(6-23-10) This past spring Uber-talented triathlete Chrissie Wellington was kind enough to take time out of her busy schedule for an exclusive interview with RaceCenter to chat as she prepares to continue her reign as the “Queen of Kona” at this year’s Ironman® World Championships in October. The following interview was originally featured in the April/May 2010 issue of RaceCenter Northwest Magazine. In addition to this interview, we came across this VIDEO INTERVIEW online where she speaks more about her racing and delves into her nutrition strategy.
RaceCenter Northwest: As you reflect on the accomplishments and lessons learned from the racing season, what sort of down time do you try and incorporate in your yearly plan?
Chrissie Wellington: I like to say that I train 24/7. It’s not just about the time when I am exercising. Training your body is about eating, sleeping and recovering to enable you to perform to your potential; so yes, I have to rest and relax each and every day between sessions. I like to talk to friends and family, watch DVDs, read books, play Scrabble, eat a lot, and sleep, of course! And after Kona each year, I have one month where I greatly reduce the training volume to about one hour a day. The mental break is just as important as the physical break, and all athletes (professional and amateur) should factor a period into their program where they take time out and do the things that don’t involve swim, bike and run.
RCNW: What's on your iPod — and do you use it in training?
CW: A wide variety of music. I like a bit of everything — the Killers, Kings of Leon, Placebo, U2, Foo Fighters, Queen, Dire Straights, Eric Clapton, and so much more besides! I do use an iPod in training — mainly when I run. I also use it before a race. I download some really special songs and then I bike or run part of the race course. That way, when I am actually racing I can hear those songs in my head as I go past key landmarks. The "Circle of Life" on the Lion King soundtrack is a particular favorite, as is "We Are the Champions" by Queen.
RCNW: What sort of recovery strategy do you employ with regard to nutrition?
CW: I love to eat! It’s the fuel that enables me to perform! I eat a healthy, well-balanced diet with complex carbs, meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, and lots of nuts, seeds and other "good fats." I love oatmeal and eat it every single day! I use Muscle Milk to recover after a hard training session — cake batter flavor is a particular favorite — it tastes so good, and gives me everything I need to recover and come back fighting. It is also important for me to fuel myself during training sessions of more than an hour, as this enables me to get the most out of that session, but also facilitates recovery. I use Cytomax citrus flavour energy drink, as well as muesli bars on longer bike rides.
RCNW: Many athletes are faced with the pressures of fitting in work, family and social life, as well as balancing their training regimen. Are there any specific "quality" workouts (hill repeats, for example) that you've found offer the largest gains given the time spent in the activity?
CW: I totally understand the difficulty that comes with juggling lots of balls; I did it myself as an amateur athlete. The key is to prioritize quality over quantity. More is not necessarily better, and it is vital that you only do the sessions that will make you improve, not neglecting the importance of rest and recovery.
I love doing hill repeats, on the bike and the run. On the bike, I do a 90-minute session with an hour of hill repeats. I do them in down on the aerobars, in a big gear and each repeat takes about five minutes. On the run, each repeat takes around 90-120 seconds, and I run these hard with a jog recovery back to the bottom of the hill. This is a great strength session and really tires your legs, in a good way!
It is hard to balance training, work, family, and social life. But the important thing is to do what you can, not to cram if you miss a session — just forget about it and move on to the next one. And remember that the sport is supposed to be fun!
RCNW: The climate in the UK is very similar to that of the Pacific Northwest in the off-season. What training advice would you give our readers as they face frequent inclement weather? And are there any strategies you use to keep your mood in check as you push through this time of year?
CW: I spend much of my time overseas chasing the sun, but as an amateur athlete I did live and train in the UK. Swimming can be done in any weather, so that’s easy. But for outdoor activities like biking and running, I would suggest that your readers wear the appropriate clothing to keep them warm and protected from the elements — gloves, a hat/balaclava, long sleeves, and leggings are a must.
Make sure your bike is fit for the weather conditions too, with lights and a mudguard if necessary. Winter tires will also help with grip on the wet roads. Remember that you can burn more calories in the cold, so make sure you fuel yourself, especially in sessions that are over 90 minutes. I also like to add slightly warm water to my energy drink on the bike, so it isn’t freezing cold when I come to drink it!
I also use the home trainer if the weather is really bad. These also give "bang for buck" bike sessions — a two-hour home trainer session is the equivalent of three hours on the road.
One other top tip would be to train with friends. It is hard to motivate yourself in the winter months. So if you have a training partner, that can make all the difference to the enjoyment of training. Most importantly, don’t forget to reward yourself with a huge mug of hot chocolate — after all, you deserve it!
RCNW: You've been down an interesting path over the past several years. You earned a Master's degree, which you put to use working in foreign development in several countries, including Nepal. But what does life look like after the sport of triathlon?
CW: I certainly have been down some very interesting paths! I believe that triathlon and sport generally have tremendous power — and can be a force for considerable change. I feel very strongly that as a professional triathlete, my impact and message should be wider than my performance on the race course, and last longer than my athletic career. I am an ambassador for a number of organizations, like Jon Blais’ Blazeman Foundation for ALS (which aims to support research into ALS, the motor neurone disease that took the life of the Ironman triathlete Jon Blais in 2007: www.blazemanwarrior.org), as well as GOTRIbal (a women’s networking and empowerment organization: www.gotribalnow.com) and Jane’s Appeal in the UK (www.janesappeal.com). I would love to do more, but time is limited and I hope that I can devote more energy to this area of work after I have hung up my professional lycra.
Champions come and go, but to me the real judge of my personal success will be whether I actually do something positive with the opportunities I have been given. And I really hope that, as world champion, I can be a role model and ambassador for the sport that everyone can be proud of. If I retired from triathlon tomorrow, I would seize the wonderful opportunity I have to continue to combine my two passions (sport and international development) and, specifically, inspire and encourage as many people as possible to adopt active lifestyles in my home country, the UK, and around the world.
Ultimately I want to set up my own foundation to help underprivileged kids empower themselves through sport, but I have so many other ideas that my mind is always spinning! I would also like to do more traveling, especially to the Middle East, and take part in some crazy, multi-day, multi-week endurance challenges around the world.
