In July 2010, Chrissie Wellington set a new record for Ironman-distance triathlon of 8:19:13, beating not only her last world record of 8:31:59, but also the rest of the competition by over half an hour. In the following interview, she reveals her secrets to becoming world champion.
How daunting was the run-up to your third Ironman competition?
The Ironman crown is only as heavy as you let it be. The victory has given me a platform to motivate, inspire others, spread important messages, to promote the sport in the UK and overseas and, most importantly, be the sporting role model and ambassador that I would want to see. I love being triple world champion – and I definitely don’t mind having the target on my back!
What training do you do the evening before a competition?
Swim: 30 minutes (2km)
Bike ride: 45 minutes, at a steady pace
Run: 25 minutes with some short, sharp, spikes of exertion built in. I’ll do this late afternoon.
The night before a race is the only time I watch re-runs of winning previous titles just to get my blood pumping.
Could you give us a typical before/after race meal?
The day before a race I eat plain, simple food to maximise my energy reserves and limit any possibility of GI distress during the race. I have a bowl of porridge with tahini and honey for breakfast (no coffee, as I cut it out seven days before the race for that added kick come race day). Lunch is a couple of sandwiches or bagels (white bread), cheese or sliced chicken and olive oil. And dinner is tuna pasta with tomato-based sauce. I keep hydrated but don’t overhydrate. Immediately after the race I crave chips, a kebab, pizza or burgers, and tend to indulge in more than one!
How important to you is the mind/body connection?
It’s so important! Getting the body in shape is only half the battle; all the physical strength in the world won’t help you if your mind is not prepared. I realised this during my time in Nepal, and specifically when I cycled 1,200km across the Himalayas, encountering the biggest highs (literally – Everest Base Camp is at 17,00ft) and lows in the form of snow storms, sand storms, horrendous wind and sickness. I developed a huge amount of physical strength while cycling there but, while this physical strength can be transient, I believe that the mental strength from encountering and overcoming challenges and hurdles always stays with you.
What area of a triathlon do you pay most attention to in training?
It’s an even split across all three disciplines but I like to work hardest at the eating and sleeping part! No seriously, I train hard for 11 months of the year. Exercise, resting, sleeping and most importantly eating are all part of training. Triathlon is a 24/7 job; it’s not just about when you are in the pool, straddling the bike or bouncing around on the run. Typically, I do six sessions of each a week, training around 4-6 hours a day.
Now you’ve got three Ironman titles, should it be renamed Ironwoman?
It’s great that so many women are doing triathlons and giving the men a run for their money. I love that. But the term “Ironwoman” reminds me of Maggie Thatcher, so maybe we have to come up with something else!
Can you give us a tip for each discipline?
An overall tip is to incorporate different speeds into your training – long, steady, intense and fast intervals with more rest, race pace work, etc. To get faster, you need a balance between all three throughout the year.
Swim tip: Incorporate paddles into your sessions to increase strength.
Bike tip: On the bike, make sure you are comfortable and that the bike fits you – and do hill repeats to make you strong.
Run tip: Relax your arms and hands and ensure you have strong core muscles to enable you to hold your form. Most of all, enjoy it!
This article was originally published in the April/May 2010 edition of Fitpro Network.
