Hello Brent. The last time we talked was after your impressive win at IronMan Arizona. 1st IronMan, 1st victory, 1st sub8 performance. Have you ever imagined such a perfect day at your first try? I definitely didn’t think that my first Ironman would turn out that well. I saw myself executing a great race and knowing I had a good shot at hitting the podium and possibly winning if everything went to plan. I didn’t have any nutrition and GI issues throughout the race so I was able focus pacing and pushing hard to the finish towards the end. For those who do not know you (yet). You are 2 times Olympian racing for Canada, winner of a lot of IM70.3 and some Xterra as well. How do you adapt your training for those really different races? I have always been able to adapt well to different types of training and I grew up mountain biking so the Xterra racing came naturally. I have also worked with the same coach (Lance Watson) for almost 20 years so he knows my skills and training style and has helped me prepare for whatever race I choose to do. We do a lot of the same types of training no matter what race I am doing, but we always do some very specific workouts for the race and even the type of course I am doing. What are your objectives for 2015? Do you plan on racing Kona and Maui? My main goal for 2015 and the next few years is racing Kona and trying to get onto the podium. I really enjoy racing the Xterra in Maui, so I look forward to the challenge of the double. 🙂 We have seen some photos of you at your bike sponsor HQs working in Wind Tunnel. You pay attention to every details that could make the difference. What Compressport R2 and Arm sleeves brought you during IM Arizona? Racing is getting so competitive and the finish times are often within seconds, so I have always looked to the details to find "free" time and efficiency. Going into Arizona I knew muscle damage and fatigue plays a huge part in the second half of the marathon. The R2 calve sleeves really came into play as I was able to run my second half marathon within two minutes of my first. I put on the Arm sleeves for the bike for two reasons, firstly to keep warm as it was a cool day but secondly after swimming hard and then riding in the aero position for four hours the compression helps with the arm fatigue. You are a big fan of compression. How do you use it during your preparation and everyday life? I use my compression socks, calve sleeves and arm sleeves while training to help reduce muscle damage so that my recovery from workouts if quicker allowing me to train harder at the next session. Post workout I use the leg sleeves to increase blood flow and speed recovery. And then one of the most important uses is when I fly I use my compression socks to prevent swelling and reduce that stagnant feeling off of the plane which is vital when preparing for a race. You are able to perform on short distance (Olympics), IronMan both long and half, but as well on Xterra. What are your best and worst memories? I have been racing for over 20 years now and I have had such a great opportunity to travel all over the world. This has led to many great memories traveling with National team members, coaches, family, friends and making new connections in all these new places. My years racing the US Xterra circuit were very memorable as it was a really fun group of athletes and a very laid back racing atmosphere which was a nice change from the ITU and Olympic qualifying circuit. Ironman and half Ironman is a nice mix of both ITU and Xterra pros and cons which I am really enjoying right now. Thanks a lot for your time, Brent. Good luck for your 2015 season.
