Kingston’s very own professional triathlete, Georgie Rutherford takes a break from training to talk to Miranda Jessop about her career to date and how she is gearing up for an Ironman Triathlon in the States later this year
I am in the cafe above Hampton open air pool, waiting to meet professional triathlete Georgie Rutherford. A handful of swimmers thrash silently up and down the lanes while two mallards, who have clearly lost their way, look as if they may launch themselves into the water at any moment.
When Georgie arrives, she is dressed in black trousers and a leather jacket and doesn't show any sign that she has come straight from a gruelling session at the running track. Tall, lean and pretty, she joins me in the cafe before finishing off her day with some rigorous laps of the pool.
Georgie (age 30) has lived in Kingston for the past two years, but she was born in Darlington in County Durham, the third of four children.
"My mum was a nurse and my dad worked for Peugeot and was a part-time rally driver but neither were particularly sporty. Mum was actually one of those kids who made excuses to get out of games," she laughs.
When her older sister was selected for the local running club, Georgie quickly followed in her footsteps. She was good at sports at school and excelled in cross country although she stopped running seriously at the age of 17 when her social life started to take off.
It was when Georgie was at Bath University studying for a degree in sport management, that she first started taking part in triathlons.
"My dad suggested it would be a good way of getting back into running and I was completely hooked," she remembers.
Georgie became part of the elite triathlon squad known as Team Bath and quickly learned about training hard and combining the three disciplines of swimming, cycling and running from the likes of Julie Dibens, Tim Don, Leanda Cave and other dedicated triathletes who were all based in Bath.
After her graduation in 2006, Georgie immediately started racing and qualified to represent Great Britain at the World Triathlon Championships in Lausanne, finishing fourth overall in her category. As she continued to compete in triathlons all over the world, Georgie also held down a job as northern manager for British Triathlon, the national governing body for the sport.
"It was tough fitting in training but I started to do really well. In 2009 I finished first female amateur overall at the World Half Ironman Championships in America."
It was when Georgie was trying to regain her title the following year, that disaster struck.
"In the cycling event, a group of men were breaking the rules by forming a pack and one collided with me from behind and I broke all my ribs down one side. I had never crashed before and I completely lost my confidence. As an event organiser, I knew that the course wasn't safe. There were far too many competitors and I was one of 70 people who ended up in hospital. At that point, I really questioned what I was doing. I had sacrificed weddings and parties to train, I'd lost a boyfriend and all for nothing."
Georgie stopped competing and threw herself into her work. In 2011 she moved to London to work part-time for the Olympic triathlon delivery team.
"That was so special. For 18 months I was one of 12 responsible for the organisation of the triathlon at Hyde Park."
She also worked at Human Race Events in Chessington and, immediately after the Olympics, she was appointed race director of the Jenson Button Trust Triathlon. She held that position for three years, remains a consultant for the event and considers Formula One racing driver, Button to be one of her close friends.
After a two year break from competing, Georgie began to increase her training and started racing again. In 2012 she won the Half Ironman Mallorca.
"I was performing well but I was completely exhausted from working as well as training and competing. I wanted to step up and push myself to the next level. So, last year, I took the decision to give up work completely and become a professional triathlete."
I ask Georgie how life has changed since her decision.
"Now I live and breathe my sport 24 hours a day, seven days a week and I can race against the best pro triathletes in the world. It is a great opportunity but it is tough as prize money is my only income.”
Some prize values may be between 5,000 and 10,000 euros while winnings for bigger events can be as much as 100,000 euros.
“I try not to think about the money as that isn't what drives me but, at the end of the day, I need to be realistic, as I need to live,” says Georgie, who aims to take part in eight big races a year.
This November she is hoping to do her first full Ironman in America. For those not familiar with the vast distances these athletes endure, an Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile cycle ride and a marathon 26.2 mile run, raced in that order without a break.
"I feel that I can mentally cope with it now," she says purposefully.
She has taken on a new coach who is based in the States and Georgie has just returned from three months training with his squad in Santa Barbara, California.
"It is amazing over there, the Americans have a very positive attitude and are incredibly focused. Now I am back, we are continuing the coaching partnership by Skype and email and I will go back to the States every few months to join the squad."
Georgie currently trains for 22 hours a week consisting of five swims, five cycles rides and four runs as well as two strength and conditioning sessions in the gym.
"I am very driven and I never get fed up with all the training,"she says, adding, "I adore living in Kingston, I have everything I need. I swim in Hampton and Kingston pools, I run at Kingsmeadow Athletics Track and I cycle in Richmond Park and Bushy Park and out into Surrey Hills."
Currently single, she does make time for a social life and enjoys meeting friends for an early dinner at one of the restaurants along Kingston Riverside.
She sighs,"Sometimes it's difficult to make the effort especially when you have to get up for training at the crack of dawn the next day!"
Georgie is very close to her parents and her siblings, all three of whom are successful amateur runners.
"My mum and dad are so supportive, I just wish they lived a bit nearer," she says.
As we near the end of the interview, I tell Georgie that I am surprised not to see her in trackies and trainers.
"I love being out of Lycra," she laughs. "I’ll go shopping and buy a gorgeous dress and then wonder when I'm ever going to wear it! I adore fashion and jump at the chance to be girly whenever I can. If ever I get married, I would ask Alice Temperley or Stella McCartney to design my dress."
And as for her long term sporting future?
"I love the multi-sport lifestyle and I am never going to stop. I want to push myself so that I achieve the very best that I can,"she says.
And with that, she tucks her swim float under one arm and disappears into the changing room.
The Jenson Button Trust Triathlon is on July 12 at Markeaton Park, Derby
