Shona Girdwood won her age group at the Staffordshire Half-Ironman earlier this month, then watched with pride as five of her athletes finished the challenging course.
Girdwood, 52, from Bellshill, won the 50-54 age group in a time of 5.37.38, which was two-and-a-half minutes faster than her nearest competitor.
It was also a good enough time to win the 45-49 age group, and Shona would have achieved a podium finish in the 40-44 category.
That qualified the South Lanarkshire Leisure coach for the World Championships in America, but Shona won’t be taking her place, due to a clash with last year’s Covid-hit Italy Half-Ironman.
Shona and her husband Jim will compete in the Vitoria-Gasteiz Ironman in Spain on July 10, and the Italy Half-Marathon is on September 17.
Shona, who is originally from Rosebank, said: “Winning my age group at the Staffordshire 70.3 Half-Ironman qualified me for the World Championships, but it’s only a week after we’re going to do the Italy Half-Ironman, which was deferred from last year.
“I was really pleased with the win, because that’s me 52, and I won the 50-54 age group.
“There were 72 in my age group and I won it by two-and-a-half minutes.
“I would have won the 45-49 age group by a minute, and would have been third in the 40-44, so I was quite chuffed at getting a good result.”
Shona started her own triathlon business three years ago just as Covid hit, but SG Coaching Academy is going so well that she’s opened new facilities at Rosebank Garden Centre, which is owned by her parents, and has cut back on her hours.
And some of her students also did well in the Staffordshire 70.3.
Shona said: “Everything’s going really well and I’m working hard!
“During Covid I was on furlough with my own work, so I could get loads of training done and concentrate on my own business, which has gone from strength to strength.
“So much so, that I’ve reduced by hours at South Lanarkshire Leisure and I’ve got a brand new facility with a swim-spa and a gym down at Rosebank Garden Centre.
“At Staffordshire I had five of my athletes, who I’ve been coaching for the last eight months, taking part in their first half-ironman.
“They all did really well and completed it, which was great to see.
“They’ve all come from practically nothing – in fact most of them couldn’t even swim eight months ago.
“It has been a huge challenge for them all, because they’re all over 40, and last weekend was pretty special and amazing to see them all doing so well.”
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