5 Minutes in the Locker Room with Ironman, Matt Poole.
How did you get into the Ironman series? I first qualified at the age of 18, I was awarded automatic qualification into the Pro IronMan series after winning the Junior Ironman title at the Australian championships.
What are some of the challenges with competing in an Ironman– unpredictable ocean, weather elements etc. Not only are we competing against each other as athletes, we are also competing against mother nature in the ocean. She can be your best friend and worst enemy! Some of the biggest challenges with our sport are reading/analysing surf conditions.
What does your training season look like, talk us through a typical day or week? Our training is always changing depending what time of the season we are in. Right now its pre-season so we are doing a lot of volume/km’s to build a big endurance fitness base. Each week we swim 3-4 mornings usually around 4-6km, midday we either do running or gym sessions (usually 3 run and 2 gym per week) and afternoons we are on our surf craft boards or skis, our two most important sessions each weeks is the Ironman sessions which we do Wednesday and Saturday mornings, Sunday is rest day.
When it comes to race day, how do you fuel for endurance? I always pre- hydrate the day before an event, electrolytes and BCAA or EAA are really important along with good food/fuel. The day before I find is super important then on race day I go with however I'm feeling. Good hydration and nutrition is super important especially for endurance events.
How do you keep yourself mentally focused? I always listen to music on race day. It allows me to block out distractions and focus on myself and what I need to do.
You’re one of the most seasoned Ironman competitors, how important is your rest and recovery routine? As I get older, the importance of recovery becomes equally as important as my training. No matter what happens, racing injured is always mentally and physically really tough. Now I choose to focus on quality over quantity in training and try to select certain sessions to go hard rather than going hard the whole week.
What does it take to be an elite ironman? A lot of dedication, commitment and sacrifice. It doesn’t come easy and its definitely not for everyone.
Do you have any race day superstitions? Mmmm not really haha I use to.... but grew out of them
