GEAR » PROFILE
Championship, I broke my
TT bar-end shifter during
travel. Ideally a hard case
is best, however I couldn’t
be bothered to dismantle
the bike front end twice.
Then prior to travel, I ensure
I’m healthy. I take loads of
Vitamin C, wash my hands
regularly, and don’t stress. I
stay calm, and enjoy the trip.
Tell us about your training
group, coaching and tri
club. Samantha Harrington
and I recently formed ONE80
Multisport. The aim was to
bring multisport athletes
together as a group that
strives to push the limits and
change its approach to life,
by 180 degrees. The group
is comprised of athletes
of all levels with a shared
passion for training and
racing together, creating a
family, social and supportive
environment on a daily basis.
We are family.
We have an awesome group
of elite athletes and we are
a great motivation to each
other to push and hit the
numbers. It’s highly rewarding
to see each of our guys and
girls improve and perform.
The coaches are doing a
great job and so far six team
members have qualified for
the 2019 IROMMAN World
Championship, which is an
amazing achievement. We
are definitely going to have a
great time on the Big Island.
“EACH YEAR I STILL LOOK FORWARD TO THE COMING
SEASON. IF YOU ENJOY IT, YOU’LL REMAIN HUNGRY”
Travelling to an
international event
definitely adds a degree
of stress to racing. What’s
your secret to racing
well at locations across
the world, and how do
you prepare for different
climates and time zones?
I find the key is to remove
all stress during travel
and properly prepare your
schedule in advance of your
trip. I arrive at my destination
in advance – by a day for
every hour’s time difference
– which accounts for the jet
lag. In the days leading up to
the race, I try not to get too
88
involved in the excitement
and expos, but remain calm
and collected, go through the
motions of taper sessions,
and visualise how I intend to
attack race day.
Which are your favourite
races, and why? My
favourite races have been in
Europe. The road surfaces on
the bike are like glass and the
run courses are interesting
through the European
cities. I’ve enjoyed the USA
races too, but I feel that my
performances have been less
than my best when racing
there, with the exception of
IRONMAN Florida.
What are your secrets to
bike packing, avoiding
plane germs and public
transport? I use a soft-
case SCICON. To pack I
literally just remove wheels
and bolt the bike down – it
takes five minutes. It’s a bit
of a roll of the dice, and on
this last trip to Texas for the
IRONMAN North American
On the run in Texas at
the IRONMAN North
American Championship
on 29 April 2019.
Does your family travel
with you sometimes?
And do you take the
opportunity to explore new
destinations or even work
as part of the trips? My wife
occasionally joins me where
we will see the sites (of those
cities she’s keen on seeing),
however I like to get in and
out within a week when on my
own – and back to work.