Mandy Dean fills us in on returning home to Port Elizabeth. This series of installments on her career were used for an in-depth historical account of triathlon in South Africa, which is featured in the latest Ironman South Africa magazine. Available at various cycling and running outlets throughout SA. Alternatively, contact Electric Ink Media at http://www.electricink.co.za
Thanks to Mandy for making this piece happen.
"Today my life is still filled with sports people. For many years my ex-husband and I had a swim club here in PE. We then decided to focus on the development swimming with African kids.
I took a year sabbatical, traveling through India and studying yoga. Now I am back and coaching again. I am also working with my friend Peter Williams (ex world record holder) from Johannesburg who owns the WATERBORN swimming club. He brings groups of his top swimmers to PE for training camps. They stay at my old house that I built with my triathlon winnings, which can now house about 40 people; the swimmers sleep, eat, swim, get massage and do yoga every day.
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| Photo courtesy: http://waterbornbay.blogspot.com/ |
The WATERBORN house is just outside PE in Sardinia Bay. We teach them how to train hard and be focused, while still having fun. I try to teach some of the wisdom gained from competing with some of the best athletes in the world. What it takes to get there, what it takes to stay there. And how to pick yourself up again and again, no matter what. When to quit and when not to. All essential lessons learned from my years of triathlon in Europe."
