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Today it is our privilege to bring you an interview with professional Triathlete, Emma Pallant. We discuss Emma’s approach to training, being driven by a desire to positively impact others, her ambitions for the future and much more…

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What types of movement do you specialize in?

I am a runner turned triathlete, so I would like to think I now specialise in swimming and cycling too, but running will always be my strongest and the one I’m most passionate about!

How did your passion for these disciplines begin and develop?

I have always loved sport. When I was younger my mum would taxi me around from sports club to sports club, I just couldn’t sit still but then my run coach told me if I wanted to be a champion I had to choose one sport (the irony of which hasn’t been lost on me these days 😉 so I chose to run.

Photo Credit: @thatcameraman

How has your passion for sport and fitness changed and evolved over time?

I think it is forever growing because of the stimulus of new challenges, new goals, new environments, I couldn’t imagine life without sport and I am now helping others in the disciplines too, which increases my passion even more.

What are your personal stand-out moments from your career as an athlete so far?

My first world track medal when I came 3^rd 1500m junior was a big stand out as my best friend and training partner won and was selected for Beijing so it was a real special podium share. Other than that, my two world duathlon titles, my European Cross-Country title and 2^nd at the World 70.3 ironman champs all were so special in their own unique ways.

Photo Credit: @thatcameraman

What does your weekly training routine consist of?

I train quite a lot of hours at the moment. I swim six times a week, run six times a week and bike six times a week. I now incorporate gym three times a week and do yoga twice a week, so it’s definitely a full time job!

Are there any people, books, or experiences that you would be willing to share with us that have really helped shape your mentality?

A lot of people have really affected my growth as an athlete. Lorna Kiplegat in the work that she did to build and grow the youth of Kenya, Kelly Holmes who mentored me as a junior runner, my best friend and training partner back in the running days Olympian Steph Twell and my old tri coaches Michelle Dillon and Stuart Hayes. My boyfriend Jaryd also plays a massive role in shaping my mentality, always keeping me positive and never telling me my goals are crazy, instead always backing me with whatever we put our minds together and showing me the importance of teamwork.

Photo Credit: @thatcameraman

What do you think are the most important characteristics to develop in order to pursue your ambitions?

I think you have to be passionate, love what you do, love the hard work but also care about the people about you. My two mantras in life are:

Train with the fight of the underdog, race with the confidence of a champ.

The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to use it to help others.

What’s your approach to finding balance between your priorities in different areas of your life?

I never use to be very good at this, but this is where Jaryd comes in. You have to be focused, committed and sacrifice things to achieve something special, but then you have to make sure that that achievement is driven by the force that it will touch other people’s lives and you can use it to give and better the world in some kind of way. If you live by the mentality to give more than you took from this world then I think the world will always be a growing place and people will have that feeling that beats no other feeling, the feeling of pride, of worth and purpose.

Photo Credit: @thatcameraman

What are you goals and plans for the future?

My goals for the future is to continue to be the best athlete I can be, the best coach I can be and to develop the orphanage running club that we have started here in South Africa to better lives and empower the children. I would love to win world duathlon again, to podium at the 70.3 worlds again and to run some world marathon and half marathon times in the future and perhaps return to representing Great Britain as a pure runner again.

Photo Credit: @thatcameraman

Instagram: em_pallant

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Interviewer: @tudge_
(Instagram)