TRI’S TOUR DE FORCE
A characteristically frank interview with top GB long-distance pro, Joe Skipper!
Norfolk’s Joe Skipper has become a triathlon tour de force, not just vying to become Britain’s No.1 male Ironman triathlete, but capable of duelling with the best in the world. Following two top-10 performances in Hawaii, the 32-year-old set a course record at Ironman Florida last November and backed it up with another in New Zealand in March. A self-coached maverick, always offering refreshingly candid and forthright views, Tim Heming caught up with him the day after his Taupo success to talk all things tri.
Tim Heming Congratulations on another fantastic victory [a fifth iron-distance win], with a 7:54:18 course record. How are you feeling?
Joe Skipper I’ve felt a lot worse. I never feel as bad if I win. I worked my way to the front on the bike and had a buffer for the start of the run. With 7-8km to go, I knew I could cruise in and not risk going too hard and blowing up. Had I been in a battle, I’d have pushed harder, and that’s when I feel really bad the next day.
TH The tears flowed at the finish line. Can you explain why?
JS I was in Christchurch before the race, when my mum called to tell me nan has passed away. I was thinking about her a lot when it got hard, making sure I kept it together because she would be watching.
TH Your 180km bike split of 4:13:03 set up the victory. Do you believe your cycling is now on par with anyone in the sport?
JS It’s definitely up there with [Sebastian] Kienle and [Cameron] Wurf. Cam is probably the top guy in Ironman, but I’m learning what I need to do to get in top shape for each race, and because I coach myself, I know what sessions work for me. I’ve been consistently training hard for a number of years now and making good gains.
TH Did taking part in the 12-hour national time trial in August help your confidence [Joe cycled over 300miles and would have broken the competition record had he not taken a wrong turn]?
JS It gave me a lot physically, but also mentally. I know I can hold 300watts for 12hrs, so it’s not going to be that hard in Ironman. Granted, I’ve still got to run a marathon, but that’s only another 2:40hrs.
TH [The following question was asked prior to the Covid-19 crisis] Given you sealed Ironman World Championship 2020 qualification early by winning Ironman Florida last November, what are your plans for the summer?
JS I want to race in the Collins Cup [it was scheduled for the end of May but has since been rescheduled for 2021] and if I accrue enough points, I won’t do another full-distance race until Challenge Roth in July [it was annnounced on 26 March that this year’s Roth had been cancelled].
TH What’s your view on the new Collins Cup team format?
JS It’s interesting because it’s six waves of three triathletes per wave racing head-to-head-to-head. It will work well as long as the TV coverage is on the ball, with cameras covering everything, good commentary and live timing splits. The captains being tactical on who they pit against who will also be a big thing.
“YOU SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED TO RACE AS A PRO IF YOU’VE FAILED A DRUG TEST. A SECOND CHANCE SHOULD BE BEING ALLOWED TO RACE AS AN AMATEUR, BUT IF YOU GET BANNED YOU SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED TO RACE FOR MONEY”
TH If you qualify, is there one individual you would like to face?
JS Lionel Sanders. I want to be against someone of a similar standard in the water to make it a race from the start. He’s almost guaranteed to make the selection, and while it’s hard to know how the racing will pan out, I’d take my chances against Lionel.
TH It’s the debut event of the Professional Triathletes Organisation, who promise to inject big money into the sport. What’s your view on the PTO?
JS They’re making moves in the right direction, but as well as the Collins Cup, I’d like to see a few tiered events to keep the progression of triathletes coming through. They could have four big races a year, with smaller races where newer pros could get points on the board and earn some money to carry on racing.
TH Looking at the rankings, Michael Weiss is a competitor for a Collins Cup spot. The Austrian has previously served a ban for a doping offence. Would you feel aggrieved if he made the team at your expense?
JS You shouldn't be allowed to race as a pro if you’ve failed a drug test. A second chance should be being allowed to race as an amateur, but if you get banned you shouldn’t be allowed to race for money. If you’ve been taking drugs for years, what gains have you already made? And even if you are caught and banned for two years, it’s not as if you have to stop training.
TH Do governing bodies clamp down hard enough on doping in triathlon?
JS I think Ironman does a good job with testing. It gets a lot of stick, but whenever I’m visited by testers, I ask what sports they test the most and they say triathlon. I get tested loads. In 2018, I was tested six times in two months and at every big race, the winners will normally be tested – blood and urine. I’m under two testing pools, the UK one and Ironman’s, so it doubles the chance of being tested. I don’t think there are many sports that do that.
TH You ran a 2:39:01 marathon in Ironman Florida wearing the Hoka Carbon X shoe (as profiled in issue 374). Led by Nike’s Vaporfly range, the new wave of run shoes with carbon blades, responsive foam and exaggerated stack heights has had a polarising impact on endurance sport. Are you in favour?
JS Yes. I want to see technology improving all the time. We’ve seen it with cycling with disc wheels and wind-tunnel testing, and if we didn’t have innovation, our sponsorship would suffer, new companies wouldn’t be pushing boundaries, and people wouldn’t buy product. The Hokas are fantastic. I don’t feel as if I’m running quicker, but then look at my watch, get a split, and... wow. Florida was the first Ironman I used them for because I thought my feet might burn in Kona due to the carbon being quite stiff and the heat coming off the road. I wish I’d worn them, though, given how close I was to Cameron Wurf. The gap was down to 30secs with just a mile to run, so I’m pretty sure the shoes would have gained me a top five and sponsor bonuses. But that’s hindsight, and next year, it’s an advantage I’ll have over the guys who wore Vaporflys in 2019. After all, they can’t wear two pairs.
TH Have you run in the Nike Vaporfly?
JS I ran in the 4%s before signing with Hoka. Had they been really quick, I didn’t want to throw away time by signing to a lesser sponsor – I’ve had too many close races for that. I don’t think I ran any faster. I know the Next % is meant to be quicker, but I thought the 4% was a lot of hype.
TH Is it true that you were set to give up professional triathlon in 2015?
JS Yes. I didn’t have many sponsors, I was at the end of my tether, and if Ironman Texas didn’t go well, I was ready to go and get a proper job. Luckily, I managed to get a result [Joe finished runner-up behind USA’s Matt Hanson] and the rest is history. I go well under pressure. Every year, a lot buckle in Kona, but my best results come against strong fields. The first year I went to Roth, [Ironman world champion] Jan Frodeno broke the world record and I finished second. I returned to Roth and finished second the following year. In Kona 2018, I came seventh, in 2019, I finished sixth. All my best results have come in the big races.
TH What lessons has Ironman taught you?
JS I learn a lot every time. I did my first Ironman in 2012 and I’m still learning. It’s generally why Ironman athletes peak at a later age, there’s always something we could have done better.
TH Do you feel you could have been even better had you concentrated on triathlon earlier?
JS I did it when I was about 13, but got fed up at university where it wasn’t as popular and turned to cycling. It meant my first season of adult triathlon was 2011. I think it’s grown a lot in the past 10-15 years and had it been as popular as it is now, I might have stayed doing it.
TH Do you think you would have benefited from coming through the British Triathlon system, racing short course and receiving funding?
JS It’s a good question. I don't mind being classed as an underdog because it motivates me. It’s a tag that gives me a chip on the shoulder to show what I can do. Those coming through the system might have strong swim-runs, but the bike is their weakness. I did a lot of biking through university and it put me in good stead. Maybe the reason I run well in Ironman is because I have a strong bike and am not as fatigued.
TH The weakest part of your race is still the swim. How do you plan to improve it?
JS I need a faster take-out speed, to be swimming 4:30mins for 400m in the pool – an improvement of about 3secs per 100m. Although the lead Ironman swimmers might be taking 3:30mins out of me, I’ve only got to improve by 60-90secs to stay on the feet of the guys in the front pack. A few years ago, I was only able to stay on the feet of the chase pack, now I can easily lead it. It’s just about making the bridge up.
Steve Lloyd has been helping on the technical aspects, which makes a big difference. Anyone can design a swim set, but it’s having someone tell you what you need to improve. It’s easy to rehearse bad habits without realising it. With video analysis in the past, I’ve been told I need to develop an earlier catch. It’s clear from watching the video, but it’s working out how to get that earlier catch, and I’ve been working on improving my shoulder flexibility.
I HAVE COACHED SESSIONS, BUT THE OVERALL PLAN I DO MYSELF. I THINK A COACH NEEDS TO BE SOMEONE WHO HAS AN EYE ON YOU. I THINK IT’S TOO LATE FOR ME. I’M UNCOACHABLE AND IT WOULD BE TOO HARD A JOB
TH Is it true you have a new training set-up for 2020?
JS I moved to Nottingham at the start of winter to train with Steve and the Absolute Tri guys. I swim every day, and cycle into the Peak District. I was getting a bit bored training by myself in Norwich, so I put a post on Facebook asking where’s good to train. My girlfriend Laura went to uni in Nottingham and said it was great, and Steve said come up and see what I think. There are some quick short-course guys there. We do track sessions together, I push them on the bike and try to stay with them on the swim.
TH But you’d still say you’re self-coached?
JS I have coached sessions, but the overall plan I do myself. I was coached by Paul Savage for a short period in Manchester in 2011, but spent that winter in Spain and I think a coach needs to be someone who has his eye on you. I think it’s too late for me. I’m uncoachable and it would be too hard a job.
TH Where’s your favourite place to train?
JS I really enjoyed Font Romeo [in the Pyrenees]. It’s at a decent altitude, has flat rides, hilly rides, trails and running tracks, and 25m and 50m pools. It ticks all the boxes. But it’s not where you go, it’s who you’re with. You won’t get the best from yourself without decent training partners.
TH How do you keep injuries at bay?
JS A lot of foam rolling and self-massage, but I’ve done three yoga classes in New Zealand and will definitely be doing more when I return. If asked whether yoga or massage was more beneficial, I’d definitely say yoga. It would make a massive difference to most triathletes, who are as stiff as a block.
TH Finally, can you still improve and what are your hopes for Kona this year?
JS Definitely. There’s loads more to come and if I’m not on the podium, it’ll be a travesty.