After that epic sprint where she beat Lisa Norden to the Olympic gold in a photo finish in Hyde Park, London 2012 Olympic Champion Nicola Spirig married long-term partner and fellow triathlete Reto Hug. Shortly after the pair announced that they were expecting their first child. Then she announced her return to sport with some very speedy track sessions at a win at the Cozumel World Cup. Here is what Spirig is up to now and where she’s headed.
How is motherhood and training going?
It has been a very big year! It was amazing to become a mother, certainly a very unique experience! Reto and I extremely enjoy spending time with Yannis and see him growing and learning something new every day! My training has also been going well. I don’t train as much as before my time as a mother, but I am using my time to train very well at the moment.
How was the process of getting back to training after giving birth?
I wasn’t in a hurry, as I thought that it didn’t matter if I would be back at a good fitness a few weeks earlier or later. But surprisingly I got back to a good level pretty quickly. The first few months were about learning how to combine being a mother and an athlete. I had to learn to be flexible. My coach and I decided what to train, Yannis decided when I trained, I organized my day around him. Now it’s a bit easier as Yannis is not as dependent on me as when I was still breastfeeding, but the fact that he is and will always be the first priority will not change. So triathlon is not as important anymore, but it is still my passion and I appreciate still being able to do it.
Do you prefer to train in a group or alone?
Definitely in a group if I like the athletes in that group! It’s much more motivating and I can push myself harder in a group. Time goes by quicker and you get to know other people.
Did you tune into the women’s circuit this year?
I did see part of the races in Kitzbühel, Hamburg and London on TV more by coincidence. My focus wasn’t on the circuit this year but it is always interesting to follow how new athletes are coming to the top and of course I know a lot of the “old” athletes and hoped for them to have a good season.
What do you have planned for the next year? Will you return to the World Triathlon Series?
My main focus will be on running. My goal is to qualify for the athletics in Europeans in Zürich in 2014. I hope to improve my running with this focus and to use it for triathlon afterwards, as the main goal...