An interview with Olympic triathlete and Forerunner fan Hollie Avil in advance of the China Olympics

European and World Junior Triathlon champion, Hollie Avil is one of the most exciting talents in the triathlon world. Still aged only 18, and having balanced top-level training and racing with studying for her A-levels, she has successfully made the GB triathlon team for the Olympics.

While not an official Garmin athlete, Hollie has been using the Forerunner to assist her in her training as she builds up to the Olympics, so we took a couple of minutes out of her hectic schedule to ask her a couple of questions:

Congratulations on your selection for Beijing. What are you looking forward to most and what are your goals for the Olympics?

I’m really excited about being part of Team GB. The coming together of so many sports but all under one name! I’m going to get the chance to meet some super athletes! My goal for the Games is just to go out there and give the race my all. I’ll be happy with whatever the out come if I know that I’ve given my best performance. It’s nice that I’m going into the race without any pressure!

Give us an account of a typical day in the life of Hollie Avil?

I get up at 4.30am, enough time for a quick coffee, and am in the pool by 5.15am for two hours. Four weeks ago I then would have gone to school 9 – 3.30, but I’m on holiday now until I start University in October which means I can train more in the day. My second session would be a bike or a run or sometimes a brick bike to run, often with a bit of intensity. I do quite a bit of strength and conditioning work, but not every day.

How are you specifically preparing for the Beijing – the course and the conditions?

I raced out in Des Moines World Cup to practice racing in the hot conditions. It was a race I choose to try out a few different heat coping strategies, such as having my feet in ice before the race. I also went out to southern spain for 10 days to train in the very hot conditions. Beijing has quite a hilly bike course so I’ve been riding a fair few hills over the past few weeks.

How has your training been going?

Training has been going well. I’ve put in a good consistent block of training, upping my bike and running milage in order to help step up my bike and running endurance another level. I’ve felt good in the water too.

What key training sessions have you been doing?

Whilst in Spain my coach and I choose not to do my regular track sessions on a tartan track but on gravel roads and olive groves instead. I did sessions of 16 – 24 400m’s. The Forerunner was extremely helpful, as it calculated the distances for me. It was also handy to use to keep a track of my heart rate, it’s interesting how high your heat rate can get in the heat. On bike rides I’d use the Forerunner to check my speed – it’s cool to know what kind of pace you can get up to when your bombing down a mountainside!

To find out more about Hollie please visit her website at www.hollieavil.com.