Fraser Cartmell is an Ironman and Ironman 70.3 champion from Scotland, racing for the Trek Factory Racing Triathlon team.

GROWING up in North East Scotland meant that Fraser Cartmell was accustomed to being outdoors always on the lookout for the next adventure or extreme sport to try. A competitive swimmer it was this sport which led him to triathlon and later to Ironman races in which he continues to compete and excel in.

In this exclusive interview Fraser talks about his progression in the discipline and how Ironman races have led him to compete all around the world.

To find out more about Fraser and to follow his blog visit www.frasercartmell.com.

Have you always been an outdoors person and what were any early successes you had in sport?

I always enjoyed sport as a child and was lucky to grow up in a fantastic part of the world – Morayshire, North East Scotland where being in the outdoors was second nature. Running, mountain biking, skiing were all pastimes for me but swimming was what I did competitively through to my teens and ultimately led to triathlon.

When did you start training for and competing in triathlons and how did you fare at the beginning?

I finished swimming around the age of 15 and began local triathlons in the North East fairly soon thereafter. By 18, when I started University in Edinburgh I was racing throughout the UK at various Junior events. By 2001 I was racing at the European and World Junior Championships for GBR.

Fraser Cartmell has to work hardest on his running when training for triathlons.

When did you compete in your first Ironman and what was the outcome?

I actually started my first Ironman in 2008 at the then venue for IMUK, Sherbourne. It was a little too early for me to begin racing the full distance and I didn’t finish.

My first properly prepared attempt at the full distance was Ironman UK in Bolton, 2010 which I managed to win!

What have been some of your further experiences of Ironman races and could you tell us more about some of the phenomenal success you’ve had in them?

I’ve been lucky enough to race on every continent because of long distance triathlon. I have a lot of super memories racing (and training) in South Africa and winning the Ironman 70.3 S.A in East London in 2010 was a great day for me which I still look back on very fondly. Racing in the Middle East was another experience for me that triathlon provided, and long distance racing in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai have been very interesting too.

When did you start racing for the Trek Factory Racing Triathlon team and what have been some of your experiences with the team?

I have been racing with Trek since 2010, which begun as part of the then Trek/K-Swiss Triathlon team. I have made so many good friends because of these teams over those six seasons of racing and I certainly believe that has been the real high point without doubt.

To find out more about Fraser visit his website and blog at www.frasercartmell.com.

When you’re not training or competing what do you spend most of your time doing?

Not an awful lot! Triathlon is certainly a lifestyle sport and that’s why I love it as much as I do. Although I might not be training specifically for a particular race or the start of the season for example, I am usually exercising to some degree or another.

How often do you train and which area of triathlon do you most excel at? In which discipline do you have to work the hardest?

I am generally training two or three times a day, each day of the week when in full training. Some days are lighter, others obviously much more demanding, especially when in specific Ironman prep for example. As I said earlier, swimming is my most natural discipline which I tend to find comfortable during a race, whereas running is what I always need to spend more time working on through the season.

Could you tell us more about www.frasercartmell.com, what visitors can expect from the site and how important it is for you to connect with like-minded people across the internet?

I have had my website for a number of years now and primarily it has always been a nice way for me to connect with family and friends, wherever in the world I might have been. It is also a good way for me to quickly let sponsors know how a race may have gone too. However, I also find writing a blog is something that I have generally had a passion for doing, and letting readers know my thoughts and feelings about a race is something I enjoy.

What races are your currently training for and do you have any exciting > plans for the future?

At the moment I am happy to be at home in Stirling, Scotland and slowly beginning my winter training with a view towards next season. As for future plans, I would be delighted to qualify for Kona again next year and improve on the 38th position I returned from there with this year.