DOB: 11/9/1987
Club: Team Blizard / Doncaster Tri

Sprint Triathlon PBs: Southwell - 50:43, Lincoln - 1:01:24, Nottingham - 58:51, Woodhall Spa - 1:01:33
Individual discipline PBs: Doncaster 5km - 16:36 (2013) Oakham Sprint - 15:35 (within triathlon)

Team Blizard’s burgeoning elite racing contingent has been further bolstered by the addition of another high performing triathlete in the form of Doncaster’s Tom Morris.

The 28-year-old former footballer has turned an injury-struck sports career around with the help of running, swimming and cycling, as well as Jenny Blizard’s physiotherapy treatments, lactate threshold testing from Dave Tune and Kevin Dawson, and swimming coaching and analysis from his coach, Jono Frary, to earn his first GB vest this summer.

Tom is highly motivated about his prospects now he will be supported by Blizard Physiotherapy’s highly professional coaching and performance set up: “I’m really excited about joining the racing team, it’s a massive opportunity to be as good as I can ever be, and I guarantee no stone will be left unturned!”

He classes qualifying to represent the GB 25-29 age group team in the European Championships in Geneva this summer as his greatest achievement so far: “The whole experience was unbelievable. I got to spend a week living like a full-time athlete in a city which really embraces triathlon. I put everything I had into that race, finishing 10th in my category - and in Europe - and the fourth fastest Brit, missing the third spot by 9 seconds!”

The Hayfield School science teacher also won this year’s Midlands sprint series, with the highest accumulative points score of any athlete to complete all three races, but his back story to how he arrived at this point is an inspiring one for anyone thinking of taking up the sport later in life.

Tom played football to a decent level in his teens, but following a snapped anterior cruciate ligament sustained at university, together with studying demands, he fell into running for recovery, completing his first 10km in 48 minutes.

Not long after, he took up freestyle swimming to protect his injured knee, but admits he could only manage four lengths before gasping for air!

“I am very competitive though, and soon got quicker by swimming alongside a faster friend every other day until I beat him in the pool!”

This all helped Tom to reduce his 10km time to 40 minutes and significantly improve his swimming, but, when he first started bike training with what is now Doncaster triathlon club, he found it tough.

“On my first road bike ride I flipped myself over the handlebars, buckled a wheel and ended up sprawled out in the middle of the road!”

His cycling improved as he started competing, finishing 60th in his first Clumber duathlon and 20th in the Hatfield triathlon, and, bitten by the muti-sports bug and buoyed by Jono’s coaching, his enthusiasm grew, as did his GB dreams.

Tom harnessed his naturally competitive spirit to drive himself to faster training times across the disciplines, and now simply says “I want to be as fast as I possibly can, I have a chance to have a real good go at it, and want to be able to look back and say I gave it my all.”

He continued: “I want to make sure I’m one of the people who others see on the starting list and just think ‘Damn it, Morris is here!’, at local and national level.”

He also has optimistic running goals to achieve a sub-16min 5km, sub-34min 10km and eventually a sub-1:15 half marathon, although he admits they will take a back seat to his triathlon ambitions.

Tom trains for 15-20 hours a week, depending on the time of the season. Proving his dedication to his sport, he gets up at 5:10am every weekday morning to train before work, and then trains every evening too, except Fridays!

The busy teacher emphasised what a positive impact Jono has had on his progress:

“Jono has been incredible, giving up his free time to coach me, structuring my cycling training, developing my swimming and giving me a high target to aim for - beating him! We train together regularly, maintaining a healthy level of competition.”

Tom is also looking forward to further benefitting from Jenny Blizard’s expertise in helping him stay strong and injury-free, following on from a number of treatment sessions from his fellow racing team mate.

He explained: “In the past I sustained a number of injuries due to over-eagerness in training, but every time Jenny has seen me right, the woman is a witch doctor I’m sure! I’ve had everything from stretches, gym exercises and acupuncture.”
Tom has also reaped the rewards of Dave Tune and Kevin Dawson’s lactate threshold testing, and Jono’s swim analysis service, the most recent being last weekend.

As a result of running to his new heart rate zones, Tom has already reduced his 10km PB to 36 minutes in a year!

“The treadmill lactate test was a huge revelation, the amount of improvement was incredible!” he enthused. “I love knowing what zones to train in as well as the structure, including the sessions and distances, as before it was always guess work.”

Crucially, Tom makes a statement that will ring true with every single lactate threshold tested athlete reading this: “You can’t back out of doing each run properly - if you’re not in that zone, you’re not training hard enough, no excuses.”

The Doncaster athlete also found the bike lactate test gave him valuable insights into training techniques, which group rides to attend, and what kit to use, and discovered in the swim analysis how much the discipline is technique based.

“I can’t describe just how important it is for people to be aware of what they look like during swimming, especially if you have proprioceptive issues like me. I wasn’t until I saw the underwater shot that I realised my head goes off wherever it feels like!”

Tom is raring to start racing in his new Team Blizard clothing and On Running shoes, and, like Mike Chadwick, is already a convert to the innovative footwear.

“I have been training in the ultra-comfy Cloudsters, the racier Cloudsurfers and the super-quick Cloudracers for a few months, and, during this period, my previous shin splint issues have disappeared, my legs don’t suffer as much the day after, and, even after speed sessions on concrete, my legs still feel fresh for my 6am bike session the next morning.

“Everyone who wears the On’s agree they make running more fun, comfortable, and they look ace!”

Welcome to the Team Blizard racing crew Tom, we are certain that his competitive spirit, his eagerness to learn new techniques, and his new found access to the best training kit, coaching and assessment in the business, will help create a top class triathlete in the 2016 season.