Vicky Carpenter – European Champion at 73 years old and not done yet!
Coached Athlete Review – Read how Vicky’s season went, from the London marathon, to a 2 hour half marathon, and of course becoming European Champion in the 70-74 age group. All this and over 10 grandchildren to contend with!
I was introduced to running by our daughter’s fiancé, a great trainer, when I was in my mid 50s (18 years ago!). I seemed to be ok at it, was doing and achieving something for myself (we’d had 4 children!) and loved running on the coast path after long hard days teaching a Reception class!
Coached Athlete Review – Read how Vicky’s season went, from the London marathon, to a 2 hour half marathon, and of course becoming European Champion in the 70-74 age group. All this and over 10 grandchildren to contend with!
I was introduced to running by our daughter’s fiancé, a great trainer, when I was in my mid 50s (18 years ago!). I seemed to be ok at it, was doing and achieving something for myself (we’d had 4 children!) and loved running on the coast path after long hard days teaching a Reception class!
Before I knew it he had me in marathons and then at some point mentioned the word ‘Ironman’. I had no idea what that was but again before I knew had a bike and wetsuit! It was heady stuff – I’d never had a medal before in my life let alone a trophy and there I was on the podium at Monaco 70.3 (2009) with an appetite for more (+ travelling to nice places!)
Dozens of races including World and European Championships and lovely trips away, 9 grandchildren and many years later a setback of a big injury took me out in 2019 and then covid in 2020 meant disrupted training and no races. I was floundering around, not sure how to get going again when an email landed in my inbox out of the blue re. something called Challenge Tri Camp! Luckily I decided to go to find out if I still wanted to do it, had a great time and came home recharged.
Fast forward, add the Tri Camp team and Nick to my training and here we are in 2024! Training for my planned year of ½ marathons and a 70.3/middle distance was disrupted by ‘accidentally’ getting a ballot place in the London Marathon but I did it anyway and banked another experience (+ it confirmed that ½ is my distance!!)
February ….Blackpool ½ (Great NW Run) – there are no older Age Groups recognised, why? It doesn’t feel right to have to compete with the AG below but nevermind I had a great run and came 2nd.
April….London Marathon has to have been on the coldest day in the year! Can’t say I enjoyed it and it interfered with triathlon training but I’m so glad to have done it. No need to repeat it though even if I have qualified!
June….Middle distance European Championships in Coimbra, Portugal, was by contrast on their 1stheatwave day! I didn’t think I’d done a good time but came away with the Gold as hoped (I was Silver in Menen last year) and we tacked a lovely holiday in Spain on afterwards. I’ve also Pre Qualified for next years event.
September….By way of then upping my running speed again I was due to run in Torbay 10k but extreme weather saw it cancelled, wind this time!
October….Palma ½ was a great finish to the year. My speed was back up, conditions were perfect and I really enjoyed it. 1st place by 6 minutes was the icing on the cake.
Winter training is now underway to make sure I can tackle another Tri Camp in 2025, a few 1/2 marathons and probably a 70.3, we’ll see. 2026 would see me up yet another Age Group which would be quite something – I’m not sure if that’s going to happen, it’s certainly getting no easier so time will tell but I’m not done yet!
Coached Athlete Vicky Carpenter
