About Team MAD
About Team MAD’s accomplishments
Team MAD which stands for Mother and Daughter have complete several challenges to date. A list of them is below:
Trisha Harvey
British Ironwoman Champion (2002)
Rachel Hughes
British Youth Triathlon Champion (2001)
Biographies
Trisha Harvey
Sporting background and Scottish cycling champion
Trisha has always loved sports. She did her first marathon in 2000 in a fabulous time of 4 hrs 3 minutes. In 2001, Trisha became the Scottish 100m time trial champion and she was also a member of the 100-mile Scottish tandem (2 person) team. Unfortunately, at the end of the event, in which the tandem team smashed the record, the course was found out to be 500m short!
British Ironwoman Champion 2002 setting a marathon PB
In 2002, Trisha became British Ironwoman Triathlon Champion (2.4-mile swim, 112 miles on the bike and then a marathon) at the age of 43 in a time of 10 hours 56 minutes, a fantastic achievement. She was asked to represent Great Britian in the GB Team in 2002 and 2003. Her marathon time after swimming and cycling Ironman distances was 4 hours!
Outside of Team MAD challenges, she went onto to set up Thorntonhall Therapies in 2002 working as a clinical aesthetician and carried on with various sporting challenges.
Iron Icewoman
In December 2023, she completed an Ice Mile swim in Yorkshire at the age of 63. This challenging feat involves swimming one mile in water temperatures below 5°C while wearing only a standard swimming costume, cap, and goggles. This made Trisha an Iron Icewoman, the oldest, and the 15th female in the world to achieve this. To top off 2022, Trisha was mentioned in the top 10 hot streak female swimmers.
In July 2024 Trisha walked around Jersey, 48 miles, in an impressive time of 13 hours 44 minutes. In December 2024 she swam 500m and 1000m at the British Ice Championships and got 2 firsts in her age group, qualifying for the Worlds in Molveno in Italy January 2025. At the Worlds she won bronze in 500m and gold in 1000m in her age group.
Trisha’s achievement highlights her dedication to pushing personal limits and serves as a reminder that age does not have to be a barrier to pursuing ambitious goals. Through her professional practice and personal endeavours, she encourages others to consider their own health and fitness journeys, recently opening her thinAir business in 2023.
Trisha Harvey’s story illustrates the importance of resilience and the pursuit of personal challenges at any stage of life.
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Rachel Hughes
Rachel’s athletic journey is a testament to her diverse talents and dedication to sports. Her early passion for swimming and running naturally led her to excel in triathlon, where she achieved success at a young age.
British Triathlon Champions
- Rachel became the British Youth Triathlon Champion in 2001 and was a member of the British Youth Relay that won silver at European Triathlon Relays 2001 in Poland.
- Her mother, Trisha, was crowned British Ironwoman Champion 10 months later.
- For two months in 2022, they held the unique distinction of being the first mother-daughter duo to simultaneously hold British titles in triathlon, a feat that remains yet unmatched.
Academic and Athletic Achievements at Oxford
- Studied Geography at St Hilda’s College, Oxford.
- Made history as the first female President of Oxford University Cycling Club in its 132-year existence.
- Earned 3 Blues for cycling and a half Blue for triathlon.
- Awarded Oxford University Sportswoman of the Year in 2007.
Recent Accomplishments
Outside of Team MAD challenges until 2017, Rachel has continued to challenge herself:
- Completed the Rennes Marathon in October 2023 with a time of 3 hours 53 minutes.
- Currently improving her French language skills, having reached a B2 level.
Rachel’s journey from youth champion to university athlete and beyond showcases her ongoing commitment to personal growth and athletic excellence.
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