Got a chance to catch up with Professional Triathlete Sean Jefferson at the Treasure Island Triathlon in San Francisco a couple weeks ago. Sean Jefferson comes from a running background running a 3:56 mile and collecting six NCAA All-American status while in College. He started racing triathlon in 2009 and earlier this year he was awarded rookie of the year for the 2010 season by USAT. Check out the interview as Sean shares some of his secrets to battling injuries and succeeding as an endurance athlete.
Whats a typical training day for you?
[Sean] As a professional triathlete I typically train in all three disciplines. I usually will do 1 or two of the disciplines with intensity and the third will be recovery. For example on Tuesday’s I will do a hard run workout on the track first thing in the morning followed by and easy 60-90min on the bike and then do a quality swim workout in the afternoon. I usually try to nap or rest 2-3 hours between workouts, especially anything with quality.
How important are rest days ?
[Sean] Rest days are very important to prevent overtraining. Taking rest days easy help prepare you for your quality training days both mentally and physically.
You are often traveling all over the world doing races, how do you prepare for other terrains (hills) altitude changes and cooler waters when training and living in sunny and warm Florida?
[Sean] When traveling to a course I have never raced before I always try and find course maps so your mentally prepared and have an idea of what to expect leading into the race. If it is a course with long gradual hills I will try and find a similar hill and add hill reps to my weekly training.
How do you pick yourself up from a bad race or bad week of training?
[Sean] There is always something to learn from a bad performance. My best advice is to figure out what may have caused the poor performance and how not to let it happen again.
What would be your word of advice to runners or triathletes out there who constantly battle with injuries?
[Sean] There is usually a reason why runners get injured. When I was struggling with a lot of running related injuries I realized that the coach I was training with was giving my too many intense workouts which resulted in stress fractures, I ended up switching coaches and the stress fractures went away. Everyone is different and responds to different types of stimulus so its important to find a coach who works for you.
With your elite running background, do you take over the run part in every triathlon? [Sean] Most of the time I do but it depends on the type of race I am in. In non-draft races I typically have the fastest running splits, but in draft legal racing I am usually in smaller packs of cyclists and I tend to expend a lot more effort, which negatively impacts my running performance.
What would be your word of advice for anyone making the transition from running into the sport of triathlon?
[Sean] Train with a group, whether it’s a master swim team, group rides or running groups. It’s the easiest way to learn a new sport and have fun doing it.
Do you have a facebook fan page where people can follow you?
[Sean] Yes, its "Jefferson Racing" and twitter is @semjeffe. Also www.jeffersonracing.com
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