Interview with Ironman 70.3 Texas winner Lionel Sanders

Taylor Reid: How did the race unfold in Galveston?
Lionel Sanders: The race went well. It was a non-wetsuit swim, so I was happy to have come out of the water the same distance back as I usually do with a wetsuit. On the bike I intended on holding a particular power output, but my power meter did not work the morning of the race. I had to bike off of feel, so I am happy with how it turned out considering the circumstances. On the run, Cody Beals, Andy Potts and myself had a good battle. It was a ton of fun. Last year I got two flats at this race so it was very satisfying to come back and perform well.
TR: The swim has been your main focus lately, have you been seeing any drawbacks from putting so much emphasis on your swim training?
LS: I actually haven’t devoted any more time to swimming, I’ve just changed how I’ve been spending my time while in the pool.
TR: You raced Andy Potts a couple weeks ago. What did you change this time in order to improve your performance against him and the other big names?
LS: I biked a little too hard in Oceanside. This time round I biked more conservatively, which allowed me to put together a better half-marathon. It was also pretty hot and humid, which are conditions I love.
TR: What do you think about when you are smashing the pedals out there?
LS: I try not to think about anything. I look at racing as sort of a “walking meditation” in which I try and stay centred as best I can for as long as I can. When there are lots of thoughts going through my head, I’m usually having a bad race!
TR: I heard that your treadmill broke a few days before you left for the race, how did that affect your training and mindset going into the race?
LS: Yes, I went to turn it on one evening and nothing happened. Strangely, I went to turn it on the next day and it fired up. I haven’t turned it off since! But, I did have a technician come in and he says the console needs to be replaced, so I have to wait two to three weeks for that to arrive and be installed before I can turn it off again.
TR: What’s up next and what is your main goal for this year?
LS: My next race is Ironman Texas on May 16th. My big goal is to perform to the best of my ability in Kona this year. Everything I am doing now is in preparation for that day.
TR: Was this race a nice warm up for Ironman Texas?
LS: Yes, it gave me a good sense of how close my training room is to the Texas heat and humidity. I didn’t even really notice the heat or humidity at Texas 70.3 so I think my training room is decently close. But, I am still going to buy a space heater and humidifier to make the conditions even more extreme over the next 10 days of training.
TR: How does this race fit into the grand scheme of things this year?
LS: I think my real strength is the Ironman distance. I’m doing the 70.3s as “speed work” and to sharpen my skills, all so that I can perform better at the Ironman distance. I believe this race will prove useful to that end.