When I first was introduced to Great Britain Age-Group Triathlon Athlete Anna Symms, I must admit that, at first, I did question her sanity! As a full time worker in the oil and gas industry, I imagine that life is busy enough without adding into the mix full time training for the Ironman 70.3, , recently swimming the English channel and her ongoing training as part of Great Britain’s Age-Group Triathlon team. These are just a few of Anna’s current sporting projects. Nest season she’ll be adding in a full Ironman (only the worlds most notorious and toughest triathlon).

During our conversation around how she manages to balance her working and sporting career, it became very clear that Anna was no average fitness enthusiast. Anna has a much deeper drive to challenge herself with a never-ending bucket list of new goals. This passion Anna shares with her mother, Roe, who is also a member of Great Britain Triathlon Age-Group Team. Together they will be traveling to Chicago and putting on their GB kits for the first time as the city hosts the 2015 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final and World Age-Group Championships from September 15-19. Anna and Roe will compete against about 50 of the world’s top Olympic and sprint-distance age-group triathletes, alongside the elite athletes as they vie for a world championship title less than a year prior to the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games.

With both having sporting backgrounds in Hockey, this is a new challenge for the pair. Whilst chatting over a bottle of amaretto in the summer of 2014, Anna had the idea to try to qualify for the 2015 world championships and managed to persuade her mother to join her.

Anna set me straight about the common misconception that British Age-Group Athletes are paid by sponsors and advertisements. The reality is that for most of the GB Age-Group Team their achievements are mainly managed through self-funding and securing their own sponsorship, which is not an easy feat. There are no complaints uttered from Anna about the strict training regime and hard work involved in finding sponsors. What does come across clearly is her dedication and passion, leaving me feeling nothing but complete admiration.

With such remarkable determination and commitment, it delights Health Rewards to sponsor Anna throughout her journey. As the excitement grows in the lead up to the World Championships in Chicago, Anna’s new GB kit and tracksuit have arrived, complete with Health Rewards branding proudly displayed. Anna is also sponsored by ERC Equipoise and has had the support and help of multiple coaches along the way.

As if qualifying for Chicago world championships was not achievement enough for 2015, Anna also recently swam in an English Channel relay on the 9th August. The weather was with Anna as she left in prefect conditions, beautiful calm waters and blue skies. She told Health Rewards how she got on:

“It is an amazing feeling that you’re swimming to France. I loved every minute, a testament to the cold water training I had put in. I would recommend this to anyone, it’s completely achievable as long as you train properly”

There seems to be never a dull moment in Anna’s sporting calendar, and as proud sponsors, Health Rewards will be bringing you all the latest in the up coming months as she takes on the World Championships and sets herself new goals.

Good Luck Anna and Roe from Health Rewards!