220 Triathlon

TIME-CRUNCHED KONA QUEEN

“In the final run down Palani hill, I knew my gap was up to 14mins so I just had to not collapse – which, in Kona, is not always a given”

There cannot be many who embark on a career as a professional triathlete conceding that one of the things they’re most looking forward to is a rest. But then, Ruth Astle is no ordinary triathlete. Not only has the 30-year-old from south west London enjoyed a rapid climb to the top of the ever-more competitive ranks of age-group Ironman competition, but she’s achieved it while holding down a 70-hour-a-week job in the corporate world of banking.

After a string of eye-catching performances, Ruth’s amateur career concluded with an overall age-group win in the Ironman World Championships this October in 9:20:06, with a 14min gap to second place. Of age-group women in Hawaii, only fellow Brit, Catherine Faux, in 2013, has ever raced faster.

Whether seeking the best support for coaching or nutrition, sponsorship or sports science, Ruth has a track record of making smart choices, and as she heads for her debut pro year, tells 220 how she structured training, work and life to forge her own blueprint for age-group success.

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