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Interview: Joe Skipper on his Marshman win and targeting Ironman UK 70.3
Fresh from smashing the field at Marshman, the first middle distance UK tri of the year, is Joe Skipper - a National Middle Distance champion.
I caught up with this ambitious triathlete who has already won Marshman, came 6th at the recent Tristar Cannes and has just returned from a brutal training camp with former Outlaw winner Paul Hawkins. This guy likes to train hard.
In this interview, Joe speaks about a very good 3 weeks in his career and how he hopes this will prove a spring board for top performances in some of Britain’s biggest long distance races.
Hi Joe, congratulations on absolutely blitzing the field at Marshman - in difficult weather conditions. Tell us a bit how the race panned out for you. Did you even see anyone else out there once the race started and you had your nose in front?
Basically the swim got cancelled as the water temperature was too cold. I think the southerners weren’t used to the the wind and rain so got their own way!
So, it ended up being a duathlon with a 5K run replacing the swim. As soon as the gun went, everyone went off really hard. I held back as I thought they’d pay for this later in the race and ended up in transition in 10th place.
As soon as I was on the bike I went really hard and overtook first place by the seven mile point and from that point on didn’t see a soul. Out onto the run course, I had no idea what my lead was, so ran hard but within myself. I knew that if someone was to catch me I had another gear left.
It was very lonely out there.
Marshman followed hot on the heels of your super result in Cannes. Was Marshman always on the cards for you given that you appear to be racing on the international circuit this year?
No it wasn’t. The original plan was to do Tristar Mallorca, but I was injured and couldn’t take part. After Cannes I could tell that I was lacking race fitness, so decided to definitely enter Marshman.
How does Marshman fit into your overall season plans in terms of priorities and goals?
It was a good hit out. I wanted to win it but it came after a big week of training and you’re never sure how you’re going to feel after that. It was just a tough training race- not one of my priority races for the season.
In between Cannes and Marshman - you have had a pretty tough and brutal training week with Paul Hawkins. Tell us a bit about what he puts you through.
Paul is a great training partner. I would describe it as ‘no thrills training’. It’s kind of back to basics, but it works great and I think people can over-complicate training a lot.
Another big factor is we are pretty much exactly on a par with each other, so really push each other as we hate letting the other person get the better of us, which can make it feel harder than a race.
Two hard fought races and a tough training week.. I take it you thrive on hard physical work. Is this regime typical of your season or are you just trying to take your physical ability to the next level?
I just love training. I definitely want to take my physical ability to the next level and as Marshman wasn’t a target race, it didn’t bother me.
All the training is geared towards a top result at Ironman UK 70.3, and I will definitely be tapering for this.
Where else might we see you racing and what do you hope to achieve this year?
I’m racing Ironman UK70.3, Liverpool 5150, Tristar Milton Keynes, Ironman Galway 70.3 and Challenge Henley.
There will be others in July and August but all the above are definites.
Editors note:
Joe is supported by Royles Triathlon shop who support triathletes of all levels. They supply Joe with Gore run and cycle wear and a Cervelo P3 ride. Joe Skipper also uses Cliff Bar nurition.
Well done to Joe on a great win at Marshman, no one can disagree that he won with a good lead…I have to say though that in the triathlon community there is high competition but most athletes I have come across are more supportive of those coming up through the smaller events. Joe’s comments come across as big headed and makes him less of a role model to those trying to make transition in to the sport.
Hi Samantha,
Thanks for the comment and reading the post.
I think you may have misinterpreted the tone of Joe’s interview.
I think it is fair to say that Joe as an athlete is another level above those that raced at Marshman. He was the only pro there, is a former national middle distance champion and this year is racing on the pro circuit against the worlds best - a platform he is intending to succeed on.
With respect to Marshman and Joe - he might have crossed the line first (and in my humble opinion a win is a win) but he raced as a ‘guest’ and didn’t take his place at the podium. Nor did he take any prize money, instead rolling it down to the next athlete who was ‘officially’ named as first. All indicative of a triathlete who understands and is supportive of all ends of the age-group game.
I think we should just enjoy watching and hearing from a class athlete who had a run out at a local event for what it is!
Thanks for reading and commenting.
Rich (Editor)
Glad to see Joe doing well - he does put in the hours and I expect him to do well at whatever he races this year.
On a personal note, he is a decent bloke and always offers help/advice/suggestions at the Tri-Anglia club he used to be a member off.
I dont see Joe’s interview as being ‘big headed’ he just says it the way he sees it. I fully expect that Joe would turn up and do a race like Marshman as a training hit out; when training and racing as a pro you may be able to afford to do this as you have that time to recover. I doubt he meant any offence by stating that it was a training race but experience in interviews may adjust the way he approaches them in the future (Im sure he be getting a few more if he continues to race as he is).
Anyway well done to all that braved the conditions and to Oli Milk (another Tri-Anglia member) on placing 1st.
I was privileged enough to spend some time with both Joe and Paul at a Kinetic PB training camp earlier on in the year, let me tell you these guys are far from “big headed” and are perfect role models for any pro or average age grouper like me. They train hard, recover, fuel up, and then train harder whilst all the time enjoying great banter. Both myself and my partner Nat came away from Kinectic PB with some quality training in the legs and sound advice thanks to these guys.
Joe is an honest guy who is just enjoying the fruits of a brutal training regime, great work Joe looking forward to seeing you at IMUK 70.3.