Could you embark on a 140.6m journey that consists of a 2.4m swim, a 112m cycle and a 26.2 run, without a break? Doubt anyone here at SuperSubs could, but we are proud to be sponsoring one Irish woman that is about to take on this challenge.
Donegal native Annmarie Power is participating in this year’s Ironman World Championship on Saturday. Known for its gruelling length and harsh race conditions, the triathlon has been held annually in Hawaii since 1978. Annmarie knows what lies ahead of her on the day though, with many sporting achievements under her belt. Taking part in a triathlon is extremely time consuming and takes a great deal of self- discipline and willpower. “Time commitment is definitely a challenge for any aspiring triathlete,” Annmarie said “and, as a Mom and a career woman, you have to be very efficient with your time and manage it very effectively, so for me it’s quality as opposed to quantity.” She describes managing all 3 as a “balancing act”.
On the subject of ‘balance’, one of the key thing’s athletes in such a competitive sport can do to help ensure a speedy injury recovery is have a well-balanced nutritious diet. SuperSubs teamed up with Sports Nutritionist, Sinéad Bradbury, to create some key products under its Food4Life banner. She is a big fan of the soup in particular. “I do get a bit overexcited about a great tasting nourishing and warming soup! One that is made with care and attention,” Sinead said. For athletes a key macro nutrient is carbohydrates. In order to maximise and optimise performance and recovery, athletes need to continually load and reload muscle glycogen stores. This process cannot happen with a low-carbohydrate/high-protein diet, there needs to be a high level of both. Annmarie said “I would have a high protein intake, I do take a lot of carbs on board” the triathlete added. “I need carbs to fuel my training and the protein helps me recover and helps my body to repair muscles after training sessions”. Each SuperSubs wrap and sandwich contains protein, carbohydrates and fibre to ensure you are fuelling your day correctly which is vital for serious athletes like Annmarie.
How does someone with such a busy day-to-day life as Annmarie stay motivated and not let things get in the way of her success? “Just try and reach your potential, not to focus too much on the failures, just keep going and enjoy the sport that you’re in and enjoy your life and try to be the best that you can be.”
Best of luck on Saturday Annmarie!