Winning in EL must have been one of your best wins ever after your accident. Tell us how you felt after crossing the finish line.

It's definitely be right up there as one of the most memorable moments of my racing career. It had been a long year of rehab since the accident in January 2017. I had also been struggling with a leg issue for a few weeks beforehand, so I really wasn’t that confident leading up to the race. 

The crowd support on the run was fantastic though and it felt very personal, which definitely helped to keep pushing. 

Crossing the line was a mixture of pure relief and surprise that no one had caught me. Then seeing my wife, who had been through it all with me, that was special. 

What type of hours did you put in for the build up for EL in your peak weeks? Swim/Bike/Run?

I had to reduce my run volume quite a bit for a few weeks before the race with my leg trouble and instead focus more on the swim. Thankfully you can still keep your aerobic conditioning this way. Typically I would more or less try and Swim, Bike and Run everyday and aim for somewhere around 27-30 hours of training during the week. 

How long do you rest after a half Ironman?

This time I’ve taken a good week of easier training after the race to try and let the body and mind recover. Sometimes it’s straight back into training. The important thing is to listen to your body. Only you know what you’ve been through in the build up and during the race. 

What is your next big event?

It’s Durban Ultra in March next and then onto my first full Ironman since the accident  in April - the African Championships in Port Elizabeth. 

Fun Facts

- What is your favourite food? Lamb or a good piece of steak. 

- What is your fat percentage? Not sure, safe to say it’s pretty low. 

- How many meals do you have a day? Depends what you classify as a meal, I do snack a lot which might sometimes be as big as some people’s regular meal. I just make sure I’m well fuelled for all my training and I also make sure I have something for recovery afterwards. 

- Why do you shave your legs? Because it’s fast, or at least feels faster, haha

-What are you planning to do after Triathlon? Hopefully not a desk job. 

-When are you racing Comrades? I just have to do it before I get too slow to beat Jan Van Rooyen’s best time. ;)