We recently featured the news that Stephen Bayliss will be turning out at XTERRA England (http://www.xterraengland.com/) on the 30th August in Cranleigh, Surrey ahead of a double bid to Kona and Maui qualify.

We couldn’t resist the opportunity to catch up with the 4x iron-distance champion to find out a bit more about why he wants to get dirty.

Hi Stephen, tell us a bit about your season this year and the big goals.

My year started well, I was training well and did some good races here in Lanzarote, 2nd in a sprint race (1st was the Spanish sprint distance champion), 3rd at the Lanzarote International Duathlon, to Bart Aernouts and Ronnie Schildknecht and 2nd at the Nutri Cross to Victor Del Corral. I was feeling like my fitness was getting better and better, then In March, just before Xterra Malta I managed to get pneumonia!

This meant a 2 week stay in hospital and another 3 weeks of home doctors coming 3x per day to give me intravenous antibiotics. It really knocked me out big time! After those 5 weeks I was very unfit and weak!

Since then I have gradually built up my training, but it is slow progress. I am aiming for second half of the year, with Xterra races as a big goal and hopefully the Xterra World Championships if I feel I can be competitive.

Do you have off-road skills already?

As a junior cyclist, I used to race on the road and off road with a particular focus on Cyclo Cross representing GB at 2 Junior world Championships.

So I have ok off road skills, but I am out of practice and need to brush up those skills before Xterra England!

You’ve entered XTERRA England, which doubles as the XTERRA European Championships - what drew you to this event and what are you looking forward to in particular?

I love off road events, they are really different and it makes me remember my childhood riding MTB’s all the time. The race is also very close to where I grew up in Croydon.

If you could offer one tip to someone thinking about taking on XTERRA for the first time, what would it be?

Do it! It is a special type of triathlon, a different relaxed atmosphere, and a different adventure that you will really enjoy!

Inspired? XTERRA England will be held over the 29/30th August at Cranleigh, Surrey. You can enter here: http://www.xterraengland.com/

Picture by James Mitchell http://www.jamesmitchell.eu/