TAYLOR SPIVEY
With her first Olympic berth in her sights for 2020, USA pro Taylor Spivey knows how to get the best out of her performance. Here are her top tips…
1 NEVER NOT HUNGRY
Food is fuel. What you put into your body is what you get out of it. And the quality of food is just as important as timing of food. Fad diets that ignore the value of carbs are crazy for the endurance athlete. My biggest tip is to have a healthy snack prepped or a protein shake ready to go after a training session… and carbs!
2 VALUE YOUR SLEEP
Aside from nutrition, sleep is the best recovery tool. Work hard, train smart, fuel right, and sleep a lot. You’re more likely to be injured if you sleep less than 7 hours per night and it’s the simplest thing you can do to maintain health and recover fast.
3 THE LITTLE THINGS MATTER
As a pro athlete who used to work full time, I learned the hard way that ignoring the recovery process can lead to injury and poor performance. Taking care of the little things, whether it’s getting a weekly massage, or doing 10mins of pre/post-workout gym can go a long way. If I’m short on time, instead of going for a 60min run, I’ll shorten it to 50mins so I can include a 10min glute activation routine to ensure a more productive run. If time is of the essence, shortening a workout just a little to do what you need to do, can be more valuable than running that extra 10mins. A healthy body breeds consistency, and consistency leads to long-term improvement.
4 HAVE PATIENCE
Fortunately, in my formative years when I began triathlon, my coach suggested I start with the sprint and Olympic distance and go from there. I’m so thankful for this advice and have never looked back. I’ve learned from many mistakes in short-distance racing, and will carry those lessons to longdistance racing when the time is right. Start small and short and be patient as you work your way up over the course of a few years to your end goal.
5 INVEST IN THE ENGINE
Investing in expensive equipment will only get you so far if you don’t invest in the engine first — your training! I raced and trained my first year as a professional on an old aluminum bike and hand-me-down equipment. Fancy gear won’t earn you a spot on a podium if you don’t first invest in your training. Start with a good coach and work hard everyday… and a fancy shiny medal around your neck will follow.