TRIfinder Interview: Will Clarke

Created On: 16 November 2010

Will Clarke a previous U23 World and European Champion, British Olympian and Double British Champion talks to TRIfinder.co.uk about a difficult 2010, changing coaches and his plans to come back in 2011 stronger and faster ready for Olympic qualification.

How would you summarise your 2010 race season?

2010 has been a howler! We (me and my coaches) got it all wrong this year, possibly my worst year in triathlon so far. We focused on the high intensity training too early in the season, so I was too fit too early and struggled to maintain it through the year.

So what will you take away from 2010 to help you in future years?

To not forget how tough triathlon is, the competition get stronger every year and you can't just focus on high intensity training. You need those steady base miles too to perform at a high level all season.

An already tough year got even worse when you came off your bike in August what happened?

I was out training on my bike doing some sprint work and my gears were playing up, all of a sudden in a fast sprint the gears slipped and I hit the floor. It left me with nasty road rash which initially I was recovering well from until a few week later when it became infected. Me and Clare had got married a few days earlier and were set to head off on honeymoon, unfortunately due to tube strikes we missed our plane by 2 minutes! We were told we could fly 24 hours later but in the mean time I went to hospital as the leg was getting worse. I was sent to A&E and admitted, the following day they removed a golf ball sized abscess from my leg (pictured below) and we never made the honeymoon!

How has it affected your racing and training?

The main impact was not being able to race in Budapest at the ITU Grand Final which I was gutted. This was just about the worst ending to an already poor season I could have had!

How is the injury now, are you fully recovered?

Yes all is well, I am back in training and have put in a 20 hour training week this week and will be back up to the usual 30 hours from next week.

Traditionally this time of year is when UK triathletes head to warmer climates for winter training, what's your plan?

I've changed coaches recently and will now be training with my good friend Stuart Hayes under Team Dillon which I'm really looking forward to. Clare and I are heading out at the end of November for 4 ½ months to the Gold Coast in Australia.

Why did you choose Team Dillon over other training partners?

Michelle (Dillon) is different to most coaches as she has raced at the top level for over 10 years so she understands what it's truly like to be an athlete which is rare to find in a coach.

Michelle knows me well and understands what works for me plus I get Stu as a training partner who is already a good friend so we can push each other to ensure we both have a great 2011.

What will a typical training day involve with Team Dillon?

I know each day will start with 5K in the pool! We will be training all three disciplines each training day with a mix of high intensity and strong base miles.

Previously I have always trained 7 days per week with a rest day every few weeks but Stu trains 6 days per week and manages more hours of training than I do. I will be training 6 days per week throughout winter but adjusting to a planned day off every week will take some getting used to. I also hope to use Australia as a honeymoon for me and Clare as we still haven't managed to get away!

Will you be taking part in any competitive racing whilst you're over there?

I plan to find a turkey trot when I arrive for a bit of fun! Otherwise it will all just be training miles ready for a strong 2011. I have decided that I have to focus on the most important races for 2011 so it's important to train and rest properly throughout winter without getting wrapped up in competition.

So what are your goals for 2011?

2011 is all about qualification for London 2012. I have had a meeting with British Triathlon and qualification is going to be so tough! I'm going to need to put in the season of my life to make it into the team.

What are the key races you will be competing in?

The only important races next year are Olympic Qualification races, any others will just act as 'filler' races for the qualifiers.

What would it mean to you to qualify for your 2^nd Olympic Games?

It's my career goal to win an Olympic medal. I raced in Beijing in 2008 but came away very disappointed. Just to race in the Olympics was great but the feeling of not achieving a medal you can't imagine it is gutting so London 2012 means everything to me.

Who do you see as your main competition for London 2012 Qualification?

That's easy, the Brownlee brothers, Tim Don, Olly Freeman and Stu (Hayes) will be the ones most likely to challenge for the qualification places.

Finally a few questions we ask everyone:

One triathlon product you couldn't do without?

Multipower Red Kick Energy Drink, it's what get's me out of the door training in the morning!

Favourite race anywhere in the World and why?

The London Triathlon, the atmosphere is unbelievable yet it's actually quite low-key compared to the ITU circuit. There's less pressure to perform so you can enjoy it as a great race in a great location.

Favourite cycling route in the World?

My all time favourite is the coastal road near Stellenbosch in South Africa. I also really enjoy climbing Alp D'Huez, I spent 3 months training there, it's challenging but beautiful at the same time.

Triathlon legend and why?

If I could achieve a similar career to that of Bevan Docherty I would be very happy, he's the only person to have won medals at two consecutive Olympic Games and continues to perform at the top of the sport.

Will Clarke uses products from leading European sports nutrition company Multipower. For sports nutrition tailored to your individual goals, visit www.multipoweruk.com .

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