10 Q’s With a Pro: James Cunnama

As racing slowly starts to return, we’re checking in with a pro every week to see how they’re coping with this strange year—and hopefully learn a couple of fun facts. This week, South Africa’s James Cunnama checks in. Here’s what the Ironman champ had to say about life through the pandemic.

My first race of 2020 would have been…
Ironman South Africa in March. It was canceled two weeks before and the country went into hard-lockdown three days before the planned race date.

I’m social distancing with…
My wife and three kids—a two-year-old and twins who were 6 months old at the start of lockdown but have just turned one. And recently also a puppy!

My favorite indoor workout is…
A hard Zwift race. I had trained on Zwift before lockdown, but never raced. Racing forces you to a level of pain (and fun) which you can’t simulate without a… uh… simulated race.

If I wasn’t a pro triathlete I would be…
A sport scientist most likely. That was what I was studying when I discovered triathlon.



My favorite post-workout meal is…
Lasagne. And fresh bread. Copious amounts of fresh bread.



One change I’ve made that will probably stick is…
Races on Zwift. Although with more moderation and planning when there are real races to consider!

The last thing I watched on TV…
Was the grand final (and season debut) of the WTS season at Hamburg.

I knew I could be good at triathlon when…
I won the provincial duathlon champs. I hadn’t done a triathlon yet, but how hard could learning to swim really be?

It would surprise everyone to know that…
In high school my sport of choice was rock (sport) climbing and I went to national champs.

The last thing that made me laugh…
Was my two-year-old responding to my wife saying his sister throwing her whole plate of food on the floor wasn’t funny, saying “It’s a bit funny.”

James’ sponsors: Cervelo, ENVE, Biogen, Schwalbe, Oakley, Rotor