{"id":62583,"date":"2017-10-13T07:15:21","date_gmt":"2017-10-13T11:15:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=62583"},"modified":"2021-11-18T07:17:09","modified_gmt":"2021-11-18T12:17:09","slug":"ironman-champion-chrissie-wellington","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/fitness\/ironman-champion-chrissie-wellington\/","title":{"rendered":"What An Ironman Champion Eats in a Day (And Other Race Tips)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"What
Photo courtesy of Hachette Book Group<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chrissie Wellington, 40, started competing in triathlons<\/a> on a whim. Though she grew up swimming<\/a> on her local team, she never took it too seriously \u2014 practicing just a few times a week. Her studies always seemed more important than training sessions, after all. But she casually began running in 2000 while earning her master\u2019s degree. And she ran her first marathon<\/a> post-graduation, finishing in 3:08.<\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until 2004 that the now four-time Ironman World Champion competed in her first triathlon, at the suggestion of a friend. She took the next year off to live and work for the government in Nepal, where she got stronger in biking<\/a> just because of the lifestyle there. Then, when Wellington returned to the multisport event in 2006, she snagged a first-place finish \u2014 just one day after learning how to properly mount and dismount a road bike<\/a>. By 2007, she turned pro.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>How Ironman Competitors Fit In Training (And You Can, Too)<\/a><\/p>\n

That\u2019s the fascinating thing about Wellington \u2014 she almost makes winning an Ironman seem simple<\/em> (not to be confused with easy).<\/p>\n

\u201cI only ever wanted to do Olympic distance [triathlons], because Ironman was for crazy people,\u201d she says. (An Ironman typically involves a two-mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and a full marathon run.) \u201cBut then my one coach persuaded me to do it and the rest is history.\u201d Of course, Wellington worked hard to compete, training<\/a> seven days a week for multiple hours a day \u2014 but for her, winning is just that straightforward.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>A Beginner\u2019s Guide to Triathlon Training<\/a><\/p>\n

Why Mental Toughness Matters, According to an Ironman<\/h3>\n

What makes Wellington stand out is her passion for a challenge \u2014 one that tests her body and <\/em>her mental fortitude. <\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are many people with that physical talent [in sports], but you need a combination of psychological strength and physical aptitude,\u201d she says. \u201cSo people in triathlons, they might have their log books and check off their sessions. But they don\u2019t realize that they also need to train their minds\u2026 to be calm, to cope with discomfort, to cope with adversity and to cope with lapses in motivation<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Wellington, this means training through the discomfort of a hard swim, bike or run, visualizing happy times (along with her friends and family) before a race, counting numbers over and over in her mind on long treks, and reciting Rudyard Kipling\u2019s poem, If<\/em>, on repeat in her head. Winning requires a certain headspace, and for Wellington, this is the formula that gets her there.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>Just Not Feeling It Today? 33 Sources of Workout Motivation<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"What
Photo courtesy of Hachette Book Group<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How to Win: Chrissie Wellington\u2019s Triathlon Training Tips<\/h2>\n

So what else does this repeat champion do to guarantee success? Before heading off to Kona to cheer on competitors at the Ironman World Championship<\/a> in Hawaii \u2014 where she\u2019ll also be indicted into the Ironman Hall of Fame \u2014 we scored her essential race day tips. Read on to learn what a triathlete champion eats in a day, how to deal with nerves and more. And snag your own copy of To the Finish Line<\/em><\/a>, which holds a plethora of Wellington\u2019s training tips, here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/strong>15 Top Picks for Tri Gear If You\u2019re on a Budget or a Baller<\/a><\/p>\n

On fueling for a race…<\/h3>\n

These days, Wellington cooks for her entire family, making her favorites like spaghetti bolognese and shepard\u2019s pie. When she was competing, she also used to love making big batches of foods, particularly snacks, for the week ahead. That included energy balls<\/a> (her favorite, made mostly out of seeds, peanut butter and dried fruit), flapjacks and mini muffins<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Her overall meal plan<\/a> during training:<\/p>\n