Team Nagi Newsletter - September 2025

Hi Guys,

Hope you’ve all had a great September.

I have to admit I’m always very nervous moving into October as we are moving into the danger months for getting ill. No sooner did I think this last week before I got knocked for six by what seems like some of Autumn virus (I think it’s covid). The symptoms started quite mild, snotty streaming nose etc and then seemed to change every day. So far I’ve had really bad headaches, sore throat, painful lungs, a chest infection, a dry cough and on some days (not all) I’ve felt pretty rubbish. Not sure what is going on with these viruses we get these days but the amount of snot being produced is otherworldly, I mean really…where does it all come from?! It seems to be never ending.

So, if you are out there suffering as I know quite a few of you are, you are not alone. Best course of action is always the same, full rest is best and try and give the body as many home and food based comforts as possible. I spent the weekend cooking a very hot and spicy chilli con carne as this always helps to ‘clear the nasal pipes’. This was also backed up by cooking a hearty chicken soup. The cooking helps me relax and while away the hours I was meant to spend training. It really is true food for the soul.

Apart from that, this month I wanted to give a huge shout out to some local races I did this year. For many of you, you will know this year has been my return to racing. Last time I towed the line was 2008 at Ironman Frankfurt. A lot happened in that time in between, a 12 year illness, then 4 years of trying to rebuild my body again and then finally getting to be able to race again this year has been nothing short of a miracle. I didn’t even think racing a triathlon again would be possible until October last year when I completed a half marathon run.

So, for my return I wanted to do something very different to what I did in the past. The old me was all about doing big branded 70.3 and Ironman events. So much so, I didn’t really race a lot in the UK when I ‘used to be an athlete’ all those years ago. So here was an opportunity to ease myself back in and go out and do so many of those races I have trained my coached athletes to do over the years and boy did I love each and every one of them.

My race calendar so far this year were all middle distance races:

The Wales Triathlon (formerly Challenge Wales)
The Cotswold Classic
The Vitruvian

What astounded me with these races was how stunningly beautiful some of these courses are, for some reason I just wasn’t expecting that. I was also blown away by how well supported and organised these races were by the local community and their amazing army of helpers on the day. The warmth and encouragement they showed out there was nothing short of inspiring. The other huge bonus was the cost saving of doing these races as I could quite simply get in the car and drive to them the day before the race. The entry fee was also half the cost of what it would be to do a big branded Ironman event and accommodation in the surrounding areas were incredibly reasonable. These races were such incredible value for money and my experiences well exceeded expectations. I can’t but help think I would be very happy doing all of these races again next year as they had a bit of everything to challenge you in every way possible.

I’ve yet to decide on what the plan is for me next year but think the one thing I would love is to have a Team Nagi focussed race where as many of us turn up as possible and race one of these races together. It would be incredible to get a bunch of us out there racing together to add some spice and fun to our race calendars. I raced with 3 of my athletes this year and loved it. If I had to choose one race for this I think I would probably go for The Cotswold Classic on 12th July 2026, it really is a stunning course and very fast.

If you are up for it, drop me a message and let me know as I’ve spoken to the race organisers and we can get a special team entry. Everyone is welcome, the more the merrier.

I’ll keep you posted.

Very best

Julian

The Cotswold Classic July 2025

Race results

Ironman Italy

Zach Clerides
Splits: swim 1:26:05 / bike 6:09:21 / run 4:59:18
Total Time: 13:06:42
40-44 category
Savvas Hadjiphillipou
Splits: swim 1:21:56 / bike 6:50:18 / run 5:20:33
Total Time: 14:03:15
35-39 category

Two friends, one race — and two outstanding debuts! Huge congratulations to our boys from Cyprus who took on their very first Ironman and absolutely nailed it. In scorching 30°C heat, they dug deep and delivered performances that tested them to their limits. To see them cross the finish line, surrounded by their families and celebrating the day they truly deserved, was something very special.

Duisburg 70.3 (Germany)

Andrew Reardon
Splits: swim 38:23 / bike 2:17:18 / run 1:34:34
Total Time: 4:41:18
14th / 150 in the 45-49 category

After what can only be described as a nightmare two-week build up — stomach bug courtesy of the kids, back and shoulder pain from the long drive, plus lost goggles at the swim start, a dropped chain, and even having to stop twice on the bike for bottle issues — he still pulled out one of his fastest ever runs. To overcome all that and finish strong was nothing short of brilliant. A huge confidence boost heading into Ironman Florida!

Weymouth 70.3

Matt Berrill
Splits: swim (cancelled) / bike 2:38:28 / run 1:33:!3
Total Time: 4:15:42
25th/250 in the 25-29 category

A fantastic top-10% finish from Matt on a day that was again marred by the swim being cancelled the day before the race. Ironically, race morning brought perfect conditions — Weymouth really does seem to have its fair share of bad luck with the swim! True to form, Matt embraced the challenge and delivered a superb bike and run performance to secure another solid result.

Sundowner Triathlon (Middle distance / Aqua-bike)

Hollie Strawson
Splits: swim 32:00 / bike 2:26:00
Total Time: 3:05:55
1st female in the 18-39 category

After the disappointment of straining her calf before the Sundowner Middle Distance Triathlon, Hollie smartly shifted her focus to the swim-bike event instead — the same distances as the triathlon but without the run. She made the most of the opportunity, delivering a terrific performance to take 1st place female overall. A brilliant result and a great example of turning setbacks into success.

Erkner 70.3 (Germany)

Ollie Jansen
Splits: swim 34:57 / bike 2:43:50 / run 1:49:33
Total Time: 5:18:24
25-29 category
Lucie Jansen
Splits: swim 40.24 / bike 2:45:39 / run 1:59:02
Total Time: 5:44:16
45-49 category
Chris Jansen
Splits: swim 45:26 / bike 2:39:18 / run 2:42:57
Total Time: 6:28:23
55-59 category

Always awesome to see the Jansen family out racing — and once again they all delivered fantastic performances! Special mention goes to Ollie, who put in a lifetime-best over the 70.3 distance despite very little training and coming back from a bad shoulder injury that nearly ended his season.

The Vitruvian Middle Distance triathlon

Coach
Splits: swim 33:30 / bike 2:52:10 / run 1:47:56
Total Time: 5:19:22
15th / 48 in the 50-54 category

Probably the coldest race I’ve ever done — just 6°C at the start and only 8°C by the end of the bike! To say I froze would be an understatement. But what a stunning venue, with arguably the best lake I’ve ever swum in here in the UK. I had a strong swim to come out 2nd in my age group, though it took until the end of the new bike course to finally feel warm again. The run turned out to be tougher than expected, but I was really pleased to run nearly 6 minutes faster than last time with far less cramping. A good result for me at this stage on a very high-standard day of racing.

Dorney Lake Olympic Triathlon

Helen Burton
Splits: swim 36:48 / bike 1:37:28 / run 1:17:07
Total Time: 3:38:42
1st in the 70-74 category
Helen Burton
Splits: swim 32:48 / bike 1:25:13 / run 1:16:14
Total Time: 3:25:18
1st in the 70-74 category
Peter Hicks
Splits: swim 28:16 / bike 1:09:56 / run 41:24
Total Time: 2:23:15
3rd in the 25-29 category

Huge congrats to Helen and Peter for 3 outstanding performances at Dorney Lake, where the racing was fast and furious! Helen smashed through to her first finish line of the year and then followed it up 6 days later by going 13mins faster on the same course! Peter also delivered a near 20-minute PB over the distance to claim his first-ever age group podium. Fantastic work from both!

Gibraltar swim

Rohan Crouse
Total Time: 5hrs 32mins

Huge congrats to Rohan has just completed the famous Strait of Gibraltar swim, one of the Seven Great Ocean Swims of the World. The crossing covers around 16–18km, linking Europe to Africa, and is renowned for its strong currents and unpredictable conditions. He completed it in just over 5 hours — a brilliant effort on such a historic and iconic route.

Vitality 10k (London)

David Magyar
Total Time: 41:27
10th /417 in the 60-64 category

Another absolutely outstanding run performance by this running legend. To finish so highly on only 1-2 runs per week average just shows the talent this man has in his feet. Good on you DM, a performance to be very proud of and just the boost you needed ahead of the big one at Dubai 70.3 in November.

What I’ve been watching & reading this month…

Netflix’s new sports docuseries takes a deep dive into the Dallas Cowboys — the franchise famously known as “America’s Team.” Across the episodes, viewers get unprecedented behind-the-scenes access, from locker rooms to boardrooms, while reliving the iconic highs and crushing lows that built the Cowboys’ legacy. With interviews from players, coaches, and those closest to the team, it captures the culture, the controversies, and the immense pressure of carrying that star on your helmet. Whether you’re a lifelong NFL fan or just love great sports storytelling, this is one series you won’t want to miss. It really is brilliant.

This autobiography by Reebok founder Joe Foster tells the remarkable story of how a small family business from Bolton grew into one of the world’s biggest sports brands. From the early struggles and setbacks to breaking through on the global stage with athletes and fitness culture, it’s an inspiring journey of entrepreneurship, resilience, and vision. A must-read for anyone interested in business, sport, or the drive it takes to build something iconic.

Team out & about this month You always get brownie points with Coach when you take your recovery seriously…’The Pocket Rocket’ will need a few more of these when she hits Kona in a few days time!