i n t e r v i e w Martina Sáblíková Martina Sáblíková (1987) is a speedskater and cyclist from the Czech Republic. She is a three-time winner of the World Championships allround, and holds the world record for the 5000 meters. She won five medals in the Winter Olympics (three gold, winter queen on the road to Rio one silver and one bronze). On the bike she Sáblíková BY JESSICA MERKENS excels in time trialling. She has competed in the World Championships every year since 2011, with a 9th place on the World Martina Sáblíková, the 27-year old icon of long track speed skating from the Czech Republic, is Championships in Valkenburg (2012) as pretty unknown in the world of cycling. She already has five Olympic medals in her trophy case, highest classification. This year she qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de won at the Winter Olympics of 2010 and 2014. Next year she will make her debut on the time trial Janeiro, with her 12th place during the in the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics. Winning in both Summer and Winter Olympic Games is Worlds in Richmond. She will be the second something only a few athletes have done in the past, such as Canadian Clara Hughes. She won a Czech athlete to have competed in both Summer as Winter Olympics. stunning total of six Olympic medals (two in cycling, four in speed skating) during her career as an athlete, which ended at the London Olympics in 2012 where she placed a respectable fifth in the time-trial at age 40. No wonder Hughes is a prominent role model for Sáblíková. “Clara saw me racing at my very this. Kateřina Neumannová was a focus will shift to cycling. Then we’ll first World Championship time Summer and Winter Olympian, having focus completely on Rio, with specific trial back in 2011 in Denmark, the raced in cross country skiing and training sessions for the time trial.” year before the London Olympics. mountain biking. She is (for now!) the Sáblíková is used to winning on the ice, She was 5th, I ended in 28th place. She most successful Czech athlete, having but cycling, that’s a whole new chapter Csaid, ‘You should go for the Summer won six Olympic medals in her career. in her athletic career. When talking Olympics too!’ Back then I was so new about her expectations for Rio, the and inexperienced, cycling in the Sum- experienced athlete transforms into mer Olympics was something I didn’t Speedskating an enthusiastic hopeful. “I aim for the even dare to dream about. I mainly There is little room for down-time in top ten, but frankly I have no idea what raced on a National level, National Sáblíková’s busy schedule. A meagre to expect of myself. I’ve been doing Championships, that kind of thing. But one week of rest was all that the speed skating for such a long time, I I kept getting better and better! My slender Czech had after the World can predict pretty well how I will ride coach said, ‘Maybe we should just give Championships in September, after that and what I can achieve. But cycling is a it a shot.’ And that’s when we started her focus was back on the upcoming whole new world for me,” she says. planning and preparing for Rio 2016. speed skating season. “My main focus So I was ecstatic with my 12th place is on the current speed skating season. and qualification for the Olympics That works pretty well for cycling as Winter Training at the Worlds in Richmond this year. well, since in winter time there’s not Sáblíková proves that you can excel Especially because it wasn’t an ideal much opportunity to bike outside any- both on ice as on the bike. For speed course for me, 30 kilometers long and way.” Sáblíková plans to race as many skaters, cycling is a cornerstone in pre- technical riding.” The goal was simple: of the international races as possible. paring for racing season. Alternatively, qualifying for the Olympics. “The fact That includes the World Single Dis- skating can be a great way to prepare that I made that happen is unbelie- tance Championships in February, and for cycling too. It’s not a coincidence vable! To be part of both Winter and the World Allround Championships in that many professional female cyclists Summer Olympics, that is something March. “We’ll see how that goes,” she skate in winter time to work on their only a few people experience.” Inte- continues. “I’m currently in really good fitness. However, there’s only a handful restingly, Sáblíková will not be the first shape and I hope I can hold on to that of athletes that compete on top level Czech athlete to have accomplished for the upcoming races. In March, my in both disciplines. 6 FEMININMAGAZINE FEMININMAGAZINE 7 are really important to be able to fol- tes is insufficient amounts of rest. They It’s crucial to stay active and train low and complete a training schedule. believe ‘training will make me better’. during the winter if you want to be When I started skating as a kid, I did Of course, training is a prerequisite to comfortable on your bike and even be dryland sessions where we had to roll improve, but in the end rest will actually successful in summertime. A stationary off dikes. That wasn’t in any way related make you better. Without rest, training bike is often used for cross-training, but to skating of course, but I still remem- like a Spartan will have make no sense. can be mind-numbing if it encompas- ber those training sessions vividly and And that’s definitely true for athletes ses your whole training schedule! As an loved it as a kid! We probably did some who want to combine two types of alternative, many cyclists are active on speed skate hops somewhere too, I sports! When you dare to take rest at the cross bike or mountain bike. Speed can’t recall. In that sense, I believe that the right moments, I really believe you skating as cross-training is less common, for your body, but also your mind, vari- can be successful in multiple sports. In but can be a perfect addition to your ety is the key. Otherwise you just can’t an athlete’s multiple year plan, you’re training schedule, to get you through endure a lot of training. In addition, constantly busy making steps, especially I have no idea those dark winter days! Jolanda Spruit, when your training is too monotonous, in the periods outside competition. You exercise physiologist, trainer and former you risk overloading yourself. Generally can choose to shift your focus to your what to expect of myself speed skater/elite cyclist can tell us speaking, this is the process of ex- second sport (like cycling or skating) for more about this. hausting ‘something’. It could be either a season, but it will have consequences your muscles or tendons, but also one for growing in your other sport.” “The essence of cross-training is doing of your energy systems (aerobic or something else than your primary anaerobic). That’s why it is so important Are you thinking about trying a new, sport,” she tells us. “Variety is the spice to alternate between different energy second sport (like speed skating) then of life, and that applies to training as systems in your training schedule. If you the golden rule is to look at it as so- well! By doing something else every incorporate different types of move- mething extra. Look at it as something once in a while, you can fulfill an in- ment, such as running, cycling or skating, that will spice up your weekly training tense training schedule and stay fit. you minimize the chance of training too routine. When you want to use skating A stimulus that might be less sport- monotonous and as a consequence as cross-training for cycling, you should specific (that’s where you’ll mostly give overloading yourself somewhere. That’s still continue your cycling sessions in in), but that stimulates your mind and why as a trainer, you try to alternate winter time. Make skating a fun game, body will get you further than always as much as possible between different a new challenge, something fun, while solely doing sport specific training types of training and energy systems. In simultaneously doing something that sessions. Combining speed skating with the end, this diversity will enable you to contributes to cycling. It’s good to have cycling is ideal from that point of view, train in large volumes, without exhaus- a new stimulus for your body and mind. because the muscles you use are similar ting one single system. And of course a great alternative for while you’re still doing two completely rainy days! different types of sport. A muscle will stay strong if you regularly command it Competing in That new challenge is something to get active. By skating in wintertime, summer and winter Sáblíková definitely found in cycling. “I you command those muscles, which To enroll in a full competing schedule have no idea how it will go in Rio, I’m will keeps the underlying physiologi- in both in summer as in winter is a mostly just super stoked.” She looks up cal processes active as well, such as whole other story. I believe a body can to cycling champions.