<\/div>\nThe bike went well, but I don\u2019t think we got our tactics right. In hindsight, the static wheel of Ruth [Astle] probably wasn\u2019t enough draft for me. The girls rotating in the front were so powerful and we had such a small team, so there were lots of rotations, which meant at the back it was really quite surgy. <\/span><\/p>\nMy heart rate on the bike was identical to St. George, so the intensity was still there, it was just an hour less time, which was not what I expected at all.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nI was mentally destroyed. It just felt like four hours of constant concentration and surging. Normally the bike is quite fun. You can look around, ride the road. This was just horrendously boring, no fun whatsoever and just stressful.<\/span><\/p>\nI still had a run PB (2:46), but it was nowhere near as fresh as I\u2019d hoped.<\/p>\n
220: What went through your mind when Nicola [Spirig] passed you on the run?<\/strong><\/h2>\nI knew after the first two kilometres that she was running faster than me, so I\u2019d sort of been dealing with it for the last 30km. That was fine. In my head, it was like if she can run a 2:40 \u2013 I think she was even on for a 2:35, she went out so hard \u2013 fair play. I can\u2019t.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\nI just stuck to what I can do. I didn\u2019t do anything special. She came past, I just kept running the same and then she just blew up and I just went past. I didn\u2019t put in a huge surge or anything like that.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n220: How did you celebrate?<\/strong><\/h2>\nThey had a VIP lounge, which hosted everybody after the event, like at the finish line. It was just flowing with food and alcohol. It was basically just a massive party.<\/p>\n
220: So you don\u2019t avoid any foods or alcohol after racing for recovery?<\/strong><\/h2>\nNo, I don\u2019t really think there is such a thing as \u2018cheat\u2019 food, personally. I think I eat a normal diet all the time. I think there\u2019s real importance for your mental health to take time out.<\/p>\n
And for me, I enjoy having a drink with friends, so if I stopped myself doing that, I don\u2019t think I\u2019d be as happy for the whole year and therefore I don\u2019t think I\u2019d perform as well. It\u2019s obviously not a performance gain, but I think over the year, having a more balanced lifestyle helps me.<\/p>\n
220: What did you learn from Sub8 that you can apply to future races?<\/strong><\/h2>\n Credit: Dave Caudery<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\nThat I can go out harder [on the run] and still finish just as strong. I think that\u2019s quite exciting because it basically gives me a few minutes of extra speed and confidence.<\/p>\n
If it had been a really easy bike and I had run that well, I\u2019d have had that caveat of it being because the bike was really easy. Whereas I feel like because the bike intensity was still just as hard, it meant that I can actually use that run performance as a marker. I can try and do that in Kona.<\/p>\n
220: People often talk about your run volume being low. What\u2019s your take on that?<\/strong><\/h2>\nIn an ideal world, I reckon I\u2019d aim for 50km a week. There\u2019s been periods of training where I\u2019ve achieved that for maybe a couple of months, but what I won\u2019t do is if I feel like there\u2019s any risk or if something\u2019s not quite right, I won\u2019t just keep running and therefore get an injury. I\u2019ll just reduce the run volume. I think therefore I can still race and perform off really low run volume.<\/p>\n
I do think that your cycling can really only substantially improve if you\u2019re not also thrashing your legs on the run. So I think a lot of people are really guilty, especially if you\u2019re time restricted, of just going for a run because it\u2019s easier. And actually, I think you might get the same fitness benefit from cycling, but you\u2019re also going to get better at cycling! Whereas if you just run, you\u2019re going to only get better at running, maybe worse at cycling, and you\u2019re more at risk of injury.<\/p>\n
220: What advice would you give your younger self?<\/strong><\/h2>\nSpend time learning about your body. Specifically heart rate and training zones.<\/li>\n Have the discipline to do the training or know when it\u2019s right to not do the training.<\/li>\n Sleep enough. Aim for eight hours as a block.<\/li>\n Focus on the basics. There\u2019s no point training perfectly if you\u2019re then not hydrating, eating and recovering perfectly. So at least prioritise those to the same extent.<\/li>\n Focus on performance data rather than how you look.<\/li>\n<\/ol>220: What are your aims for the rest of the year and beyond?<\/strong><\/h2>\nI\u2019m probably going to race Collins Cup, PTO Dallas and then the main focus is still on Hawaii. If I\u2019m healthy after Hawaii, I\u2019d quite like to go to [Ironman] Cozumel and actually try and go sub-8hrs there. With the right conditions I think it\u2019s possible. But that\u2019s just like a side note. Hawaii is the focus.<\/span><\/p>\n Quickfire questions<\/strong><\/h4>\nFirst meal after Sub8?<\/strong><\/p>\nA bratwurst sausage.<\/p>\n
Amount of alcohol consumed at the afterparty?<\/strong><\/p>\nMore than enough.<\/p>\n
Favourite music to listen to while training?<\/strong><\/p>\nIt\u2019s a playlist. Frodissimo Friday. I don\u2019t know if he [Jan Frodeno] made it, but it\u2019s really quite good. #FrodissimoFriday on Spotify.<\/p>\n
Favourite part of training?<\/strong><\/p>\nFast run sessions.<\/p>\n
Least favourite?<\/strong><\/p>\nThreshold swims.<\/p>\n
Pet peeve?<\/strong><\/p>\nToo many! Open roads in a race.<\/p>\n
Go-to way to switch off and relax?<\/strong><\/p>\nGoing to the pub.<\/p>\n
Prediction for Kona?<\/strong><\/p>\nA win for me. Daniela Ryf and Laura Philipp on the podium.<\/p>\n
Best advice you\u2019ve ever been given?<\/strong><\/p>\nYou do you.<\/p>\n
Favourite type of course?<\/strong><\/p>\nChallenging, but with a flat run.<\/p>\n
<\/p><\/div> <\/section>
Top image credit:<\/strong> Dave Caudery<\/p><\/body><\/html>\nBy Rob Slade Published: Tuesday, 06 September 2022 at 12:00 am It\u2019s 10.58am on 21 June and 220 is expecting a very special visitor. Just two weeks on from a remarkable performance at the Sub8 in Germany, British pro Kat Matthews is visiting us in Bristol for a chat and photoshoot. Forgive the pun, but […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":17426,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"10"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/09\/kat-matthews-talks-sub8-resilience-and-the-importance-of-balance.jpg",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/09\/kat-matthews-talks-sub8-resilience-and-the-importance-of-balance-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/09\/kat-matthews-talks-sub8-resilience-and-the-importance-of-balance-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/09\/kat-matthews-talks-sub8-resilience-and-the-importance-of-balance-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/09\/kat-matthews-talks-sub8-resilience-and-the-importance-of-balance-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/09\/kat-matthews-talks-sub8-resilience-and-the-importance-of-balance-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/47\/2022\/09\/kat-matthews-talks-sub8-resilience-and-the-importance-of-balance-2048x1366.jpg",2048,1366,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Rob Slade Published: Tuesday, 06 September 2022 at 12:00 am It\u2019s 10.58am on 21 June and 220 is expecting a very special visitor. Just two weeks on from a remarkable performance at the Sub8 in Germany, British pro Kat Matthews is visiting us in Bristol for a chat and photoshoot. Forgive the pun, but…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/17425"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2022\/05\/kat-matthews-finishes-second-ironman-world-championship-c170dcf.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2022\/09\/kat-matthews-sub8-james-mitchell-8fdc2e1.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/34\/2022\/09\/kat-matthews-220-shoot-0651fac.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>