Meet the Club Member: Laura
Powerhouse Laura completed the London Classics with a 2-mile swim in the Serpentine last Saturday to earn her special medal and enter the Hall of Fame. Congratulations!
You are...
Laura Hamilton, member since 2016
What brought you to the club
My old flatmate convinced me to do a triathlon in 2015, before spending the year trying to convince me to join Serpies as well. As more of a multisport athlete than a runner, I felt I wasn’t speedy enough to join the club. However, I finally bit the bullet and joined before applying for the 2016 Tri Squad and haven’t looked back since!
When you aren't tri-ing, you are...
Travelling - I’m always keen to visit new places and never say no to the chance to go on a trip, no matter how weird and wonderful the destination may be!
The most challenging thing you have ever done
Probably completing the 2018 London Marathon. It was my first time training for a marathon where I was aiming for a specific time and having finally overcome some pretty big mental obstacles in my training, was super excited for race day. However, as anyone who completed it knows, training in snow does not prepare you for the sun shining just that bit too hard and temperatures hitting the high 20s. My time goal went out the window but I managed to finish it and promptly re–entered the ballot for next year…
Your favourite book
Sports related would be “A Life Without Limits: A World Champion’s Journey” by Chrissie Wellington and non-sports related is “Small Wars Permitting” by Christina Lamb. The former is a great story of a very accomplished athlete and the trials and tribulations she experienced along the way, while the latter is one that, as a War Studies Grad, is a favourite due to Lamb’s experiences and style of writing (it’s a collection of articles she has written while working as a Foreign Correspondent).
If you could be an animal, you would want to be...
A lion.
What you like best about the club
How friendly everyone is! Having finally bitten the bullet and turned up for cross country last season, it was so great to meet other club members and make new friends along the way.
Most unusual race you have ever done
Not sure if it counts as unusual, but the national tri relays in Nottingham last year were definitely a favourite. In an individual sport it is one of the rare occasions when you get to race as a team. Its description as “organised chaos” is definitely an accurate one, and I’d recommend it to anyone who fancies giving it a try!
Your top training tip
Endurance sports require playing a long game. Improvements won’t be made overnight so it’s important to train consistently and keep your eye on the long term goals, rather than getting disheartened if one race doesn’t go to plan.
Your next big goal
I’m hoping to complete a 70.3 next year. You read it here first!
Something you have never told anyone else or that would surprise others
I was born in Spain, so I’m Madrilenian at heart!
Previous profiles: Elizabeth Ayres, David Evans, Eddie Ware, Coralie Frost, Karen Hancock, Vanessa Armond, Elvira Gonzalo, Aga Wicinska, Will Green, Tony Payne, Isaac Leigh
If you would like to be featured in our 'Meet the Club Member' series, please email me.
Eda Korkmaz
communications@serpentine.org.uk
Submitted: 24 September 2018