Claire Murray is one of Hong Kong’s top triathlete’s representing the territory in both Olympic (1.5/40/10km) and Ironman (3.8/180/42km) races.  The triathlon provides athletes with the challenge of swimming, cycling and running in quick succession with the idea of the best overall athlete being the first past the post.  Claire has just completed her best season to date, placing fourth in the Asian Series with a win in Singapore and third to the 2000 World Champion during the Philippines leg. As well as significant success on the triathlon circuit, Claire has recently won a number of cycling races and was second in the Watson’s X-Country Championships.

Claire will be focusing on the Olympic distance races during 2002 with the Asian Championships as her main goal.  As part of her preparation, she will be racing in the Nike, Adidas and Standard Chartered 10km races and has the following tips for all those budding athletes out there:

1. Train smart – don’t be fooled into running 10km every day as the best preparation for your race.  You need to constantly stretch the body and mind in order to develop and this can only be done through variety.  Mix your running sessions with some over distance easy runs and some track work or interval sessions.

2. Intensity – like distance your running needs to be at varying intensities in order to improve.  I use my Polar as my best training guide to ensure my long easy runs are EASY and my interval sessions are at the right level of intensity.  It is very important that you have a difference between your workouts and they are not all done at the same pace.

3. Don’t be intimidated by the other competitors and start the race too hard.  Stick to your race strategy and pace, this is where your Polar can be an invaluable tool.  I always aim to finish stronger than I started, if you keep yourself in check for the early part of the race you will be amazed how many competitors you can pass!

4. Most importantly – enjoy your training and the race.  I believe the most improvement will come when you gain real enjoyment from your running, working towards your goals and the friends you meet along the way.

Good Luck
Claire

More information on Polar Heart Rate monitors can be found on www.polar.com.hk and you can also visit Claire’s site for more training tips and information www.claire-murray.com