With the JLL Property Triathlon on Friday 26th June fast approaching, the Potter Raper team has been stepping up its preparation.

This week, we headed to Serpentine in Hype Park for an open-water swim training session – a valuable reminder of just how different it is from pool swimming.

Why open-water training matters

The sprint triathlon at Dorney Lake begins with a 750m open-water swim. For many in our team, this is the discipline that requires the most specific preparation. Sighting – lifting your head to navigate a straight line – is a skill in itself, and getting comfortable in a wetsuit in moving water takes practice. Our session gave the team a chance to work on all of this, and everyone came away feeling considerably more confident about race day.

The build-up continues

Alongside the swim training, the team has been putting in time on the bike and the run. The 21.2km bike leg and 5km run at Dorney Lake are both flat and fast, which suits our approach, though it does mean there is nowhere to hide on pace.

The event raises funds for Age UK, supporting older people across the UK through the Age UK Advice Line and Telephone Friendship Service. We will keep sharing updates as race day approaches.