The return of Philip Graves
Brit Philip Graves rose quickly to fame for his incredible triathlon bike prowess, but he somewhat disappeared from the radar the last 18 months. He competed in Abu Dhabi and is getting ready for Ironman Lanzarote right now.
Slowtwitch: How are you Philip?
Philip Graves: I am good. Thanks Herbert and thanks for getting in touch. I always read slowtwitch and realize that its not always you get the opportunity to do a slowtwitch interview, so hopefully I can make it worthwhile.
ST: It has indeed been quite a while since we last spoke.
Philip: Yes I know, it has been a very up and down a few years for me, but hopefully 2013 can mark my return to the top step of an Ironman podium.
ST: What have you been up to? You somewhat disappeared.
Philip: I have been traveling the world, racing, training, making new friends and generally finding out how hard it is to be a professional Ironman athlete. I really don't want to dwell on the past, there have been some really good times and some not so good times too, but I am still here now training hard. I am just really thankful to triathlon and everyone I have met on my journey. If you had told me 10 years ago when I was just setting out on my triathlon journey that I would have had the experiences I have had I would not have believed you!
ST: Talking about experiences, you recently survived a hot Abu Dhabi race. Was that the prime goal?
Philip: Yes, it is no secret that I really struggle in the heat but I felt Abu Dhabi was an important race for me to get through. I went with the goal to come away with a paycheck and I managed that. So I was satisfied, even though looking back I could have done a lot better with a decent taper and going a bit earlier to get on the timezone, but I am not going to complain, I had a great time out there and it was important for my mind to finish such a long hard punishing race.
ST: We noticed you raced a Cervelo S5 there. Why did you opt for this bike with aerobars, versus a straight up TT or triathlon bike?
Philip: A lot of people ask me this and its simply because the S5 frame has 2 water bottle cages. I obviously need to drink a lot in the heat and the Cervelo TT frames only have 1 water bottle cage, and with the S5 been as aero as a P4 TT frame it just makes sense to ride the S5. I know in Abu Dhabi the bike isn't very technical but the S5 in a TT configuration is perfect for technical or hilly courses, you can properly throw the bike around just like a road bike and gives you so much confidence. Plus the S5 is just a great bike – it does everything I need it to do and has provided me with some devastating bike splits at IM Lanzarote and IM Austria last year so I am more than happy riding it.
ST: What exact hydration setup did you use there? Anything on the aerobars and behind the seat?
Philip: I used my usual hydration setup, profile design aero bottle between the bars, with a bottle full of gels and a bottle with carb drink on the frame. I usually have the front aero bottle for water that I can drink from easily, have a swig of gel every 20mins and I have the carb drink there for just in case really. I need to be very careful about my hydration, obviously because i have struggled in the heat in the past but I feel I have got a good nutrition strategy now that can see me through the longer races.
ST: Were you holding back on the bike course or is that where you are in terms of this early season time?
Philip: I wanted to ride a controlled race and I did but I was really happy that I managed to push hard on the pedals for 200k, not let the race be dictated to me by others. I really don't want to be that bitter guy who gets dropped by the front group and ends up complaining, that's not me but the bike was somewhat of a joke. Sitting at the back of the front group I may as well have been at home with my feet up watching a DVD of a Team Time Trial in the Tour De France. Yes I didn't have the best swim, and came out at the back of the front group and had to ride the first 10km hard to get up to the front group but I made it up and rode behind Dan Halksworth for 5km or so. I really want fair racing, everyone does, but it seems that when large amounts of money are involved things start to get, well, different. After riding at the back for a few minutes, with myself pushing as hard as I could and watching Dan riding like he was doing a 10 mile TT just in front of me I sat up, thought to myself, well that's stupid, and then just pedaled my bike the other 180 or so kilometers by myself. It was good for the brain to ride 180kms alone in the desert though, even if I would have liked to be in the race a bit more. I had hoped that there would be a whole list of drafting related DQs and penalties for those in the front group, so as I ran past the penalty board out of T2 my heart sank a little as it was pristine white without a number on it. Despite having to stop for the toilet twice too, I was pleased with my run, it is going in the right direction, especially in the heat.
ST: I still remember you sitting on the sidewalk in Abu Dhabi with your black kit completely salt caked. Did that memory linger for you a while too?
Philip: Yes it did, after that race I came home, sat down with my laptop and had a look at all the hot places I could go to train. A couple of weeks later I found myself jetting off to Austin to try and get acclimatized to the heat not really knowing how that decision would change my life. I had the most amazing time there, and as many of you know I met the wonderful Desiree Ficker there. We spent the next year or so traveling around the USA training and competing in some amazing races. It really opened my eyes to how big triathlon is in the States, it is completely different to anything in Europe, and the people are so passionate about the sport. When I went to race the legendary Savageman Triathlon in Maryland I had no idea what to expect, but to this day it remains the most special race I have ever done. Kyle Yost and the guys over there are doing a great job with that race, making it not just a triathlon but an event you will remember for the rest of your life. I definitely intend on going back there soon! I met so many people just like Kyle, at Jack and Adams bike shop in Austin, when I trained with Siri Lindly for a bit in LA, and great athletes like Pat Evoe, Michael and Amanda Lovato and Ritchie Cunningham who would go out of their way to help even though they didn't have to. I think the European athletes all see each other as competition and are reluctant to stray outside their training groups, but over the pond everyone I met was really welcoming and it made for a memorable, and educational, few years.
ST: No bad experiences in the US?
Philip: Of course there were bad experiences but I am not going to dwell on them, its all the past, that’s all I am going to say really.
ST: I hear you. Next I believe is Lanzarote, another hot and tough one. Are you just looking for punishment?
Philip: I tend to like the harder courses. I don't know what it is, but I seem to excel on the bumpy stuff. I don't know why, perhaps its because its harder for all those chasing to draft, I really don't know! I also love Lanzarote and spending my time training at Club La Santa, which has to be the European Mecca for triathlon. Club La Santa have been very kind letting me spend a lot of time living and training in the complex so I like to pay them back by racing their race. I see it as a second home, I have a huge group of friends here now so I don't get homesick, something which I have really struggled with in the past when I have been away for long or even short periods of time.
ST: One would think that Ironman Austria would really suit you climate and course wise.
Philip: I had the same thoughts as you so decided to race it last year but unfortunately for me there was a huge heatwave, which meant it was 38 degrees as I started the run and I had to pull out with heat exhaustion. I had a great swim and ride but I am just not used to running in those super high temperatures! I would love to go back, that is another great race in a beautiful part of the world, just as long as they promise to turn down the thermostat!
ST: That hot stuff though is rare in central Europe.
Philip: It just seems that heat waves follow me around, and even in central Europe finding an Ironman race with the run done in less than 30 degrees can be tough. That is why I am sticking to the UK races in the hope for some really awful cold weather where the races become more a race of attrition than who can deal with the heat the best.
ST: So what else is on your calendar?
Philip: I am going to try and keep it local this year and race Ironman UK and Ironman Wales. I think it is foolish to try and look a bit further afield when I have those 2 great races on my doorstep, and I will add in a load of local racing, time trials, some local running races, and then see where I am after Ironman Wales. I do to try and mount a charge for Kona in 2014.
ST: Is there anything else we should know?
Philip: Yes, I just want to say a huge thanks to everyone who is supporting me this year: Madison who provide me with Cervelo bikes, Shimano components, Bell Helmets, Pearl Izumi cycling and running kit and Profile design wetsuits and TT bars, and also Powerbar who have been with me since the start of my career and I can honestly say I hope they stay with me to the end because they do make the best nutrition stuff out there. And finally to Club La Santa for giving me somewhere warm to come when the weather gets rubbish at home and all the people there, Ben and Phil Price, Niels Feerup, Bob Foy and all the Green Teamers there for making my time there so enjoyable!
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