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Mid Wales Ultra 2008 Competitor Profile
Competitor #9 Alex Thompson
From: Luton
Club: Tri London
DOB: 04/06/1984
1. What’s your best previous race result? 22nd tring to town leg 1 (would have got in top ten if it wasn’t for "stomach and bowel issues"
2. Describe your racing style in three words.. I can suffer.
3. What’s your most exotic previous race (of any discipline)? Does Thai boxing in Bangkok count? Other than that Exmoor has some pretty "exotic" terrain..
4. Longest distance event (any discipline) previously completed?Half ironman/ 40mile run
5. How much training do you do in an average week? 25 hours
6. When was the last time you fell off your bike? I fell off twice in a week in early January. The first time was coming home from the pysio the hill I rode up was fine, but 45 minutes later the same hill (20% and twisty) turned itself in ice. On a fixed wheel with two pannier back I couldn’t stop so I tried to brake as much as I could without locking the front wheel but it slipped ont h last corner. Two days later I was riding from Luton to Epsom (I ride this every weekend to see my girlfriend) into a head wind on a very wet Saturday, I rode only 20 miles before I had to stop for a piece of fruit cake, 25 meters after I stopped I slipped on a drain cover after being "guided" onto it by a friendly 4x4. I fell on the same hip, I got a taxi back to Luton after trying for 2 hours with no success on the train.
7. How long have you been training for the Welsh Ultra (or how long will you have been training for..?) Since September.
8. How did you hear about the Welsh Ultra? Surfing the net
9. What are you looking forward to most about the event? Mount Snowdon
10. Do you know anyone else taking part? Steven Lord, and Jo Carrit who are both a lot better than me.
11. How many years have you been taking part in triathlon for? Since February 2005.
12. How many years have you spent in multisport (including swimming/cycling/running etc)? I was a thai boxer before then but have always enjoyed bike riding, mountain bikes/flatland BMX, I have been ridng a race bike since I saw Lance Armstrong win the Tour in 2004.
13. What's been your most amusing racing experience so far? I had a suspected heart attack in my second race last season and had to miss it, however if it wasn’t for the extra free time I would never have met my girlfriend.
14. Do you have a message do you for any of the other competitors? Please don’t pack up without me.
15. In terms of competitiveness, are you coming to Wales to:
a. win? b. enjoy yourself? c. survive? d. other (please specify)
Survive
16. If you have them confirmed already, please provide the names of your support crew (and short (ie couple of words) description, if you wish)
Partha dey is my main crew buddy, he has climbed mount blanc and Ama Dablam. ive been told (not by partha) is harder than Everest, so hopefully he can a navigate me round some lumps in Wales.
Paul, a tattoo’d skinhead who once asked, "I’m thinking of trying an ultra running, how far are they?" He can do more press-ups in 5 minutes than I can do in half an hour.
My girlfriend is an angry young woman who is into submission fighting, and no slouch in the pool or on a run either.
17. Do you have any pre-race superstitions or special habits or lucky charms? Cold showers, for 3 days before the race, no sexual activity of any kind for at least 3 days before a race.
18. Your favourite tri-related item? My fixed wheel bike.
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