Exclusive Interview: An Insight Into Junior GB Star Dixon
Dan Dixon is becoming a known force in the Junior world of triathlon and has his sights set on making it big in the future! He has been able to answer a few questions for us on his training, recent events and future goals.
Q1. You finished your 2019 season taking the youth Super League title? How did it feel and is the main series of Super League something you want to target in the future?
Super League was an amazing experience and I was so happy to win it for the second time as a Youth, having previously won in Jersey in 2018. The course in Malta was totally different to that of Jersey, as it included a pretty big hill and the format was two races ‘back to back’ which made it really tough! I loved the race and it went perfectly to plan after breaking away from the main field and taking it solo which made the win even more special. I’m 100% targeting the main Super League series! It’s fast, exciting, unpredictable and it’s the future of the sport. To race with the big ‘dogs’ would be an awesome experience and I can’t wait to do it someday.
Q2. You recently ran in the Armagh 5k in Ireland where you ran well under 15 minutes (14.38). How did you go about preparing for this race?
Armagh was another unreal race, something totally different to Triathlon and a great experience racing against some of the best runners in the world. I knew the race would be a great opportunity to get a PB so I ensured my preparation was really dialled into towards running a fast 5k. I didn’t really change my mileage much (28 – 30mi), nor the amount of quality sessions, however the sessions I did were more specific leading into the event, with my final test session being 5x1km on 1:30 recovery which was a strong indicator to what I could run.
Q3. Have you been on any winter training camps this year to get ready for the 2020 season?
I have mainly stayed at home during the winter season, but I got the opportunity to go out to Portugal, Villamoura with Stirling Performance Triathlon Centre in February. It was the second year for me and it was again one of the best camps I have been on. It was a fantastic training environment with a really focussed group of athletes and a great set of coaches, which meant we got the most out of our time there and it was really nice to spend time with the group as I normally train alone at home.
Q4. How have you had to adapt your training with the recent Coronavirus pandemic?
Just before the pandemic, we transformed a spare room in the house into a training room with smart trainers, Zwift, a treadmill and gym equipment which was really well timed. Training for me has been really good as I have more time on my hands now since leaving school, so I have enjoyed biking a lot more (on Zwift) and generally just mixing things up to keep it interesting and fresh. The training room has been a great edition too, as it has allowed me to keep training in a really specific environment without having to leave the house too much.
Q5. You’ve just finished your A-Levels. What’s next? Full time athlete!?
Things at the minute are a little up in the air, however the one certainty is that I will now be placing my total focus on Triathlon as I train full time to try and turn professional at some point. The plan right now is to stay at home for a good chunk of time, where I will work casually as a Lifeguard at my local pool while training, however this could change in the future as I have had a lot of thought about going to Stirling Uni to train with their fantastic squad and it would be a new experience training within a group too.
Q6. What are your main targets for this season once it gets underway?
My targets are still firmly set on the European and World Junior Championships, whether or not either will happen is not certain but I’m staying focussed and continuing to train for when/if these goals come around. In addition to the big ITU goals, I’m really looking forward to racing for my new French Grand Prix team, CRV Lyon. Again, it will depend on Covid-19 however new dates for the series have been announced and if they go ahead it will be a fantastic opportunity to race against some top guys in the sport. I had hoped to do some TT’s on the bike and a few local Triathlons too however most events have been postponed, but I will instead do my own little races on Zwift or solo outside.
Q7. Who is your role model in triathlon?
I think my role model in Tri would have to be Lionel Sanders, who is actually an Ironman athlete and not an ITU athlete. His sheer ability to hurt like hell is phenomenal and after starting off Tri coming from a rough background, it so cool to see how he has turned his life around. He is a total work horse and I love to see him race! Kona Champ, calling it.
You can follow Dan on all his social media accounts:
Twitter
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