In the words of Cam Wurf, Kona Ironman is the “super bowl” for triathletes. As a human performance company, we at Momentous are so proud to have such elite athletes representing us and competing at Kona. Both Cam Wurf and Lucy Charles-Barclay have had unique journeys to reach the competition this year, and both are headed to Hawaii with one objective in mind: become World Champion. We sat down with both athletes to learn more about their background, their training regimen, and how they prepared themselves for their biggest event of the year. Below is our interview with Cam:
Tell us about you and your key achievements to date.
My name's Cameron Wurf, I’m Australian. I live in Andorra married to an American, we have a little boy- he's American. I’d say getting married and having a child is probably the thing I’m most proud of. As an athlete, it's always a challenge to find the balance, so being able to have a career in sports and a family, to me, is a huge privilege.
Tell us about your road to Kona this year, what has it taken for you to get here?
My road to Kona this year has been- yeah- not like any of the others. I’m now on the Ineos Grenadiers Cycling Team so I manage both sports and I’m trying to manage both sports at the highest level. With COVID we had the reset of the qualifications. Had to find the opportunity to race, which wasn't something we were anticipating. Was able to qualify- I did that in July, I think that was a good thing because it kicked me into gear and got my mind set on to Kona much earlier in the year than I otherwise probably would have. I would have probably left it much later. I had a good race there- not great, so it gave me a good idea of what I needed to work on to be at my absolute best for Kona so, I’m confident I’ve done the work for that (Kona).
What was your biggest lesson learned from Kona in the past, and what will you do differently this time around?
I guess the biggest lesson I think everyone learns is the conditions. The heat, the humidity, something I haven’t really taken seriously until 2019 and even then, I sorta feel like I just got the understanding of it so this year I’ve done a lot more training in those conditions. I was in Los Angeles last month where it’s quite similar: hot, humid, (I was) staying in Santa Monica, so I’ve done a lot of sweating. Worked on nutrition, more specifically hydration strategy. The Momentous Fuel and Hydrate sachets have been a crucial part of that- which has been great. I feel like I’m much better prepared to have a good consistent day in Kona and not suffer from the consequences of overheating.
What has been your toughest obstacle in training for Kona 2022?
I wouldn’t say I’ve got any obstacles. Obviously you just have your challenging aspects that you're not so good at so working on my swimming- that’s always a tough one. And running- I don’t come from those backgrounds so getting on top of those and I guess you know with even less time than I’d normally have- with the cycling commitments- learning how to really make the most of the time I do have, to get on top of those. (Those are) the big things I put probably the most focus on because cycling seems to come pretty naturally.
What are your expectations and goals going into the world championships?
Kona is the biggest race in the world of triathlon- our super bowl- so you only go there with one objective and that’s to win. There can only be one winner, and I’m going to go there and I’m going give everything I’ve got to try and make that person be me.
Tell us about what Kona means to you, why is this event so incredible?
Kona is the first event or triathlon that I ever followed. Growing up in Australia as a kid, Greg Welch was a legend then taking on the Americans, finally won it in 94’ and yeah- I was only in primary school then (but it) sparked something in me and gosh- it was almost 30 years until I actually started triathlon. It’s always been a mythical event like the Tour de France, Olympics, soccer World Cup, Master’s in Golf. If you have an interest in triathlon, you dream one day of being the winner in Kona. Kona doesn’t need to be called the World Championship, it's Kona, it just- stands above everything. It's… it's the one.
What tools and products do you use in your training?
Momentous is a key part of my training. For the harder sessions, (I use) the PR Lotion more. Particularly with swimming and running I find in those sessions I fatigue easier so PR Lotion allows me to extend that curve, focus on my form, and the precision I need to improve in those sports so I can focus on that: the technique, and continue to improve. I don’t need that as much in cycling. And I use Fuel in the bottles. Then when I get home I prefer the Recovery, the chocolate flavor. I put some frozen bananas, oat milk, salted caramel ice cream for a bit of flavor and cooling. The Choc-o-mel Recovery shake, I like to call it. Bit of ice too… delicious!
Tell us about how Momentous fits into your journey.
I learnt very early on when I started investing as a teenager that when you invest in a company you have to take ownership of that, because that’s what you’re doing. With Jeff Byers knowing me I’ve basically been there since the beginning, since the beginning of PR Lotion and Topical Edge. I believed in their product. I came from a background of rowing and cycling and triathlon. Bicarb has always been a big part of sports performance and finding an effective way to do it I was blown away by their product and the idea with that. And also the effectiveness of it after trialing every different kind- you know- bicarb powder, tablets, etc. So that was the foundation of it and to see the company grow and evolve over the years is a testament to the team and to everyones that's worked there with Jeff and Erica. Personally I’ve evolved as an athlete in my career going from strength to strength in unison with them, it’s been a wonderful journey and something I’m very honored to be a part of.
Anything else you're looking forward to going into Kona?
To be honest at this point I'm just looking forward to getting on the start line. I’ve done a lot of work- it feels like it’s been 3 years of preparation for this race. I’ve done everything I wanted to do. There’s always other things you think of that you might like to do but everything I’ve wanted to do I’ve done in preparation. I believe I’m the best I can be and I’m just looking forward to seeing where that puts me amongst the rest of the field. I can't wait to get out there. I love the big occasions, it’s a real honor and real privilege to be able to compete at this level in sport.
