Tom Rigby is an age group triathlete who has had some stellar performances across swim, bike and run. Winner of the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Cork in Youghal last month he backed up that impressive win by winning the overall Age Group race at the tenth edition of IRONMAN Wales last week finishing in a time of 9:31:05.
Tom was the third fastest age group athlete at IRONMAN UK last year and in 2019 he was fifth fastest overall and second in his age group at the Bolton event, earning him a hard earned and coveted slot for the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona.
Taking up triathlon seven years ago or so, he raced IRONMAN UK in 2015, as a ‘one and done’ but he is far from done! He did take a bit of a break from racing triathlon to focus on cycling in recent years, where he has also had significant success, however he missed the fun, camaraderie and friendship of training and racing with his friends and team mates at Tri Preston and so has returned to triathlon. With consistency in training some great training partners and steely determination Tom has enjoyed super fast times and significant improvements in performance in recent years.
2022 was a big year for Tom, despite a late start to his triathlon season, it has been his most successful to date, breaking the tape at IRONMAN 70.3 Cork was icing on the cake. In this episode we get some insight into Tom’s approach to training and racing whilst working a forty hour a week job as well as balancing family life with his wife Kerry and two children Evelyn and Sophie – who join us on the show for a couple of minutes.
Together Tom and Kerry are embracing triathlon as a way of life for their family, Tom may be the athlete standing on the start line of a race but Kerry is a key part of Tom’s success and together they enjoy and endure the sport of triathlon and long distance racing as a team.