Podium Pro: 20 Questions with Lucy Charles-Barclay

Lucy Charles-Barclay is a podium threat at every race she starts. The super swimmer won her third consecutive title at Challenge’s The Championship in Samorin, Slovakia, this weekend, dominating from start to finish, as is the Brit’s usual style. She narrowly missed her pre-race goal of going sub-4 hours, clocking a finish time of 4:00.24. Radka Vodickova Kahlefeldt was second in 4:05.37, with Daniela Bleymehl (neé Sämmler) in third in 4:07.18 (complete results here). Triathlete.com caught up with Charles-Barclay post-race to find out how her day unfolded:

Triathlete: How were you feeling going into this race?
Lucy Charles-Barclay: I was confident that I was in better shape than the two previous years, but I also knew the female field (and male) was probably the strongest there has been at The Championship.

T: What were your goals/aspirations?
L: To get that third win, but with a secret aim of trying to break the 4-hour mark too.

T: Best part of the race for you?
L: The run

T: Worst part?
L: T2 – I fell over twice!

T: How were the conditions, anything you struggled with?
L: The swim was freezing but thankfully we had the sun on our backs.

T: At what point did you realize you were going to win?
L: About 7km into the run

T: Which part of the race did you execute best?
L: The run

T: Anything you wish you’d done better?
L: T2 – see above.

T: Post-race food? Any favorite foods?! Tell us all your secrets!
L: Usually pizza, but on this occasion I had a Japanese chicken curry with a side of sticky rice and sweet potato fries.

T: First words your coach (husband Reece) said to you post-race?
L: Well done!

T: How sore are you post-race, on a scale of 1-10?
L: On this occasion about a 2. Normally after a full Ironman about a 7.

T: Any blisters, any chafing?
L: A nice graze on my leg from falling over in T2🤦🏼‍♀️

T: First thoughts when you hit the finish chute?
L: Elated, overwhelmed, and a bit of disbelief on getting that third win.

T: Mantra or words that got you through the race?
L: You can do this, you’ve won twice before, and you’re better than you were before.

T: Pre-race breakfast?
L: Coffee, porridge, and a pre-race Red Bull!

T: What (and when) was your first workout post-race?
L: Sunday, the day after, I did an easy swim and an easy spin on the bike.

T: What’s next on your racing calendar?
L: Challenge Roth.

T: What does the rest of your racing schedule look like this year?
L: Challenge Roth and Kona.

T: Tell us who all of your sponsors are…
L: Red Bull, Specialized, Oakley, Polar, Roka, Wahoo, Endura, Zwift, Aquilo, Club La Santa, Theragun, CeramicSpeed and Moonlight Design.

T: Best post-race recovery tip for age-groupers?
L: A post-race massage (if available), a high-protein and carb dinner, followed by a good night’s sleep and a big breakfast the following day.