A Eisenmann gives insights: In the DW-Interview reveals Ironman champion Jan Frodeno, of how one life on the Limit feels like, where he came close to death, and why he stands by his controversial involvement in Bahrain.
Deutsche Welle: Jan Frodeno, after her success in Hawaii, you have spent a few days with your family in Australia. As you must imagine, if you can relax without, for example, particularly be careful of what you eat?
Jan Frodeno: Well, to be honest, I have found that I have less restrictions to do better. So I tend in General to me is very little limit. We are, however, absolute Health nut and always eat pretty good. And we also try our children to take with them.
Their third world title in Kona you have won with an almost perfect race. This success was the most difficult, or, perhaps, the most beautiful?
The cutest is perhaps the best description. It happened to me rarely, that I noticed during the race, that’s what I’ve worked so long. We debated about whether or not there is this perfect day and then you’re in the race suddenly confronted with it. And you know: now You’re 38 and don’t know how many of these perfect days you’re going to be. To reach the summit, is one thing. But if you’re not even there, you have to recognize that you can’t stay there. So it was unique to enjoy this Moment in the last third of the marathon, as I have realized, that this could be my big day.
Watch the Video 01:02
Jan Frodeno on a healthy life
In the past year, you had to watch that Hawaii violated. On race day you have made together with your Team, a written agreement, to be 2019 in the best possible shape at the Start. You have charged yourself a lot of pressure from the outside, the expectations from Fans and media to come. You like this print, you need maybe even?
I’ve always said that pressure diamonds creates. And that also applies strongly to me. I need pressure to get to the absolute top. And so this intention was meant to be a Declaration that we have signed since, all in favour of pressure on me and also on the Team exercise. I remember well that there was at the time of the signing quite a bit of reluctance. The matter was of great importance. It’s just a sheet of was paper. I think this is something my Trainer and me really, since I 2012 came to him. At the time, I said to him that I want to win Hawaii, and 2015. ‘You can help me’. And it turned out that not a lot of guys should come to his office with such a project, and ask him for help.
“I have often burned the Finger”
Who is with so much ambition on the road, the risk of too much demand. You have experienced something like this, after her Olympic victory in 2008. How do you keep your inner Balance?
To be honest, I played so often with the fire and with you fingers burnt. Probably 2010 was from a mental point of view, my worst year. I was really down. Now the question is whether a victory is much sweeter to me, if you must fight against adversity test. I think you have to times over the Limit, to find out really. This is a tune I run now for years. But it is also what drives me currently is to find the limit, to see if I can make it even better. This is probably the reason why I’m not hanging up my shoes on the wall – this game with the Limit.
Sprint to Gold: Frodeno wins Triathlon race of the 2008 Olympic games
In the race things go wrong. At the world Cup you had in the beginning some problems with your Cycling Shoe. In 2016, Roth, and this year in Frankfurt you will be brought down to a hair with the wheel. How do you keep in such situations, the focus?
The most Important thing is to always keep the big goal in the back of the head. In an eight-hour race, things go wrong. But also because I’ve gone to the Limit. Both times, in Roth and in Frankfurt, and I was angry at myself. The first Time I had passed too slow, so I thought I try it times faster. Obviously, it was a little fast, but that makes the charm of the thing for me. To be sure, is not my style. Clear risk of falling because literally. But honestly it is about the child in me let it out – that’s why I love the Sport so much.
Winning is one thing, records break something else. In Hawaii, you have managed both. What drives you to give everything, even if you are sure, to come first to the finish. The great rivalry between you and Patrick, it was in this case for a Long time?
Of course there is a big rivalry between Patrick and me. He has won the last two years and absolutely fantastic race delivered. And Yes, unfortunately, he has this year appears to be decided. So I only had the Chance to redeem me, virtually, because there is only his record was left. I wanted to show that I can get the best out of me but also that I am not the Best at all. So that was my answer.
You’re not the youngest Athlete. In Training, you can increase the sizes, but build quality of each unit. How to easily create it, the daily Training is not just Routine?
Watch the Video 00:24
Jan Frodeno about danger and death
There is a saying of Marcus Aurelius, I believe in very much: Memento mori – remember that you will die. I realize now, as I had the car for a very dangerous encounter with a truck that wanted to run me off the road. Because I realized that everything can tomorrow be over already. This is the truth about Cycling, and about our whole life. This is the reality of it is as a professional athlete, a lot with the bike on the road, faced. I have taken for myself out of this Situation as a positive finding that there are no second chances. There is no Chance to make today’s workout better in the morning. I’m really trying to make the best out of each day. I don’t have to rumtraben no further 40 minutes, when it’s running. I stay at home and the time to take care of my dog and my kids and use effectively. This has given me a huge boost when it comes to appreciate the time I have.
One of their main Bahrain Endurance “- a project that is closely linked to the Royal family of the country’s sponsors”. In Bahrain, human rights are violated, there is no freedom of the press. You know these points, there is criticism of their commitment. Why do you maintain that?
I am criticized often. I feel that the people see what we do. I was woken up by the Laureus Foundation on the health problems in the Region. When I was approached by the Team, whether I want to build a basic program with if I want to implement the Triathlon there, since I have looked at all good, because I had self-doubts whether all this is really. But I have to say, after I was there every year that we have managed to grow from a community of 80 people in the first year to over 1000. There are now five triathlon clubs, which offer regular Training. Sport is now a compulsory subject in the schools. I think that we should go in spite of the difficulties there and an escape can create opportunities for people to make their lives better. For me, this feels much better than to point the Finger and say: What are you doing is terrible.
Also an athlete can fail: Frodeno with back pain at the world Cup in 2017
So you put on your own values, contribute to and limits itself to the political processes there?
In any case. I do not share the values there at all. I don’t believe in military Intervention. I do not think support of these things. I have to admit that I live in a bubble, if I go there. But I realize that this bubble provides an opportunity for the people. So, for women and men, the pants are now running in tight Lycra through the main streets of Manama, Sport, and definitely something Revolutionary to do. This is definitely an escape from everyday life.
There is a nice German proverb: “Stop when it is at its most beautiful.” After the race in Hawaii, they said it was probably the perfect day, your entire career aspired. Why do you continue?
If I were to stop now, then that would be only to meet the expectations of the other. While it would be a perfect career-end, but not a perfect end to my sporting development opportunities. I’ve realized that I have to do now in the luxurious Position of am to what I want. I have to me. to anyone to prove I’m not still hungry and curious if it goes a bit better And as long as I have this curiosity, I’m going to do next. One day I’ll Wake up with the realization that the curiosity is satisfied. Then it’s time to hang the shoes to the nail. But that day has not yet come.
Jan Frodeno (38) is one of the most successful triathletes in the world. In October, he won his third world title at the Ironman in Hawaii, and broke the course record, his rival Patrick Long (7:51:13 hours for 3.8 km Swimming, 180 km Biking and 42,195 km Run). His first two titles he won in 2015 and 2016. In the lead, he got the following year back at the Marathon, “out of respect” and finished off the race but still far. In 2018 he was absent hurt. 2008 Frodeno won the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Beijing. It was there he met his future wife: Emma Snowsill of Australia took Gold in the women’s. The Couple has two children and lives in Noosa/Australia and in Girona/Spain.
The Interview was conducted by Jens Krepela.