Sam Appleton Q&A with WYN republic
Meet Sam Appleton – WYN republic athlete, Australian Professional Triathlete, father, and husband who's dominating middle-distance races worldwide. With 15+ 70.3 wins and 5 top 10 finishes at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in the last 6 years, he's a true force in the triathlon world.
WYN republic: What is your go to pre-race dinner? Breakfast?
Sam: For dinner I usually have some chicken and pesto and rice. Something fairly plain and easy to digest. For race morning breakfast I try to have some boiled eggs and some toast with butter.
WYN republic: What's your favorite food?
Sam: Baked goods! Muffins, donuts etc.
WYN republic: How does being a dad shape your training and racing compared to pre-dad life?
Sam: It has definitely put things into perspective! Triathlon is my career and its very important to me, but being a good dad is my number one priority. Having Toby there whether things go well or not is amazing and can really bring me back to whats important. It has come with some challenges and my wife and I need to be more organized with our schedules, but honestly the added complication is something that I am cherishing.
WYN republic: What is your favorite and most daunting type of workout?
Sam: Long Ironman brick session is always pretty daunting, but feels so good when you bank that session! Something like 4.5hrs on the bike with 100km at Ironman wattage followed by 20km run @ Ironman pace is something that I would do a few times in an Ironman build. My favorite is a long ride with no efforts when I can get out on the road bike or gravel bike and just explore and be out on the bike for fun without worrying about power, effort etc.
WYN republic: What is your favorite book? Podcast? Pump up song?
Sam: Book - The Fisherman by John Langan or The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. Podcast - The Filmcast. Song - Pump up song can change depending on what I am in the mood for. Some good staples on my playlist are always Flume and Rufus Du Sol.
WYN republic: What has been your favorite swim, bike, and run course to date?
Sam: Swim - The Kona swim course is something special. Crystal clear waters with lots of marine life. Bike - St George 70.3. The course is so beautiful through Snow Canyon and the red rock is something special. Run - I think Ironman Australia at Port Macquarie is one of my favourite runs. Not only is it beautiful, but the crowd support is amazing. I may be a little biased because I have a lot of support out there because my mum is from Port Mac. But that run course is also pretty awesome and varied too.
WYN republic: What kind of legacy do you hope to leave in sport?
Sam: The legacy I want to leave is one of an athlete that raced with integrity and respect for his competition.
WYN republic: Who or what inspires you?
Sam: My wife and son inspire me to be my best husband, father, athlete I can. Winning is nice, but working hard towards a goal and getting the most out of myself is a quality i want to pass down to Toby. I want him to know that if you work hard towards your goals that you can achieve great things.
WYN republic: What's your favorite WYN item?
Sam: I like the Luceo cycling kit. Really comfortable and looks great.
