REECE BARCLAY

He scored an Ironman PB in Kona, so knows a thing or two about speedy racing. Over to Reece!

KEEP THE PASSION

Having a passion for the sport keeps you consistent. I’ve always done well at sports where you get out what you put in. I was told I was too old to join the swim squad at 14, but I thrived. Me excelling at Ironman is history repeating itself.

DON’T BE AFRAID OF FAILURE

Be realistic when planning your goals and don’t be afraid of failure: if you’ve been 100% committed when you get to the start line then you can’t fail. Whatever your goals, whether you achieve them or not is irrelevant if you’re enjoying the process. Pursuing a goal can be stressful and life throws curveballs at us, so set adaptable goals.

SWIMMING = MENTAL STRENGTH

Swimming has given me the cardiovascular fitness to succeed in tri. I was a 50/100m swimmer, which isn’t much use in an eight-hour-plus race, but I still swam 60km a week and that helps with technique. More than anything, swimming gives mental strength. If you can stare at a lane line for 25 hours a week then grinding the turbo is a luxury!

THE ULTIMATE IRON SET

I complete this session 3-4 weeks out from my first Ironman of the year. The main set is 10 x 400m aiming to hit 4:45mins off 5:15. The first rep feels exactly like the start of the race, but then settles into a rhythm. The bike is 4-5hrs aiming to average 75% of threshold power, which is target Ironman effort level. Straight off the bike, run 10km at target Ironman pace on hilly terrain to test the legs. If you nail this, your endurance is where it needs to be.