As England (and the rest of the world) embrace all things sport-related in the run up to the Olympics we talk to James Lock, elite tri-athlete not to mention founder of Zone 3 – one of the fastest growing Triathlon gear brands in the UK, about his training, diet and greatest sporting achievements.

Where did your enthusiasm for sport start?
I always played all sports at school but didn’t get competitive until around age 13, when I joined the local swimming club. I was then wrapped up in a world of training, racing and striving to always get faster and become number one!
Who inspires you?
No athlete in particular but I know first-hand how much effort and dedication it takes to qualify for the Olympics so anyone who achieves this goal has their own inspirational story in my eyes.
Greatest sporting achievement?
Possibly being world biathlete and world aquathlon champion within the same month as well as winning achieving a 1st class engineering degree from Loughborough the same year. Also, being able to continue racing some of the best athletes is the world whilst only training part time whilst I run my own business.
How much do you train per week?
Around 25 hours on overseas training camps, up to 15 hours per week during normal weeks.
What is your diet like?
I try to stay healthy and concentrate on well balanced meals but with the amount of calories I burn in my sport it generally means eat as much as possible!
What is your most memorable race?
Most probably coming top 10 in my first elite race in front or a large crowd in Athlone, Ireland or the races I take part in for my pro-French team, which always have a great atmosphere.
Does training get in the way of your social life?
No, I have been balancing work, training and social life since I was a 13 year old school boy so always have a good balance.
What do you do on your days off?
Mostly catch up with work or try to put my feet up and watch a film.
Hardest race?
Every race in France is Sprint distance and very competitive so it means the races are fast and furious. You don’t get a second to ease up so it’s an hour of pain every time!
What motto do you live by?
Don’t waste a minute…to achieve in sport or business you need to give it your everything so be as productive as possible and focus on the most important areas.