It’s often said that variety is the spice of life, so it’s no surprise that the multi-discipline sport of triathlon is becoming more and more appealing.

It’s three sports in one of course – swimming, running and cycling – and as such offers plenty for everyone.

And that is certainly the view of Gill James, who is race coordinator for Tri Team Glos Young Triathletes.

It’s a position she’s held for just over a year – her husband Nik took on the role of chairman at the same time as she became race coordinator – and she freely admits that they got involved in the sport because of their children.

“My daughter Daisy, who is 11, saw it on the TV and said, ‘I want to do that’,” explained Gill. “She was eight at the time and she fell in love with it. It’s the only sport that has kept her interested. She says it’s the variety she likes, the swimming, cycling and running, you don’t have to focus on one sport.”

Daisy’s younger brother Jack, eight, has also caught the triathlon bug and like Daisy is a committed member of Tri Team Glos Young Triathletes.

“The youngsters like being able to compete,” said Gill. “They’re part of a team but are also competing for themselves.”

The club train at the pool at Beaufort School in Tuffley on Monday and Thursday evenings and hold their run/cycle sessions at Imjin Barracks in Churchdown on Sunday mornings.

The triathlon competition season runs pretty much from March to September – although the club train all the year round – and Gill said: “We were formed about 16 years ago.

“We’ve got about 40 members but we’d like more. We are trying to grow the club.”

Tri Team Glos Young Triathletes are affiliated to the senior section of the club – Tri Team Glos – but the two sections are run as separate entities, each has their own committee.

The youth section are currently looking forward to their annual event – the Tri Team Glos Young Triathletes children’s triathlon – which takes place this year on Sunday 19th May at Tewkesbury School.

The day starts at 10.30am with registration and finishes with the presentations at 4.30pm. In between there are five races for age groups ranging from seven to eight all the way up to 16.

Gill and Nik James will have a watching brief that day – albeit they will be very hands-on – but they have competed in a triathlon of their own.

So how did they get on?

“We completed,” laughed Gill, who admitted that Nik finished ahead of her. “It was the London Triathlon, our daughter encouraged us to take part. We’re not nearly as good as our children!”

Anyone wanting to enter this year’s Tri Team Glos Young Triathletes children’s triathlon in May – it usually attracts 175 competitors – should visit www.britishtriathlon.org/events/tri-team-glos-young-triathletes-2019-triathlon_10162