Freedom Tri athletes were racing at various events over the weekend

Rob Evans raced his first standard distance triathlon at the inaugural Columbia Threadneedle World Triathlon in Leeds.  This race represents the pinnacle of triathlon competition in the UK, providing more than 5,000 recreational triathletes with a unique opportunity to compete on the same course as the world’s best, including home heroes Ali and Jonny Brownlee who will be competing in their last event on home soil before Rio.  The race was contested over the standard Olympic distance, 1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run.  Rob did fantastically well, finishing 247th in his age group in 3:07:23.

Adrian Robinson and Arnaud Pouillard raced the 13.1 mile St Albans half marathon.  Robinson finished 206th in his age group in 1:49:04, and Pouillard finished in 258th in his age group in 1:44:04.

Steffan Ford and Rob Sedgwick (picture below)raced the IRONMAN 70.3 Staffordshire race.  IRONMAN 70.3 Staffordshire consists of a 1.2-mile swim in Chasewater reservoir and a 56-mile bike course through the stunning countryside outside Lichfield, Burton-upon-Trent, and across Cannock Chase area of outstanding natural beauty. The 13.1-mile run will start and finish at the historic Shugborough country estate.  Ford was having a great race, putting in some fast miles on the bike after a good swim split when the weather turned and managed to get a flat tyre.  A quick roadside fix and he was under way again.  The run course could only be described as something like cross country, and Ford reported it was the hardest race ever, even compared to full Ironman distance.  Despite the weather, bike and hard run, Ford performed brilliantly, finishing in 55th in his age group in 5:22:02.  Sedgwick was racing for the Gordon and Tana Ramsay Foundation, and he raised over £4,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital.  Despite recent illness, Sedgwick managed a PB of over 16 minutes, finishing 102nd in age group in 5:49:07, and is now looking forward to Ironman Frankfurt in 3 weeks time.

Glenn Beardon raced the 5k Great North Swim at Lake Windemere.  Windermere is England's largest lake at 10.5 miles long (17km), stretching from Ambleside in the North to Newby Bridge in the South.

Surrounded by some of the nation’s most spectacular natural scenery - the Lake District National Park - the Great North Swim is an inspiring outdoor swim. Glenn managed to finish the swim in 531st position in 2:05:13.