... manage a Triathlon like Kate Allen

Olympic triathlon winner Kate Allen reveals how even hobby athletes can fulfill the dream of taking part in the Ironman competition, what type of training really makes you strong – and why being too ambitious can be dangerous.

Let’s say I’m a versatile, well-trained hobby athletes and I’m dreaming about my first triathlon. How much time do I have to invest before I’m ready for a competition?

If you’ve been regularly doing eight to ten hours of sport a week, you’ll be ready in eight weeks. Use the time for targeted training and it’s enough to get you through.

What emphasis should there be in the specific disciplines when training, and how much time and intensity should I devote to which disciplines?

There’s no rule of thumb for that – especially not for people doing sports as a hobby. I myself train only one discipline on some days – on other days I run, swim and bike. Sometimes I spend most of my time on the bike for days in a row, then I hardly ride at all for one or two weeks ...

Should you train the discipline you’re particularly weak in, or is it better to optimize your strengths?

That’s also a matter of taste. Many triathletes don’t like swimming, for example. But in order to be quicker by only one or two minutes you have to train for hours. It’s not worth it for a hobby sportsperson, though. In the worst case, the fun for the whole discipline gets lost through the swimming training if it’s not liked.

Changing from water to bike, from bike to running shoes, lots of time can be lost. How can you train these processes?

With markings on the street that simulate the changing points, 20 to 100 meters apart. That way you can automate the motion sequences – changing shoes, sprinting away on the bike.

What mental tricks make it easier to get through competitions or heavy training units?

Generally both things are supposed to be fun. If everything’s already hurting you should think about what you’re fighting for in the moment: For example, you can imagine in detail the moment you cross the finishing line punching the air.

What’s the difference between preparing for a triathlon as a hobby sportsperson or a top athlete?

Apart from the scope of the training and intensity, mostly the attitude to life: I’m a triathlete around the clock. Even when I’m not training I’m thinking about my nutrition or my equipment – or about getting enough sleep. Each time I train has to be perfect and goal-oriented, otherwise it’s wasted time. I can’t just ride a few rounds on my racing bike with friends and have a break in a café in between.

Aren’t top triathletes allowed to eat a hamburger or dance the night away in a club from time to time?

Sorry, unfortunately not – at least not during the competition season.

The amount of time triathletes invest in training is huge. For a normal person, how is it possible to balance job and family?

By asking yourself once a month whether the balance between the hobby that you love, the job you do and the people that need you is still there. The triathlon can make you really addictive and tends to eat up more and more time the more ambitious you get.