Meet the Community: Ian
What is your name? Ian Liddiatt
How did you get introduced to climbing? A friend, and also Cardiff Triathletes Club had an ‘Introduction to Bouldering’ social event at Boulders.
Where is your favourite place to climb? My experience at the moment is limited so it's Boulders of course!
Describe your best climbing experience! Where was it, when was it, with whom and why? The best climbing experience was my first at Boulders - great fun, great atmosphere with great friends, and I knew from that point I was hooked.
What's your favourite piece of climbing kit and why? Boulders climbing mug.......and my new Beastmaster 1000 which I bought to train on during lockdown (told you I was hooked!). I love the fact that I can still train during the lockdown – it’s all measurable and I've seen improvements by being consistent.
Why do you climb? I have competed in triathlon events at GB Age Group standard at European and World Championships in all disciplines (Sprint, Standard and Long/Ironman distances). I initially joined as I needed an activity to provide me with strength and conditioning (as I find gyms boring), and soon found that climbing and bouldering provided me with this and a lot more, including meeting new people from different walks of life as well as providing a challenge to improve and progress in a different fun and dynamic sport.
What would your advice be to someone thinking about trying climbing for the first time? Just do it! Try, try and try again, and don't be afraid of failure… Don't be afraid to ask for advice and help. Take it from me (and I only started climbing in October 2019), they're all a friendly bunch, and the advice helps with your progression and enjoyment... and become a member of Boulders of course!
What's your favourite food? Homemade spag bol...or homemade pizza. I can't decide which - after a big training day can I have both please?
What’s your #1 most played song? Master of Puppets by Metallica, particularly the live version on S&M. Great song to train by!!
What is the last book you read? The Rise of the Ultra Runners by Adharanand Finn
If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why? The Alps - so much to do, no matter what time of year you go. Great food, fantastic scenery, and I can swim, bike, run and climb to my heart’s content!
If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would it be and why? Gino Bartali - he was a great cycling champion before and after the WWII. He lost his brother in a cycling accident before the war, but it was during the Second World War that he used his bike frame to carry messages, photographs and documents to the Italian Resistance to help many Jews escape persecution and death, saving many lives. He rode through the Italian countryside carrying the documents to various contacts and collecting photographs to be used for forging identity documents. He also hid a family of Jews in his cellar of his small house in Italy. All at great risk to himself. He was questioned, threatened and interrogated many times by Italian and German authorities, but didn't divulge anything. He never said anything, even after the war and never boasted of his merits or heroics. It was only when diaries were found after his death in 2000 that his deeds came to light. One of his famous quotes is "certain medals hang on the soul, not on the jacket." What was going through his mind during those dark days? What made him risk the lives of his family? He’s an example of one of the many heroes in our world that we know very little about.
What would be your perfect day? Some exercise, either swim, bike or run, followed by a climb; great weather and a glass of wine, pizza or a pasta meal with my girlfriend and family.
Fun Fact about you? I boast that I will eat anything (as long as it's food!). My girlfriend tries to defeat me by taking me to restaurants and picking my meal - she thought she had me by taking me to a restaurant and picking raw eel, and fried pig intestines! But no - I am undefeated!
Please feel free to share some information about what you do - plug your business, your work, your fundraising, your Instagram, anything! I work at Ysgol Y Deri in Penarth, a school for pupils with specialist educational needs. I am also Chair and Coach at Cardiff Triathletes and also run my own sports coaching business (Lidds Training and Performance Coaching), focussing on triathlon, swim, bike and run training, including strength and conditioning at all levels, abilities and distances.