreasonable hour when they are all sleeping, or on a weekend when we had to tag team, having a Saturday or Sunday when one played parent, and one played athlete). If we missed our window, we missed our session, which inevitably happened. So, I think once a plan is in place, for me, it’s failure to take the opportunity, or to think about the whole week, rather than that one day. Focusing on one day at a time, helps me to stay on track the most.
Jayne to Treena:
1. Can you describe your journey with the Long Run Collective/why did you choose the LRC?
My journey started with the Long Run Collective after the New York City Marathon in 2021. I did better than I’d expected in NYC, shaving off 21 minutes from the previous marathon in Amsterdam. Feeling optimistic, I thought I could train harder and run faster. So, I asked a friend of mine if she would introduce me to her coach at the Long Run Collective. That’s how I met my coach, Susie!
2. What will you wearing for your next event and why?
I think I’ll be wearing my Oiselle toolkit running shorts and a long sleeve top for Grandma’s Marathon in Duluth, MN. Susie recommended the running shorts because it can store my iPhone, gels, glucose tablets and salt / electrolyte tablets. I’m thinking a long sleeve top because Grandma’s, right by Lake Superior will start at a cold 45 degrees.
3. What is your biggest challenge when training?
My biggest challenge when training and racing is not getting dizzy and fainting. It’s because my blood sugar drops when I’m training. That’s why I carry glucose tablets with me.
4. If you could pass on one piece of advice to athletes in your field, what would it be?
Do dynamic warmups and core strengthening because it isn’t just about lacing up and running fast.
5. Do you have a favourite meal or snack that you like to eat when training?
I tend to lose my appetite when training, particularly when I’m about to taper. So, I’m always on the lookout for meals that are tasty and flavorful, which makes me want to eat my food.
Thank you Treena and Jayne for your insights and for being part of LRC!