Five years ago James Cunnama had a plan. An aspiring professional triathlete at the time, Cunnama was quietly rising through the ranks in the South African triathlon scene. But he wanted more, which in his eyes was triathlon's crown jewel.
"I sent a cocky mail to Brett Sutton in 2008 telling him that I planned to win Kona one day. When I asked him to coach me, he told me I was dreaming but also to get on the next plane to Philippines to his training camp."
Kona - or Kailua-Kona to give its full name - is a town on the island of Hawaii. Primarily a tourist centre, it plays host to the annual Ironman World Championship, where participants cover a gruelling 226 mile journey of swimming, cycling and running in oppressive heat and often-howling winds. Completing this iconic event is enough for most, but a select few aspire to be champions, focussing their entire athletic careers on being victorious on Alii Drive. But first you have to get there.
Having finished in fourth position in Kona 2013, James is looking to step up to the top spot. His path to success has been rather interesting; a true case of "all or nothing." Back in South Africa at the end of a long season, he is currently preparing for his 2014 campaign and shared his journey with us.
Nature Gym: A few years ago you stated that you would only return to Kona when you felt you were ready. Could you explain what exactly “being ready” entails and would you say that your performance this year validated that decision?
James Cunnama: Being ready is hard to quantify until you
go there, but I had an idea of the form I didn’t need to be in from my trip
there in 2009. I would probably have considered myself ready a year earlier,
but circumstances (knee surgery) prevented me qualifying. That was probably a
good thing because I was ready this time.
NG: What have you been up to since your great
performance in Hawaii this year? Would you say that you have fully recovered
from Kona?
JC: I think after Kona you need to not only
recover from the race, which takes a week or two, but recover from the season,
and that can take a while. Jodie and I have spent a week in the bush, had some
quality time off and enjoyed my brother’s wedding. Now it is time to start
building for 2014.
NG: Given the current qualifying system for
Kona as well as the prohibitive travel costs of actually getting to the Big
Island, it must be quite challenging for professionals trying to combine making
a living with capturing triathlon’s crown jewel. What are your thoughts on this
subject and how have you managed to attain a top performance this year while
making ends meet?
JC: It certainly is not easy to travel to
enough races to qualify and also make the massively expensive trip to Kona and
still have enough money left over to live, but fortunately through the support
of TeamTBB and through my own prize winnings I am doing OK. Not many Pro’s are
enjoying the same financial security though. Basically you have to risk it all
to get there, and then hope it pays off. For many it doesn’t and they go home
broke and disappointed. There is much that should be/could be done to improve
the professional sport of Ironman, including the qualifying system, but it is
not wise to rock the boat while you are in it. Basically this is an extremely
tough way to make a living and very few do. I am one of the lucky ones I guess.
NG: You have been part coached by Brett Sutton
for the past few years. How did your being a member of Team TBB come about and
what influenced your decision to make the move there?
JC: I sent a cocky mail to Brett (I got his
email from friends in PE who had met him)in 2008 telling him I plan to win Kona
and asking will he coach me. He basically told me I’m dreaming, but also told
me to get on the next plane to Philippines and TBB camp and have ‘try-outs’. I
guess I passed the tests and the rest is history. The team hired me and paid me
more than I was worth (which was nothing at that point!) and gave me the
opportunity. Success has built on success ever since.
NG: Brett’s approach has often been stuff of
legends, yet does not seem to be completely understood by those outside of his
squad. What sets Brett Sutton apart from other coaches and athletes? What makes
him unique?
JC: Brett’s image – a hard-arse who throws dozens of eggs
(athletes) against the wall and the ones that don’t break are champions – is
quite far removed from the truth. He takes great care in each individual’s
success and gives every person only what he believes they need or can handle.
But the basic truth is that not everyone can make it and a coach has to show
athletes that they don’t have what it takes more often than he gets to show an
athlete that they do have it.
As for what makes Brett unique, that is a
long list. He is a gifted coach with many attributes that make him incredibly
good at making people better. But, like so many gifted people, he is a troubled
soul who has difficulty switching off his ‘talents’ and celebrating his
successes. A complicated person from whom I have learned an enormous amount
about triathlon, and about people.
NG: You have a degree in Human Movement Science
so are well versed in exercise physiology and the like. How have you managed to
combine your sports science background with Brett’s seemingly no-frills and
intuitive approach to all aspects of endurance sport?
JC: Brett’s principles, while not using technology,
is scientifically sound. But he removes the clutter and allows you to focus on
the task rather than various other feedback tools. I have found that I like
that approach immensely and hence 5 years of success with him. Going forward
without Brett may make for some changes, but I think I will always prefer the
intuitive approach over the numbers approach.
NG: Many urban legends and stories abound about
crazy training sessions within TBB. Are these stories exaggerated and have you
experienced any “off-the-charts” training days?
JC: No, they are not exaggerated. There are
many crazy sessions. Generally they are there to break down pre-conceived
limits and change a mind-set. But they are always put in only when they can be
tolerated by your fitness level (although whilst you are doing them you may
wonder!). I have done many of these over the years. 42km marathons finishing up
a mountain, 42km track sessions, 220km rides, 100 x 100m in the pool. What
doesn’t kill you…
NG: How have you managed your various injuries
over the years? What would your advice be to anybody wanting maintain
consistent yet injury-free in the quest for peak performance?
JC: There is no such thing as injury free. The
nature of what we do means pushing the limits, and when you push the limits,
you always risk finding a limit, normally in the form of an injury. But not
pushing too hard too fast, building slowly and consistently over years not
months and reacting early to niggles can help prevent serious injuries
developing.
NG: Media reports indicate that you are moving
on from Team TBB. What are your plans for 2014 and how are things looking on
the sponsorship front? Do you have any
idea where you will be primarily based?
JC: I will be leaving TeamTBB and Brett Sutton
in 2014. We are currently in negotiations with various sponsors for 2014 and we
are working to make sure I have the equipment and financial backing to make a
bid for the Kona 2014 title. Leaving TeamTBB frees me to choose who I work with
so it is an exciting time. There is plenty of interest from within the tri
industry, and of course we are looking for a title sponsor to help with what I
need to be Ironman World Champ.