David is having a great season and recently won the inaugural Cardiff Triathlon.
As part of our regular feature where we get to know more about our sponsored athletes, this month we’ve caught up with David Bishop.
Where’s home for you? My hometown is Derby, however I am currently based in Loughborough
Do you remember when you had your first bike? When was it and what was it? The first bike I remember owning was a luminous green kid’s bike that I used to cycle round the cul-de-sac on or at a local park. My first racing bike was blue, red and white and I believe it was called a Cougar, although I can’t seem to find it on google anywhere!
How did you get into triathlons? I have swam since I can remember. My parents were good runners and both Tom and I look up cross country at primary school. My step dad has done triathlon since the 80’s so it wasn’t long until we gave it a go. I think we were 10 years old.
What has been your career highlight to date? Well I recently got selected for my first Senior championships – Europeans in Geneva. Previous to that I was 2nd in the British Triathlon Super Series in 2015.
What do you want to achieve this year? I would like improve my ITU world ranking and try and earn a living through triathlon.
Have you ever had a bike stolen? Well I lent my brother my MTB for commuting to and from uni and it was stolen within a week when in Leeds.
Have you ever crashed/had a bike accident? While on a training camp in Fuerteventura I came off my bike while descending, not because of my bike handling skills but because of the winds which blew me into a ditch at the side of the road. I had really bad road rash and had to have stitches in my elbow. I attended a university hospital and had five nurses practising how to stitch… It turned out that none of them knew how, resulting in a not so neat scar! The bike somehow came off relatively unscathed, just a snapped rear mech hanger and a few superficial scratches! I did, however, rip through my bib shorts and jersey.
Why do you think it’s important to have insurance? Now that I’m competing in triathlon professionally it is crucial that I have insurance for my bike so that should anything happen, it is covered by the policy, and therefore won’t affect my ability to race and earn a living.
Why are you happy to be involved in Pedalcover Insurance? The guys at Pedalcover genuinely care. Having come from a sporting background, they understand the needs of cyclists and triathletes and have shaped a policy around these needs. I am happy to be involved with such a company and the insurance policy they provide me with means I have one less thing to worry about when racing and training!
How do you relax? I like to read books, watch films, hang out with my girlfriend and friends. Basically do things that take my mind off sport. I do like cooking and baking too, this can be stressful at times though!
Who would you invite to your dream dinner party? Russell Howard – he is one of my favourite comedians. I would also invite Bradley Wiggins – he is someone who is really inspirational and seems a cool character. I would probably invite J.K.Rowling so I could ask her lots of questions about Harry Potter – I am a big fan. It would also be cool to speak to one of my other favourite authors – Bernard Cornwell. I am sure there are plenty more, but these are the ones I could think of, off the top of my head.
Who would play you in a film about your life? Two of my favourite actors are Ryan Reynolds and Martin Freeman, I am also am a bit of a Zac Efron fan! I wouldn’t complain if any of them played me in a film about my life.
If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why? Probably the ability to teleport anywhere. It would save the stress of traveling to and from races and would mean I could travel to all the places I want to. When I am away for a while I miss my girlfriend and the British countryside, being able to teleport home when I wanted would make this easier.
What’s your guilty pleasure? Microwaved peanut butter and chocolate spread sandwich – 30 seconds does it!
Surprise us with a revelatory fact about yourself…. In the past I have been close to giving up triathlon and joining the RAF!
