With a myriad of titles to her name in as number of years (including all three major Ironwoman titles in the same year), elite Ironwoman and Westpac Face of the Brisbane Times City2South, Courtney Hancock is widely considered one of Australia’s greatest endurance athletes – and for good reason.
We had the pleasure of catching up with the inspirational and talented woman herself to get an insight into her everyday lifestyle.
Meet Courtney Hancock
What’s your philosophy when it comes to food? Do you follow a particular diet or plan?
Food has always been a big part of my life as it fuels my body and works with me to compete. I will tweak my diet depending on whether I’m in competition mode or in between competition. Recently for the City2South, I have been enjoying a lot of fresh vegetables, meat and brown rice rather than a lot of pasta and bread. I also enjoy having plenty of fruit each day. When I am in the off season, I do love splurging and having some Thai food, pizza and some sweets.
Can you talk us through a day on your plate?
For breakfast I have some eggs on toast, with some pieces of chicken breast and veggies such as broccoli and green beans. Lunchtime, I might have a chicken or tuna salad, with some tomatoes, spinach and pumpkin and for dinner I would have a steak with some brown rice and vegetables. For any snacks I always make sure I have fruit on me (like blueberries or strawberries) with some yoghurt and trail mix of nuts..
What does your workout regime look like?
My early mornings start off with a 6 km swim followed by a midday session at the gym for a weight or endurance session. In the afternoons I would go surfing with a board or ski to further develop my skill level, even if I’m slightly fatigued. I also make sure I have a 45 minute nap to re-energise my body during the day and have a least eight to ten hours of sleep each night.
Has your fitness routine or diet changed in the lead up to the City2South? If so, why?
My diet or fitness routine has not changed a lot, however I have incorporated some more cardio such as jogs in the morning or afternoons every couple of days.
Courtney’s top tips for preparing for the City2South:
- Start going for regular jogs or brisk walks, stretch and keep hydrated.
- The day before any race, it’s always good to load up on your pasta and bread to fuel your body with energy and drink plenty of water. Cramps are often caused by dehydration or lack of electrolyte fluids in your body so make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids.
- The morning of the event, have a nutritious breakfast, leaving enough time for your body to digest as well. You will see me lead the yellow group warm up as the Westpac Face, so that I can get everyone’s body prepared for a good race whether you want to run or walk.
- Wear what you feel most comfortable in. I enjoy wearing Nike bike pants and crop with a light singlet over the top, hair in a pulled back pony or braids to keep my hair out of my eyes. I also love to wear colour, especially pink as it’s my favourite colour, and I feel it gives me a lift when I need it. New shoes can give you blisters if you’re running in them for first time so I prefer to train in shoes that I have been wearing for at least a month.
City2South
Where: Brisbane
When: Sunday, June 5 2016
For more information and to register, click here.
