Chapter 26: Case Studies of Athletic Development

Level 6: The full-time Professional - World-Class Wendy

World-Class Wendy
A full-time professional triathlete at the very front of the field, making a living from long-distance racing

So far, we’ve explored the full spectrum of case studies, from Metabolic Melvin—the couch-to-finish-line athlete—through to Elite Eric, our top amateur stepping into the professional ranks. Each case study followed the long-term development plan given in the book, showing how training, nutrition, and life(!) needs to adapt with every new level of development, from simply improving baseline health and fitness to racing competitively for Kona slots or even earning a pro card.

Now, we arrive at the final stop on our long-term athletic development journey with World-Class Wendy, a top-tier professional who competes head-to-head with the very best in the sport and makes a living from racing, sponsorship, and associated ventures. Where Eric’s story was about beginning to get a taste of what Pro Racing is all about while continuing his fitness development, Wendy is at the absolute peak of her athletic development and her focus has shifted to racking up the best possible race results that she can from the fitness that she has built—and, in the process, to make a good living from the sport!

In our chapter on long-term development, we outlined a number of phases that the athlete goes through in their long-term development according to the model of Istvan Balyi…

1. “Active Start” (Metabolic Melvin)

2. “FUNdamentals” (Fiona Funrunner)

3. “Learning to Train” (Ironman Ian)

4. “Training to Train” (Kona Karen)

5. “Training to Compete” (Elite Eric)

And now, with Wendy, we arrive at the final phase…

6. “Training to Win!”

While Eric had to juggle building fitness, gaining elite racing experience, and earning enough to meet his basic needs—keeping a roof over his head and enough food on the table to fuel his massive caloric demands—Wendy’s situation is quite different. Her sole focus is organizing her life entirely around racing as well as she can, maximizing her performance in every possible way.

In this chapter, I’ll share Wendy’s story: her background, her training approach, the lab and field data that set the benchmark for "world-class," and the practical realities of sustaining a career based solely on triathlon. You'll get a front-row seat to see what it truly takes—physically, mentally, and logistically—to stand at the pinnacle of professional long-course triathlon.