Born and raised in England, Charlotte Paul enjoys challenging herself. After placing 3rd at the 2009 Ironman New Zealand and 1st at 2009 Ironman China, getting on the podium at the Ford Ironman World Championship is Paul's ultimate goal.   

KK: Please tell our readers a little bit about yourself, where did you grow up and what was your sports background growing up?

CP: I grew up in London, England. I had 2 older brothers who I idolised and followed into every sport that they did. I was a swimmer up to the age of about 12, then gave that up for middle distance running, from 12- 16. At 16 I pretty much gave up all the training routines. I dabbled in lots of different sports through University without any kind of discipline or commitment to anything in particular.

KK: How did you get involved with triathlon? When did you start? Why?

CP: I didn't do my first triathlon until I was 29, at the end of 2002. I was a gym goer at the time, but needed more.

CP: Since I was a teenager, and raced the London mini-marathon, I'd always wanted to run a marathon. I thought that would be a pretty big achievement. So I started looking for a running club to join but found only social jogging groups, and stumbled upon several triathlon clubs in my Google searching.

CP: The tri clubs all looked pretty dynamic and exciting, but I would never have taken the plunge unless my husband had convinced me otherwise. I've always been the one to bring up all the "reasons why not", he the opposite. So my reasons why not were; we don't have bikes, I haven't swum a lap for 15 years, and we can't afford it! His reply; "We can buy bikes, we'll pick the swimming up easy, and after we buy the bikes, there'll be no more spending!!":)

CP: And if I was getting new toys, he was getting them too, so we both started together. We spent the few thousand dollars we had started to put away for a home deposit on bikes...its now 6 years on, and we're still renting.

CP: I never dreamt that I would ever race professionally. I had never watched an Ironman and didn't really know what it was. But at that time in my life I really didn't enjoy my job, and was totally lost in terms of direction. I had no direction! I knew I should leave my job, but to do what? So I threw myself whole-heartedly into triathlon.

KK: What is your favorite event? Why?

CP: I love the run the most, because it's my strength, and what comes most naturally to me.

KK: What is your least favorite event? Why?

CP: I don't have a least favourite. If I'm less strong at a discipline then it becomes a challenge to improve it- and I enjoy that challenge. I used to dislike early morning swim training in cold pools, but I'm in luxury now- midday, open air, warm pools where I get a tan while I train!

KK: Have you ever had to overcome any major setbacks or injuries in your sporting career? If so how did you overcome them?

CP: When I first started triathlon I had no idea about body maintenance, so I got injured pretty quickly. Going into my first Ironman I had foot pain. A few days before the race, I visited the ART tent at the expo. I was treated by one of the Australian ART practitioners, Daryl Phillips. He fixed my foot by treating my glutes and blew me away! I had no idea foot pain could come from my butt.

CP: I've been getting regular ART treatment ever since.  Along with my masseur, they are my dentist, and my toothbrush is my Trigger Point Therapy tools which I use every day.

CP: The worst injury I've ever had was tendonitis in my tib posterior. I hit it from all angles and managed to rehab it amazingly quickly.

CP: I used; Mild hyperbaric therapy, supplements such as fish oil, icing, sticking my legs up the wall, compression, sleeping with a special boot on to keep the muscles off load, ART and TP Therapy...you name it I did it! I'm actually glad I went through

KK: What is the funniest thing you have ever heard or done, while in a race?

CP: The funniest thing I've ever heard was about my good friend Jarrod. He raced Ironman Western Australia in December and finished in 9:24, a massive PR.

CP: He got off the bike and ran into T2, took off his helmet, got his running shoes on, and was lastly putting on his visor when he felt something rubbery on his head. It was his swim cap! He had ridden 180kms, with his swim cap on under his helmet and not even felt it. This story gave his friends so much pleasure as you can imagineJ especially since in his bike photos you can see glimpses of swim cap!

KK: One of the most important things in life is "balance." How do you balance family, friends, training, and career?

CP: I think it's a little bit different when you're racing as a Pro. I know as an age grouper I get pretty obsessed really quickly, and it's easy to let it take over your life. I think for me to be successful I have to be pretty single minded and focused on this goal. I started racing professionally at 31. At that stage I was ready to commit 100% on my career, as it was something I'd never done with anything in life before. My triathlon career is going to be limited by my age and my desire to have children. So whilst I am racing professionally I want to give it a good shot and not be forever wondering "what if?

CP: My husband is a triathlon coach and my coach- so his life is triathlon too. The rest of the family understands that we don't have the time to catch up as often as we'd like to, but it's not forever. They don't call after 9!

KK: Here at Finishline-Multisport.com, our goal is to help our sports keep growing. If you would, what are some tips that you would give to someone just starting off in triathlon?

CP: Don't be intimidated by your competitors who have all the gear! It doesn't mean they are any better than you.

CP: Everyone was once a beginner- don't forget that. And most of us are only too happy to pass on advice and encouragement, because we want you to love triathlon as much as we do.

CP: Enjoy the journey. It's not all about the race that you're training for. The goal race is the driving force, but it's the person you become as you strive to achieve that goal that can really change your life.

KK: Please tell our readers about your rookie experience in Kona.

CP: I went to Kona for the first time in 2003 because again my husband convinced me that I should. I might never have the opportunity again. I was extremely intimidated by all the hype and I think I took it all far too seriously. It's a wonderful iconic race, which I've grown to love over the years.

KK: Getting a DNF or having to quit a hard thing to have to face, when is the right time to pull out off a race?

CP: I've never DNF'd a race and I'm really proud of that. But there definitely is a time when you should. If you are doing your body damage, then yes you should quit.

CP: I think some athletes quit too easily and then it becomes a bad habit. Once you've quit one race it's becomes too easy to do it again. If you quit you miss out on a learning opportunity. "Winners never quit and quitters never win".

KK: If there were one thing you could change, to help the advancement or growth of the sport, what would it be? What could be done to make it better?

CP: I'd like to see an increase in potential earnings. It's been the same prize pool for years and years, and it's not encouraging. It's extremely difficult for up and comers to survive, and so there is a high drop out rate of athletes with great potential who just can't make ends meet. It dampens competition.

KK: What is the best part of being a professional triathlete?

CP: The best is the people I meet and the places I get to go. This year alone I'll be going to New Zealand, China, Germany and the USA. Triathletes are such an enthusiastic, motivated positive bunch of people who are fun and inspiring to be around.

CP: The worst is that there are very few professionals making any money.

KK: In every sport there are a lot of heart warming stories and there are so many amazing people out there. Is there a specific story or person that you would like to tell us about?

CP: You don't have to look far to find a heart-warming story or an amazing person in this sport. Everyone has a story and a reason for racing and training; you just need to talk to the people around you.

CP: One person does spring to mind. We met him just before the Hawaii Ironman on a training ride on the Queen K. He was in his 70s, a retired doctor. He said people asked him why he raced Ironman- his reason, "what else would he do?" He was as fiercely competitive as any 20 year old! He said he was fitter now than he was 14 years ago.

KK: What is the ultimate goal for your professional triathlon career?

CP: The ultimate goal is get on the podium in Hawaii.

KK: What are some of your goals for the 2009 race season?

CP: To run a sub 3 hour marathon in an Ironman, on the back of a solid swim and bike. When I achieve that, I should reach all my other goals for the year.

KK: When people think of Charlotte Paul, what do you want them to know most about you?

CP: Hmmm, very tricky...that I'm very normal. I hope that I'm down to earth, friendly and approachable. I only got where I am through hard work, and if I can do it, you can do it.

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