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My Olympic dream

by Will Clarke - GB triathlete (U11183964) 04 March 2008

Hello – and welcome to my first blog for the BBC.

In case you don’t know anything about me, I’m a British triathlete aiming to get selected for the Beijing Olympics later this summer. I was the under-23 world champion in 2006 but I’m now mixing it with the big boys.

There might be five months to go until Beijing, but the Olympics are already dominating everything I do.

For all of us triathletes, the whole year feels like it comes down to just one race – the Olympics. And it’s making it a whole lot more stressful.

I’ve been training out in South Africa with the cream of British triathlon – 2006 world champ Tim Don, Oli Freeman (former European junior champion) and Alistair Brownlee (former world junior champion) – and we’re all competing for the same places in the British team. That’s making it pretty intense.

Here’s the deal with how qualification works. If you finished in the top three at last season’s world championships, you were guaranteed a place. No Brit managed that.

Next was a World Cup event on the Beijing course. You needed a top-three finish there to be guaranteed a place in the GB team or a top-eight finish to be pencilled in. I finished seventh, the only Brit in the top eight - so at the moment I’m pencilled in.

Even though I’m in pole position, I just can’t risk missing out

Last up is the World Cup event in Madrid on 20 May. It’s the same deal there – top three to be guaranteed a spot, top eight to be pencilled in. And everyone’s going for it. Every British triathlete there is.

For me to miss out, three British men would have to beat my seventh place in Beijing. And if none of them can, it’s up to the selectors to pick two more athletes at their discretion.

Despite my Beijing result, I’m still going to have to race Madrid too. The Olympics are just too important.

Even though I’m in pole position, I just can’t risk missing out. I’d love to be able to sit back and relax, but I can’t.

In my favour, Madrid is also the Olympic qualification race for the Germans and French, plus the Spanish are always very competitive at home.

Hopefully for me all the big boys will turn up and make it a very hard race. But it’s going to be a nerve-wracking few months.

It was pretty intense in South Africa. Everyone’s flexing in training and showing how strong they are. And everyone’s looking good.

I have to keep looking for the little things that will make me a better athlete

Luckily, I think I handle pressure pretty well. I seem to be a championship performer – I’m able to block everything out and just race.

I’m also doing well in training. Last year I would have said that I couldn’t go much faster. I would have thought: I can’t do any more hours of training. I was already doing 30 hours a week. But I’m already fitter at this stage than I was last year.

I’m older and wiser and stronger. I’ll never know when I’ll peak, but it’s not yet.

At last year’s world championships, I was only 30 seconds behind the winner and nine off the podium, so all my improvements now will be slight. I have to keep looking for the little things that will make me a better athlete.

In a few weeks I’m off to Australia for more training and racing. I’ll be posting again from there. But in the meantime, drop me any questions or chat down below, and I’ll do my best to answer them.

Cheers

Will

Will Clarke was talking to BBC Sport's Tom Fordyce

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comment by duawful (U11184551)

posted Mar 10, 2008

Great Result Will.

Did it all go to plan ?
Does the adverse weather have a huge effect on you guys on the bike as well.
I know you guys warm weather train, but do you also train in the Great British weather conditions as well, because I assume this can help, or do I need to go away through Winter ?

Also Well done Kozzy, was your time better thn last year ?
That wind was a killer on Saturday, I felt I was going backwards on my bike .

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comment by Kozzey (U849501)

posted Mar 10, 2008

duawful, it's not really possible to do a time comparison with last year because the course was completely changed this year, and the wind conditions were tougher than last year. On the face of it I was five minutes faster on my first run but it was only 4.24k, so a bit shorter than last year. On the bike I was 19 minutes slower but the course was about 5k longer this year and included two trips down the wind tunnel compared to only one last year. About the only thing that was comparable were transition times and they were much better this year than last. My second run time was disappointing because it was slower than last year and about 12 minutes slower than Will's .

It was genuinely hard work this year and I'm glad that a lot of training was done over the winter otherwise there could have been a serious risk of a DNF.

One prediction did come true though - we all eat Will's dust because he flew into the lead right at the start and no-one could catch him, not even Nick from TFN 2XU team - and he nearly wins everything on the local scene .

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comment by BobbyNads (U1818597)

posted Mar 14, 2008

Will,

I'm not a triathlete, but I tried Mark Allen's training methods (Maffetone) with some good results. I was just wondering what you thought of Mark Allen's methods.

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comment by deft-touch-dobson (U5668640)

posted Mar 15, 2008

Joking apart Will,when do you go for a pint?
(cheers)

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comment by Bam (U7710793)

posted Mar 28, 2008

Hi Will

As a newcomer to triathlon, having only discovered the sport last August, it has been great to witness the confidence displayed by the whole GB squad, including yourself. I wish you all the best for 2008.

Two quick questions:

1. How do your rate the GB squad's chances of a medal at this year's Olympics.

2. If you had to provide one key tip for each stage of a triathlon, what would they be?

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comment by Kozzey (U849501)

posted Apr 1, 2008

Bad luck on the Mooloolaba result Will. I guess it's not what you were hoping for.

Best of luck for the next one.

BTW - your 30 minutes in the Lord Mayor's 10k was AWESOME!

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comment by Will Clarke - GB triathlete (U11183964)

posted Apr 2, 2008

Well, Mooloolaba World Cup didn't go to plan at all...you're always going to be looking for answers and thats what I have spent the last two days doing. I believed I was in great knick leading into it with my 30min 10k on a windy and hilly course before I jumped on the plane, alonside my good 4 week block and a pretty good winter. I think it was a combo of things, a lot of travel required to get to Australia as well as first race of the year. It's always hit and miss, especially with me! The swim was ok, I was safely where I needed to be, I felt fantastic on the bike and even at the end, but on the run my wheels fell off. I hit the front and surged but after 1.5k I didnt have it so I jogged the last 2.5k.

Im in Ishigaki, Japan now, Again a long way to come to get to this one but it is the same for everyone here and I have that hard race under my belt so I hope I can suck it up to get a good result! This is the nature of the sport! The Peaks are so Great and the troughs are so deep!

Bam, cheers for your message.

1) Anything can happen in Triathlon, we definitely have as good athletes as anyone. We are also going to be very well prepared, maybe one of the nations who have thought about that the most, thats what often counts! There is one stand out athlete at the moment, Javier Gomez from Spain, hes extremily hard to beat, but we will have the ability in our team.

2) Race wise? Swim, get on someones feet who is faster then you, get in their draft and use them to get you around faster then you can swim.

Bike, get aero and pace yourself right so your moving as fast as possible without blowing your legs to pieces for the run.

Run, Keep asking yourself if you are getting the most out of yourself, often you will probably find that you are not!

When do I go for a Beer. To be honest when I feel like I need to! When I feel like I'm low and need to relax. When the time is right to have some Beers you will wake up the next morning and feel refreshed motivated and ready to train...well! The wrong time and you will take the rest of the day off and be hurting and miserable for the rest of the week!

Till next time!

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comment by fan_of_sport (U11017910)

posted Apr 2, 2008

I have two daughters who compete in triathlon and take part in the series for our region and really enjoy competing.

All the children who compete, although from different clubs around the region, get on well, and cheer each other on when they have finished their race.

They really love sport and athletes like your self are a real inspiration. Good Luck.

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comment by illustriousMrN (U11454666)

posted Apr 4, 2008

Hi Will

Looks like I am hopefully going to be out in Madrid cheering all you guys on. Saw Tim had a good result and have heard Olly has been looking good to explode at Madrid.

My money is on you three to get the nod, regardless of Madrid - but there might be a shock or two!

now dont' take this the worng way but who do you fancy to get the nod from the girls? Hollie Avil must deserve a chance?!

One final question - how do you condition against 'jelly legs' after T2? I really struggle and wondered if you had any tips?

cheers will

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