Elspeth Knott
World Champion Duathlete
This world champion duathlete, born in 1950, has an inspiring passion and ability to overcome challenges. She shares her journey into the world of competing and reflects upon how, through a variety of activities, the outdoors has always been an intrinsic part of her life. Living in rural Essex with her husband Roly, they consider the changes they have witnessed to athletics and sport.
COULD YOU HAZARD A GUESS AS TO WHERE YOUR LOVE FOR THE OUTDOORS STEMS FROM?
I’ve never really thought about why I like being outdoors; I suppose I thought everybody did. As a child I was always outside playing, we didn’t have a car and so we walked everywhere. I walked to school and back for dinner, then back again in the afternoon. That would have been over a mile. I played netball at primary school and hockey at Secondary. I wasn’t brilliant at either, but kept the hockey going at College through to when I started teaching. It was a way to meet others socially and to visit different places. As for athletics, I did what I had to do, there certainly wasn’t any passion for running then.
I remember filling in a questionnaire during Secondary School about work opportunities (there was no career guidance then). I ticked anything that was outdoors, even gardening! So, I obviously wanted to be outside. Initially I wanted to be a riding instructor. I spent a lot of my time at the local riding stables. I had actually found a stables in Surrey where I could go to get a British Horse Society Assistant Instructor (BHSAI) certificate. Then I passed all my O levels, so stayed on through 6th form. Sport has always been a big part of mine and my families life. I have been a captain of a ladies hockey team, while Roly was captain of the rugby team.
Horses have also featured in my life. My father took me riding on hired horses when I was small, he had ridden in the air force in Italy. I fell in love with it. I took the children for riding lessons and somehow we ended up with a pony, then two... and we still have ponies. When I was diagnosed with cancer, I found the daily visit to our horse, who just needed some attention, hugely beneficial. It’s hard to explain, but to her I was just the same person and she treated me in the same way.
Again, cycling is something I have always done too. I learnt to ride a bike before I was in school as it was another mode of transport, so I could cycle to school and at college. Then when the children were young, we took them on walking holidays and went cycling, with them in seats behind us. We walked the Coast to Coast as a family, using youth hostels en route. I think we enjoyed the activities and the challenge that came with them. It was a different way to see the country. We had tandem holidays with them in France.
As my children got older, me and Roly toured Provence and Italy on mountain bikes. We cycled Zurich to Nice on our own too. Graeme, our son, time trialled and was encouraged by my brother to continue cycling. I did a ‘two up’ time trial with my brother too, which consists of one person cycling directly in front of the other. For me, cycling was just a bit of fun and I hadn’t really considered it for sport, until we ended up doing club triathlons.
HOW ABOUT RUNNING?
My running started in 1981. A friend, who was a decathlete, suggested that a few local people made up a team and took part in the Hyde Park Sunday Times fun run. The 1st London Marathon had been in 1980 and jogging was becoming popular. The event was family friendly – everyone running in their own age group then with a mass jog for everyone, children in carriers, pushchairs etc at the end.
I enjoyed getting out for a run, mentally and physically. I’d come back refreshed and able to cope with my young children. Weekends were hectic with my two children under 4 years. For many years, running was ‘my time’ of the day. Most often it was early in the morning and just part of my life, which kept me mentally and physically fit.
I’ve always enjoy challenges and different events. On many occasions I’ve been told that I should be pleased with my run, when I actually have thought I could have done better. So anyway, running became part of my life. I found the 1982 local half marathon gave me another aim.
HAS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE NATURAL WORLD DEVELOPED DO YOU THINK?
One big turning point was when I had breast cancer. Running was a huge part of my recovery. It gave me an aim. For example, the first rubbish week after chemotherapy, I would try to run to the house down the lane. When I could manage the return as well I began going to the running club, where I was just treated as ‘normal’.
It felt like I was getting my life back. As I worked in a school I couldn’t return to work, as my immune system was suppressed. I’m sure that being fit to start with helped my recovery, especially as I had a mental and physical drive from running marathons.
I feel very strongly that exercise helped and have since become involved in the charity ‘Move’ and ‘5kYourWay’. Having cancer changed my outlook on life. A favourite saying of mine at the time was carpe diem – seize the day.
Then it wasn’t until I watched Graeme compete in a European Duathlon championship that I thought actually, I could do that… He helped my to get a bike and we began competing in some qualifying events together. I found cycling much easier than running as my breathing didn’t suffer as much. (It was suggested that the radiotherapy may have reduced my lung capacity.) I think maybe it is part of my character to want to improve. I remember how nerve wrecking it was to take part in my first British Team Duathlon, but I knew that I could improve and perhaps medal – that was when the seed was sown.
CAN YOU TELL ME A BIT ABOUT THE COMMUNITY OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO SHARE YOUR PASSION?
I think that I belong to a group of people who enjoy running, cycling, and duathlons. There is a great feeling of support and camaraderie from other athletes.
However, there are definitely more men than women in running events, cycling and duathlons. I think the number of women involved in athletics has increased in the last few years, which is probably something to do with the Parkrun and the NHS app ‘Couch to 5k’. I’d say cycling has also had a slight increase in women after Victoria Pendleton’s success and media coverage of Laura Trott.
WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS THAT SOME SPORTS ARE STILL DOMINATED BY MEN?
Even though the clothing market has boomed in athletic clothing for women, it is still quite a big step for a woman to go out running, walking, biking on her own. Maybe it’s lack of confidence or fear of the unknown, I’m not really sure, but in small groups or twos they seem OK. You very rarely see a lone woman walking on mountains, except perhaps with a dog. I’ve found very few women new to running venture out for their first runs on their own
I think hockey and netball are associated with women, whilst rugby is probably dominated by men. Darts and snooker go to men too. I suppose rugby, weightlifting and such are physical activities which are stereotypically masculine; darts and snooker is probably associated with pubs and men’s clubs.
I’m a firm believer that children should be given the opportunity to try all sports, and not separated in to boys and girls sports. So all can have a go at playing football or trying netball etc. Social media has a huge impact in what youngsters do, it is incredibly persuasive. I also think that having an active family can help to encourage children to take up sport. These days, so many young people don’t get the encouragement they need or have the right examples to follow.
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