Episode 502 - Non Stanford MBE: From World Class Triathlete to High Performance Coach

We’re delighted to welcome back to the show European and World Champion Non Stanford. After an incredibly successful racing career spanning more than a decade Non bowed out of racing and transitioned into her role as asst triathlon coach at British Triathlon’s Performance Centre in Leeds.

We chat about Non’s decision to retire at the peak of her career, her experiences working with world class coaches like Joel Filliol, Malcolm Brown, and Jack Maitland, and the journey that led her to becoming a world champion. We also reflect on the tough competition she faced from the likes of Annie Haug and Gwen Jorgensen, and her strategies to prepare for these challenges.

Non shares her experience of competing in the 2018 European Championships, the emotional and physical demands of racing after the Commonwealth Games, and her surprise victory. We also discuss her transition to a coaching role at Leeds Triathlon Centre whilst still competing, and how she now manages her time between coaching and keeping herself fit.

Lastly we touch on the importance of female coaches in sport and how Non has brought a unique perspective to the coaching team. She also shares her views on the simplicity of the Leeds training program, the complexities of managing athletes and the pressures of performing at the Olympic Games.

Non Stanford

LINKS:

British Triathlon at https://www.britishtriathlon.org/

Non Stanford on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/nonstanford/