Fatherhood, Finish Lines & Finding the Time: A Father’s Day Q&A with Leigh

WYN racing team member. Athlete. Dad. And a familiar face in front of the WYN camera.

This AUS Father’s Day, we’re celebrating the dads in our community who find a way to balance training, racing, work and, most importantly, family.

Meet Leigh - longtime WYN racing team member, triathlete, father and someone you may recognize from a few WYN shoots over the years.

For Leigh, triathlon has never really been an individual pursuit. Behind the early mornings, training blocks and finish lines is a family that has been there for almost every step of the journey.

We caught up with Leigh to talk about making training fit around family life, the impact of seeing his kids on the sidelines, what years of racing with WYN have meant to him, and what he hopes his daughters take away from watching him chase big goals.

First things first: is balancing fatherhood and triathlon actually possible?

What has been the biggest surprise about balancing fatherhood with triathlon?

That it’s actually possible. When I look back at some of the training blocks I’ve completed while working, raising a family and getting the kids everywhere they need to be, I sometimes wonder how we managed it. I think you realise that when something is important enough to you, you find a way to make it fit.

“When something is important enough to you, you find a way to make it fit.”

Making training work around family

How do you fit training into family life and a busy schedule?

Organisation — lots of it! I’m also very lucky to have Janette, my amazing wife. It really is a team effort. Our schedules need to be spot-on most days, particularly after school when we’re getting the girls to all their different activities. My training has to work around family life, so we plan ahead and make it work together. I certainly couldn't do what I do without her support.

Leigh’s advice to dads chasing big goals

What's one piece of advice you'd give other dads who want to pursue big athletic goals while raising a family?

Just go for it. Make a plan and start. For me, early mornings are the key. Get up and get a session done while everyone else is asleep. Once that session is finished, it’s in the bank. Whatever happens with work, the kids or life for the rest of that day, nobody can take it away from you.

If you hit snooze and tell yourself you’ll find time later, quite often the day takes over and that opportunity disappears.

I joke that if there aren't enough hours in the day, I just sleep less! That's probably not what the recovery experts want to hear, but the real point is that you have to find the time that affects your family the least and make that time count.

“Find the time that affects your family the least and make that time count.”

When racing becomes a team sport

What's it like seeing your kids at races, whether they're cheering from the sidelines or following your journey from home?

It’s the most rewarding part of triathlon for me. Triathlon looks like a very individual sport - ultimately, you’re the one out there swimming, riding and running, but having your family on the sidelines completely changes that feeling. Suddenly it becomes a team effort.

When you’re deep into a race and hurting, then you see and hear the people closest to you cheering for you, it gives you something that’s difficult to describe. For a few moments the pain disappears and you get this incredible lift. That feeling is one of the things I love most about racing.

A mental slideshow of finish lines

What's your favorite race-day memory involving your family?

I honestly couldn’t choose one. Instead, I have this mental slideshow of races over the years - seeing them on the side of the road, hearing them yelling out, spotting them when I’m struggling, and seeing them at finish lines.

If I’ve raced 50 times, they’ve probably been there for 47 of them. So when I look back on my memories of triathlon, they aren't just memories of races. They're memories of places we've travelled, things we've experienced and moments we've shared together as a family.

“When I look back on my memories of triathlon, they aren't just memories of races. They're memories of places we've travelled, things we've experienced and moments we've shared together as a family.”

Growing with WYN

What does being part of the WYN racing community mean to you as a father and athlete?

The triathlon chapter of my life has been synonymous with Team WYN. I joined Team WYN in its inception year, so it has been part of my journey for a long time. From the beginning it felt like a family — people supporting each other, sharing the same passion and understanding what goes into pursuing these goals.

Through WYN I’ve met, raced alongside and become friends with so many like-minded people. Being around people who are pushing themselves and chasing their own goals is good for me. It keeps me motivated to continue improving and, importantly, to keep enjoying the sport.

The lessons that go beyond sport

What do you hope your children learn from watching you train, race, and be part of a community like WYN racing?

Firstly, I hope they see the value of living a healthy and active life. But beyond that, I hope they learn that the things you really want usually require hard work, discipline and consistency. You don't have to be the most talented person at something, but you can control your effort and how often you show up.

They've also seen that not every race goes to plan. Sometimes you achieve your goal and sometimes you don't. Either way, you get back to work and try again.

If watching me do triathlon helps them understand that they can set a big goal, work towards it over a long period of time and not give up when it gets difficult, then that's something I'd be very happy for them to take from it.

“You don't have to be the most talented person at something, but you can control your effort and how often you show up.”

What matters most

What are you most proud of as a dad?

Watching the girls grow into the people they're becoming. Whether it’s their sport, schoolwork or now starting their first jobs, I'm proud that they try their best and, most importantly, that they show respect for other people.

There are plenty of sporting results, school achievements and other things that make you proud as a parent, but whenever somebody tells Janette and me that we're raising good kids, that's probably one of the nicest compliments we can receive.

At the end of the day, that's what matters most to me.

Happy Father’s Day from WYN republic

For all the early alarms, training sessions squeezed between commitments, races that become family holidays, finish-line hugs and goals pursued together - Happy Father’s Day.

To Leigh, and to all the dads and father figures across the WYN community, we hope you have a great Father’s Day.

Keep showing up. Keep chasing big goals. And keep bringing the family along for the ride.