At Quo Vadis Trust, we know that looking after our mental wellbeing can take many forms, and for our IT Manager, Paul Thornton, that form is endurance sport. Paul recently completed Ironman 70.3 Swansea, taking on a 1.9km swim, 90km bike ride and 21.1km run in a remarkable 7 hours and 16 minutes.
We sat down with Paul to hear about his training, his mindset on race day, and how movement has become one of his most valued tools for managing stress and switching off.
What made you decide to take on Ironman Swansea, and how long did you train for it?
I’m actually in search of an event or task which breaks me mentally and physically, one which makes me quit. I’ve missed cut offs at UTMB 50-mile events in Cornwall by 20 minutes, but nothing has yet ever made me say “I quit.” So, when I saw the professionals do it on a live TV event two years ago, I put a 70.3 Ironman on the to-do list. Training-wise, it was more of a challenge for me as I’d never learnt how to swim. After a year and a half of self-taught learning, I’ve gone from doggy paddle to freestyling 1.9km, often 2km in training. That was clumped in with bike training mainly, as running has come naturally to me since I was 8.
1.9km swim, 90km bike, 21.1km run in 7 hours 16 minutes, that’s an incredible effort. Which of the three legs did you find toughest, and why?
Surprisingly, I got out of the water after the 1.9km swim feeling good. I fell over getting out of the dock as there was no blood in my legs after being horizontal for 44 minutes, but that’s common. The hardest part was the mental part that happened about 45km into the bike. It wasn’t a fitness issue, just really an “I’ve had enough of this” moment. But I knew if I ground it out for the last 45km, the “easy” part was waiting for me. Once I got to the run, despite the heat on the day, it was basically done, barring a medical emergency.
Was there a point during the race where you doubted you’d finish, and how did you push through it?
No, actually. My wife says she worries a lot on these things because I admittedly push myself right to the limit. I’d rather faint or collapse than quit. I will quite literally give it everything I have. It’s worked for me so far.
Is this your first Ironman, or have you done others? What’s next, another race on the horizon?
This is indeed my first Ironman 70.3. I’ve done a smaller triathlon event, T100 London, which was 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run, just to learn the “triathlon” experience. I’m currently weighing up my options, a few of them involve Weymouth 70.3 in 2027, and/or a full Ironman distance in Barcelona, Leeds or Italy, which is basically double the 70.3: a 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run. I’m calling that my “retirement from endurance” event.
Any advice for someone thinking about their first triathlon or endurance event?
Do it. Don’t immediately think about the training, the logistics, the how’s and the if’s, sign up. Commit. The rest will follow. It might be outside of your comfort zone, but progress is not made inside the comfort zone. You’ll be surprised at what you can achieve. So many cliches I can give here, but my main and best one is the mind will give up before the body, so trust your body.
Do not compare yourself to others. It doesn’t matter if someone else has the latest bike and can do the swim in 23 minutes flat, nor does it matter if someone is on a hire bike and you think you’re expected to beat them because of it. This is your race, no one else’s. When it’s your first, train to finish, don’t train to get an “impressive” time. Your finish time, as it’s your first, will already be a personal best.
It’s worth noting too, you don’t have to go straight for a 70.3 or full distance. I didn’t. You can start with a super sprint or a sprint, both shorter versions often used just to get your head around the process, how to transition from swim to bike, and bike to run, and then move up to Olympic distance. You don’t have to start at the top end. Grow into it.
Has training for something like this had an impact on your own mental wellbeing?
I use my training to switch off. Some people meditate to relax, some people relax in a bath, some believe in the power of crystals to help them unwind. I relax with a long run, a long bike ride, or a calm swim, putting music on, letting my Garmin decide my route, and just following where it takes me. No borders, no time limit, no restrictions.
What role does exercise play in how you manage stress or switch off from work?
Working out before the workday starts is always a plus. You feel lively, fresh after a shower, prepared. For some people, waking up and getting out that door to work out is the hardest part of the day, and if that’s your hardest part, and you’ve done it by 8.30am, what else can the day throw at you that will be harder?
In the evening, it’s a way to switch off from whatever has happened during the day. It can be used constructively to work through a problem or plan for the day ahead, or simply to switch off entirely from work, and even life, quieting those daily voices about bills, housework, the car, mowing the front lawn, and everything else.
Paul’s story is a brilliant reminder that looking after our mental wellbeing can take many different forms, whether that’s training for an endurance event, finding time for a quiet walk, or simply carving out space to switch off from the pressures of daily life. At QVT, we’re incredibly proud of what Paul has achieved, not just the physical feat, but the honesty he’s shown in sharing how movement supports his own mental health.
Congratulations, Paul, on an outstanding achievement! We can’t wait to see where your determination takes you next.