Mathias Roche - Athlete Ambassador
Have you always been into sport?
I've always been a sporty child and loved the satisfaction of being finished with a hard training session. During my years of travelling I practised plenty of different sports such as swimming, badminton, basketball, running and now triathlon.
How did you first get into triathlon?
Even though I did my first triathlon when I was approximately 10 years old, which was organized by the school, it never stuck to me because I wasn't a good runner and I preferred swimming back then. But then one year later I had a knee accident and therefore I had to stay in a wheelchair for three months which was quite hard as someone who is quite active. And therefore I'm extremely proud and happy that I can run again so I cherish every second of it. But I actually started running seriously due to this pandemic in order to just expend some energy and then discovered a passion for it , which made me set some goals such as a sub 1h45 half marathon and to one day beat my dad PR which is 1h20. But one day, while I was watching YouTube, I fell across a Lionel Sanders video about training for a Ironman 70.3, and since then I've been training for this.
If you are interested in getting into Triathlon, Sundried's kit is suitable for beginners as well as seasoned athletes. We have both men's and women's options available.
What has been your favourite race to date and why?
Currently I haven't had the chance to participate at any races due to Covid-19 but I'm considering participating at the sprint distance Challenge Lisboa.
What is your proudest achievement?
To this date my proudest achievement would be the sub 1h35 half marathon which I completed on a sort of hilly course.
How do you overcome setbacks?
I've sometimes pushed myself too far and had to suffer several setbacks due to my knee injuries. But in this I just take a break from sports and spend more time with family and friends in order to recover as much as possible, and when you start practising again, you should resume as if you just started out and forget about your previous paces, power outputs or time.
What advice do you wish you'd been given when you first started out?
Don't increase your volume suddenly, being good at endurance sport is something which you'll get better at over time.
What are your goals?
As I mentioned before, one of my goals would be to finish a sub 5 hour 15 Ironman 70.3, and maybe one day go to the world championships.
Why work with Sundried?
Working with Sundried is a huge opportunity for athletes to acknowledge the environmental issues and help them get as comfortable as possible while training and still providing 100% recycled materials which makes them not only eco-responsible but cool.
To hear more from our ambassadors and get free tips on workout plans and more, connect with the Sundried Personal Trainers on our app.
