Even throughout a ‘relaxation interval’ 9 months earlier than the London Olympics, Alistair and Jonny had been working relentlessly on their health
Again in October 2011, I went on a media journey courtesy of Garmin to the Barcelona Triathlon. Travelling with the small group of journalists and PR individuals had been the Brownlee brothers – Alistair and Jonny – lower than a yr earlier than the London Olympics had been set to happen.
I bear in mind rising wearily for the early-morning flight and as quickly as we arrived and checked into our resort I headed to Las Ramblas for lunch and a drink with the opposite journos. This was a ‘travelling day’, in spite of everything, so I used to be feeling a bit delicate and certainly wanted to take it straightforward?
Because it turned out, this was additionally a day the place I realized the distinction between a leisure membership stage athlete like myself and a world-class triathlete destined for Olympic gold.
Alistair Brownlee (Getty)
The earlier night time the Brownlees had been out at an occasion till round midnight however nonetheless rose at round 4-5am to do an early morning swim session earlier than dashing to Leeds-Bradford Airport for his or her flight to Barcelona. They took their bicycles in bike containers, too, however I don’t bear in mind them having a lot assist from anybody with regards packing and organising all of it. As a substitute, they only rocked up collectively carrying all their gear themselves.
Touching down on the resort, they went straight out on to the roads of Catalonia for a spin of round two to 3 hours.
Then, as if that wasn’t sufficient, I noticed Alistair and Jonny arriving again at our resort at about 6pm dripping with sweat as they’d squeezed in a 40-minute run earlier than going for a fast bathe and costume change forward of the Garmin occasion within the night the place they had been glad to mingle and chat with journalists like myself.
But right here’s the factor. They had been apparently in an end-of-season “relaxation interval” earlier than resuming their winter preparation correctly a number of days later!
So if that’s what they did throughout a straightforward week after they had been travelling all day, then I may solely think about what they managed at one in all their precise coaching camps.
Within the Barcelona Triathlon itself, they had been each content material to easily spectate however in addition they skilled that day earlier than flying house to proceed their work. The next summer time they had been rewarded in addition to Alistair received the primary of two Olympic gold medals as Jonny earned bronze regardless of a time penalty.
Now, the 36-year-old Alistair has hung up his racing footwear, goggles and bike, though I can’t think about him stopping swim-run-biking completely.
Triathlon isn’t historically a part of AW’s protection, however the Brownlees have spent such a giant a part of their profession at operating occasions that we can’t ignore them.
Amongst different issues they’ve typically popped up in our outcomes part after racing on cross nation (Alistair represented Britain on the Euro Cross) or fell races, particularly over the festive interval.
AW’s 2006 English Colleges protection
Alistair first appeared prominently in our pages again in March 2006 when he received the English Colleges cross-country title (pictured above) a number of seconds forward of Ricky Stevenson.
Whereas Alistair’s profession went from power to power, by the way, the proficient Stevenson beat Mo Farah in a televised cross-country race in Edinburgh in 2010 however later ended up in jail!
What’s extra, such was Alistair’s operating skill at his peak, he was ranked No.3 within the UK for 10,000m behind Farah and Chris Thompson in 2013. Such outcomes led to speak of him tackling an audacious triathlon-athletics double on the 2014 Commonwealth Video games in Glasgow though finally he caught to his speciality.
You possibly can learn extra in regards to the sensible Alistair Brownlee and his retirement resolution right here.
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