BigBear coaching

26/02/2025

The BIG 2 for this year coming up soon. London -edinburgh- london to start with followed by ICON Xtri a month later. Some big training days coming up.

☀️

30/07/2024

Had a go at bike packing (lite!) this weekend and it was a success 💪 From Strood we rode down to Dover to catch the ferry, and then onto the gorgeous French/ Belgian bike paths (which are wayyyyy better than many a Kent lane 🤪). It was roasty toasty, but a good few days of riding fuelled with a few 🍻 and🍦hitting Kortrjik, Oudennarde and Ypres before circling back.

Boarding at Dover was much easier than expected ... you don't have to queue with the cars and board first which is great for getting to the front for putting in a food order 🍽️🐷

Also, riding with the bags was much easier than expected 👌 A 10L 'sausage' on the bag and a 1.5L handle bar bag felt like plenty of space for a 5 day trip.

More trips to come! What a great way to build fitness and see more of Europe 😍

21/07/2023

One of the special things about taking part in an Xtri (besides the epic challenge and incredible locations) is having a support crew. I have done a few unsupported extreme tris (citytosummitrri, & ) which are unique challenges in themselves, compared to a standard ironman where you are never far from an aid station.

In Xtri it is mandatory to have a support runner in the final stages of the race to keep you safe, but the support crew's job starts way before that. The support crew help strip you down when you have numb fingers in T1 (photo 1), they drive the bike course with you and provide food/ drink/ motivation, meet you at T2 for another strip, continue to provide your nutrition on the run and then join you on the course for the closing stages of the race. The support crew job is VERY involved 🤣

I took on the task for last year at (photos 2 &3), and she will be returning the favour at . Will there be hiccups .. maybe. Will we bicker ... probably. Will we cross the finish line friends ... hopefully! It is a unique journey together and as much an experience for the support crew as the athlete.

No one completes an alone, and that is an important part of the experience. 💪🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️

Get in touch if you want to find out more about training and prepping for an extreme triathlon. 🩵🩷🤍

27/04/2023

From 250km of suffering in to 312km in mallorca in a week. All good training for

Feeling better as the days goes on and pondering the weekend.

18/06/2022

A windy, rainy, draining, jelly fish infested day. was and absolutely brute of a race with the elements against from the get go.

What a performance and persistence to make the blue shirt cut off amd fini3in a great time.

06/06/2022

Race day! Lining up for the final edition of the might Triathlon X. Ready for a BIG day out. 🏊‍♂️🚴‍♂️🏃‍♂️

24/05/2022

The final countdown has begun.......

29/04/2022

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/markus-pietersebb

Help Markus Pieterse raise money to support West Kent Mind

29/04/2022

Help Markus Pieterse raise money to support West Kent Mind

21/09/2021

Final results in for , 15th overall. The only goal for this was to finish before the cutoff, so being in the mix was beyond any expectation.

Swim: started at 6:30 am in the dark, a first for me which made sighting interesting to say the least.

Bike: started off warm and sunny, what a glorious day for a bike ride in the pyrenees. Then the heavens opened and descending turned into surviving rather than racing.

Run: First mile, did not think I'll be able to actually run any of the course, legs came back and felt ok after the first half and thought I might actually get sub 5 run. Then montbolo, up a dirt 'road' in the rain and cloud. 4 miles of fighting to move every inch untill the final 4 miles down hill ( which hurt just as much), to the finish.

A race like no other, no aid stations, no support allowed, it's you vs you and the mountains. If you want to find out what you are truly made of, this might be for you.