Woo hoo! We're on the countdown to Christmas! Stay strong Freedom and keep booking those sessions...
Last Coached Swimming for 2024 this Friday night. You'll miss it in the holidays so get booked on now.
Final Cross Country race for this year at Stevenage Fairlands 10.30am this Sunday 15th. Nice and local.
6.30pm and 7.30pm Strength and Conditioning Sessions are now open for booking next Wednesday 18th December.
The Santa Canta NHRR 5km Run is now on Saturday 21st at 9am. Would be great to see a few Freedom wings and Santa Hats!
Don't stop now!!
As many of you will know, I will be stepping down as Chairman of Freedom Tri in January. I have been a part of this amazing club for over 12 years and love it to bits! It has been a privilege and a pleasure being Chairman since the beginning of 2020. I know it is the right time to hand over the reins to someone new and I'm looking forward to welcoming a new Chairman at the AGM being held at the end of January 2025. Nominations for Chairman or any other officer of the club should be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM. Election will take place at the AGM. If anyone would like to have a chat about the position, please don't hesitate to message me. (if you do not have access to facebook messages, please email me jane.britten@i-q-s.co.uk).
A couple of important Reminders...
1). The Freedom Tri Committee and Head Coach are meeting tomorrow evening (Thurs 5th) to discuss and confirm next years Club events and races. If you have any races or club events you'd like us to consider, please let us know so that we can include these in our planning.
2). As many of you will know, I will be stepping down as Chairman of Freedom Tri in January. I have been a part of this amazing club for over 12 years and love it to bits! It has been a privilege and a pleasure being Chairman since the beginning of 2020. I know it is the right time to hand over the reins to someone new and I'm looking forward to welcoming a new Chairman at the AGM being held at the end of January 2025. Nominations for Chairman or any other officer of the club should be sent to the Secretary prior to the AGM. Election will take place at the AGM. If anyone would like to have a chat about the position, please don't hesitate to message me.
Kudos to all those battling the elements over the weekend with their racing and training - hardcore!!
Training continues as we come to the end of November, so keep up the hard work Freedom and get booked on to this weeks training sessions...
Tues 26th - 7pm Running Club. Long Intervals. Campus 5
Wed 27th - 6.30pm & 7.30pm S&C Sessions. These are currently fully booked for this week. (If you are not able to make the session, please cancel as soon as possible so that those who can, can.)
Fri 29th - 7pm, 7.45pm and 8.30pm. Coached Swim Sessions. Make the most of the last few weeks before term ends and get booked onto those swimming sessions.
Sat 30th - 9am - Park Run - Last Saturday of the Month, Letchworth, The Grange.
Mon-Fri - 12.30pm & 7.30pm - Zwift - Bike TT Race 5.
Dates coming up in December...
Monday 2nd will see the first of our new early morning TURBO bike sessions. Kieran will be sending out zoom details of this over the next week.
Thursday 5th - the Committee and Head Coach, Kieran will be discussing and planning Freedom races and events for next year so if you have any suggestions and ideas, please post below or email: committee@freedomtri.co.uk
Tuesday 10th - Running Clinic 7pm - Hitchin Boys School pitches.
Have a super week Freedom!!
Well after the excitement of the weekend - Mike Tyson getting back into the ring, James Parsons escaping from Meriden and winning, and Andrew Jones getting a hole in one, it just shows that anything can happen when you put your mind to it!!
Training this week, let's get booked on...
Tues 19th - 7pm Running Club. Blackhorse Road, Letchworth.
Wed 20th - 6.30pm & 7.30pm. S&C. These sessions are fully booked for this week. Don't forget to read the instructions and turn up 5-10mins early so that sessions can start promptly. If you cannot make it, please cancel ASAP so that those on waiting list can.
Fri 22nd - 7pm, 7.45pm & 8.30pm - Coached Swim Sessions, St Christopher School, Letchworth
Mon-Fri - 12.30pm & 7.30pm Zwift Interclub League - Race 4.
Open Water Swims - Wed 6.30 & 7.30am, Fri 6.30am & Sat 7am.
Have a great week Freedom, go out and achieve your goals!!
GET STRONG, GET FIT, BE A GLADIATOR!!!!!!
Gladiator 2 might premier today but so do the bookings for our new Strength and Conditioning Sessions!!!
We are running a new S&C session on a Wednesday evening starting 20th November 2024 at Challenge Gym in Letchworth. These are to help you get stronger during the off season ready for racing next year!
There will be 2 sessions available at 6.30pm and 7.30pm and these will be running for the next 6 weeks. These are for FULL members only and places are limited so please book on ASAP. (There will be a waiting list once they are fully booked and we will ensure those on the waiting list will be prioritised the following week.)
All details are on the booking form when you sign up so please ensure you read these. The event is now open for booking.
We had a fantastic awards night on Saturday 9th November celebrating the club and it's members. Thank you to everyone who came along and enjoyed a fun and memorable evening!
We started the night with some new awards dedicated to those members who, in turn, are dedicated to the club sessions that we put on. We went through the system and worked out which members attended the most sessions so far in 2024 and wanted to reward them for their commitment:
Dedicated club members: Turbo - for getting up early and attending 11 out of 11 turbo sessions at the beginning of the year - Jason Byren.
Attending the most running club sessions - 28 out of 35 - David Rafferty.
Attending the most coached swim sessions both indoor at St Christopher School and outdoor at Letchworth Pool - 27 out of 31 - John Dyke.
Two members tied with their attendance of the pit swim, dipping their toes into the pit 43 times this year - Jane O'Callaghan and Rachel Hattersley.
New Member Award - a number of new members could have won this award, but one has had a fantastic start to their triathlon journey; St Neots Triathlon, HSV Triathlon, Club Aquathlon, Stewartby triathlon, Box End relays, Duck n Dash, Standalone 10km and Windsor half marathon -congratulations to Bibi DeLacey-mould
Coaches Trainer of the Year - chosen by the coaches - This member attended the most running sessions and top 5 in coached swimming sessions. A prominent member on group bike rides and often seeing whose about for a bike ride. Hugely well deserved - David Rafferty.
Athletes of the Year - A huge number of nominations were put forward, all displaying an incredible amount of talent and achieving their goals throughout the year. 11 females nominated (details attached): The Winner goes to the phenomenal Tracey Donovan who completed the World ironman champs in Nice, European middle distance champs, Duathlon sprint world champs qualifier, Winner of the Cowman middle distance triathlon and Upton Standard tri, Fred Whitton Completer, 2nd in age group World Standard duathlon champs qualifier, Interclub Zwift winner Xterra Materley Duathlon age group winner.
5 males nominated (details attached): The Winner goes to the determined Mark Lacy who finally achieved his goal of completing an Ironman. From his first multi-sport event at the Duck and Dash in 2014, Mark went all out and chose the very difficult Ironman Wales on what was a pretty horrendous day with incredibly challenging conditions. Throughout the year he had also completed the Cowman middle distance, Cambridge classic Sportif, Baldock Beast and HSV Triathlon.
Club Duathlon Winners: Chris Belcher and Laura Dilley
Club Aquathlon Winners: Phil Harper and Tracey Pitcairn
Champions League 2024 - 19 events and over 75 members taking part! It was a very close race in the points tally. Huge congratulations to:
3rd Place - Laura Dilley
2nd Place - Hannah Marshall
Champion of the Champions League 2024 - Paul Bullen
Champions League participation awards with thanks to everyone who took part over the year. (Chosen at random on the night): Andrew Dewar, James Knight, Anna Priestley & Tony Ward.
Clubman - Carried over from last year and well deserved for this year too for all the hours over the many, many years he's dedicated himself to helping our members achieve their swimming goals and improve their swimming techniques. In his own words, 'he simply enjoys helping others'. Clubman goes to the very special 'Sparky' Whittle.
Chairmans Award - To a member of the club who has made a massive contribution over the last few years managing our main event of the year - the Duck and Dash. Tirelessly putting in the hours to ensure the event runs smoothly and successfully despite a hugely busy personal life. Congratulations to the extremely fantastic Matt Cotter!
Thanks to the committee for helping to make this evening a success, it was an amazing night celebrating the club and it's members. As my last year of Chair, this was my last time of presenting these awards. I feel very privileged in doing so and enjoyed the whole evening with an incredible bunch of people! Love this club!!
Jane - Freedom Tri Chairman
Freedom Tri Nominees Athlete of the Year 2024.pdf
Morning, morning! We hit November with a bang with a busy, exciting week ahead. You will all have received an email for Athlete of the Year nominees/voting so please send your votes in this week before Friday night. Coached swimming returns this week AND we have our Annual Freedom Tri Awards night on Saturday - roll on the weekend!!
What's on this week...
Tuesday 5th - Running Club 7pm Longer intervals, Campus 5, Letchworth
Friday 8th - Coached Swim Sessions 7pm, 7.45pm & 8.30pm, St Christopher School, Letchworth
Pit Swims - Wed 6.30am & 7.30am, Friday 6.30am.
Mon-Fri - ZWIFT Interclub TT - 12noon and 7.30pm - Race 2.
Sat 9th - 7.30pm ANNUAL AWARDS NIGHT, The Three Horseshoes, Norton, Letchworth.
Next month, we have The NHRR Santa Canta FSOTM on Saturday 7th December. The CLUB RUNNING CLINIC is BACK on at Hitchin Boys School once/month starting Tuesday 10th December and Turbo sessions will be starting again - Dates TBC. Next XC League race is nice and local at Stevenage Sunday 15th December.
Have a great week Freedom!!
Wow what a beautiful weekend of Autumnal sunshine with lots of you out there training and racing. Well done to all those taking part in park runs on Saturday and XC on Sunday. (The next league XC is this Sunday at Trent Park!)
Congratulations to Tracey Donovan for coming 2nd in Age group at the Grafham ATW standard distance duathlon, qualifying for the World Championships next year!
Thank you to everyone who is coming along to the Club awards evening on the 9th and for the nominations for athletes of the year. We've had a great response and the nominees will be listed on Friday allowing for voting right up to the big day!
Training this week:
Mon 28th - Fri 1st - Zwift Interclub TT League. Race 1 - 12.2miles starts this week. You have a chance to race any day that suits you Mon-Fri either 12midday or 7.30pm. Sign up on link below and then put your name and Freedom Tri club on the google sheet.
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19cd6n5nhK/
Tues 29th - 7pm Running Club, Hill training at Blackhorse Road, Letchworth
Sat 2nd - 9am FSOTM - 5km run, Norton Common, Letchworth
Sun 3rd - 10.30am - Third cross-country race - Trent Park.
Pit Swims: Wed 6.30am & 7.30am, Fri 6.30am and Sat 7.30am.
(Coached Swimming returns to St Christophers Friday 8th November.)
LAST 2 DAYS...
...to get tickets for the Freedom Tri Annual Awards Night!!
The awards night will be on Saturday 9th November at 7.30pm at The Stables Room, The Three Horseshoes, Norton Road, Letchworth.
Thanks to everyone who has bought tickets and are coming along to celebrate and support this club.
They'll be food and drink and you get to talk about triathlon all night - what's not to love!
Please register on the app by end of 26th October.
