Q&A with professional triathlete: Nicky Samuels

If your not familiar with Nicky Samuels, you will be soon. The Olympic & Commonwealth games representative and world champion triathlete is set to impress at Rio this year. Holistic Performance Nutrition is proud to support Nicky Samuels with her journey on the road to Rio. We asked Nicky a few questions to get a bit of insight into the life of a world class triathlete. 

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How important is good nutrition for what you do? 
It varies, but during hard training or race phase it's very important. I can definitely tell the better choices I make with nutrition come out in my training and racing. It's my fuel, the finer quality the finer the outcome. 

What healthy eating habits do you have? What nutritional supplements do you take? 
There are many different definitions of what "healthy eating" is right now but I like fi keep a diet high in fruit and veg and with a lot of variety. I supplement with a natural WPI protein powder after my hard sessions, gels or sweets during them and in races and I use beet it shots around my competitions. 

Do you have any advice for other inspiring triathletes?
Work on your weakness in the sport until it is no longer your weakness. 

What does your weekly training schedule look like?
It varies with what time of year it is and what events I am preparing for. At the moment it consists of 4 swims a week, 5 rides and 6 runs. I always have one day off a week for the mind and body. Each discipline will have a key workout or two a week, a long workout a week and then the sessions between are usually just steady state training or maintenance. Right now it's around 26/27hrs a week of training. 

Is there any part of your training regime that you don’t enjoy?
The worst part of triathlon training for me is getting into a cold pool or lake, always takes a while for me to warm up. 

How do you recover after a tough training session?
Firstly glucose goes in, later follows protein for muscle recovery, some water and later a meal and some good old fashioned and much needed feet up time is an added bonus.


Thanks Nicky!!