Kit takes the win at the 2017 Outlaw Triathlon
Hi Kit, tell us a bit about yourself.
Hey, I’m a 28-year-old triathlete and coach. I have been competing in triathlon for six years now, having previously done a variety of sports including swimming, rugby, sailing and mountain biking.
What does a typical weeks training look like for you?
It all depends on the time of year to some extent. Right now I’m doing four swims per week, four bike rides – which includes two to three on the turbo and one longer ride on the road.
I’m also doing five runs per week. The runs include two purposeful, interval-style sessions with one of those being a group track session. I also do one run on the treadmill, one recovery pace run, and one long slow run per week.
Tell us more about your running group track session, and could you recommend a workout?
The track sessions I run at the moment are all about short, sharp reps with decent recovery, where the main focus is to maintain the same quality throughout.
My recommended workout would be 20 x 200m or 10 x 400m with an easy 200m recovery jog in between efforts.
The aim of these sessions is to hold a consistent pace at or slightly quicker than your 5K pace. This workout is a great opportunity to practise good form when running fast, especially as you start to fatigue.
I run these track sessions every weekend in a large group, as having other runners around is good for motivation and will make you push harder.
Do you do any strength and conditioning?
Yes I currently do two to three strength sessions a week which are mainly very light weights and various bodyweight exercises. Workouts include squats with a kettlebell, press-ups, ab wheel rollouts, and some TRX rowing. All these will help improve my core strength and key muscle activation.
What can you take away from 2017; has it been a success? What have you learned?
2017 was a fairly mixed year for me. I had some good success with the win and course record at The Outlaw Triathlon in Nottingham in July, but on the other hand I also had some races where things didn’t go so well…
I did see progress throughout the year and have learned a great deal about myself. As things stand I need to improve my running so I can truly be competitive with the best athletes in the world! That’s the aim.
How are you looking to improve your running?
For 2018 I’m looking to improve my running efficiency. I’m not very strong in the hips, core, or back and I leak a fair amount of energy when running.
The strength and conditioning I talked about and also improving my running cadence (reducing ground contact time) will really help me to run as efficiently as possible.
And big plans for 2018?
During 2018 my main focus is to be racing faster at a half ironman distance. My goal is to be at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in 2019. To achieve that there’s a qualification process that starts in August 2018.
Well best of luck for the year ahead!
Cheers!
kitwalkertriathlon.com
@kit_walker_tri
Photos: Graham Beardsley
gbimagesphotography
