UWL sponsors lecturer who competes for Team GB in aquathlon
Intro
Beki Mace, Lecturer in Early Years Education at the University of West London’s School of Human and Social Sciences competes as part of Team GB in aquathlons, which are like triathlons but without the cycling leg. UWL will be supporting her training and equipment needs.
Main body
Races vary in distance but generally consist of a 1k open water swim, sometimes in the sea, and then a 5k run. Every year, there is a programme of race events including the European and the World Championships.
For Beki, who was ninth in the world in her age category at the last World Championships, it is as much about the journey – both training and the competing - as her achievements in the races.
I've travelled to compete in places off the tourist track I would never normally go. And there's a real comradeship between us in the team.”
She was inspired to try for Team GB when she saw a friend competing, she explains:
Her name is the same as mine was before I got married and seeing it written on her Team GB suit made me think I could do that too.”
Beki describes herself as a “coiled-spring type of person”, adding that this probably comes across in everything she does:
I teach philosophy and I do my best philosophy thinking when I'm running.”
A lot of hard work goes on before race season. On an intensive training week, Beki will run as much as 60km and swim 10k, with swim training starting at 6am. That’s quite a lot of thinking time but it's these kilometres covered beforehand that count most. She admits there are days when she’s tired, it's raining and she doesn’t want to get up, but those are the days she really doesn’t remember when she gets to the end.
There's grit and determination involved but I like this bit - it makes me happy,”
she says with a smile.
That's the bit I'm addicted to because I know what it feels like when I've run a race where I'm pleased with the time.”
Beki’s next major race is the World Championships in Ibiza in May and we’ll be checking in on her preparations nearer the time.
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