Following up with Balázs Csőke
We chatted with Balázs Csőke in early 2011 and quite a bit has changed for this Pro from Hungary. For one he is now an Ironman champion plus he recently moved his place of residence from Switzerland to the USA.
ST: Good to chat with you again.
Balázs: My pleasure, Herbert. It’s always great to chat with you especially since so many things have changed in my life both professionally and personally.
ST: We last talked in May of 2011, what has changed since then?
Balázs: I was able to claim my first Ironman title – which was such a highpoint for me. And I couldn't be more thankful that I've finally moved to the US, which I know is going to be a huge boost and give me the chance to realize my dream of winning Kona.
ST: Last time we chatted was actually just before the 2011 Ironman Texas, and you had high hopes and ambitions. What happened?
Balázs: I arrived to Texas in a very good shape, and was looking forward to getting some points for Kona. Had a good swim, but had a total blowout around 50 miles into the bike. I had to wait 25 minutes for a new wheel and that took me out from any contention to finish where I expected. So, I knew I had a decision to make – and I knew I needed to keep my legs fresh for my next race. I knew I had to take myself out of the race. Which in hindsight, was of my best decisions because four weeks later I claimed my first Ironman title.
ST: Do you not take a spare with you when you race?
Balázs: Yes I do, however my tire actually exploded during the race and I ended up riding on the carbon rim for a while. Then, the carbon rim broke as well, and I was not able to repair it.
ST: How tough was that mentally?
Balázs: There is nothing worse for an athlete – I think. Especially when it's a technical DNF. But as a Pro athlete sometimes we have to make the tough decisions on and off the course, so we can race at the level we want.
ST: As you mentioned earlier, you made lemonade out of lemons when you traveled to Jeju Island to race the 2011 Ironman Korea.
Balázs: Thinking back now, that flat tire in Texas was one of the best things that ever happened to me. When I got home that night, I was looking for the next race as soon as possible because I knew I needed more points if I wanted to make it to Kona. I checked out the course online, and was on a plane 3 weeks after Texas, heading to Korea.
I knew going in that it was going to be a challenging course, with the heat and humidity, but I felt confident that the course was made for me and it turns out I was right. Ironman Texas really put me down but I always had good experiences with races in Asia and thought this could be a race that could pull me up from the disappointment in Texas.
ST: Talk about your day in Korea.
Balázs: When I got up in the morning, it felt like any other race day. But from the moment I got in the water to the minute I crossed the finish line, each minute, each hour, got better. The swim was good and easy for me and I was able to keep myself in a good position getting out of the water. My plan for the bike was simple. I wanted to stay controlled for the first half and then I wanted to have a killer second half – you know I wanted to crush the big gear.
The whole 112 miles was a rolling hill course and for those who don't know much about the Hungary landscape, I can assure you that we're not famous for our hills. So needless to say, I'm not a good climber, and my downhill skills are not the best either. But, the great thing about a sport like this, your training can be a game changer. And, it was for me. I worked a lot on my bike strength in the last 3 years, especially with indoor bike training, so I was ready to take advantage of this power bike course. All happened according to my plan, and I was riding by myself the second half of the course.
ST: How much indoor bike training do you do?
Balázs: I do most of my quality rides indoor, which happens 3 times per week recently. I think it is a perfect way to ride focused, keep up the watts and stay in an aero position. I really recommend it for everyone, as you can improve your bike strength a lot while riding indoor!
ST: You had mentioned in your blog that you ran a bit worried in Korea, but in the end though you still had a 10-minute advantage over the runner-up. Was anyone closer than that or did it just feel like it?
Balázs: As I was heading out for the run, I saw Cameron Brown and he was yelling and cheering me on. These are those moments that you could never expect, but they are ones you'll never forget and it gave me a great boost of energy, which I knew I was going to need on this run course. Actually it was the toughest running course I have ever seen. It was just like the bike course, never ending rolling hills, with some really steep sections.
With the heat that day, I used all the aid stations to keep myself as cool as possible.
I was just running and it was about mile 13 when I first realized that I could win this race and I saw that I had a 10-minute lead. My race was going according to plan but it's an amazing adrenaline shot when you know you're winning. But even when you are nearing the finish line, you still know there's a lot of running left to do. On the second loop, those hills seemed to be even steeper and longer, but at that point nothing was in my mind other then to win this race.
At mile 22, I knew no one could take this title away from me. The course had been rough, but I was even ready for a sprint finish if that's what I needed to do. Luckily, I didn't need to do that, and I was able to relax and enjoy the last 2 miles.
As I arrived back to town, I wanted to enjoy every second of the last mile, so I could take it all in and celebrate with the crowd a bit – celebrate that I just became an Ironman Champion.
ST: What went through your mind when you crossed the line?
Balázs: As I entered the finish shoot, all I could think was that this small kid from an Eastern European town just won an Ironman. It's not your typical journey to come from a small Hungarian town and become a professional triathlete, but the training, the races, and everything in between led me to this place.
ST: With that title you added enough points to tour tally to go to Kona. Were you ready?
Balázs: My main goal last year was to make it to Kona and get a taste of how it is to race there. I had no expectation about my finish time. I just wanted to experience crossing the finish line in Kona. It doesn’t matter if you are a pro or not, I think every triathlete wants that experience. No one can ever forget their first time running to the finish line at Alii Drive. And, as one of the youngest pros there, it was exciting to see so many of the guys who I had admired and had their pictures on my wall for inspiration. And, now I was running along side them.
I felt ready but as anyone will tell you the main goal for your first time at Kona is to make sure you finish the race. But, that was way more difficult than I expected and I really think that it's more of a mental challenge than a physical one. But I made it to finish line and I'll always have that as my first time at Kona. At age 28, I won an Ironman and finished Kona! This was beyond what I expected.
ST: When do you think you will go back to race Kona?
Balázs: I hope in 2013 I will be at start line again. I work very hard for this every day!
ST: AS you look back at 2012, what comes to your mind?
Balázs: Winning an Ironman changes your life. And, after the win, I had to make the right decisions to keep my career on track. I was living in Switzerland at the time but the travel back and forth between Europe and the US to compete was rough and not ideal to keep me in the physical and mental shape I needed to be. The US is the world's biggest market for triathlons and if you're a pro this is the place you need to be. Switzerland and the great people that I met there gave me the opportunity to be a pro athlete and ultimately win an Ironman so it was a tough decision to leave but I knew I had to realize my dream of being a successful pro triathlete.
And on top of the crazy year of travel and moving, I also had a lot of technical issues during my races. My focus in 2012 was about getting over here so I could compete at the level I wanted and I know I didn't have the focus I've usually had on my training and racing. While not my best year, I know that this year was important because it made me ready for a big year in 2013.
ST: What was your season highlight?
Balázs: It's hard to pick a race when you've had a bad and unlucky season, but anytime you achieve your personal best time, you feel like you're on the right track. And, I did that with my 7th place at Ironman Austria where there was a stellar field filled with Ironman Champions.
ST: When we spoke last time you were enjoying a home stay in The Woodlands and now you reside there. How did that come about?
Balázs: Well, I cannot thank the people of The Woodlands enough who have helped me more than I ever expected. They came forward with long-term home stays and so many great opportunities to get involved in the very active local triathlon community. But, about that time I was faced with having to go back to Switzerland and having a job offer that would have put an end to my triathlon career.
Then a local coaching company offered me an amazing opportunity in Texas. It was the perfect situation – I could keep pursuing my dream of racing as a pro and I could share my experiences to help others on their journey like the age-group athletes who have helped make this sport what it is today.
ST: Have you settled in nicely?
Balázs: Yes. The people of The Woodlands have made me feel so welcome and I’ve found a great place to live and train.
ST: What are you doing for the holidays?
Balázs: I am going to race at Ironman New Zealand and Ironman Melbourne in March, so my holiday will be about training. But, as I said the people of The Woodlands have embraced me and I was able to celebrate the holidays with some great local families.
ST: Have you gained any weight?
Balázs: Good question, Herbert! Well, I have just checked this morning and believe it or not I have lost 3 pounds in a week! I don't understand it either.
ST: How tall are you and what is your weight?
Balázs: I am 188 cm (6'2") and weigh 75 kg (165 pounds).
ST: All well with your sponsors?
Balázs: Yes, thank you! The sponsors are the reason that I can compete at the level I want and I’ll always be grateful of what they have helped me achieve. I really appreciate the support from Raiffeisen Bank and Gherzi AG back from Switzerland, who helped me at the beginning of my pro career. TriTactics is the coaching company where I work and who came along at the right time to keep me on the road to achieving my dreams as a pro.
And, I am also extremely happy to be sponsored by Cervelo and be part of their team, as well as by 3T, Zoot, Rudy Project and Sidi. And, I’ve just been named an Ambassador for LuluLemon Athletica in The Woodlands.
I am just about to finalize some more sponsorships for 2013 including more top industrial brands, and very happy to say that some local businesses from The Woodlands could be on the list too.
ST: What is your next race?
Balázs: My first big race will be Ironman New Zealand in early March, then 3 weeks later I will start at Ironman Melbourne. I might race Ironman 70.3 Panama in February too. It would be a good test four weeks before IM NZ.
ST: Anything else we should know?
Balázs: I’m really looking forward to a great 2013 and think it’s going to be an exciting year. To keep up with me and the latest info on my training and races, I’d encourage people to follow me on Facebook att balazc.csoke and my Twitter handle @Csokebalazs
