Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Five years ago I couldn’t swim, now I’m doing triathlons for Great Britain

SALON OWNER SET TO REPRESENT COUNTRY IN MADRID THIS WEEKEND

- By JASMINE NORDEN

A HUDDERSFIE­LD beauty salon owner is preparing to represent Great Britain in a triathlon at the weekend – after learning to swim just five years ago.

Claire Harrison, 43, couldn’t swim and hadn’t been on a bike since she was a child in 2018 – she was mostly a keen runner.

On a whim, she began swimming lessons, which were “horrendous”, and bought herself a second-hand bike.

She progressed quickly, and decided to enter a Summer Tri in Holmfirth that year. She finished as first female, and hasn’t looked back since.

Claire, owner of Claire’s Beauty and Richard Charles Hair Spa in Kirkburton, told the Examiner: “It was fantastic. I nearly drowned in the swim and nearly fell off my bike though!

“I never learned to swim as a child and learning as an adult was horrendous. It’s still my weakest discipline that I spend the most time training.

“I’m proud of my achievemen­ts and where I’ve got to. What I like the most is the impact exercise has for mental health – when I start off running I come back a different person.”

Since then, Claire has completed six full distance Iron Mans. She made it to the Iron Man world championsh­ips last year, where she came 25th in her entire age category.

Now she has qualified for the Great Britain team in her age group, and will be racing representi­ng them in Madrid this weekend.

The triathlon in Madrid includes a 1.5km swim, a 40km bike ride, and 10km run.

It’s been a jam-packed year for Claire, who has been fitting 15 hours of training a week around her new responsibi­lities after buying the Hair Spa in February to go with her beauty salon. Her and her partner, also a keen triathlete, are also planning for their wedding in September.

“I’m looking forward to it and I’m ready, but it’s been a busy year,” Claire said. “I get up at ridiculous times on a morning and go for a swim to be back for 7.30am.

“Our holidays and weekends are centred around training. It is tough and you get tired by the end of the week but it also easy because both my partner and I are doing it.”

Claire is being sponsored in her race this weekend by Huddersfie­ld’s Harvey’s Bar & Restaurant and Resolute Business Finance.

 ?? ?? Claire Harrison is competing in triathlons for Great Britain and, below, Claire on her cycle
Claire Harrison is competing in triathlons for Great Britain and, below, Claire on her cycle

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