Athletes are given by the public, especially their own country, an opportunity to become role models. Their successes, achievements, and words of wisdom can encourage many. So, whether you need the motivation to achieve your fitness goals or the right words to help you make the right decision that can change the trajectory of your life, the greatest athletes in the world and their view of sports and life can definitely offer a helping hand.
Let’s learn a thing or two about life and sports from Kristian Blummenfelt, dubbed as the Norwegian Train and the first triathlete to bag an Olympic gold medal and an Ironman world championship in the same year.
Who is Kristian Blummenfelt?
Norwegian-based Kristian Blummenfelt is one of today’s leading triathletes. At press time, he ranks 3rd in the ITU World Series, the most prestigious triathlon competition in the world. He is an Olympic and World Champion Gold medalist, competing at short and long distances—sprint, standard, half-Ironman, and Ironman. He is the champion of the 2021 Ironman World at the first World Championship in Utah. In 2022, Blummenfelt became the first triathlete to complete an Ironman-distance triathlon under seven hours at the Pho3nix Sub-7 Sub-8 event in Germany.
Blummenfelt was a swimmer and footballer in his early career before becoming a fully-fledged triathlete and making a huge impression in world competitions. He continues to break records in range triathlon distances year after year.
Other notable achievements:
- 2022 Kona Ironman World Championships – Bronze
- 2021 World Triathlon Series – Edmonton (Elite) – Gold
- 2020 Olympic Games Tokyo (Triathlon) – Gold
- 2015 Geneva European Triathlon Championships – Bronze
Kristian Blummenfelt’s Training Format
Krstian Blummenfelt’s success and legacy in the world of triathlon were a product of his rigorous training. But how rigorous this training really is, and can a regular athlete achieve it? Here’s the typical weekly training routine of Kristian Blummenfelt:
Monday (Triathlon-Like Routine)
- Cycling 60km
- Running 20km
- Swimming 2km
Tuesday (Running and Swimming Combo)
- Running 10km
- Swimming 2km
Wednesday (Cycling and Running Combo)
- Cycling 60km
- Running 20km
Thursday (Cycling and Swimming Combo)
- Cycling 60km
- Swimming 2km
Friday (Triathlon-Like Routine)
- Cycling 60km
- Running 20km
- Swimming 2km
Saturday (Running and Swimming Combo)
- Running 10km
- Swimming 2km
Sunday (Easy Cycling)
- Cycling 60km
Kristian Blummenfelt’s Daily Routine
“I’m not just riding to be riding, I’m training for improvements – all the time,” Blummenfelt said in his interview with Trimtex, a world-class sportswear supplier helping athletes achieve their very bests around the world.
Kristian Blummenfelt aims to dominate short and long-distance triathlon competitions, so his daily routine has always been demanding. He trains eight to ten hours every single day. Based on his sample weekly training format, he finishes long-range distances.
Part one of his daily routine is getting started with a run. At 7.00 AM, he wakes up and eats a light breakfast paired with a strong coffee. He shared that he’s addicted to coffee and he couldn’t start his day without it. He always has a cup of coffee before training. If he has enough time left before the training starts, he likes to check his emails and social media profiles.
Part two is swimming. Kristian usually trains in cold locations. He uses more triathlon equipment like trisuits, swimskin, or wetsuits to stay warm in cold pools and other bodies of water.
Part three is dedicated to riding, the most demanding part of his routine. He usually dedicates at least a 3-hour ride daily. “My routine for a bike session is quite simple. I always make sure that my bottles are filled and mixed with some calories. Pumping up the tires,” he mentioned again in his Trimtex interview.
The last part is for rehabilitation and preparation to ensure that his body would be free from injuries before and during each training session. “I like to do like 10-min easy stretching after each run or bike to loosen up my legs,” said Blummenfelt.
Kristian Blummenfelt’s Nutrition Plan
“The key to survive at a 3 week training camp is to nail the intake from day one. It’s not just important to get the right amount of calories in, but it’s better to split the intake throughout the day. I have no food that is “banned” but it’s more about when and how much.”
Kristian Bluemmenflet doesn’t restrict himself when it comes to nutrition—he focuses on food intake instead. According to him, he always eats something before his first session–usually overnight oats with activia yogurt and mixed nuts that he made the day before.
“When it comes to nutrition it is very important to have a sufficient calorie intake. Especially on those bigger days. I never used to count calories outside of training, but go more by feelings.”
For lunch and dinner, Kristan refills with lots of carbs and protein to make sure that his body gets what it needs to stay injury-free and build stronger bones and muscles. He usually eats anything he wants—going by feelings—as long as it’s healthy.
Kristian Blummenfelt on Motivation
“As long as you are consistent with your running and you are doing your recovery well like eating enough and running progressively, you will be ok.”
Kristian heavily believes in the power of progress and the importance of recovery. Even though he’s training rigorously for his triathlon competitions and emphasizes that he wants to win every distance there is, he also believes that recovery is part of success.
“I think long distances suit me better than shorter ones. I have the dream of winning all the races.”
There are more titles to win for Kristian. He wants to break more records and distances in his career, so he will continue with his training routine all the while taking care of his body and mind.
Kristian Blummenfelt on Popular Media
Kristian Blummenfelt has an active Youtube page for all his fans, followers, and aspiring athletes. He posts documentaries, event highlights, and training videos. CADEX, a cycling company focusing on discovering new materials that produce markedly faster wheels, also has a short documentary about Kristian Blummenfelt’s journey to becoming the first triathlete to complete a full Ironman distance in less than 7 hours.