Eneko Llanos is ready to step up
2008 was a very good year for Eneko Llanos, but if he has his way in 2009 he'll be a spot higher at a couple of events, including the Ironman World Championships. Eneko talked to slowtwitch.
ST: Your runner-up spot last year in Kona last year to Craig Alexander was fantastic but wasn’t much of a surprise. Do you think a World Champion title in 2009 would surprise anyone?
Eneko: I’ve been in the top 10 for the last three years in Kona, and the second place last year definitely put me in the map. Right now I think people know me much better and a win in 2009 shouldn’t surprise anyone. Macca and Craig were second the year before they won their titles, so I hope the same rule applies to me. 😉
ST: At Wildflower in 2008 you had another much talked about runner-up spot to 2008 World Champion Chris McCormack. Tell us about that race.
Eneko: I was feeling great the weeks leading to the event. I was doing my best times ever on my training and feeling quite confident about having a good race at Wildflower. I came down of the bike in third behind Björn and Lieto, but Macca was close behind me. On the run he overtook me very quickly but didn’t put much time on me as I was watching him 400-500 meters in front all the time. I started feeling better once on the half point of the run so I caught Macca and I was waiting to attack him on the last downhill, but at that point my right quad was hurting me a lot. I was feeling very strong but my muscles weren’t prepared for that hilly run, so Macca went away on the downhill and won the race. For this year I know the race course much better and hopefully I will be better prepared for that hilly run.
ST: Will we still see you do XTERRA races?
Eneko: I love racing Xterra. Unfortunately with my Ironman training and racing it is difficult to find an Xterra that fits into my schedule, but I will be racing Xterra worlds in Maui and try to win the Hawaiian double for the fourth consecutive time.
ST: Can you tell us what else you have on your schedule for 2009?
Eneko: First big race of the year will be Wildflower and I am looking forward to race there again. I have a double Olympic triathlon in the Basque Country in Zarautz in June that I love doing, then in July I am doing Ironman European Championships in Frankfurt. And then I will prepare for Hawaii and maybe do a couple of races in Spain before heading to Kona. After the Ironman I am doing Xterra worlds. I will do more or less the same racing and training schedule as last year. It worked very well in 2008 and I think it is going to work even better in 2009.
ST: What is your athletic background and who inspired you to race triathlons?
Eneko: As a child I did many different sports, Basque pelota, swimming, mountain hiking, judo, mountain biking, skate boarding… the first two more seriously. I swam until I was 13, and I started in triathlon when I was 17 years old. My brother Hektor, who also races as a pro, inspired me. He started in triathlon a couple of years before and after watching him racing I decided to try it myself.
ST: Can you briefly explain to our readers what Basque pelota is?
Eneko: Is a traditional Basque game. You hit a small ball with the hand against a wall and try to score a point against the other player. If the ball hits the floor twice before the other player hits it against the wall, you score a point. The first who makes 22 points wins. Is similar to the Jai Alai played in Miami, but instead of catching the ball with a basket and throwing it, you directly hit the ball with the hand. The wikipedia explanation
ST: Do you have a favorite race, and if so, why is that?
Eneko: Two races in the Basque country. First the race in my home city, Vitoria-Gasteiz, is a long distance triathlon. Next year we are hosting the Long Distance European Championships and for 2011 we want to host the ITU Long Distance World Championships. I take part in the designs of the courses and it is always great to race at home. And second is Zarautz, the double Olympic triathlon on the coast with a hilly bike course and the greatest atmosphere I know in a triathlon. And internationally I like Ironman Frankfurt very much. The German public is one of the best in the world and the finish line is amazing, and of course Kona, the race that inspired me to be an Ironman triathlete.
ST: Do you see doping as an issue in triathlon?
ST: I think it can become an issue if the governing bodies of triathlon don’t take care of it. Efforts like the one that Ironman Frankfurt is doing, testing pro athletes throughout the year and the day before the race is the way to go in my opinion. I don’t understand the use of drugs in the sport. I like fair play in sports and in life, winning at any cost doesn’t make sense to me and I don’t understand how people can get to the point of taking drugs. I think we still have a clean sport, let’s keep it that way.
ST: What changes would you like to see in triathlon?
Eneko: I would like to see Long Distance triathlon or better an Ironman in the Olympic games. It would be great to have a winter triathlon in winter Olympics too.
ST: How are things going for you in terms of sponsorship?
Eneko: I am getting very good support for this season. I keep working with my last year sponsors: Spiuk for clothes, helmets and biking shoes, BH for the bikes, HED wheels and aerobars, and Sailfish for the wetsuits. And for 2009 my brother Hektor and I are starting a new relationship with AVIA running shoes, Polar for heart rate monitors and also Mulebar for energy bars. I also have the support of BAT Basque Team, which is a sponsoring program from the Basque government.
ST: What do you do in the off-season?
Eneko: I like surfing and mountain hiking. After Hawaii once I am recovered I try to surf as much as I can and do some nice walks on the mountains around my home or in the Pyrenees. And for the winter I love cross-country skiing.
ST: Do you follow any other sports?
Eneko: I am not a big fan of watching other sports, as I rather like to practice them than watching. I like to see different sports on TV, surfing, mountain biking, climbing… but all we get here is soccer all day long and that bores me.
ST: Can you share with us some of your food likes and dislikes?
Eneko: I have been a vegetarian for the last 15 years. Mostly vegan but I eat dairy and eggs occasionally, especially when traveling and when I can’t buy and prepare my own food. I am happy with anything if it wasn’t a live animal before it has been on my plate. A big salad makes me feel good, and fruit. I eat a lot of fruit.
ST: Do you find it very hard eating as a vegetarian when traveling? And is there a difference getting vegetarian food items when traveling in Europe versus North America?
Eneko: It depends on the place where I travel. I almost got mad in Japan, eating rice everyday!! I usually find it easier to eat when in North America, because there is food everywhere and the food offer and variety is always much bigger in North America than in Europe, so usually I can find something more easily. Many times I find special vegetarian meals or dishes in North American restaurants and that's very rare to find in Europe.
ST: What music do you like?
Eneko: Very varied music. Right know Neil Young, Jack Johnson, John Cruz, The Cure, The Smiths, Ramones, Sonic Youth, The Strokes… are high on my favorites list, but I like almost any kind of good music.
ST: What was the last book you read?
Eneko: Chi running, by Danny Dreyer. A very interesting approach to running technique and training.
ST: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Eneko: I hope to still be training and racing, but at that time maybe thinking in retirement as a pro. Maybe doing some coaching and organizing training camps. It will be good to work with young athletes too and try to help them become good triathletes.
ST: Is there anything else we should know about you?
Eneko: Yes, you can find it at my website: www.enekollanos.com 😉 An English version is coming soon…
