‘When you fall down, you have to get up again’
Louise Minchin on going from the Breakfast sofa to Team GB
Louise, 49, and her husband, David, have two children, Mia, 16, and Scarlett, 13. Six years ago, she took on a fitness challenge, and is now swimming, cycling and running through life.
I’ll be 50 in September and I’ve never
felt better. I used to get out of bed with aching limbs, but since I boosted my fitness I’ve really noticed a difference. I can lift heavy things and run faster for buses. I eat better, sleep better and I’m also a lot happier – it’s endorphins, but it’s also about finding equilibrium.
My routine is a juggling act – and it’s
not always easy. I get up at 3.30am, present Breakfast, then head home for an hour and a half of training. I have an afternoon nap before collecting the girls from school. The evenings are family time. I’m a naturally motivated person, but I’m not always raring to go – I often make my husband drop me right outside the pool so I have no choice but to go in! Once I do it, I always enjoy it. You have to make time for exercise. I’ve carved out that time and found a way to make it work. My life is quite regimented, but having a schedule means I stay organised. I find I get a lot more done now than before.
Gaining weight triggered a lifestyle
change. Six years ago, my family moved from London to Salford when I became a permanent presenter on BBC
Breakfast. I’d done the odd stint on the sofa before, but as I adjusted to my new five-day-a-week job, I got into an unhealthy routine. I’d wake up at 3.46am (the extra minute lie-in made all the
‘I was on a high for days after my first triathlon’
difference psychologically!) and eat breakfast at 5am. By the time the show finished at 9.30am, I’d be starving and have a second breakfast. I’d then go home for lunch, eat a biscuit and have dinner later. I’d basically added an extra meal into my day! After that, I upped my exercise and went on the 5:2 diet. I lost weight very quickly – so much so that viewers emailed the programme to ask if I was ill. Now, I’ve found a happy medium. I eat healthily, but enough to sustain my exercise. It’s important to have that balance.
A few years ago, I wasn’t even sure
what a triathlon was. I knew it involved swimming, cycling and running, but that was about it. I exercised twice a week, and would occasionally ride my bike to work. I wasn’t unfit, but the idea of a triathlon was unthinkable. I swam competitively until the age of 15, but I gave it up because I thought my shoulders were getting too muscly.
That seems really sad to me now.
The moment I touched the handlebars of a racing bike, my life changed for
ever. In 2012, the Breakfast team did a cycling sprint relay at the Manchester Velodrome to tie in with the Olympics – Susanna Reid and Bill Turnbull versus me with Charlie Stayt. When we won, it was like a shot of pure adrenaline.
I wanted a new challenge. So when my neighbour suggested I do a triathlon with her, I couldn’t resist. It involved a 750m swim, a 25km bike ride and a 5km run. I was already a strong swimmer and, after the Velodrome event, I’d fallen in love with cycling. Running was harder, but I persevered. The buzz I felt when I crossed the finish line was brilliant. I came seventh in the 45-50 age group, and was on a high for days afterwards.
I saw my body changing and my
fitness increasing. With the help of my brilliant coach, Claire, I improved my strength and stamina. I began to take part in Olympic distance triathlons – going up to a 1500m swim, a 40km bike ride and a 10km run. I did two swims, three runs and two bike rides every week. Two years later, I qualified for Team GB in my age group, one of the proudest moments of my life. I still can’t quite believe it!
Shame and support are great
motivators. There was a particularly low point early on, when I arrived late to a race. Wracked with nerves, I’m embarrassed to say I ran away and locked myself in a Portaloo! When my family found me, my daughter Scarlett banged on the door and shouted at me to get into the water. Eventually, I did – and, of course, I loved it.
I encourage my girls to be active. Mia and Scarlett play tennis and we enjoy family walks. If I’m nagging the girls, they’ll tell me to go for a run, because I always return in a better mood! They sometimes join me, although often the only one who shows excitement is our yellow Labrador, Waffle. We’ve also got a new black Labrador puppy, Ruby, who has a lot of energy and bounce.
I’m so grateful for the love of my
family. I wake them at unearthly hours and drag them across the country to races. However, they’re always ready with smiles and hugs when I cross the finish line. I wouldn’t be where I am without them.
I’ve learnt that you don’t have to be
brilliant at everything. A few months ago, I was walking across a bridge in Liverpool with Mia. I told her about a triathlon I’d done there where I’d fallen off my bike and how I hadn’t realised that I was swimming with jellyfish. She said ‘Mummy, I really admire what you do, because you’re not very good but you do it anyway.’ It made me laugh, but I was also touched. If you enjoy something, it doesn’t really matter how you do. That’s not a bad lesson in life.
Triathlon has taught me the value of
resilience. When you fall down, you have to get up again. During one race, I lost a contact lens, and I crossed the finish line of another and won my age group with blood pouring from both knees. Sometimes, it’s as much about mental endurance as fitness. In triathlon, as in life, you just have to get on with it.
After every run, swim or bike ride,
I feel better about the world. Hearing the birds and watching the river, I feel connected. Focusing on that moment is therapeutic. Whenever I feel stressed, I use this feeling like a visualisation technique. It never fails to relax me. If you’re thinking of taking on an active challenge, get out there and go for it! Triathlon brings a new dimension to my life. I’m doing something I want to do – something that I think is important for us all. When you’re a busy working mum, it’s so beneficial to have that
outlet, to take time for yourself.
Dare To Tri: My Journey
From The BBC Breakfast
Sofa To GB Team Triathlete by Louise Minchin (Bloomsbury Sport) is out now