Featured Athlete Team Elivar

David Bowden Triathlete & General Manager

Dave is an ex-footballer who took to running marathons when he finally succumbed to injuries and stopped playing football at age 43 after 27 years. Dave maintains he qualified as a semi-professional after apparently being paid £12 at one stage.

Following a few duathlons, Dave got the bug for triathlon starting with sprints and progressing through the distances to complete his first Ironman in 2013 and now focuses on long distance events.

This year Dave will take part in a number of road races including the London Marathon and half-iron distance triathlons but all roads are leading to two races;

ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships in Denmark
ETU Long Distance Triathlon European Championships in Spain

Follow on Twitter – @IMBowdenGBR

Instagram - David.Bowden7

Website - https://davidbowdengbr.wordpress.com/

Occupation: General Manager - Logistics

Sport: Marathon & Ultra-running, Triathlon, Taekwondo, Motorcycling

Pre-race Ritual: Write a checklist.

Lay the kit out on the floor in race order, do an imaginary race including transitions. This way I know I've got everything and then check it all again, again, and again. Race morning I'll have porridge with nuts, honey, two cups of tea, 1 ltr. of electrolyte & lots of loo visits.

Sit down with my earphones on and listen to some house music visualising the race from the start, powering through to finishing strong with a sprint.

Favourite Cheat Food:

That's tough, there's so many. When I'm into big training volumes 14-18 hr weeks it has to be ice cream. A truly massive bowl after my evening meal.

Favourite Cross Training:

A long slow off-road run on a Sunday morning with an old friend through beautiful woodland.

Career Highlights:

Coaching two of my daughters from non-runners to a marathon in 14 weeks and crossing the finish line together.
Winning my age group at the Bastion triathlon in 2014 & 2015.
6th AG and 1st GBR at ETU European Long Distance Triathlon Championships, Poland 2016.
24th AG at ITU World Championship LD triathlon, Canada 2017.
AG winner Marshman half-iron triathlong
Running 2:59 at London Marathon in 2017 at age 53
AG winner 5km, 5m, 10m, 1/2m, 20m, marathon and ultra.
Silver Medal Kent 20m road running championships.