ready, set, win!

A world triathlon champ shares his training secrets

WORDS CRAIG TANSLEY

Gold Coast Marathon

Marathon and triathlon season is here, and it’s time to toughen up and get training. If you have a trophy in your sights, there’s no one better than Courtney Atkinson to teach you how to come in first place! The 27-year-old is one of the world’s most impressive athletes: a four-time Australian Junior Triathlon Championship winner and four-time Australian Grand Prix Triathlon Series champ – not to mention a World Triathlon Champion. Atkinson is currently competing in World Cup events throughout Asia and is Australia’s best chance of taking home a triathlon gold medal in Beijing next year.

The Gold Coast champion laps up his training sessions like a true pro. “When you race for two hours straight, week in, week out, pain just starts to become normal,” says Atkinson. “Actually, to be honest, I reckon when I retire I’ll miss testing myself against the pain. It’s like a friend and a foe all mixed up together.” We mightn’t all share Atkinson’s love of pain, but we can share his training secrets, revealed below.

2006 Gold Coast Triathlon

Let’s get physical

It’s important to ease into your training schedule. Think of a race being the top point of a triangle: start at the base with slower, longer running to build up endurance and strength, so when you start to go faster you don’t get injured. Gradually work out faster; maybe add in some hill running for strength, or some “fartlek” training (short sprints, then jogs, then repeat). It’s also a good idea to do a couple of shorter warm-up races and some faster work, as long as you keep yourself fresh for your main race. It’s better to be a bit underdone than to have done too much – if you’re having trouble sleeping and have a sore throat, back off!

Eat smart

The key to endurance performance is to make sure you get enough energy to get you through your event at your best pace. Fuel up with plenty of carbohydrates in the days leading up to the big event, but make sure you don’t put on weight. Always match your carb intake with the amount of exercise you’re doing. Too many people go overboard and put on bulk or eat too little. It’s a fine line: you need to be lean to win but if you don’t eat enough it soon catches up. Endurance athletes talk about “bonking”, which basically means hitting the wall when your body runs out of fuel.

Courtney
Atkinson
shows his
winning
smile

Make friends with pain

Training the body to overcome physical pain is simple: pick a session in the week and run as hard as you can. When you think you’re hurting, start running even harder until your legs are completely wobbly, then sprint for an imaginary finish line. Next time you’ll go further and it’ll be easier. Keep doing this and learn to enjoy the feeling that comes when you’re hurting; elite athletes welcome pain, and in no time so will you.

If the pain becomes too much, though, don’t ignore it. After a run, throw a bag of ice from the petrol station in a bathtub full of water. Sit in the iced water for around 30 to 60 seconds, then jump out into the hot shower for a minute. Repeat this five times – it’s a good way to help get you up and going so you can run again the next day.

Positive thinking

It’s pointless to say don’t get nervous, but don’t let it get out of control; the best way I’ve found to prepare for big races is to stick to a common routine and not deviate a millimetre. Race day is not the time to try something new, eat something different or do new warm-up exercises just because you see your competitors doing it. Ignore them: you can beat them!

Craig Walton, 2006 Noosa
Triathlon winner
Eyes Wide Open Images

Race day: think smart

Everyone’s trained for the race: what separates you now is your mental strategy. Confidence is the key. Don’t let your competitors psyche you out, even if they’re bigger or stronger (look at the Kenyans!). Don’t look sideways before the race. Be tough, and always think of your goal in a race: is it to beat a certain time, or to win your category? Don’t let the occasion overawe you: stick to your goals – write them on your hand if you have to – because sometimes people try far too much on race day and crash!

GET UP AND RUNNING AT THESE EVENTS

Swimming leg of the
Noosa Triathlon
Sporting Images

Phuket Marathon, June 17 – there’s not much time to train but don’t let that stop you: enter the 10km fun run or the 21km half marathon.

Gold Coast Marathon, July 1 – forget about the nightlife and casinos, sweat it out on this spectacular course beginning and ending in scenic Southport. There’s also a half marathon and 10km run.

City2Surf, Sydney, August 12 – test yourself with the not-so-easy run from Sydney’s centre to Bondi Beach (just watch out for the hills).

Melbourne Marathon, October 8 – take the scenic route from Frankston, in Melbourne’s south-east, up Port Phillip Bay to the city. Or try the half marathon or MaraFun Run/Walk.

Noosa Triathlon, November 4 – now in its 25th year, this is one of the country’s best-known events, and 8,500 competitors enter each year. There’s even an Aussie Footy Legends Triathlon!

Laguna Phuket Triathlon, December 2 – held on 243 hectares of the Laguna Phuket resort on the island’s unspoilt north-west coast. Take in the views, but watch your step!

Honolulu Marathon, December 9 – one of the world’s iconic marathons, and one of the biggest, too. Since 1973, runners have been racing through the streets of Honolulu and Waikiki every year, and even enjoy a pina colada at the finish line!