Visitors to Fishguard Leisure Centre might see Jayne Richards at the front desk and not realise that she has been heavily involved in raising the profile of the ‘Go Tri’ series which started a few years ago with and now has five events organised under the auspices of Pembrokeshire County Council Leisure Services Department.In that first event the aim was to stimulate an interest in active participation amongst those experiencing swimming, cycling and running for the first time and there were upwards of 60 taking part, which was very pleasing. It led to the foundation of similar events the following year, not only at Fishguard but also in Crymych, Haverfordwest and Tenby – and with the number of venues rising to five when St Davids also joined in the fun.
Numbers taking part have also risen nicely and last year saw over 500 participants overall, with even more hoped for at this year’s competitions.
National age group champion
Jayne is understandably keen to see such success because as a former triathlete who became a National Age Group Champion she knows how taking part can be a stimulus for well-being – and likes the idea that those setting out can even compete as a team so that they can have three team members doing one discipline each or two members, one taking on a single activity and the other doing two.
“All we want to see is people enjoying the activity and to start off they don’t need hugely expensive bikes or be top swimmers or runners – just to build up their fitness levels and see how quickly their times improve.
“We have some competitors who just enter one of our triathlons and others who do them all, with prizes not only for the top competitors but best teams, top newcomers and most improved competitors. It is, in the final analysis, all about taking part.”
Living proof
Jayne is living proof of that notion because although she was a useful cyclist and runner she could only manage half a length of the pool when she began her interest.
“But I went to lessons, spent enjoyable time in the pool and although I’ll never swim at the top level I manage well enough now.”
That is a little of an understatement because she is now able to swim 100 lengths but that typifies Jayne’s modesty about her role, where she is now a trained lifeguard and regularly takes up to 20 hours a week of coaching swimming to pupils from junior schools in the area, as well as ‘spinning’ sessions for fitness training, plus a weekly triathlon training session and circuit training.
Coming home
Jayne has been working at Fishguard Leisure Centre for upwards of four years now and arrived there from a rather circuitous route which saw her initially live in Llangwm and then Simpson Cross.
“I then left Pembrokeshire to join the Army, did that for a while and then joined the Thames Valley Police Force. I enjoyed both but than had the feeling that I wanted to return to my roots and so sold the house and came back to the county. I had a best overall time of 2 hours 16 minutes for triathlon, with my top time for swimming a mile in open water being 25 minutes, my best 25 mile cycle being around 2 hour 10 minutes, and running 10k being 43 minutes.
"In 2004 I won the Over 40s section of the British National Age Group Triathlon Championships in Liverpool and won the Pembrokeshire Triathlon in Fishguard – but then injuries affected my progress.”
New career start
“By then I had decided to start a new career in sport and trained as a lifeguard, getting a job at Fishguard Leisure Centre and being given the role of organising that first triathlon.
“I have had every encouragement from Darren Bowen as the Fishguard Leisure Centre Manager and Gary Nicholas, who has responsibility for all the leisure centres in the county.
“Originally it was called ‘Try and Tri’ but now is known as ‘Go Tri’ and one of the many pleasing features has been the fact that the numbers of triathletes in the county have increased and one girl who started out with us has already completed the ‘Iron Man’ race in Tenby!”
Loves helping out
Although she no longer competes herself, Jayne is eager to keep stimulating an interest and has taken part in the Pembrokeshire Bile Ride as well as running from time to time. She is also involved in all five ‘Go Tri’ events and is there to give advice about the number of marshalls needed or other logistical matters that crop up.
“I just want to see people taking part, not only youngsters but those who might be older and have convinced themselves that physical activity is not for them.”
If you fit into either of these categories just pop along to Fishguard Leisure Centre and chat to Jayne Richards but be warned – she is very persuasive about positive activity and could well talk you into giving it a try!