Ribble’s very own Dee Allen is determined to make it to the start line of the iconic Ironman World Championships next year. Here is the story of one woman’s challenge to qualify for Kona 2021.

Ribble’s Dee Allen has set her sights on the iconic race that all triathletes dream of; Kona.
The Ironman World Championships are held in Hawaii with thousands of people each year aiming to claim a spot to race on the idyllic island. But Dee, who is the workshop’s team leader at Ribble, is determined to make that dream a reality.
Winter is the start of training so on a wet and windy day (Dee’s day off), we caught up with the triathlete to see how training is going.

Training.
Dee, it’s a pretty wet and dreary day – but I guess training never stops for you. How has training in lockdown been?
Training isn’t as smooth as I would like or as I hoped it would go. Obviously with a lot of restrictions, specifically with the pools being closed, it hasn’t been ideal for training. But I am still getting out and doing what I can. It’s the next best thing. I am still working my arms for the swim by using resistance bands, just so when I do eventually get back in the pool, I hopefully won’t need armbands!

First Ironman.
How long have you been into triathlon and have you ever done an Ironman before?
I’ve seriously been into the sport for around eight years. I haven’t done an Ironman before, but I was hoping to change that this year. But unfortunately, due to Covid, I wasn’t able to do that. So now that is the main goal for next year, that’s where the focus and the drive really is.

The bike.
So come on, you could have your choice of many bikes, working at Ribble, so which have you gone for?
Usually, I ride the Ultra Tri, an incredible and fast piece of equipment. But at the moment I have switched to the Endurance SL R road bike. This is for the base miles and building up endurance on the hills. It’s so much fun to ride and I get a lot of enjoyment out of this bike.

There are so many events, what is it about Kona?
Kona has always been a dream of mine. The history and the stories behind Kona have always inspired me. It really has given me the drive and the passion to be in this sport and it really is the ultimate goal for me.

And do you think you can achieve it?
Yes why not? Nothing is impossible. If you put your mind to a goal, or a dream, you just have to dedicate yourself to that dream and make it a reality. I also have a tattoo on my left forearm of a wave and a Hawaiian flower. It’s a constant reminder when I’m out training, running or on the bike or in the water, to follow your dreams as no dream is impossible.

We hope you enjoyed reading about one woman’s challenge to qualify for Kona 2021, why not check out some more of our blogs?
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Modern day cyclists just don’t get it do they?
She needs to get some mudguards fitted!!!
Dee – hope it goes well in 2021 and you get to the start line of Kona. Only done Ironmans in Europe, but all the hours of training are worth it for the final run down the finishing shute. Forget the tat – just get a frame for the photo!
nice pictures…Lancashire by the looks. Very inviting! May I ask whereabouts that path is?
Hi John, thanks for getting in touch and Happy New Year.
Spot on, it is indeed Lancashire, the images were captured up at Rivington which is close to Ribble HQ. Rivi is part of the course for the Bolton Ironman and the Tour of Britain often frequents it for the Sheephouse climb up to Belmont.
Regards
Team Ribble
Hi Ant,
Thanks for getting in touch and we hope you have a Happy New Year. You’ll find no argument from this quarter for as a former daily commuter to Ribble HQ, I found mudguards to be an essential accessory. The benefits of mudguards far outweigh the slight loss of aesthetics and occasional rattle from the guards which seems to be the main reason people choose not to use them.
Best Regards
[email protected]
Hi Andrew, thanks for taking the time to read the blog and your message has been passed on to Dee. We hope you have a prosperous new year, Best Regards, Team Ribble.
Dee – tag me on Instagram and we’ll try to get a training session in, I have opted for Utah in May @stewconway
Hi Stew,
Dee won’t see your message, unfortunately, so I’ve emailed it directly to her.
All the best
[email protected]