Since his silver medal win at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, Simon Whitfield has been a very busy man. Speaking engagements, a coaching change, a training camp in Maui and some longer races on the horizon. But he had time to talk to slowtwitch.
ST: Simon, how are you doing?
Simon: Great, really enjoying training, watching our daughter grow up and run around the house blurting out new words everyday. I just love training with great people, competing everyday and I continue to feel really fortunate to be doing something I love as a job.
ST: Over the winter you spent quite some time in Hawaii. Why Hawaii and what were your goals?
Simon: I had heard so much about Maui, Ryder Hesjedal of Garmin-Slipstream lives there in the off-season and after a week of holiday there I started back into training and just loved exploring the amazing roads, the cane fields and swimming in the ocean. Maui is a pretty special place with just so many amazing sights to see and places to explore. Beyond that watching our daughter play on the beach and chasing waves was pretty special.
ST: Big changes for you in coaching. Why the change from Joel?
Simon: Joel and I had a great run, built a squad together and it was a terrific experience that culminated with a sprint finish for Gold in Beijing. Where do you go from there? It was time for it to be truly his squad and for the younger athletes to step forward and take over. For me, I love "looking for clues", I look at sport as a puzzle and Joel and I did a great job of together. I'm excited to see and learn from another approach.
ST: You could have gone with anybody ranging from Simon Lessing to people like Mark Allen or Dave Scott. Why CTS?
Simon: You just named 3 of my heroes, I really looked up to these guys and having the opportunity to race against "the king" Simon Lessing was a dream come true. I actually approached Dave Scott 4 years ago when I was searching for a new coach and talked at length with him about coaching, in the end I went with someone local. I can't say enough about these three legends and would likely have been really happy with any of them as a coach. The "Simon and Simon" show has a nice ring. I really feel that CTS just has so much knowledge and resources to draw from, so many "clues". From training expertise, to nutrition, to practical experience, wind tunnel expertise, proven results and in Nick White I found someone who is a) an excellent communicator b) incredibly thorough and c) truly passionate about coaching, not to mention an uncommon, in the coaching world, desire to stay behind the scenes. After Hawaii, when Craig won, Nick seemed quietly proud, humble and just put his head down and got back to work, I really felt this said a lot about his character.
Beyond that I'd like to train with Lance Armstrong, I have a signed yellow jersey from years ago when I was briefly managed by his manager Bill Stapleton, I'd put him pretty high on my list of athletes I'd like to get out for some training with. I realize Lance is an incredibly polarizing person/athlete, I seem to be too..... I'd like to ask him how he deals with it.
ST: 70.3 California is almost upon us, are you ready to do battle on that distance?
Simon: Not sure yet. I will tackle some 70.3 races this year. I'm just loving training right now and keen to just put my head down and get fit. The new ITU series is very, very exciting. I'm currently in a panic that I'm too old to compete, which drives me to train harder and prove myself wrong.
ST: What else is on your schedule for 2009?
Simon: May 2nd to Tuscany for a cycling tour then ducking off to Singapore for the first World Series race, back to Italy to finish the tour. Then off to Vigo, Spain to train with Javier for a week with Jennie and Pippa exploring a small Spanish town. Race Madrid on the 30th of May. Come home, race Des Moines and Washington, Lifetime Fitness, Kitzbuehel ITU WS, another race, The Grand Final on the Gold Coast September 13th, a 70.3 race and 70.3 Worlds. BAM!
ST: Your performance at the Olympic Games in Beijing was very inspirational. Where does it rank in your career highlight reel?
Simon: A close second to Sydney. Gold is simply nicer then than Silver.
ST: What kind of drug testing was done in Beijing and how did it compare to other races you have done the last couple years?
Simon: I was tested 3 times, blood and Urine, the ITU series has a lot of testing and I'm tested 15-20 times a year.
ST: When you hear allegations of drug use and positive drug tests of some of your competitors in the 2000 Olympics, what comes to your mind?
Simon: How the hell did I beat them!!!! Ha. Honestly I just don't know, what do you say? My ego hates that people may then question my result but I can't do anything about that, I just had a magic race on a magic day, it just all came together. I can't explain it any other way. As for the allegations, those athletes have to sleep at night, they live with it and will always know in the back of their mind. One thing I won't do is judging them, I can't imagine Dimitri Gaag grew up with much opportunity, sport likely gave him a way out, to provide for his family. He had choices to make and I'm sure coaches justifying it to him... I grew up in Kingston Ontario, in an upper middle class family, with parents who supported my dreams, pools down the street and an abundance of opportunity. Who am I to judge him? I'm glad they caught him, sport needs to be drug free but I won't judge his reasons.
To go on, there was an American female sprinter (not Marion Jones) who got caught. From what I understand when she got caught she pointed right at a reporter and said "look don't judge me, I grew up on the south side of Chicago with nothing, I was faced with choices and made the choices I felt I had to to get out, to provide for myself and my family, punish me but don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same until you walk a day in my shoes" (I'm completely paraphrasing). Or Marion Jones, at the end of the day she made the choices but who are the men behind the curtain pulling the strings? How much money did these men make from her? Did they go to jail (in one case yes). Marion has paid the ultimate price, she has nothing left, but what about the men behind the curtain making the real money?
ST: If you were in charge of drug testing and drug testing protocols, what changes would you suggest?
Simon: No idea. Kick the admins / bureaucrats and politicians out of the room. Get guys from the trenches, guys in the know, guys like Victor Conti who know how "they" cheat and get out a note pad and then take action.
ST: We already know that you have London 2012 on your mind. What can we expect from Simon Whitfield in 2013?
Simon: Keep racing.
ST: How are things with your family?
Simon: Incredible, simply incredible.
ST: Is there anything else we should know about you?
Simon: I'm learning Guitar and I'm terrible. No prodigy here.
