Full Circle at IRONMAN 70.3 Weymouth: From Age Grouper to Overall Winner
- Kerri-Ann Upham
- Sep 17
- 3 min read
Back in 2016, I lined up at IRONMAN 70.3 Weymouth for the very first time. I was nervous, underprepared, and my only goal was to make it to the finish line. I surprised myself with a 4th place in my age group — a result that made me wonder if I could do more. In 2017, with a coach on board, I came back hungry for a podium. Again, I finished 4th (with a 20min PB).
One year later, I returned for a third attempt, but wild conditions and a double puncture put me completely out of contention.
Weymouth had always felt like unfinished business.
Fast forward to 2025, and I found myself back on the same start line, but this time as a very different athlete. After years racing XTERRA on the trails, climbing the world rankings, and pushing myself beyond limits I once thought impossible, I was about to discover just how far I’d come.
Race Morning
The night before the race, the call came: the swim was cancelled due to a bad weather forecast. Frustratingly, when we woke on race morning, the water was calm. Instead of diving into the sea, we faced a time trial bike start.
Strangely, that worked in my favour. There was no mad dash into the waves, no chaos at the first buoy — just a calm, focused start. I was set off mid-pack, almost 30 minutes after the first riders. With no idea of where I was in the race, I told myself: treat this like a hard training session, focus on yourself, control the controllables.
Flying on the Bike
My target was a 2:40 bike split, pacing carefully to save something for the run. From the very first pedal strokes, I felt strong. Power numbers came easily, and I began flying past hundreds of competitors on course.
Traffic was heavy, especially on corners and descents where bunching made it difficult to carry speed. Instead of letting frustration creep in, I used these moments to fuel — thanks to XMiles, my nutrition plan was on point. Conditions were kind: dry roads, light winds, and my new TT bike, expertly built by The Bike Shed, handled like a dream. My Lake Cycling triathlon shoes gave me that perfect power transfer, while my Bridgedale socks kept me comfortable mile after mile.
The result?
A 2:28:46 bike split — well beyond my target.
The Run of My Life
Heading out of transition, my goal was a 1:30 half marathon. In training, that felt like a stretch. My first 3km split flashed 3:58/km on the watch — faster than planned, yet surprisingly controlled. I settled in, resisting the urge to push harder. I told myself: hold this pace until 5km to go, then unleash everything you’ve got.
I hit every fuel target, felt strong, and most importantly, I enjoyed it. Days like this don’t come often. Crossing the line with a 1:24:59 run was beyond anything I had imagined.
The Finish Line
Because of the TT format, I wasn’t the first woman across the line. The athlete who started ahead of me broke the tape and was announced as the winner. But I knew my splits. Rob had been giving me updates — I had a three-minute lead.
Running down that chute, I knew I had taken the overall female win at IRONMAN 70.3 Weymouth. No lead bike, no finish tape… but all the same, it was the victory I’d been chasing since 2016. My total time placed me 21st overall, including the men.
A true full-circle moment.
What This Means
Looking back, my early Weymouth goals were simple: ride under three hours, run under 1:50, maybe one day make the age group podium. To now win the entire race outright shows just how far patience, commitment, and relentless hard work can take you.
This one means a lot. IRONMAN 70.3 is a distance so many athletes can relate to, and the messages and support I’ve received since have been overwhelming.
None of it would have been possible without the support of my partners: XMiles, Lake Cycling, Bridgedale, The Bike Shed, and my sponsors FDB and CarterDawes — who help me chase these dreams at the highest level.
Nine years on from that first nervous start line, I can finally say it:
Weymouth, we’ve come full circle.
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