Different Perspective Sports Magazine Issue 2 - IRONMAN Wales | Page 14

I want it to be. I don’t do as much running as I could. I train for ½’s and add on an
Ironman at the end of the year, so next year I will be training more specifically for full
Ironmans. I really want to break 3 hours on a marathon and I think I can do that, not
this year but next and bike efficiency plays a huge part and there is a lot more I can
do with that.
In terms of an Ironman athl ete and an ITU athlete you are probably training
around the same hours per week, yet ITU athletes who move up to 70.3 are
doing very well due to their raw speed. Is there an argument therefore to train
for a 70.3 and then tag on an Ironman?
I am very much a diesel and I definitely do speed work in winter. I am slower than
I was in March but I don’t need to be running 5:30 miles at the moment, I need to
run 6:40 for 3 hours so I think every athlete is different. I don’t think you need to do
hundreds of hours but I will be doing more biking when I turn full time pro, as this is
what takes the time and more recovery like stretching and Pilates.
Your dad rides a Harley – do you have any road trips planned where your
parents go on the bike and you cycle behind and catch them up?
That is a really good idea! Mum might have to get a little more enthusiastic about
going on the bike though!
You have likened indoor winter training to “pippeting” is that something that
you zone out?
I used to do the Coach Troy DVD’s, as you need something if you are going to be
sitting there for 3 hours. You have to realise why you are doing it so I don’t watch
DVD’s. If you do then you might as well go out on the road as I think it is pointless.
I once did it for 5:38 which is pretty hard core! I use it in the summer for certain
sessions and I do like to Mountain bike in the winter.
Do you think that in general terms us Age Groupers do not push ourselves and
hurt ourselves enough?
You learn how to hurt but if I had the choice of a hard 5km or a 3 hour steady plod I
would go for the plod every time by my nature and I have learnt how to hurt and you
need to in training to be able to in races. You need to find friends to hurt with and
push each other.
How much hill training do you do given you live in a very flat area?
I did not actually realise that Bolton was hilly so in-between then and now I have been
working on the only hill near me which only takes 3 mins to get up. It is the biking that
you have to get used to so I have been using a Computrianer for big gear sessions,
as I don’t have any hills around me.