Katie Zaferes - World Champion Triathlete
Episode 27 - Katie Zaferes - World Champion Triathlete
See below for Deals and Coupon Codes, Show notes, Timestamps, and Links
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Show notes
In this episode of BE with Champions, Greg Bennett chats with World Champion Triathlete Katie Zaferes.
Together Greg and Katie discuss managing expectations, dealing with fear and pressure, optimizing strengths, and supporting weaknesses.
Katie's background in a variety of sports and more specifically swimming and running was the perfect foundation for a Triathlon Career. Targeted by Barb Lindquist from USA Triathlon in the College recruitment process Katie's quick rise to the top of the sport was seamless. But it hasn't been all smooth sailing. Katie has had numerous bike crashes and she has had to overcome the fear that comes after these crashes.
Katie has built a strong team around her. Her husband Tommy Zaferes, also a professional triathlete and her training partner, her coach Joel Filliol and his incredible squad of athletes, her strength coach, a sports psychologist, her family, and her sponsors. This team has help guide Katie to the top of the world. Consistent improvement each year to finally a dominating performance in 2019.
Katie describes how nervous she was at the Rio Olympics about the downhill and the technical aspects of the bike. She also describes how she almost can't remember the Olympic experience in Rio as she never felt present and didn't embrace what the Olympics were all about. Katie is now focussed on enjoying the journey, the process, and staying present. She describes enjoying each of the locations she races in with her husband Tommy. Taking time to appreciate where she is. Check below for the timestamps and some great quotes.
Timestamps
Intros
6.30 – Tiny House ‘Tiny House Nation’ – moved to the best place possible to prepare for the Games
8.30 – 2018 the Grand Final – a different approach – process goal “go for it for 2km:
10 – Lack of concentration – being engaged and be ready for those moments
12.20 – 2019 Taking control – reflection, goal setting, “I wanted to do things differently”
15.40 – Optimizing our strengths
16.30 – Developing the corners and technical skills on the bike – “Rio had me in tears after”
18.00 – Lausanne - Katie’s mental preparation was far more confident. Katie worked with a sports psychologist and her coach Joel. And Tommy her husband has been working with Katie. Wednesday and Sunday group rides in Santa Cruz.
21.40 – What Katie says to herself going into the corners – Write down the process it becomes far more clear and less overwhelming
26 – Equipment choice – working with Specialized get the bikes early. Tommy and Katie ride the same size bike
28.50 – Win the first 3 races of 2019 – Working with Tommy her husband – Based in Santa Cruz November – March. Jeff Marino as strength coach – WTS Abu Dhabi great but Bermuda was perfect.
33 – WTS Bermuda a very special race – Family and dominating performance
35.10 – WTS Yokohama - “Before 2019. I looked at races as though it was a test and I need to perform on this day and there’s no room for error. In 2019, I looked at races as an experiment, I call it an explorative mindset” – throwing caution to the wind – freeing
37 – Katie describes segmenting the run – “the fast zone”
39.30 – Taking the explorative mindset to the Olympics
40 – The disappointment of the Rio – with the result and even any memories of the Olympics
41 – Embracing the destinations – taking the time to enjoy the moments
43.30 – WTS Leeds 2nd – “Be ready” – “I lost focus for a minute”
45.20 – WTS Montreal – “Stay Focussed” – The British were super consistent – Georgie Taylor Brown one of the sweetest woman on the circuit = water story
47 – Running with Fear - “My style of racing is fear-based where I’m always waiting and I never know what anyone else has in their engine left and so even when I’m running towards the finish I’m going flat out” – Tommy says Katies finishing shots are terrible
48.10 - “Even when you’re sprinting at the end… I don’t look back, I never look back to see where my competitor is, for me she’s right on my shoulder… then after I cross the finish line, I’m like… they weren’t quite as close as I thought”
49.20 – Using fear as a talent - “I’m not complacent about winning, I want to win by as much as I can!”
50.30 – Tokyo Olympic Trials - Katie had prepared well – Crashed in the barrier – 23 stitchers, broken nose, leg and shoulder pains – No qualifying for the Olympics
56.40 – The wonderful people of the world of Triathlon – Jesicca Learmonth & Georgie Taylor Brown
59 – Katie explains the Heat Pill that she was using in Tokyo
1.00.30 – Emotional and mental state after crash leading into the Grand Final in Lausanne two weeks later – Katie speaks with her sports psychologist – Her phycologist - “I’ve learned after having a crash the most important thing for me and I’d say others if you can get on the bike asap do it”
1.03.00 – The struggles mentally and physically after the crash
1.05.00 – Preparing for GF Rotterdam – 100 plus google maps slide show
1.07.00 – Visualizing
1.07.40 – The pressure went from winning to just get top 14 – Katie removed expectations
1.08.45 – Katie believes “It's just not my time…. Yet!”
1.10.00 – The GF in Lausanne – Katie describes to not be complacent – “I deserve this”
1.11.30 - “For me, winning the World Championship and the Grand Final was so important after the disappointment of the Olympic selection trials in Tokyo”
1.14.00 – Greg goes on a rant about federations requiring athletes to keep proving themselves
1.16.20 – The selection process for Katie is Yokohama 2021 and one spot for discretion
1.18.40 – Reaction to Olympic postponement - “No guidelines on how to train through a pandemic”
1.22.10 – Katie and Greg discuss the team relay at the Olympic Games
1.24.40 – Pressure team vs individual
1.28.00 – Winding the clock back – Katie is one of three girls in her family and grew up doing every sport
1.32.30 – USAT recruitment program brought Katie into the sport of Triathlon
1.35.15 – Katie has found her home in Triathlon – Katie describes her body-type as perfect for Triathlon – “This is what I am meant to be doing”
1.38.00 – Katie had Financial support from USAT to get started and then made her money from sponsors and prize money
1.41.00 – Conclusion
Links
Be sure and check out bennettendurance.com
Find Greg on social media:
Twitter @GregBennett1
Instagram @GregBennettWorld
And check out Katie Zaferes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kzaferes6/
Website: http://www.katiezaferes.com/
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