Jodie Swallow Profile and Interview

Conducted 1.4.01,
by editor Amy White

To say that Jodie Swallow had a fabulous 2000 season would be understating things. The 19-year-old university student from England took wins in the British Junior Triathlon Championship, British Triathlon Championship, the World University Triathlon Championship and the Junior European Triathlon Championship. That’s right, she won four races—of the five she entered. In her first, the Royal Windsor Sprint juniors race, she finished second. And when I say first, I mean first—as in, first-ever triathlon.

As a teen-ager, Swallow represented England in both running and swimming, then was encouraged to try her hand at triathlon last year. She attends Loughborough University, where she studies physical education and sports science. She’s in the second year of a three-year course.

SLOWTWITCH: 2000 was quite a year for you. Please tell us how you were able to put it together.
JODIE SWALLOW: I won many English Schools International Athletics and Cross Country titles at school whilst regularly competing as an international swimmer. I won a bronze at the 1997 European Junior swimming champs. In 1998 I had glandular fever and decided that the pursuit of both sports was unrealistic at university. I came to Loughborough with the intent to only swim, but missed running desperately. In April, the High Performance Unit was established here. Triathlon seemed to offer a solution to my problem. I was obviously very fit in the pool and my running just needed a little polishing. Cycling was the main focus of last year's program, and I rode up to 11 hours a week in the most intense period. I didn't expect to get anywhere last year. It was a year to learn and basically I viewed each race as part of the learning curve. There was only one bad part of last season. I crashed off my bike the first time I practiced riding in a pack. It taught a hard lesson—respect for speed and the handling of my bike. I had to miss my first proposed race as the wetsuit would have pulled my scabs off!

ST: After you took the junior title, what was your hope for the British championships the next month? You must have been thrilled with the result.
JS: The Junior British Champs seemed a bit of a comedown from the World Students. I knew I would win—that may sound bigheaded, but something would have had to have gone wrong, considering the shape I was in. I saw Salford as an opportunity to race with home crowds and establish myself in British minds. As for Brighton, I didn't decide to compete until two weeks beforehand—that was the way my season was: compete if I felt happy to. I believed I could win any event I put my mind to.

ST: What is your background in sport?
JS: I began competitive swimming when I was just eight, spurred on to beat my elder sister, Joanna. I showed early commitment to training and won my first national age-group medal at the age of 12. After this I won many national junior titles at a variety of strokes and won the senior nationals 400 IM title in 1996. I then went on to win a bronze medal at European Juniors and competed on the 1998 World Cup series. I began cross-country as soon as I started senior school and beat my big sister in my first Essex Schools cross-country. I went on to win the National Schools Cross-Country three times, national schools 3000m track twice, and many other national and international titles. Basically, sports have been part of me since I can remember; training is my way of life.

ST: When did you take up triathlon? What attracted you to the sport?
JS: Triathlon became an Olympic sport. I want an Olympic medal. Triathlon offers my best chance of this. Although I believe I could pursue it in other sports.

ST: What are your goals for the 2001 season and beyond? Which races will get your focus?
JS: My goal this season is to win the World Junior Triathlon title. If I win this I won't complain about any other results this year. After this is won, then I will look for experience against the seniors. I also want to become a technically more aware cyclist. I may race a couple of European races this year, but they are not the main focus of my season.

ST: Would you consider an attempt at the Olympics in 2004?
JS: An attempt for the Olympics is my major goal. In four years' time I believe I will be a prime contender and in peak condition. The Olympics really has to be the ultimate achievement in my eyes.

ST: Who is your coach, and what training principles do you follow? Do you train with a group or alone?
JS: I'm coached at the High Performance Unit in Loughborough by Dan Salcedo. There is a group of us, mainly boys, who I swim and sometimes pack ride with. I like to run on my own.

ST: Can you tell us what a typical week of training is like? How do you fit schoolwork into that?
JS: Monday is a rest day, but if I feel like it a may do a steady run. Tuesday is a 6km sub-threshold swim in the morning, an hour hill cycle at lunch and a steady run followed by track drills and strides. Wednesday is a 6km pull set in the pool, a two-hour pack ride with the cyclists and an hour's conditioning work. Thursday is a 6km race-pace swim followed by an hour's turbo session and an hour's tempo run in the evening. Friday is a 6km threshold swim, a hills running session, a MASSAGE! and conditioning for an hour. Saturdays is usually a swim and long cycle day and Sundays a long run and two-hour cycle. Obviously this varies in the training cycles. College work fits in as and when it can. I plan to split my final year in two as otherwise my finals will clash with the Commonwealth Games. My career will go on until I achieve all I want to achieve. Once that is done I want to work in sports media, possibly writing and on television, and do "normal" things like have a family. The future is quite vague. Sport is a risky occupation; I can just plan and hope.