Emma Snowsill Triathlete. Image: Delly Carr / Sportshoot
Year-round plans
“I divide my time between the US and Australia. From April to September I live at altitude in Boulder, Colorado. We’re mainly racing during the Northern Hemisphere summer, so I’m winding down in November. We have the Noosa and Mooloolaba Triathlons to finish the year, then I take the rest of the month off – that’s my only time off for the year. I catch up on a lot of sleep and do normal things like go to the beach, go surfing, go out to eat if I feel like it – I try to cram everything I possibly can into that time off.
“Training kicks back in at the beginning of December. It starts slowly – I try to get some continuity back, basically looking to Jan/Feb when I increase my mileage. I’m laying the foundations there for my season ahead.
“I don’t even know how many kilometres I would do – I measure my work more in hours. Usually we’ll be doing five swim sessions a week of 6km, then every second day you’re doing a long ride, anything from three to five hours. Then you’re running anywhere from half an hour to two hours.
“I don’t do gym work as such – I do pilates. I don’t feel triathlon is a sport where I need to bulk up. Pilates is a good strength and conditioning routine; it’s a good way to get your body ready to help prevent injuries. I have an instructor with a small group doing private lessons two to three times a week.
“As you get closer to racing season the duration of your training drops back and the intensity goes up. I even start doing a few sessions that mimic race conditions – I might do a hard bike ride, then get off and run hard for five or ten kilometres as if I’m simulating races.”