01/27/12
Performance: Q&A with Pro Balazs Csoke
ironguides pro athlete Balazs Csoke, the 2011 Ironman Korea champion coached by ironguides' Alun "Woody" Woodward, talks about his recent performance at Ironman 70.3 South Africa, where he finished 8th, in a Q&A with ironguides editorial team.
Category: Training
Posted by: editor
ironguides: Congrats on another solid performance Balazs. How was your day out there?
Balazs: Thank you. I had a really hard day out there, not just because of the course and the weather, but also because I recently moved from Europe to the USA and had a few hectic days right before the race.
Anyway, I felt good during the swim but simply could not find my legs for the bike. Usually these power bike courses suit me very well but Sunday was just not my best day. I was able to hold a solid pace on the run but it was only good enough for 8th place.
It was a good experience for me, and I feel motivated to show my real strength in three weeks at my next race, which will be Ironman 70.3 Panama.
ironguides: We know you can swim front pack at any race and were 2nd out of the water in South Africa. How is coach Woody building the rest of your strategy on race day so that you can win another Ironman or Ironman 70.3 event in the future?
Balazs: We recently focused a lot on my running, which means I have many days with 2 or even 3 running sessions a day. I do a lot of bike training indoors on the computrainer and do one really long ride a week. These shorter, but hard, bike sessions give me more time for my run training and for my recovery.
I am definitely looking forward to be able to hold a 300-watt avarage during the bike leg of any race and, with a lot of fast running in training, I hope to manage some solid runs as well.
ironguides: You have moved from Zurich, Switzerland to Texas, USA. Why did you decide on the move? How is training there compared with Switzerland?
Balazs: The main reason was to find a place where I can train all year long and where many races are available within a short flight. I train in The Woodlands now, which is a 30-minute drive north of Houston. The training facilities are great; I can choose from many indoor and outdoor pools, running tracks, etc., which is an advantage compared with Zurich.
I can also easily find roads with much less traffic than in Switzerland.
ironguides: What other races do you have lined up for 2012 and what are your goals when it comes to training for this season?
Balazs: My main goal is Kona this year; I would like to be back for the 2nd time in a row under the new points system and finish in the top 20. For this I need to collect enough points. I have planned my season until May. After that I will see how many points I have, and then decide the rest of my season. My current plans include IM 70.3 Panama, IM 70.3 Texas, IM 70.3 New Orleans and IM Texas.
ironguides: You had a breakthrough year in 2011, winning your first ironman race and qualifying for Kona 2011. If you had to pick the 5 most important changes you made over the past years that took you there, which ones would they be?
Balazs: Picking up the right coach and training plan was the most important change, and one that definitely led to my improvement.
Another change was my increased concentration on the recovery issue, and diet.
My mental strength has also increased and has been an important part of my development.
Below: Balazs Csoke finishing the 2012 Ironman 70.3 South Africa
Balazs: Thank you. I had a really hard day out there, not just because of the course and the weather, but also because I recently moved from Europe to the USA and had a few hectic days right before the race.
Anyway, I felt good during the swim but simply could not find my legs for the bike. Usually these power bike courses suit me very well but Sunday was just not my best day. I was able to hold a solid pace on the run but it was only good enough for 8th place.
It was a good experience for me, and I feel motivated to show my real strength in three weeks at my next race, which will be Ironman 70.3 Panama.
ironguides: We know you can swim front pack at any race and were 2nd out of the water in South Africa. How is coach Woody building the rest of your strategy on race day so that you can win another Ironman or Ironman 70.3 event in the future?
Balazs: We recently focused a lot on my running, which means I have many days with 2 or even 3 running sessions a day. I do a lot of bike training indoors on the computrainer and do one really long ride a week. These shorter, but hard, bike sessions give me more time for my run training and for my recovery.
I am definitely looking forward to be able to hold a 300-watt avarage during the bike leg of any race and, with a lot of fast running in training, I hope to manage some solid runs as well.
ironguides: You have moved from Zurich, Switzerland to Texas, USA. Why did you decide on the move? How is training there compared with Switzerland?
Balazs: The main reason was to find a place where I can train all year long and where many races are available within a short flight. I train in The Woodlands now, which is a 30-minute drive north of Houston. The training facilities are great; I can choose from many indoor and outdoor pools, running tracks, etc., which is an advantage compared with Zurich.
I can also easily find roads with much less traffic than in Switzerland.
ironguides: What other races do you have lined up for 2012 and what are your goals when it comes to training for this season?
Balazs: My main goal is Kona this year; I would like to be back for the 2nd time in a row under the new points system and finish in the top 20. For this I need to collect enough points. I have planned my season until May. After that I will see how many points I have, and then decide the rest of my season. My current plans include IM 70.3 Panama, IM 70.3 Texas, IM 70.3 New Orleans and IM Texas.
ironguides: You had a breakthrough year in 2011, winning your first ironman race and qualifying for Kona 2011. If you had to pick the 5 most important changes you made over the past years that took you there, which ones would they be?
Balazs: Picking up the right coach and training plan was the most important change, and one that definitely led to my improvement.
Another change was my increased concentration on the recovery issue, and diet.
My mental strength has also increased and has been an important part of my development.
Below: Balazs Csoke finishing the 2012 Ironman 70.3 South Africa