February 2017 23 www.womanthismonth.com race but to triumph. But what of the challenges along the way? Mariam says: “People think they can’t do it, but it’s very doable. I must admit, I found it a bit difficult at first, because of our culture, to wear the tri suit – it’s like a swimsuit with legs. But there was a lot of encouragement, from my uncles and others, and now I don’t feel uncomfortable at all. “Another thing to say is that, for triathlon, you have to have a strong mind.” Hannah agrees, adding: “Absolutely, it is all mental.” Mariam continues: “One of the main challenges is the cycling because drivers here don’t think you should be on the road.” “There have been so many times I wished I had a paintball gun on the front of my bike,” says Hannah. “There’s also a lack of good places to swim in open water. You need a lifeguard; I’m always worried about getting cramp and getting washed out.” “There’s also dirt and weird stuff in the water!” continues Rana. But all three women are obviously in love with their sport and quick to pay tribute to HH Shaikh Nasser who has opened a 10km cycle loop at his stables to give riders a safe place to train. And, after a few weeks' break following the December competition, they are very much back in training and looking forward to Tennessee. Hannah says: “It’s only for those who have previously qualified and there will be a march of nations, so we’ll be flying the flag for Bahrain. It’s very exciting and the Ironman guys love us. I think it's because they love Bahrain as they know the people here love the sport.” In the meantime, though, Mariam is, so far, the only GCC female registered to participate in the Dubai Ironman 70.3. She just can’t get enough! And all three are keen for others to get involved in the sport. Rana says: “I would really like to encourage everyone to take part especially Bahraini girls. We want to have healthy competition.” “It’s a great community,” adds Hannah. “Everyone is really helpful to each other. If someone is struggling at the start of a race, you hand over your energy gel to help them get through.” Hannah, Rana, right, and Mariam, below, at the finish line All three iron ladies credit trainer Greer Sansom with their success. The native Australian says: “I arrived in Bahrain to work in my profession as a graphic designer but the triathlon coaching is consuming more and more of my day. I see great potential to get more people training properly – it’s just a matter of tapping into the resources that we already have here and opening them up as training venues for the greater community. The athletes that come to me have a great desire to learn about training for long, endurance events. With 15 years of experience in racing and training triathlon, I believe I have a lot to share – that’s how my training group, G Trains Tri, came about. “I’m inspired by the idea of continual improvement and I’m constantly looking for methods to train better and race faster. I had one of my athletes tell me that I was the kind of coach she would tell her daughter about. That meant a lot because identifying elite athletes of the future means getting the kids of today involved. Success in elite sport doesn’t happen overnight – it must be nurtured from childhood. Many of the group that I trained up for the Ironman 70.3 last December were complete beginners – some didn’t even own a bike. Seeing them all cross the finish line beaming with satisfaction was elating for me. “The hardest part of triathlon is showing up on day one. Women make great endurance athletes and have natural ‘staying’ ability. Triathlon is a wonderful lifestyle choice as swimming, cycling and running are skills that can enhance a holiday, promote lifelong health and provide time out of your busy life to be at one with your thoughts. My hope is that Bahrain will continue to embrace the sport and provide opportunities for the broader community at grassroots level. If we get many people involved and they stay in the sport long enough, the standard will continue to rise.” A Word From the Coach
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==