My Triathlon: Maxine Strain

To celebrate Women in Sport Week, each day we are sharing the experiences of some of the leaders in our community. This week you’ll get to meet club chairs, committee members, coaches, board members and technical officials, and find out more about their journey in triathlon.

Today, meet Maxine Strain. Maxine has many roles within the triathlon community; coach, race director, club member and she is also a Triathlon Ireland Board Member. Read Maxine’s fascinating insights into her experiences in triathlon so far…

It all started at Try Athy in 2017 with a sprint distance triathlon. I was your typical novice triathlete, doubting myself and my ability. I can’t say that I actually enjoyed the race, but I endured it! I do remember feeling completely out of place amongst the other seasoned athletes who all look like professionals to me. It couldn’t have been that bad though as I completed the Olympic distance the following year and then middle distance the year after.

I cannot imagine not being involved in triathlon now. It’s part of who I am. Triathlon has also given me a vocation which I wouldn’t have even considered 4 years ago. I love all sorts of events that involve swim, bike and run either on their own or a combination. Throw in a few other challenging elements like night race, jump off a boat, swim from an island, cycle in torrential rains,  etc. and it’s really ticking all the boxes!

Naas Triathlon Club’s plans for Women in Sport Week…

Mary Walsh our club Women In Sport lead has organised an ABC (Altogether, Bike & Coffee) cycle for Sunday 13th March for all of the female members in our club. This is a social spin for female members of all abilities to celebrate the increasing number of women in our club. We are here to support one another and welcome all of our newer female members who joined during the pandemic.

How long have you been coaching? Did you always want to be a coach?

I have been coaching since 2018 after completing my Level 2 qualification with Triathlon Ireland. Having started on the Swim Ireland education pathway in 2017 I soon felt that I wanted to diversify into Triathlon as it was a sport I was passionate about. In the last 4 years I have had so many opportunities to grow and learn and I am grateful to the athletes I work with, my own tri club Naas and also Triathlon Ireland for supporting me on this wonderful journey.

I had never considered being a coach before I started participating in triathlon. Coaching isn’t anything that I thought it would be. There is so much more to coaching triathlon than writing a training plan. I am both humbled and inspired by the athletes that I work with and truly priveledged to share their highs and lows. 

What advice would you give to those who are starting their coaching journey?

I would urge anyone that has completed any level of the coaching pathway to get stuck in as soon as possible. Bridge the knowing-doing gap by volunteering with your local club to get some leading or coaching experience. Ask for help from your peers that you meet through your various courses. Don’t be scared to ask the ‘stupid’ questions because everyone is thinking them! Don’t wait until you’re 100% knowledgable or comfortable to coach or it will never happen. Start TODAY. Also remember to network, as your next mentor could be within easy reach.

You are one of the coaches for the new Boost Youth Development Hubs. Can you tell us about what is involved in these junior training sessions? How do these sessions benefit the youth athletes attending?

I was delighted to be selected as a youth development hub coach for Leinster, along with Niall Foley from Athy. The Boost Hub training sessions are held in various locations around Leinster, usually once a month. Myself and Niall put together a 2-3 hour session covering two of the three disciplines which include for example skills, endurance, technical proficiency, training education, team work, rules of triathlon and race preparation to name a few. The youth that have attended these sessions are of mixed ability which is a great opportunity as a coach to structure an effective session where every partipant is challenged, but not overwhelmed. The group dynamic has been particularly interesting as athletes from different clubs now look forward to meeting up and training with one another. There is always healthy competition and light-hearted banter amongst them. When we are short one ot two participants for a relay, even myself and (not so much) Niall are put through our paces passing the baton! 

On being elected to the Board of Triathlon Ireland

Joining the Board has been a very positive experience so far. At first it was daunting but I’m slowly finding my feet and learning all the time. I am looking forward to meeting the other board members face to face at the next board meeting as all communications since I joined, have been via Zoom. Since joining the Board, I have a new found respect for the volume of work and level of committment the executive team at Triathlon Ireland undertake, to ensure the smooth running of the organisation.

What is involved in being a board member?

There is a reasonable amount of reading to be done prior to each board meeting. Initially there were many acromyns that I wasn’t familiar with but I soon became more comfortable once I knew my LSPs from my NGBs and the OFI and WT! Each board meeting includes a comprehensive Executive Report from the CEO and various matters which are discussed and voted on or actioned. 

If you had to choose one discipline; swim, bike or run, which would you choose and why?

It would be swim every time. I grew up in the pool in South Africa but my first ever open water swim was 1500m in Glendalough in 2013, wearing a surfing wetsuit! I feel at home in the water and it gives me a great sense of freedom and calm to swim. I feel my closest with nature when I am swimming in the ocean.

You hold a number of important roles within your club, and within the triathlon community. What do you enjoy about each of your roles?

Mostly I enjoy the challenge. My biggest fear is being mediocre. I put a great deal of effort into everything I do. Whether I am developing a session for a group of athletes, organising a race or tutoring at a coaching course I aim for a high standard and I continue to learn and reflect in order to improve. Each of my roles in triathlon is very different and I can certainly say that I was not comfortable taking on any of them at first. I find the best way to learn and progress is to say YES to something new and learn along

In the last couple of years, you have taken on the role of race director with your club, Naas TC. Now that Covid-19 restrictions are easing – what lies ahead for the Galco Naas Duathlon Series?

With an unexpected change of venue for 2022, it has been a busy few months. We are pleased with our new venue at Mondello Park where speed has certainly been the main theme. Feedback from competitors has been positive about the challenging bike course and run on the Mondello track itself. It has been a steep learning curve but Naas Tri Club has a large number of experienced members who have been on hand with both advice and assistance to develop and deliver a safe race for participants.