CHRISTINE SUTER … The Motivator

Does a coach also play the role of ‘support system’ for athletes in training?

As a coach, when I get serious about the sports I’m doing, I hire a coach! It’s because I like to have that person to talk to as well. It’s just great to have that person there that’s going to listen to you.

Has a coach ever said something particularly meaningful to you that you now pass on to athletes you’re training?

Melissa Spooner was my coach. One of the things she said to me after a race (I didn’t have a great race) was, “Did you believe you could do it?” And I thought, you know what, I didn’t. That’s one thing I pass on to my athletes now: you need to believe that you can do this.

How important is nutrition for competitors in endurance races like Ironman Canada?

The biggest thing is your nutrition the day of the race. That’s the nutrition every athlete has to practice: you practice what you’re going to eat. People say I can eat this, I can eat that, but can you eat it when you’re under stress? When your adrenalin is pumping out?