How injury helped Beth Potter achieve her breakthrough season

When Beth Potter placed 34th of 35 finishers in the women’s 10,000m in the Rio Olympic Games of 2016, she knew it was time for a change. 

Seven years on, the 31-year-old Scot crossed the line first in the World Triathlon Championship Series finale in Pontevedra, proving to herself and any remaining doubters that the switch had been a resounding success. 

From winning a first pro race in 2017 to becoming European champion two years later, a first World Series podium and Commonwealth Games bronze last year, and then a first WTCS win in March followed by three more victories in this summer’s series, it is a perfectly crafted career trajectory.

The success in Spain capped it off, meaning the Leeds-based triathlete had not only become world champion, but qualified for another Olympics – this time with a realistic medal chance – by hitting the toughest qualification criteria set by any country in the world.

Following the Brownlees, Alistair and Jonny, Non Stanford, Vicky Holland and Georgia Taylor-Brown, it makes Potter the latest in a long list of world champions to have prospered from the high performance training base in Yorkshire.

But while victories in Abu Dhabi, Montreal, the Paris Test Event and Pontevedra underline the season of her career so far, with Olympic qualification secured early, she’s hoping for an even bigger celebration in Paris next summer. On current form it would be hard to bet against the world No. 1.

Beth on winning her first world title…

220: How did you feel having just won your first triathlon world title?   

Beth Potter: Tired and sore. I didn’t get out of doping control until 9:30pm and still hadn’t seen my mum and dad. I then ate a pizza, went to bed and was up at 5am the next morning to fly to Malibu [for Super League Triathlon].

For so long I’ve had people tell me I can’t do something and I’ll never be good, so it’s nice to be like: ‘Well, I can do it and I did do it!’ It’s been a bit of a breakthrough year.

220: How much does it mean to have confirmed your Olympic qualification?

BP: It’s a massive weight off my shoulders. Doing two races [Paris Test Event and the Grand Final] with nothing going wrong wasn’t an easy task, and I didn’t actually think I could do it at the start of the year.

I can now have a proper off-season break and know exactly what I need to do for next year. I don’t have to worry about Yokohama [an early WTCS race that could act as a qualifier] and I can just prepare at home. It makes life a lot easier.

Beth on dealing with pressure…

220: Do you find racing at elite level a pressurised environment?

BP: I find there’s a lot of pressure, but it’s self-inflicted. The only thing that keeps me from not stressing before big races is going training. I get anxious about having to deal with the disappointment of not racing well.

I know it’s part of it, but I find it a hard pill to swallow. I was upset for weeks after Cagliari [WTCS, where Beth placed sixth] even though I hadn’t run for a month.

Beth on her secret injury…

220: … why was there so little running?

BP: I wasn’t very public about it but I finished a track session and couldn’t get off the floor or change my shoes. A scan showed it was a stress response in my femur, but we caught it early.

My first week back running was heading into Cagliari and because I made a small mistake on the second lap of the swim it got in my head and just snowballed. The whole race I made so many mistakes.

But in the end I’ve come a long way in a year if I’m disappointed with sixth. I actually think it’s a bit of a blessing now because it forced me to have a bit of time off running and then have a perfect build for Paris and Pontevedra.

220: With an eight-race WTCS season, you have to stay fit and healthy to come out on top. What has been the key to this?

BP: It’s all very well doing all the training, but if you can’t turn up on the start-line in one piece what’s the point? That’s such a big part of it. I try to be responsible outside of training. I take all my vitamins, go to bed early and try to be professional. I have missed so many friends’ weddings this year, but luckily they understand.

I had quite a lot of injuries as a runner and spent most of my time injured when I was at university in Loughborough. I think a lot of injuries come from running and I’m not running as much now. 

Beth on her racing rivalries…

220: The race in Pontevedra was billed as a showdown between France’s Cassandre Beaugrand (who now trains in Loughborough) and yourself. Having won six of the eight WTCS races between you this season, how do you view the rivalry? 

BP: It makes it more exciting. I wouldn’t say we’re friends, but we have a bit of banter. When she’s on, she’s on and is unbelievably good. I’ve been waiting to be at that stage where we have that battle, and it was really enjoyable in Paris.

Well, I found it enjoyable. Maybe she didn’t [Beth won with Beaugrand in second].

Beth on trying tri…

220: What was the catalyst to switch to triathlon?

BP: It had been in the background for a while. I still don’t think I’ve reached my potential with running, but I felt like once I’d got to the stage where I’d competed at the Olympics, I’d reached the highest level of competition.

If I didn’t switch it would be too late because I needed to learn how to ride a bike, and putting it all together was going to take time.

220: What factors have made the transition from runner to triathlete a success?

BP: Alistair [Brownlee] said: ‘You need to be more efficient at running off the bike, and that’s not from doing more running – it’s more swimming and biking.’ I’ve really knuckled down with that.

I ride with cyclists all the time now and do a couple of sessions a week that are quite race-like, in groups and sitting on wheels. It’s organised chaos. That sort of stuff really helps.

Beth on her coaching set-up…

220: Who takes the key roles in your coaching team?

BP: It’s a bit unique with different people doing different things. Jack Maitland oversees the programme and I meet up with him to discuss ideas. He’s part of the reason I came to Leeds.

Then I’m helped by Dane Mitchell (strength and conditioning), Andy Henderson (running), who are both at Leeds Beckett University. Coz Tantrum is the swim coach and Alistair helps me with my biking. Alistair sees me at training every day, so I value his view. He is someone who guides me and keeps me on track, as well as being a friend.

220: But it’s not just the physical side of performance you have been working on… 

BP: This past year I’ve been working with David Beckham’s old sports psychologist, Bill Beswick [who has also worked with Adam Peaty]. He said I had a 10/10 for dedication, training and everything physical, but was probably a 6-7/10 on the mental side.

I sometimes struggle with imposter syndrome, confidence and caring what people think. He got me to do some exercises that would help me stay calm in racing and move on to the next thing in the race.

In Montreal, for example, I was in such a bad situation out of the swim but I wasn’t panicked. I was like: ‘It’s fine, this’ll be fine.’ Before I knew it, I went from being out of the race to winning.

220: How do you cope with the volume of training?

BP: It’s been a bit of a slog this year to be honest. I didn’t take a long enough break last winter and I’ve found it quite tiring. I’ve never really got that excited to get up and go swimming.

But I’ll have a proper break this winter and hope I’m raring to go again. I still got it done though – that’s the difference, and I always enjoyed it once I got there.

Beth’s advice for newbies to tri…

220: What advice would you give to others coming to tri from the running?

BP: Enjoy riding your bike! One of my favourite things to do now is just to go out for a long bike ride. Also, train with lots of different people to pick up lots of good habits. I train with my intergenerational friends, as I call them.

A group of older cyclists in Leeds, such as [pro cyclist] Tom Pidcock’s dad, GIles, Jonny Clay, who is in his sixties but won a bronze medal in the Sydney 2000 Olympics, and his 19-year-old daughter, Robyn.

You have to do loads of running. As long as you’ve got the mechanics, you’ll be ok. Just try to get more efficient on the swimming and biking part. It is good to have been a swimmer from a young age!

I also get in the gym and do cycling and swimming-specific strength training, such as single leg drills all based around not getting injured.

Top image credit: Tommy Zaferes/World Triathlon