May 1, 2025 • 57 mins
Professional triathlete Frederic Funk shares his journey from a soccer-playing youth to a top triathlete, shaped by family influence and a love for the sport. He opens up about the mental resilience racing demands, the evolving role of sponsorships and social media, and how marriage has supported his personal and athletic growth. Above all, he emphasizes the importance of enjoying the process over chasing results.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:02):
How's it going everybody? And welcome back to another
edition of the Stupid Questions podcast.
Today in the pod, we're going tobe talking with Fred Funk.
He's a professional triathlete who is on the podcast today
talking a little bit about his life, about the T100 Singapore
race that he just happened to bea part of and also just what's
going on in his life. Awesome guy, super nice.
(00:22):
And if you want to check out hisYouTube, I would encourage you
to do that. Super high quality videos there.
But without further ado, I want to introduce you to Mr. Fred
Funk. I'm what time is it there where
you are right now? 6:00 PM.
Yeah, OK. Nice in Austria.
In Austria. OK, Nice.
Yeah, in right before T100. You were you still over in
(00:42):
Australia? Yeah, I was there for 10 weeks
in Noosa. OK.
Nice. And then basically T100,
Singapore's all layover, Yeah, on the way back to Europe.
Yeah, for sure. How's it being back home?
Oh, it's so good. Yeah.
Like, I mean, including Singapore was 11 weeks away.
(01:04):
And yeah, I'm definitely someonewho is drawn, drawn to home.
Like I live in the mountains in the Alps.
Grew up here as well, like near.And yeah, it's just such a good
feeling to be back. It's like gives me, gives me the
energy I was missing like the last two, two months.
(01:25):
Yeah. I mean, Australia was like
really nice and we loved the trip and enjoyed every second.
And like, I would definitely want to go back as well.
But like, yeah, nothing beats dumb.
Yeah, yeah. It's always that that comfort
that you can't get many other places then.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
How long are you going to be home now then?
Until the next, I guess. Big training camp somewhere
(01:47):
else. Unfortunately only two weeks, so
I mean like one 1 1/2 from now. Like then I leave for an
attitude camp to Sierra Nevada and Spain and then from there
it's like I go down to race the Championship Channel submarine.
I then fly to the US to to Park City for another 82 training
(02:12):
camp, stay there for three weeksas well and then fly from there
to T100 Vancouver and then back home.
And then the last training blockfor change Roth in July, my
first longest since I will do athome and that's done.
That's going to be on 6th of July, the yeah, yeah.
Do you find, I'm just curious really quick before we get into
(02:34):
some of the other background questions.
Do you find that having the T100schedule relatively planned out?
I know they're still trying to figure out some stuff, but the
fact that you can plan your schedule a little bit more
concretely, does that decrease your stress throughout the year?
Yeah, kind of yeah. Like it's definitely good that
you that you can plan ahead. It's like easier than like if
(02:57):
you have to hope for wild cards,try to get into the series.
So yeah, I mean, basically the first part of part of the season
I planned all around to change growth.
So I like pick my T100 races, which fits the best into into
the preparation for that. And then for the second-half of
(03:19):
the season, I didn't really choose yet which races I'm going
to do and which races I'm not going to do.
But yeah, it totally depends where, where I'm standing by
then in the rankings, how is my shape, how is my recovery going
for my first long distance as well and all that.
But yeah, it's, it's, it's really easy, easy like that,
(03:40):
that you can plan, plan ahead. I'm also like a guy who who
wants to wants to plan ahead so.Yeah, yeah, planning's huge,
really quick. I did notice in the settings
your mic is set for your Airpodsand not your actual studio mic.
Do you want to change it really quick?
I mean I may have. To let.
Me know if I'll let you change? It just says I can't switch.
(04:04):
Yeah, exactly. 7 Plus it's like the new one but has the.
Cool. Yeah.
So yeah, I've got the the normalMV7 I think, Yeah.
Cool. Well, I guess First off, I
should just say thank you so much for taking the time and
jumping on the podcast. It's been fun to follow your
journey as I've gotten into the sport over the past four years.
So getting to meet you or somewhat face to face over the
(04:26):
screen is an honor. So thanks for making the time
man. Yeah, thanks.
Thanks for having me. And yeah, nice to meet you as
well. Like looking forward to chat.
Yeah, for sure. So first question from your
perspective, who is Freddie Funk?
Oh yeah, great and difficult questions to start with, but so
(04:48):
so yeah, I mean like broadly, I'm a professional triathlete.
I'm from Germany, I live in Austria in the mountains.
Like we just talked about an intro I and and enjoy the
mountains and my home the most. Yeah, I love to love to train
(05:08):
and the nature especially. That's why, for example,
something like high rocks, I don't give a shit about.
Like I, I, I need to, I need thenature.
So I want to be out there. That's like for me, what's kind
of the the best thing about being a professional triathlete
that I have the privilege to do that every day, all day.
(05:32):
And yeah, I'm like chasing, chasing my, my dreams and, and
big goals, for example, becomingworld champion ones, you know,
maybe, maybe I can do it in my, in my career, maybe not.
But by the end of the career, I want to look back and I want to
(05:55):
have enjoyed every part of the journey, never mind if I made my
goals or not. I want to enjoy it like I'm, I'm
always saying that the results are like 1% of of your, of your
career and other 99% is like everything around that.
(06:15):
So I want to enjoy everything around it and obviously I want
to have have good results. But yeah, it's important to to
look back on a career and just, yeah, enjoy the path.
Yeah, for sure. Is that difficult to do?
Definitely. I mean, you're like always
chasing, chasing your goals. You know, you have small goals,
(06:37):
you have big goals. There's always something,
something to chase. So once you reach something,
then there's something next coming, something even bigger.
And you kind of like get ahead of yourself, like maybe have
like a good great result and youjust like next day, you're back
(06:57):
out there back training, which is of course, like you can say
it's professional in one part, but I think it's important to
us. It's just like, let it sink and
enjoy it and enjoy it, especially also with with your
team and and your loved ones whoare also a big part, a really
big part of the journey. Triathlon is definitely not just
individual sport. Like every especially every pro,
(07:21):
pro athlete has like a big team around themselves.
And yeah, so like basically oncein a while it's good good to
stop and look how how far you'vecome.
Yeah, for sure. And you said that, you know,
you've you love this sport. And for most people, I would
(07:41):
ask, is that more nature and nurture?
But from reading into a little bit of your history, it seems
like there was a lot of nurture involved for you getting into
the sport from the age of five with your parents.
Tell me a little bit about that.Yeah, so I got got born into the
sport and both of my parents didthe triathlon 40 or doing it for
(08:01):
yeah, over 30 years. And they were also like, I mean,
they had like a professional license at one point.
They were never like full professionals because they were
always at least like studying, but then also full time working
next to. But yeah, I, I was early on, I
was with them at races, had my grandparents babysitting me and
(08:25):
so was like at the race sites, had all the atmosphere.
I was changed growth later on when I was a bit older, I even
joined them for, for the IronmanKona, HI.
I was there three times already as well to watch the race and
support my parents. And so, yeah, they kind of
(08:46):
introduced me into the sport, but never really, they never
forced me to do it or anything like that.
Of course they like signed me upfor races when I was five years
old. Obviously that's not 100% my
decision, but I guess I, I guessI enjoyed it.
And then luckily they also made me like I can say luckily now
(09:06):
they also made me learn swimmingrelatively early.
I was not part of like like a swim squad or anything, but at
least I learnt like, I learnt how to swim, which like as you
can see now from other professional triathletes that it
gets difficult if you didn't learn it early.
Yeah, for. Sure.
And yeah. And then also had like we had
(09:30):
like a local triathlon triathlonclub there.
I had some friends in there and like some people who kept like
kept me going to the to the trainings and but more more of
like my parents always like, which mostly introduced me to is
not just the sport, but also like the fun of the sport or
(09:53):
like the like and be basically enjoying it.
And also that it's not, it's notall it's not your whole life.
So like their, their motto always was like balancing family
with like movement. And it's like kind of so they
(10:21):
were always like in, in the everyday life.
They like kind of reconnecting it, like taking it, taking us
along, just having fun moving more or less.
So just like having fun doing the sport, not doing it for
like, for a purpose of like reaching big goals in the sport.
Obviously I'm like completely professional triathlete now.
(10:43):
So I still, it's still like, yeah, very, very big part of my
life. But in the end of the day, I
think it's just important that there's also like things next to
the sport which you should focuson as well.
Otherwise when something goes wrong in the sport, then you're
there with nothing, you know? And so.
(11:05):
Yeah. And yeah.
So my parents basically inspiredand still inspiring me.
You have for for that. And I'm really thankful to them.
And they always supported me in my professional career.
And of course, they're alive, have two siblings.
They're not really into into triathlon, or at least not like
(11:26):
into doing triathlon. And I'm sure my parents are
happy that at least one of us like keeping keeping.
Yeah, exactly. So with your siblings, are you
older or are you younger or are you in the middle?
Yeah, I'm the oldest. How do you find that being the
(11:47):
oldest Big Brother? Yeah, it's like, you know, I
think it's, it's, it's nice because kind of had to learn
taking responsibility early on and also like taking care of
myself. Obviously it's not like my
parents stopped caring about me when I assumed my siblings came
(12:09):
along. But you know, when it's like 3
kids, of course, and I'm like, I'm the oldest and I'm often
like on myself. So like early on, like a kind of
yeah, did did things or learned to do things as a kid all by
myself where other kids maybe still still had their parents
(12:30):
with themselves. And I think it's, it's good at
like, yeah, built you as a person.
And yeah, I think that's that's something you take away as as
the oldest child, why they're probably the the youngest child
is probably the opposite in mostcases.
Yeah, I'm also the oldest. I have two younger sisters and
I've thought, you know, would I ever want to be the middle or
(12:50):
the youngest? And no, I like the way it turned
out. Yeah, I guess that's what
everyone would say wherever theyend up in the line up, right?
Yeah, I guess. Who are you more like, your mom
or your dad, you think? Yeah, it's that's like looks
definitely like my dad obviouslylike, yeah, if I see like
(13:16):
pictures from from my dad, from when my age, it's kind of like
I'm looking at myself. It's really funny and but but
yeah, it's, I think kind of likecharacter.
I think it's my mom rather actually like in, in most, most
(13:37):
aspects, maybe the the calmness of, of of my dad.
So yeah, in the end of the day, definitely a mix, mix of both.
Yeah, so you're obviously the one who carried on the family
torch with triathlon. How would you describe the
(13:57):
feeling of your parents being proud of you for what you do?
Yeah, I think it's, it makes me proud that they are proud.
So no, it's, it's like of of course, like it's, it's not
something that what I, I like strive for, like directly.
(14:19):
I mean, of of course I want to make them proud, but it's like,
you know, if they're not then, well, it's, it's like kind of
kind of my, my thing. So I'm like, I would say maybe
like I'm a, I'm a like also a bit of selfish person, you know,
that's maybe that's why I ended up with triathlon because like
also very, very selfish sport sport.
(14:39):
But yeah, I also like don't really really care even that
much what what my parents think like of what I'm doing.
But then of course I care a lot if it's if it's positive.
So if like basically strengthensme like that that they have
(15:05):
they're proud of me and admit like yeah, that of course makes
makes me happy and just like also keeps keeps me motivated of
course, like continuing continueto do what I do.
Yeah, for sure. So I also read about you that
from a young age you really wanted to be a professional
soccer player, football player. So.
(15:26):
So tell me how and when the shift took place in your mind,
when you started to kind of put to bed that dream and then
resurrect or bring to life the dream of being a world champion
triathlete? Well, like The funny thing, like
when I was playing soccer in my local club, which it's not like
(15:48):
a Bundesliga team or any big team or like, I, I mean, I was
really young. So of course I didn't think of
like what it takes to be a professional soccer player
because no, like in that age, I think you would already have to
play, if you take it realistically, you would already
(16:09):
have to play at one of the big clubs, like in the youth to then
like go up to, to the professionals and all that.
So yeah, I was not like not likea really good soccer player that
I was near there. I just enjoyed it and enjoyed
doing like sports every day. So it was kind of like the
(16:32):
nicest thing for me to be a professional athlete and that
case soccer player to do that every day for a living.
And yeah, eventually I like I always did some triathlons next
to without much training or my training was kind of like the
soccer practice and some like once or twice swimming per week.
(16:59):
And then like I started like winning some regional races.
And with that, I got into like the county or like, yeah, state
squat. So not the national, but like 11
below basically. And that's yeah, that got me
(17:21):
really motivated. And I was like, Oh yeah, that's,
that's, that's really nice. Now.
Like, I wonder what's what's happening if I take all my all
my eggs into the triathlon basket.
And so then I decided to, yeah, to let, to let it be with, with
soccer for the better. When did you start to feel like,
(17:43):
oh, I, I, I am living up to this, being a professional
triathlete, triathlete. Like, when did you feel like you
were able to like, take on that identity and it truly becomes
something that you believed in? So yeah, like when I went
through the youth and and and junior years, I was always like
(18:04):
top, top of the yeah national, nationally.
I was always like, at least at least on a podium, like like on
a nationalist. And so, yeah, but I was that
kept me like really motivated and optimistic that I, I can, I
can really make it. And then eventually when it got
to, when I got to the elite, of course, first I wanted to be
(18:28):
like, Oh yes, like Olympic Games.
That's the dream. But obviously when you're,
especially when you're switchingfrom a junior to elite, like
like the first year, you're like, it's, it's a huge step and
you're, you're like drowning andyou're obviously very, of course
there are, there are exemptions for some athletes, but like,
(18:51):
yeah, you're nowhere near the level you need to be to be like,
to be be on top or like running with the, with the world's best
and all that. So, and yeah, I was, it was a
bit impatient, I would say. So I didn't really like want to
just stick to it and then see where, where, where I end up.
(19:11):
So I kind of like tried myself around doing non drafting races
and that really, really suited me because my, my strength was
always, was always to bike. So then there were when there
was no drafting like it, it was easy to to keep up with like by
back then world class athletes. Like for example, my first
(19:33):
Olympic distance I did against Michael Raylat and he was a
double 70% world champion. And yeah, we did like he, he won
the race and I got second, I think, or third.
But yeah, we're not too far behind them indefinitely, like
very successful. And then also I tried my first,
first middle distance and immediately ended up on the
(19:55):
podium. Also got in that same year,
national champion on the, and the elite on, on middle
distance. And I also got then got so much
more attention for that than getting like 10th in a European
Cup or something, which is maybereally good.
But you know, no one, no one cares.
And, and then of course I also got sponsors and then I realized
(20:20):
I actually can earn, I can earn money with this.
So yeah, then I basically went went all, all or I mean, I was
already all in. But then I was like, well, I, I
don't want to do do any studies or anything.
I just want to earn my money fornow with triathlon because I was
like starting some some study programs.
(20:42):
But yeah, never and never ended up sticking to it because it was
just like I couldn't do like triathlon or I couldn't do each
of it just like partly I want todo like one fully.
And so and then when I realized I earned money with triathlon,
(21:02):
it was easy to just like stop the studying.
Yeah. You mentioned earlier that you
know when you went decided to make the jump or to try out
middle distance after the short course draft legal stuff.
You mentioned that you had possibly a lack of patience.
So do you ever think about what it would have been like or do
(21:24):
you have any regrets? Or if you went back, would you
go back to try to give it a little bit more time?
So, yeah, I, I do think about itlike I don't have any regrets in
my decisions because I think theway I like I did it was good and
like good for myself. And I, like I said, I started
(21:46):
earning money with the sport andlike also got good and middle
distance had my, my results. And yeah, I think I'm, it's
where like right now where I'm at.
I wouldn't have get there without obviously every, every
step along the way. But yeah, I, I still think about
of course, when what would have been if I just stick to short,
(22:09):
like be a bit more patient, put in the work.
And then after two or three years actually end up there
somewhere at the front, at the front of some races and see like
I don't know where, where it could have went at short
distance and then just make the switch like to middle distance.
(22:30):
I don't know much later depending on on how how it goes
in short distance. So so yeah, but but I never
know. But one thing I know for sure, I
wouldn't have earned any money with the sport for quite a long
time. Because I think on the short
distance, you really need to be like one of the probably 10 best
(22:51):
in the world to, to earn proper money, which you, which you can
live on because it's just like, yeah, you, you get some for your
from your federation and like price money.
But like sponsor sponsors don't really really care, care about
short distance, at least in Germany for sure.
And I mean, and some of I know some of the German athletes who
(23:16):
are one of one of the best shortdistance athletes.
And yeah, I mean, it's if, if they enjoy that, like I don't
think they're living off their parents money, but I also don't
think they're yeah. So yeah.
But I think to get there, you basically, yeah, either need a
(23:38):
lot of money on the left of yourparents money for quite a while.
And yeah, I don't think I, I would have wanted to do that.
So I'm quite, quite happy with my my decisions.
Yeah, for sure. With the survivability, like
financially, do you find now at this stage that the sport of
(23:59):
triathlon currently sits in thatit's easier or harder to find
the money in the sponsors compared to when you like first
moved over to middle distance? I think, I think it's getting
harder. Might there might be more
sponsors and also more money involved now than yeah, six, 7-8
(24:24):
years ago, but now there's obviously also a lot more
athletes to choose for the sponsors especially.
Yeah, with the T100, you have the 2020 best middle distance
athletes in the world. And they're kind of, I would say
they're kind of like taking probably 90% of all the money
(24:49):
which comes from sponsors because every sponsor want the
athletes to, to. I mean, it's obviously from a
marketing perspective also makessense because you, you want to
have like rather one of you rather pay more to 1 athletes in
the top 20 or even top five, toptop three, then just pay don't
(25:13):
know, 5 athletes who, or 10 athletes or 20 athletes outside
of the top 20. So you have a lot more from
that. And yeah, and that's, that's
how, how it works. So they're taking the, the, the
big part, the, the biggest part of the cake.
And then for the others, it getssuper hard, even though they are
(25:33):
like on a great, like great athletes and super strong and on
a great level, they're not missing much.
It's just still gets super hard to to to find any sponsors at
all. I mean, financially.
So yeah, it's, it's definitely atough business that way.
Yeah. And it's definitely a business.
(25:54):
So I'm curious also, as you havegrown in your business acumen of
being able to do the contracts and, you know, negotiation and
everything that entails, workingwith sponsors and the people who
support you. Who has been or what group has
been the biggest mentor for you and helping lead you all along
(26:15):
that path to figure out how to best practice those business
skills? Yeah, I'm I'm not doing it doing
it myself. I've got a manager to be Slough
chick and he actually doesn't like to be difficult.
My my manager. It's actually more like my
mentor. He likes he likes it actually
(26:35):
better. And because he took me like
under his wings when I after my first first year on the middle
distance 2018 where I was successful.
And then after that season, I got quite a lot of sponsoring
offers for from from some brands.
And I was lucky to to have him right away so he could start
(26:56):
like, because, you know, when I was a young athlete and I was
like the first time seeing actually sponsors who want to
pay me money. So if someone comes and says,
oh, here you got the 1000 bucks,but you have to post every
second day about us, you know, Iwould have just said, yeah,
yeah, yeah, of course. Yeah, give, give me the tone
(27:17):
bucks. I'll do it.
So yeah, then you know, he, thathe comes like, and you know,
like obviously negotiates like in a, in a professional way and
actually tells me or like test, test the brands, especially what
I'm worth. And yeah, and then obviously I
(27:38):
mates even like I got even better contracts.
So. And yes, since since that he's
he's doing, doing that for me. But and of course, like how it
takes me, takes me along along the way and helps me a lot also,
not just with the sponsoring stuff.
It's about everything when it comes to like the business or
(27:59):
marketing perspective of a professional athlete.
And yeah, I think I'm probably like, I'm, I think I'm on a
really, really good, good way there also compared to athletes
who are maybe more successful orhave better results to me.
(28:20):
But but yeah, their marketing isjust for maybe maybe not, not as
good or they just just just don't want to do it, you know?
But I think, yeah, for me, it's,it's just a really, really big,
big factor and also enjoy doing it.
So, yeah, it's 50% that and 50% results, I would say.
(28:43):
Yeah. So with your YouTube channel
that you've been growing, is that more out of necessity for
the sport or is that part of thething that you really enjoy?
No, it's, it's, it's definitely mostly because because I enjoy
doing it. I enjoy sharing stuff, enjoy
like taking the people fans along my journey.
(29:08):
And then of course that's of course, yeah.
Because also like and in the endof the day, it's it's a really
good way to to yeah, to market myself, like to sell my brand.
It's good for my sponsors. And yeah, it's kind of like the
investions I do there with time and money.
(29:28):
It's kind of it, it actually come comes back.
So yeah, that's then of course it makes me like, because I
think if, if I would do it and then, you know, some people
would watch it, but kind of likeI would just pay on top all the
time and wouldn't make make any money of it.
Like I think after a while it, it would get tough.
(29:50):
I wouldn't see the sense in it anymore.
Like I would ask myself like, should I, should I keep doing it
or not? But this way it's just like easy
and I would definitely like, yeah, that's, that's really
good. And I keep keep doing that.
And then in the end, end of my career, I, I left something
(30:10):
like, it's like I left some YouTube videos and yeah, for,
for the, for the people to yeah,for example.
Yeah, So with the with the YouTube, it's really well done
like the colour grading, the editing, like the thumbnails is
all pretty high quality is. Yeah.
Thank you. Yeah.
How much of that like do you, are you directly involved in, do
(30:33):
you do the editing as well or doyou have someone you work with?
No, I actually have someone who is doing all that for me.
His name is Tom Meyer. He had German, German guy who
doesn't live too far. And now also especially for the
new YouTube series, he actually Trevors along.
He was in Australia with me. He was in Singapore.
Ever been the next episode actually coming on on Sunday
(30:55):
about Singapore and yeah, he Travis, like we were basically
documenting my journey until onto my first long distance in
Roth in July. So yeah, for for that I will
actually have him everywhere. Like now he's basically got two
weeks off from me, but then he'scoming with me for all the
training camps as well. He's like personal paparazzi.
(31:20):
Yeah, exactly. So, yeah, that's, that's of
course that's the extreme, I would say doing that.
And it's also very expensive like because I obviously have to
pay all this travel accommodation and I still pay
him also like a fee or like a monthly, monthly fees like for
(31:42):
working for me. But it is, it's partly I got a
budget from that for my sponsors, but because for me
it's the quality is really important.
I still pay from my own pocket like on top of it.
And yeah, I but before that and also after that, I still do a
(32:04):
lot of like I would always choose him because it's already
now a good working, yeah, yeah, working partner for me.
And he knows what I want, how I want it.
And so that that that makes makes it really easy.
And yeah, he's obviously doing, doing it really well.
So yeah, I'm really, really happy with it.
(32:25):
And yeah, quality is definitely something which which always,
always comes first. Yeah.
So with all of your requirementsvia contracts and then on top
of, you know, just the marketingthat you personally like doing
for your own brand. If you could race professionally
at the same level, same races, have the same amount of
(32:48):
financial gain and assets would,but you didn't have to do all of
the social media, would you still do it, you think?
Yeah, I think I would actually at this point, I think I would
actually, I would actually stilldo it because I, I really, I
really enjoy doing it. Like especially especially
(33:12):
Instagram, I think I'm just like, yeah, sharing stuff,
posting. I I kind kind of like it.
And it's also don't know, something I like when I when I'm
just lying on, lying on the couch.
So yeah, I think maybe maybe in like maybe a bit less.
(33:35):
That could be, but I would stilldo it, yeah.
Yeah, so with every good comment, there's probably 5
terrible comments of some people, especially on YouTube.
There seems to be more haters inthat world.
Yeah. Do you read your comments?
And if so, how does that affect you?
Yeah, I read, I definitely read all of them.
(33:55):
I I, yeah, it's like, you know, 19-9 really great comments and
you're like, oh, amazing. And you have one bad comment and
you think about that all day. I'm.
I'm. Useless.
Yeah, I mean, I know, Yeah, I know.
It's just like, you know, you can't, you can never make
(34:17):
everyone happy. I think especially for me as a
like, really like, right, outgoing and outspoken person.
Like I, I'm not shy to share my opinion about stuff which is
maybe controversial. And I think it's kind of like a
part, I feel like I need to, I Ineed to play as a professional
(34:40):
triathlete. I kind of feel like it's, it
actually is the responsibility to stand up for things and not
just be quiet to the training have results.
Like I feel like it's professional athletes.
You, you have kind of have to bemore, more than this.
Otherwise I think it gets like areally selfish sport.
(35:03):
And I feel like it's like that one way you can kind of give it
back to, to, to the society as has a professional athlete and
of course, and then also inspiring and, and motivating
people. But I mean, that's also kind of
my, my character. And that's not only because like
I sell myself like this, but that's just really who I am.
(35:25):
And I try to be as authentic as possible on, on social media.
So I'm not never backing off or just be quiet.
So and that obviously there are some people who who don't like
it, who share different opinion and who feel offended.
And then, yeah, go crazy and comments or I don't know.
(35:45):
And you know, I just think you just have to learn to, to not to
not care about that. And I think in the end of the
day, you you're winning more people over with stuff like this
then you're like losing. But yeah, it's like the people
you don't need anyway, people like this so.
(36:07):
Yeah, it's true. Yeah.
I've struggled with that even doing the podcast.
Like you said, 99% of everythinghas been really good.
But there's a few bad apples outthere.
And I, I do put way too much stock into when there was a
negative review or whatever. I just like really let it eat me
up. And I'm like, I think I've
decided I'm no longer going to be reading the, the reviews.
(36:29):
I'll. Read some people who are like
frustrated about themselves and just letting it out on on other
stuff so. But I don't know if I actually
believe that I can get to a place where it would not bother
me. I I really don't know.
Maybe maybe I'm just not mature enough.
I don't know. But it's like, it's such a
(36:51):
difficult thing. Because I think.
Even if I know something's not true, just the act of hearing it
I feel like is an important role.
It plays on me just like runningdown the finish shoot and people
are cheering your name. Like you run faster because it
makes you feel better, even though like, you're probably
completely empty, right? Which is, which is really nice.
And also experience already is like when you've got when you
(37:13):
build a community and you've gotother people standing up for
you. Like I had already that there
were negative comments and then it's like I never answer
negative comments because never put fuel into the fire.
Like you can never win with those people.
(37:33):
Because I sometimes I really want to answer and I was like,
no, I need need to ignore it even like if it eats me up for
the next hour, so and then I never answer.
But then sometimes I see, OK, I'm like, my community is
actually defending me there. And that's like, that's, that
makes them like, that's motivating them like, and makes
(37:56):
me, makes me happy again. And like, yeah, then I had I
don't have to take the fuel intothe fire.
For sure. So switching gears a little bit
just because it's pretty relevant.
You, you just happened. You just had the T100 Singapore
race and every time I think about you guys racing there, I'm
like, man, that place is so hot and I I know that I would not do
(38:19):
super well and but some people do.
I didn't do either, yeah. So walk me through that a little
bit like, I guess from a mental perspective, like how are you
feeling about how you did and how is that affecting, you know,
where you sit now and then how your outlook is looking toward
the next several races in the months of training?
(38:40):
Yeah, So of course, so I unfortunately had a like a
really bad race and I already felt felt it in race week to be
honest that something was off. I was just really smashed,
couldn't really like swim fast right fast.
The running was actually OK in race week, but then I was in the
(39:02):
race. But swimming and running as as
cycling is terrible and well, you can forget about the running
is running as well. And I think it was just we had
such a huge load and training block in the 10 weeks prior in
Australia that like this one tape a week was just not enough
to, to to get like fresh for therace.
(39:23):
And actually like even opposite it actually, probably that first
rest, when it first rest hit, itkind of made, made it even
worse, like took the body into like energy saving mode or
something that I probably shouldhave just kept, kept going train
through that race. I think it would have gone
better if I would have just takeit as a part training session.
(39:47):
But but yeah, so in the race I was just really like completely
like, yeah, just Fred really shit from the beginning of in
the swim. Then on a bike.
I even got like a slow flat in my in my rear tire, which I
haven't realized in the in the race, but I was already
wondering like over some bumps that it like feels a bit
strange, but I couldn't really see it.
(40:10):
And I was also, I lost so much time even I mean my power was
was low and. Definitely not where, where I'm
at or where I want to be, but I still think for Singapore
conditions, it's not like too far off like was still decent.
But for that I still lost so much time.
(40:32):
And so I think, yeah, that was maybe because of my, my rear
tyre or like party because of it.
Not that it would would have made any difference anyways in
in the end result. And then on Iran, it was just
like a mental struggle of lamentfight of just dropping out and
yeah, just, yeah, let call it a day of finishing.
(40:56):
And then yeah, made it actually to the finish.
Yeah, which which was a mental effort, but I think just feels
so much better in the end and dropping out.
Yeah. And just treated it as like a as
like a long run in the end because my muscles were just
(41:17):
like so tight and everything that I couldn't even run fast
anyway. So actually I wish it was the
heat, but I didn't feel hot evenlike I my heart rate was like at
like 150 and it didn't ever makeme feel really, really warm like
because I was actually quite heated up.
This from Australia as well. So so yeah, but it's in the end
(41:38):
of the day it was not I wasn't super disappointed because it
was like I knew kind of why I talked with my coach.
He kind of said the same thing that it was anyway like a 5050
like or like a risk we were taking into this race.
But then in the end of today, it's beginning of April, we
(41:58):
didn't want to be in shape for this race.
Like obviously fit and maybe in the race at least that was the
goal. But well, I think if you're
coming to AT-100 race, you kind of have to almost be in peak
shape to, to be in the race because the level is so insanely
high. The guys like so, so fast.
(42:19):
It's just getting faster year byyear.
But we are in a good way, I think to be in a in a great
shape in the season when it whenit matters more than than in
Singapore. So yeah, not not too
disappointed and already are looking forward to to the next
race. Yeah, as you go through your
(42:39):
training regiment and you're coming into race week and you
know, everyone's kind of lookingfor those pre race feels where
you're you're peaking a bit and you're feeling good.
Do you think that it's more important to feel good or
believe good like upstairs versus like in the heart?
I think it's I mean both is bothis very important, but I think
(43:06):
belief good is almost makes a bigger, bigger difference than
than just feel good. Like if if you if you're like in
a in a good shape, but or like feel good, but you don't believe
in yourself. I think you're kind of you're
tend to giving up really quicklyin a race, but some something
(43:30):
goes wrong and something will always go wrong.
Like you can never, you probablynever have like the perfect day
where everything goes right fromfrom start to finish or it's
really, really rare. And I think if, but I think if
you're like maybe a few percent off, like feeling good because I
(43:50):
think especially as a professional athlete, difference
between versed fitness and highest fitness, like within the
season, if I don't, if you take away like after the offseason or
something, it's actually really,really low.
I think the difference between like peaking and being in a good
shape. And so I think when you're like
(44:11):
just just in a good shape, but you really believe in yourself
like I think you can, you can get really far with that.
Yeah, reach a new level, Yeah. So what helps you to like get in
the zone even like before race or maybe it's before big
training session or even maybe you have some laptop and
(44:31):
contract work you need to do. Like what?
What helps you get in the zone? I think, yeah, I think it's,
it's music mostly. Like I'm really, yeah.
I'm like a guy who really gets in the zone by by music and I'd
really like like motivates me and and pushes me like like good
(44:52):
music what would like which I really like.
What's your what's your favoritelike song or artist or type of
music that you go to? Yeah, so so it's like always
switch between like American hiphop, like Travis Scott, Kendrick
Lamar or like how is Electro? OK, haven't heard of that.
(45:17):
So it's yeah, so like. Music.
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, nice, sweet man.
So tell me, as you're going through this next season or I
guess this 2025 season in the pursuit of your dreams, like you
still want to get to the best you can be and being a world
champion, what kind of sacrifices do you think that you
(45:37):
have to make to get there? I think luckily not not too much
because I have like my wife supports me so like so
incredibly much with all this that I feel like I almost have
(45:57):
to make no sacrifices because like kind of she's making all
the sacrifices, which I'm I'm really, really, really thankful
for. And obviously latest when I
retire, I kind of want to give it give back for that.
And yeah, that's it's kind of like, yeah, but it just helps
(46:21):
helps me so much. I can just focus on on, on what
I'm what I'm doing. And now that I have her, her,
her full support. Yeah.
And in the end of the day, it's like I, I'm already so deep into
the sport and professional triathlon and build my whole
(46:44):
life around it that like I don'teven see where I'm making
sacrifices or if I'm making any sacrifices because like, it's
just like that's, that's my, my every everyday normal life.
Yeah, well that's a blessing man.
I know a lot of age grouper typeathletes that are, you know,
they're elite amateurs, but it's, it's really hard to
(47:07):
balance those things in life. And yeah, definitely,
definitely. Obviously, because it's your
job, it works, it works really well and that's cool to hear
that you want to give back. How did you meet your wife?
We met over triathlon as well actually.
So she's from from Hungary, so maybe we met when we were both
still juniors 10 years ago. So yeah, how long triathlon?
(47:32):
Yeah, and you got married like not too long ago, right?
A couple. Yeah, last year in November was
actually one week before the grand final, T100 grand final in
Dubai. Did you have a little bit extra
wind in your sails then for the Dubai race?
Yeah, maybe. I mean like training wise, no,
but but yeah, that was all up here.
(47:53):
It's all exactly. I just want to say that was
probably 1 of that races where maybe like, yeah, training wise,
there was something missing. But mentally I was just like, so
refreshed and had this boost. So I've had like actually a
great race in Dubai. Yeah.
How do you think that? Maybe it's a little early to ask
this question, but how do you think that marriage has taught
(48:18):
you how to be like a better person but also maybe even a
better athlete? Yeah, I think it's maybe it's a
bit early for this question. Now The funny thing is like with
with my wife, it kind of like I sometimes forget that we're that
we are married. So it's like because I I just I
(48:41):
just know her for for so long and we've been together like
just this whole time that like kind of when we married, nothing
other than like some papers havehave changed, has changed for
us. So yeah, that that that's the
thing. But but yeah, obviously I think
(49:01):
feel like yeah, you know, you'reyou're getting it just feels
good. You know, I think to, to be on
even like if triathlon assisted one part of my life, but also
it's like the other part of the life.
It's just all, all that, that kind of stuff like like marriage
(49:22):
or, you know, buying a house andlike these things that they are
definitely also like good on a on a, on a good point in life.
And this helps me of course, for, for the mental aspect
especially. And then for triathlon,
triathlon as well. Yeah.
Do you want to have like a family?
(49:44):
Do you want to have kids? Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Yeah, not, not straight away, definitely want to take, take.
We want to take our time with it, but definitely, yeah.
There's no rush. I've been married almost eight
years and we're just thinking about kids here soon so.
Yeah, great. Yeah, So what kind of dad do you
want to be? Yeah, I think it's.
(50:08):
A big question. Yeah, that is yeah, I think for
sure someone who wants like kindof like, yeah, my my dad or my,
my parents who like, of course sometimes you need, you need to
be like strong with your child. And so I so pressure some
(50:29):
things, but more like, so like let them make their own
decisions, but then kind of helpthem to stick to their
decisions. So I think that's that's
something which which my parentsdid really well because like,
you know, kids all over the place, they want to do that and
(50:50):
that. Yeah.
But and yeah, I think just be there, be there for them.
I think is, you know, that's what you hear everywhere always.
But I think it's also just like the most important thing.
And then I think if you do that right, then everything else just
just go goes by itself. And yeah.
(51:13):
What do you want to be remembered for?
Yeah, I think someone who like you.
You mean like after my triathloncareer, right?
Or or after you die. Like what you'd like to see?
We're going existential super deep now.
What's going to be on your epitaph?
(51:37):
Yes, someone who like enjoyed enjoyed the journey, like didn't
think too much or like didn't think too much about past
things, but learned from other than like learning from from
mistakes or anything. But then lift, lift the moment
(51:57):
and also like being optimistic not not not think about
tomorrow, but being optimistic about tomorrow, about the about
the future and yeah and sport wise, just to have inspired and
motivate a lot of people to to reach their goals.
(52:22):
Yeah, if it's, yeah, if it's in a sport or not, that doesn't
really matter. I think like it's not like I
want to pee, like I want to motivate the people to start for
Arsenal and it's, I think ratherlike want to motivate the people
to yeah, to to reach their goalsand can be outside of triathlon
as well. So yeah, kind of stuff like
(52:44):
that. And just generally as a as a
happy person, I want to be remembered.
Yeah, for sure. So something I've noticed in my
own journey and talking to otherpeople is, you know, when we get
into sports, anything that involves competition and we find
a little bit of success that obviously feels really good.
And then as we go throughout that journey and we progress,
(53:05):
the law of diminishing returns kind of kicks in and we start to
see a little bit more of a plateau.
And it can be discouraging. And then, you know, learning
that lesson from oh, it's all about the numbers and getting
the placements and getting on the podium to actually, it's
about the journey and I want to enjoy this.
I wonder if my question is, I wonder if which it's twofold.
Do you think that it's possible to get from that side to this
(53:27):
side without going through the hard time?
And if so, what would you give somebody as advice to help them
to get to that place of? It's all about the enjoyment of
the journey. It's not about where you're
arriving. It's about where you're going to
and the path between. Yeah, I think it's kind of, I
would say think, think about yourself in like at the end of
(53:51):
your end of your career. And then yeah, try like try to
think in that situation that youare looking back on your career
and what are you, what's the things you you are remembering
the most? Is it like, of course you like
results and everything. And with results obviously
obviously also comes a lot of like emotions and everything.
(54:13):
But in the end of the day, I think there's like that's, I
think that's probably like 1% and then exactly it's like 99%
of it. It's like just a journey towards
those results. And especially also the, the
people you're sharing the, the journey with, like your, your
(54:36):
support, your, your loved ones and all that.
So and I think that's just yeah,that's, that's just an even even
big like bigger thing than than what you reached in in the end
of the day. And yeah, I think that's that's
(54:57):
how how I would maybe try to tryto explain it.
Yeah, for sure. Well, thanks for taking the
moment to explain it. I always love asking those
advice questions at the end because I think it people really
yearn to hear from people that they look up to how they how
they do life. So, But yeah, do you prefer, by
the way, to be called Freddie Frederick?
(55:18):
Fred, do you care? I think most people call me call
me Fred. Then in Australia, I was
Freddie. Freddie, OK.
Freddie Because Australia I think last like to take a take
AY and the end of every every word.
Freddie, but no. But I think Fred is like the
(55:39):
most common. Yeah, my wife calls me Fred as
well, so OK. Perfect the last Test.
But Frederick, I think it's like, you know, it's, it's when
your parents are angry with you.Like Frederick.
Yeah, for sure. Well, Fred, thank you so much,
man for taking the opportunity to sit down with me, especially
with your busy schedule. I hope the next two weeks of or
(56:01):
week and a half of you spending time at home is restful and
relaxing and that you enjoy the Next up and coming out to do
camp. So make sure to link your
YouTube so some people can go watch that and and whatnot.
But yeah, man, I really appreciate you talking with me.
Yeah, thanks a lot. Yeah, it was fun, fun chat.
And I think you should change your your title from stupid
(56:22):
questions into into deep questions.
Yeah, and no one would listen, right?
And no one would say yes. I was wondering like where were
the stupid questions? I know I some of my family,
they're like, look, when you started this thing, I was really
hoping to hear some of the the jokes and the the comedy and the
stupid questions can happen. Like I don't know, I just like
getting deep with people. So, but you know it's.
(56:43):
Good. Like yeah, enjoyed the chat,
good questions and yeah, hope everyone, everyone has enjoyed
it as well. Awesome, Thank you so much to
Fred for coming on the pod and letting me ask some questions
about his life. I don't know, maybe once in a
while I should ask a stupid question, but I really do just
really enjoy getting to know people on a deep level.
(57:04):
And I don't know, I guess maybe you can ask some stupid
questions to get there, but who knows, maybe I'll think about
it. But anyway, thank you so much to
Fred for coming on the podcast and letting me dive into his
life again. Make sure to go check out his
YouTube super cool videos there that he obviously spends a lot
of energy and quality creation and creativity in making those
(57:25):
happen. Him and his team there.
So make sure to check that out. If you want to sign up for a
newsletter, also check out the show notes below.
You can do that. Check out the Zone 2 stuff
that's also in the show notes and any and everything else that
you can do to help continue to grow this podcast with me would
be super helpful. If you're on YouTube, like
comment, subscribe, turn on the notification bell.
If you are watching on Spotify or listening an Apple podcast.
(57:47):
If you could also like review and leave any comments there,
that really helps to continue togrow the pod.
All right, guys. Thank you so much and we'll
catch you in the next one. Peace.
How's it going everybody? And welcome back to another
edition of the Stupid Questions podcast.
Today in the pod, we're going tobe talking with Fred Funk.
He's a professional triathlete who is on the podcast today
talking a little bit about his life, about the T100 Singapore
race that he just happened to bea part of and also just what's
going on in his life. Awesome guy, super nice.
(00:22):
And if you want to check out hisYouTube, I would encourage you
to do that. Super high quality videos there.
But without further ado, I want to introduce you to Mr. Fred
Funk. I'm what time is it there where
you are right now? 6:00 PM.
Yeah, OK. Nice in Austria.
In Austria. OK, Nice.
Yeah, in right before T100. You were you still over in
(00:42):
Australia? Yeah, I was there for 10 weeks
in Noosa. OK.
Nice. And then basically T100,
Singapore's all layover, Yeah, on the way back to Europe.
Yeah, for sure. How's it being back home?
Oh, it's so good. Yeah.
Like, I mean, including Singapore was 11 weeks away.
(01:04):
And yeah, I'm definitely someonewho is drawn, drawn to home.
Like I live in the mountains in the Alps.
Grew up here as well, like near.And yeah, it's just such a good
feeling to be back. It's like gives me, gives me the
energy I was missing like the last two, two months.
(01:25):
Yeah. I mean, Australia was like
really nice and we loved the trip and enjoyed every second.
And like, I would definitely want to go back as well.
But like, yeah, nothing beats dumb.
Yeah, yeah. It's always that that comfort
that you can't get many other places then.
Yeah, exactly. Yeah.
How long are you going to be home now then?
Until the next, I guess. Big training camp somewhere
(01:47):
else. Unfortunately only two weeks, so
I mean like one 1 1/2 from now. Like then I leave for an
attitude camp to Sierra Nevada and Spain and then from there
it's like I go down to race the Championship Channel submarine.
I then fly to the US to to Park City for another 82 training
(02:12):
camp, stay there for three weeksas well and then fly from there
to T100 Vancouver and then back home.
And then the last training blockfor change Roth in July, my
first longest since I will do athome and that's done.
That's going to be on 6th of July, the yeah, yeah.
Do you find, I'm just curious really quick before we get into
(02:34):
some of the other background questions.
Do you find that having the T100schedule relatively planned out?
I know they're still trying to figure out some stuff, but the
fact that you can plan your schedule a little bit more
concretely, does that decrease your stress throughout the year?
Yeah, kind of yeah. Like it's definitely good that
you that you can plan ahead. It's like easier than like if
(02:57):
you have to hope for wild cards,try to get into the series.
So yeah, I mean, basically the first part of part of the season
I planned all around to change growth.
So I like pick my T100 races, which fits the best into into
the preparation for that. And then for the second-half of
(03:19):
the season, I didn't really choose yet which races I'm going
to do and which races I'm not going to do.
But yeah, it totally depends where, where I'm standing by
then in the rankings, how is my shape, how is my recovery going
for my first long distance as well and all that.
But yeah, it's, it's, it's really easy, easy like that,
(03:40):
that you can plan, plan ahead. I'm also like a guy who who
wants to wants to plan ahead so.Yeah, yeah, planning's huge,
really quick. I did notice in the settings
your mic is set for your Airpodsand not your actual studio mic.
Do you want to change it really quick?
I mean I may have. To let.
Me know if I'll let you change? It just says I can't switch.
(04:04):
Yeah, exactly. 7 Plus it's like the new one but has the.
Cool. Yeah.
So yeah, I've got the the normalMV7 I think, Yeah.
Cool. Well, I guess First off, I
should just say thank you so much for taking the time and
jumping on the podcast. It's been fun to follow your
journey as I've gotten into the sport over the past four years.
So getting to meet you or somewhat face to face over the
(04:26):
screen is an honor. So thanks for making the time
man. Yeah, thanks.
Thanks for having me. And yeah, nice to meet you as
well. Like looking forward to chat.
Yeah, for sure. So first question from your
perspective, who is Freddie Funk?
Oh yeah, great and difficult questions to start with, but so
(04:48):
so yeah, I mean like broadly, I'm a professional triathlete.
I'm from Germany, I live in Austria in the mountains.
Like we just talked about an intro I and and enjoy the
mountains and my home the most. Yeah, I love to love to train
(05:08):
and the nature especially. That's why, for example,
something like high rocks, I don't give a shit about.
Like I, I, I need to, I need thenature.
So I want to be out there. That's like for me, what's kind
of the the best thing about being a professional triathlete
that I have the privilege to do that every day, all day.
(05:32):
And yeah, I'm like chasing, chasing my, my dreams and, and
big goals, for example, becomingworld champion ones, you know,
maybe, maybe I can do it in my, in my career, maybe not.
But by the end of the career, I want to look back and I want to
(05:55):
have enjoyed every part of the journey, never mind if I made my
goals or not. I want to enjoy it like I'm, I'm
always saying that the results are like 1% of of your, of your
career and other 99% is like everything around that.
(06:15):
So I want to enjoy everything around it and obviously I want
to have have good results. But yeah, it's important to to
look back on a career and just, yeah, enjoy the path.
Yeah, for sure. Is that difficult to do?
Definitely. I mean, you're like always
chasing, chasing your goals. You know, you have small goals,
(06:37):
you have big goals. There's always something,
something to chase. So once you reach something,
then there's something next coming, something even bigger.
And you kind of like get ahead of yourself, like maybe have
like a good great result and youjust like next day, you're back
(06:57):
out there back training, which is of course, like you can say
it's professional in one part, but I think it's important to
us. It's just like, let it sink and
enjoy it and enjoy it, especially also with with your
team and and your loved ones whoare also a big part, a really
big part of the journey. Triathlon is definitely not just
individual sport. Like every especially every pro,
(07:21):
pro athlete has like a big team around themselves.
And yeah, so like basically oncein a while it's good good to
stop and look how how far you'vecome.
Yeah, for sure. And you said that, you know,
you've you love this sport. And for most people, I would
(07:41):
ask, is that more nature and nurture?
But from reading into a little bit of your history, it seems
like there was a lot of nurture involved for you getting into
the sport from the age of five with your parents.
Tell me a little bit about that.Yeah, so I got got born into the
sport and both of my parents didthe triathlon 40 or doing it for
(08:01):
yeah, over 30 years. And they were also like, I mean,
they had like a professional license at one point.
They were never like full professionals because they were
always at least like studying, but then also full time working
next to. But yeah, I, I was early on, I
was with them at races, had my grandparents babysitting me and
(08:25):
so was like at the race sites, had all the atmosphere.
I was changed growth later on when I was a bit older, I even
joined them for, for the IronmanKona, HI.
I was there three times already as well to watch the race and
support my parents. And so, yeah, they kind of
(08:46):
introduced me into the sport, but never really, they never
forced me to do it or anything like that.
Of course they like signed me upfor races when I was five years
old. Obviously that's not 100% my
decision, but I guess I, I guessI enjoyed it.
And then luckily they also made me like I can say luckily now
(09:06):
they also made me learn swimmingrelatively early.
I was not part of like like a swim squad or anything, but at
least I learnt like, I learnt how to swim, which like as you
can see now from other professional triathletes that it
gets difficult if you didn't learn it early.
Yeah, for. Sure.
And yeah. And then also had like we had
(09:30):
like a local triathlon triathlonclub there.
I had some friends in there and like some people who kept like
kept me going to the to the trainings and but more more of
like my parents always like, which mostly introduced me to is
not just the sport, but also like the fun of the sport or
(09:53):
like the like and be basically enjoying it.
And also that it's not, it's notall it's not your whole life.
So like their, their motto always was like balancing family
with like movement. And it's like kind of so they
(10:21):
were always like in, in the everyday life.
They like kind of reconnecting it, like taking it, taking us
along, just having fun moving more or less.
So just like having fun doing the sport, not doing it for
like, for a purpose of like reaching big goals in the sport.
Obviously I'm like completely professional triathlete now.
(10:43):
So I still, it's still like, yeah, very, very big part of my
life. But in the end of the day, I
think it's just important that there's also like things next to
the sport which you should focuson as well.
Otherwise when something goes wrong in the sport, then you're
there with nothing, you know? And so.
(11:05):
Yeah. And yeah.
So my parents basically inspiredand still inspiring me.
You have for for that. And I'm really thankful to them.
And they always supported me in my professional career.
And of course, they're alive, have two siblings.
They're not really into into triathlon, or at least not like
(11:26):
into doing triathlon. And I'm sure my parents are
happy that at least one of us like keeping keeping.
Yeah, exactly. So with your siblings, are you
older or are you younger or are you in the middle?
Yeah, I'm the oldest. How do you find that being the
(11:47):
oldest Big Brother? Yeah, it's like, you know, I
think it's, it's, it's nice because kind of had to learn
taking responsibility early on and also like taking care of
myself. Obviously it's not like my
parents stopped caring about me when I assumed my siblings came
(12:09):
along. But you know, when it's like 3
kids, of course, and I'm like, I'm the oldest and I'm often
like on myself. So like early on, like a kind of
yeah, did did things or learned to do things as a kid all by
myself where other kids maybe still still had their parents
(12:30):
with themselves. And I think it's, it's good at
like, yeah, built you as a person.
And yeah, I think that's that's something you take away as as
the oldest child, why they're probably the the youngest child
is probably the opposite in mostcases.
Yeah, I'm also the oldest. I have two younger sisters and
I've thought, you know, would I ever want to be the middle or
(12:50):
the youngest? And no, I like the way it turned
out. Yeah, I guess that's what
everyone would say wherever theyend up in the line up, right?
Yeah, I guess. Who are you more like, your mom
or your dad, you think? Yeah, it's that's like looks
definitely like my dad obviouslylike, yeah, if I see like
(13:16):
pictures from from my dad, from when my age, it's kind of like
I'm looking at myself. It's really funny and but but
yeah, it's, I think kind of likecharacter.
I think it's my mom rather actually like in, in most, most
(13:37):
aspects, maybe the the calmness of, of of my dad.
So yeah, in the end of the day, definitely a mix, mix of both.
Yeah, so you're obviously the one who carried on the family
torch with triathlon. How would you describe the
(13:57):
feeling of your parents being proud of you for what you do?
Yeah, I think it's, it makes me proud that they are proud.
So no, it's, it's like of of course, like it's, it's not
something that what I, I like strive for, like directly.
(14:19):
I mean, of of course I want to make them proud, but it's like,
you know, if they're not then, well, it's, it's like kind of
kind of my, my thing. So I'm like, I would say maybe
like I'm a, I'm a like also a bit of selfish person, you know,
that's maybe that's why I ended up with triathlon because like
also very, very selfish sport sport.
(14:39):
But yeah, I also like don't really really care even that
much what what my parents think like of what I'm doing.
But then of course I care a lot if it's if it's positive.
So if like basically strengthensme like that that they have
(15:05):
they're proud of me and admit like yeah, that of course makes
makes me happy and just like also keeps keeps me motivated of
course, like continuing continueto do what I do.
Yeah, for sure. So I also read about you that
from a young age you really wanted to be a professional
soccer player, football player. So.
(15:26):
So tell me how and when the shift took place in your mind,
when you started to kind of put to bed that dream and then
resurrect or bring to life the dream of being a world champion
triathlete? Well, like The funny thing, like
when I was playing soccer in my local club, which it's not like
(15:48):
a Bundesliga team or any big team or like, I, I mean, I was
really young. So of course I didn't think of
like what it takes to be a professional soccer player
because no, like in that age, I think you would already have to
play, if you take it realistically, you would already
(16:09):
have to play at one of the big clubs, like in the youth to then
like go up to, to the professionals and all that.
So yeah, I was not like not likea really good soccer player that
I was near there. I just enjoyed it and enjoyed
doing like sports every day. So it was kind of like the
(16:32):
nicest thing for me to be a professional athlete and that
case soccer player to do that every day for a living.
And yeah, eventually I like I always did some triathlons next
to without much training or my training was kind of like the
soccer practice and some like once or twice swimming per week.
(16:59):
And then like I started like winning some regional races.
And with that, I got into like the county or like, yeah, state
squat. So not the national, but like 11
below basically. And that's yeah, that got me
(17:21):
really motivated. And I was like, Oh yeah, that's,
that's, that's really nice. Now.
Like, I wonder what's what's happening if I take all my all
my eggs into the triathlon basket.
And so then I decided to, yeah, to let, to let it be with, with
soccer for the better. When did you start to feel like,
(17:43):
oh, I, I, I am living up to this, being a professional
triathlete, triathlete. Like, when did you feel like you
were able to like, take on that identity and it truly becomes
something that you believed in? So yeah, like when I went
through the youth and and and junior years, I was always like
(18:04):
top, top of the yeah national, nationally.
I was always like, at least at least on a podium, like like on
a nationalist. And so, yeah, but I was that
kept me like really motivated and optimistic that I, I can, I
can really make it. And then eventually when it got
to, when I got to the elite, of course, first I wanted to be
(18:28):
like, Oh yes, like Olympic Games.
That's the dream. But obviously when you're,
especially when you're switchingfrom a junior to elite, like
like the first year, you're like, it's, it's a huge step and
you're, you're like drowning andyou're obviously very, of course
there are, there are exemptions for some athletes, but like,
(18:51):
yeah, you're nowhere near the level you need to be to be like,
to be be on top or like running with the, with the world's best
and all that. So, and yeah, I was, it was a
bit impatient, I would say. So I didn't really like want to
just stick to it and then see where, where, where I end up.
(19:11):
So I kind of like tried myself around doing non drafting races
and that really, really suited me because my, my strength was
always, was always to bike. So then there were when there
was no drafting like it, it was easy to to keep up with like by
back then world class athletes. Like for example, my first
(19:33):
Olympic distance I did against Michael Raylat and he was a
double 70% world champion. And yeah, we did like he, he won
the race and I got second, I think, or third.
But yeah, we're not too far behind them indefinitely, like
very successful. And then also I tried my first,
first middle distance and immediately ended up on the
(19:55):
podium. Also got in that same year,
national champion on the, and the elite on, on middle
distance. And I also got then got so much
more attention for that than getting like 10th in a European
Cup or something, which is maybereally good.
But you know, no one, no one cares.
And, and then of course I also got sponsors and then I realized
(20:20):
I actually can earn, I can earn money with this.
So yeah, then I basically went went all, all or I mean, I was
already all in. But then I was like, well, I, I
don't want to do do any studies or anything.
I just want to earn my money fornow with triathlon because I was
like starting some some study programs.
(20:42):
But yeah, never and never ended up sticking to it because it was
just like I couldn't do like triathlon or I couldn't do each
of it just like partly I want todo like one fully.
And so and then when I realized I earned money with triathlon,
(21:02):
it was easy to just like stop the studying.
Yeah. You mentioned earlier that you
know when you went decided to make the jump or to try out
middle distance after the short course draft legal stuff.
You mentioned that you had possibly a lack of patience.
So do you ever think about what it would have been like or do
(21:24):
you have any regrets? Or if you went back, would you
go back to try to give it a little bit more time?
So, yeah, I, I do think about itlike I don't have any regrets in
my decisions because I think theway I like I did it was good and
like good for myself. And I, like I said, I started
(21:46):
earning money with the sport andlike also got good and middle
distance had my, my results. And yeah, I think I'm, it's
where like right now where I'm at.
I wouldn't have get there without obviously every, every
step along the way. But yeah, I, I still think about
of course, when what would have been if I just stick to short,
(22:09):
like be a bit more patient, put in the work.
And then after two or three years actually end up there
somewhere at the front, at the front of some races and see like
I don't know where, where it could have went at short
distance and then just make the switch like to middle distance.
(22:30):
I don't know much later depending on on how how it goes
in short distance. So so yeah, but but I never
know. But one thing I know for sure, I
wouldn't have earned any money with the sport for quite a long
time. Because I think on the short
distance, you really need to be like one of the probably 10 best
(22:51):
in the world to, to earn proper money, which you, which you can
live on because it's just like, yeah, you, you get some for your
from your federation and like price money.
But like sponsor sponsors don't really really care, care about
short distance, at least in Germany for sure.
And I mean, and some of I know some of the German athletes who
(23:16):
are one of one of the best shortdistance athletes.
And yeah, I mean, it's if, if they enjoy that, like I don't
think they're living off their parents money, but I also don't
think they're yeah. So yeah.
But I think to get there, you basically, yeah, either need a
(23:38):
lot of money on the left of yourparents money for quite a while.
And yeah, I don't think I, I would have wanted to do that.
So I'm quite, quite happy with my my decisions.
Yeah, for sure. With the survivability, like
financially, do you find now at this stage that the sport of
(23:59):
triathlon currently sits in thatit's easier or harder to find
the money in the sponsors compared to when you like first
moved over to middle distance? I think, I think it's getting
harder. Might there might be more
sponsors and also more money involved now than yeah, six, 7-8
(24:24):
years ago, but now there's obviously also a lot more
athletes to choose for the sponsors especially.
Yeah, with the T100, you have the 2020 best middle distance
athletes in the world. And they're kind of, I would say
they're kind of like taking probably 90% of all the money
(24:49):
which comes from sponsors because every sponsor want the
athletes to, to. I mean, it's obviously from a
marketing perspective also makessense because you, you want to
have like rather one of you rather pay more to 1 athletes in
the top 20 or even top five, toptop three, then just pay don't
(25:13):
know, 5 athletes who, or 10 athletes or 20 athletes outside
of the top 20. So you have a lot more from
that. And yeah, and that's, that's
how, how it works. So they're taking the, the, the
big part, the, the biggest part of the cake.
And then for the others, it getssuper hard, even though they are
(25:33):
like on a great, like great athletes and super strong and on
a great level, they're not missing much.
It's just still gets super hard to to to find any sponsors at
all. I mean, financially.
So yeah, it's, it's definitely atough business that way.
Yeah. And it's definitely a business.
(25:54):
So I'm curious also, as you havegrown in your business acumen of
being able to do the contracts and, you know, negotiation and
everything that entails, workingwith sponsors and the people who
support you. Who has been or what group has
been the biggest mentor for you and helping lead you all along
(26:15):
that path to figure out how to best practice those business
skills? Yeah, I'm I'm not doing it doing
it myself. I've got a manager to be Slough
chick and he actually doesn't like to be difficult.
My my manager. It's actually more like my
mentor. He likes he likes it actually
(26:35):
better. And because he took me like
under his wings when I after my first first year on the middle
distance 2018 where I was successful.
And then after that season, I got quite a lot of sponsoring
offers for from from some brands.
And I was lucky to to have him right away so he could start
(26:56):
like, because, you know, when I was a young athlete and I was
like the first time seeing actually sponsors who want to
pay me money. So if someone comes and says,
oh, here you got the 1000 bucks,but you have to post every
second day about us, you know, Iwould have just said, yeah,
yeah, yeah, of course. Yeah, give, give me the tone
(27:17):
bucks. I'll do it.
So yeah, then you know, he, thathe comes like, and you know,
like obviously negotiates like in a, in a professional way and
actually tells me or like test, test the brands, especially what
I'm worth. And yeah, and then obviously I
(27:38):
mates even like I got even better contracts.
So. And yes, since since that he's
he's doing, doing that for me. But and of course, like how it
takes me, takes me along along the way and helps me a lot also,
not just with the sponsoring stuff.
It's about everything when it comes to like the business or
(27:59):
marketing perspective of a professional athlete.
And yeah, I think I'm probably like, I'm, I think I'm on a
really, really good, good way there also compared to athletes
who are maybe more successful orhave better results to me.
(28:20):
But but yeah, their marketing isjust for maybe maybe not, not as
good or they just just just don't want to do it, you know?
But I think, yeah, for me, it's,it's just a really, really big,
big factor and also enjoy doing it.
So, yeah, it's 50% that and 50% results, I would say.
(28:43):
Yeah. So with your YouTube channel
that you've been growing, is that more out of necessity for
the sport or is that part of thething that you really enjoy?
No, it's, it's, it's definitely mostly because because I enjoy
doing it. I enjoy sharing stuff, enjoy
like taking the people fans along my journey.
(29:08):
And then of course that's of course, yeah.
Because also like and in the endof the day, it's it's a really
good way to to yeah, to market myself, like to sell my brand.
It's good for my sponsors. And yeah, it's kind of like the
investions I do there with time and money.
(29:28):
It's kind of it, it actually come comes back.
So yeah, that's then of course it makes me like, because I
think if, if I would do it and then, you know, some people
would watch it, but kind of likeI would just pay on top all the
time and wouldn't make make any money of it.
Like I think after a while it, it would get tough.
(29:50):
I wouldn't see the sense in it anymore.
Like I would ask myself like, should I, should I keep doing it
or not? But this way it's just like easy
and I would definitely like, yeah, that's, that's really
good. And I keep keep doing that.
And then in the end, end of my career, I, I left something
(30:10):
like, it's like I left some YouTube videos and yeah, for,
for the, for the people to yeah,for example.
Yeah, So with the with the YouTube, it's really well done
like the colour grading, the editing, like the thumbnails is
all pretty high quality is. Yeah.
Thank you. Yeah.
How much of that like do you, are you directly involved in, do
(30:33):
you do the editing as well or doyou have someone you work with?
No, I actually have someone who is doing all that for me.
His name is Tom Meyer. He had German, German guy who
doesn't live too far. And now also especially for the
new YouTube series, he actually Trevors along.
He was in Australia with me. He was in Singapore.
Ever been the next episode actually coming on on Sunday
(30:55):
about Singapore and yeah, he Travis, like we were basically
documenting my journey until onto my first long distance in
Roth in July. So yeah, for for that I will
actually have him everywhere. Like now he's basically got two
weeks off from me, but then he'scoming with me for all the
training camps as well. He's like personal paparazzi.
(31:20):
Yeah, exactly. So, yeah, that's, that's of
course that's the extreme, I would say doing that.
And it's also very expensive like because I obviously have to
pay all this travel accommodation and I still pay
him also like a fee or like a monthly, monthly fees like for
(31:42):
working for me. But it is, it's partly I got a
budget from that for my sponsors, but because for me
it's the quality is really important.
I still pay from my own pocket like on top of it.
And yeah, I but before that and also after that, I still do a
(32:04):
lot of like I would always choose him because it's already
now a good working, yeah, yeah, working partner for me.
And he knows what I want, how I want it.
And so that that that makes makes it really easy.
And yeah, he's obviously doing, doing it really well.
So yeah, I'm really, really happy with it.
(32:25):
And yeah, quality is definitely something which which always,
always comes first. Yeah.
So with all of your requirementsvia contracts and then on top
of, you know, just the marketingthat you personally like doing
for your own brand. If you could race professionally
at the same level, same races, have the same amount of
(32:48):
financial gain and assets would,but you didn't have to do all of
the social media, would you still do it, you think?
Yeah, I think I would actually at this point, I think I would
actually, I would actually stilldo it because I, I really, I
really enjoy doing it. Like especially especially
(33:12):
Instagram, I think I'm just like, yeah, sharing stuff,
posting. I I kind kind of like it.
And it's also don't know, something I like when I when I'm
just lying on, lying on the couch.
So yeah, I think maybe maybe in like maybe a bit less.
(33:35):
That could be, but I would stilldo it, yeah.
Yeah, so with every good comment, there's probably 5
terrible comments of some people, especially on YouTube.
There seems to be more haters inthat world.
Yeah. Do you read your comments?
And if so, how does that affect you?
Yeah, I read, I definitely read all of them.
(33:55):
I I, yeah, it's like, you know, 19-9 really great comments and
you're like, oh, amazing. And you have one bad comment and
you think about that all day. I'm.
I'm. Useless.
Yeah, I mean, I know, Yeah, I know.
It's just like, you know, you can't, you can never make
(34:17):
everyone happy. I think especially for me as a
like, really like, right, outgoing and outspoken person.
Like I, I'm not shy to share my opinion about stuff which is
maybe controversial. And I think it's kind of like a
part, I feel like I need to, I Ineed to play as a professional
(34:40):
triathlete. I kind of feel like it's, it
actually is the responsibility to stand up for things and not
just be quiet to the training have results.
Like I feel like it's professional athletes.
You, you have kind of have to bemore, more than this.
Otherwise I think it gets like areally selfish sport.
(35:03):
And I feel like it's like that one way you can kind of give it
back to, to, to the society as has a professional athlete and
of course, and then also inspiring and, and motivating
people. But I mean, that's also kind of
my, my character. And that's not only because like
I sell myself like this, but that's just really who I am.
(35:25):
And I try to be as authentic as possible on, on social media.
So I'm not never backing off or just be quiet.
So and that obviously there are some people who who don't like
it, who share different opinion and who feel offended.
And then, yeah, go crazy and comments or I don't know.
(35:45):
And you know, I just think you just have to learn to, to not to
not care about that. And I think in the end of the
day, you you're winning more people over with stuff like this
then you're like losing. But yeah, it's like the people
you don't need anyway, people like this so.
(36:07):
Yeah, it's true. Yeah.
I've struggled with that even doing the podcast.
Like you said, 99% of everythinghas been really good.
But there's a few bad apples outthere.
And I, I do put way too much stock into when there was a
negative review or whatever. I just like really let it eat me
up. And I'm like, I think I've
decided I'm no longer going to be reading the, the reviews.
(36:29):
I'll. Read some people who are like
frustrated about themselves and just letting it out on on other
stuff so. But I don't know if I actually
believe that I can get to a place where it would not bother
me. I I really don't know.
Maybe maybe I'm just not mature enough.
I don't know. But it's like, it's such a
(36:51):
difficult thing. Because I think.
Even if I know something's not true, just the act of hearing it
I feel like is an important role.
It plays on me just like runningdown the finish shoot and people
are cheering your name. Like you run faster because it
makes you feel better, even though like, you're probably
completely empty, right? Which is, which is really nice.
And also experience already is like when you've got when you
(37:13):
build a community and you've gotother people standing up for
you. Like I had already that there
were negative comments and then it's like I never answer
negative comments because never put fuel into the fire.
Like you can never win with those people.
(37:33):
Because I sometimes I really want to answer and I was like,
no, I need need to ignore it even like if it eats me up for
the next hour, so and then I never answer.
But then sometimes I see, OK, I'm like, my community is
actually defending me there. And that's like, that's, that
makes them like, that's motivating them like, and makes
(37:56):
me, makes me happy again. And like, yeah, then I had I
don't have to take the fuel intothe fire.
For sure. So switching gears a little bit
just because it's pretty relevant.
You, you just happened. You just had the T100 Singapore
race and every time I think about you guys racing there, I'm
like, man, that place is so hot and I I know that I would not do
(38:19):
super well and but some people do.
I didn't do either, yeah. So walk me through that a little
bit like, I guess from a mental perspective, like how are you
feeling about how you did and how is that affecting, you know,
where you sit now and then how your outlook is looking toward
the next several races in the months of training?
(38:40):
Yeah, So of course, so I unfortunately had a like a
really bad race and I already felt felt it in race week to be
honest that something was off. I was just really smashed,
couldn't really like swim fast right fast.
The running was actually OK in race week, but then I was in the
(39:02):
race. But swimming and running as as
cycling is terrible and well, you can forget about the running
is running as well. And I think it was just we had
such a huge load and training block in the 10 weeks prior in
Australia that like this one tape a week was just not enough
to, to to get like fresh for therace.
(39:23):
And actually like even opposite it actually, probably that first
rest, when it first rest hit, itkind of made, made it even
worse, like took the body into like energy saving mode or
something that I probably shouldhave just kept, kept going train
through that race. I think it would have gone
better if I would have just takeit as a part training session.
(39:47):
But but yeah, so in the race I was just really like completely
like, yeah, just Fred really shit from the beginning of in
the swim. Then on a bike.
I even got like a slow flat in my in my rear tire, which I
haven't realized in the in the race, but I was already
wondering like over some bumps that it like feels a bit
strange, but I couldn't really see it.
(40:10):
And I was also, I lost so much time even I mean my power was
was low and. Definitely not where, where I'm
at or where I want to be, but I still think for Singapore
conditions, it's not like too far off like was still decent.
But for that I still lost so much time.
(40:32):
And so I think, yeah, that was maybe because of my, my rear
tyre or like party because of it.
Not that it would would have made any difference anyways in
in the end result. And then on Iran, it was just
like a mental struggle of lamentfight of just dropping out and
yeah, just, yeah, let call it a day of finishing.
(40:56):
And then yeah, made it actually to the finish.
Yeah, which which was a mental effort, but I think just feels
so much better in the end and dropping out.
Yeah. And just treated it as like a as
like a long run in the end because my muscles were just
(41:17):
like so tight and everything that I couldn't even run fast
anyway. So actually I wish it was the
heat, but I didn't feel hot evenlike I my heart rate was like at
like 150 and it didn't ever makeme feel really, really warm like
because I was actually quite heated up.
This from Australia as well. So so yeah, but it's in the end
(41:38):
of the day it was not I wasn't super disappointed because it
was like I knew kind of why I talked with my coach.
He kind of said the same thing that it was anyway like a 5050
like or like a risk we were taking into this race.
But then in the end of today, it's beginning of April, we
(41:58):
didn't want to be in shape for this race.
Like obviously fit and maybe in the race at least that was the
goal. But well, I think if you're
coming to AT-100 race, you kind of have to almost be in peak
shape to, to be in the race because the level is so insanely
high. The guys like so, so fast.
(42:19):
It's just getting faster year byyear.
But we are in a good way, I think to be in a in a great
shape in the season when it whenit matters more than than in
Singapore. So yeah, not not too
disappointed and already are looking forward to to the next
race. Yeah, as you go through your
(42:39):
training regiment and you're coming into race week and you
know, everyone's kind of lookingfor those pre race feels where
you're you're peaking a bit and you're feeling good.
Do you think that it's more important to feel good or
believe good like upstairs versus like in the heart?
I think it's I mean both is bothis very important, but I think
(43:06):
belief good is almost makes a bigger, bigger difference than
than just feel good. Like if if you if you're like in
a in a good shape, but or like feel good, but you don't believe
in yourself. I think you're kind of you're
tend to giving up really quicklyin a race, but some something
(43:30):
goes wrong and something will always go wrong.
Like you can never, you probablynever have like the perfect day
where everything goes right fromfrom start to finish or it's
really, really rare. And I think if, but I think if
you're like maybe a few percent off, like feeling good because I
(43:50):
think especially as a professional athlete, difference
between versed fitness and highest fitness, like within the
season, if I don't, if you take away like after the offseason or
something, it's actually really,really low.
I think the difference between like peaking and being in a good
shape. And so I think when you're like
(44:11):
just just in a good shape, but you really believe in yourself
like I think you can, you can get really far with that.
Yeah, reach a new level, Yeah. So what helps you to like get in
the zone even like before race or maybe it's before big
training session or even maybe you have some laptop and
(44:31):
contract work you need to do. Like what?
What helps you get in the zone? I think, yeah, I think it's,
it's music mostly. Like I'm really, yeah.
I'm like a guy who really gets in the zone by by music and I'd
really like like motivates me and and pushes me like like good
(44:52):
music what would like which I really like.
What's your what's your favoritelike song or artist or type of
music that you go to? Yeah, so so it's like always
switch between like American hiphop, like Travis Scott, Kendrick
Lamar or like how is Electro? OK, haven't heard of that.
(45:17):
So it's yeah, so like. Music.
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, nice, sweet man.
So tell me, as you're going through this next season or I
guess this 2025 season in the pursuit of your dreams, like you
still want to get to the best you can be and being a world
champion, what kind of sacrifices do you think that you
(45:37):
have to make to get there? I think luckily not not too much
because I have like my wife supports me so like so
incredibly much with all this that I feel like I almost have
(45:57):
to make no sacrifices because like kind of she's making all
the sacrifices, which I'm I'm really, really, really thankful
for. And obviously latest when I
retire, I kind of want to give it give back for that.
And yeah, that's it's kind of like, yeah, but it just helps
(46:21):
helps me so much. I can just focus on on, on what
I'm what I'm doing. And now that I have her, her,
her full support. Yeah.
And in the end of the day, it's like I, I'm already so deep into
the sport and professional triathlon and build my whole
(46:44):
life around it that like I don'teven see where I'm making
sacrifices or if I'm making any sacrifices because like, it's
just like that's, that's my, my every everyday normal life.
Yeah, well that's a blessing man.
I know a lot of age grouper typeathletes that are, you know,
they're elite amateurs, but it's, it's really hard to
(47:07):
balance those things in life. And yeah, definitely,
definitely. Obviously, because it's your
job, it works, it works really well and that's cool to hear
that you want to give back. How did you meet your wife?
We met over triathlon as well actually.
So she's from from Hungary, so maybe we met when we were both
still juniors 10 years ago. So yeah, how long triathlon?
(47:32):
Yeah, and you got married like not too long ago, right?
A couple. Yeah, last year in November was
actually one week before the grand final, T100 grand final in
Dubai. Did you have a little bit extra
wind in your sails then for the Dubai race?
Yeah, maybe. I mean like training wise, no,
but but yeah, that was all up here.
(47:53):
It's all exactly. I just want to say that was
probably 1 of that races where maybe like, yeah, training wise,
there was something missing. But mentally I was just like, so
refreshed and had this boost. So I've had like actually a
great race in Dubai. Yeah.
How do you think that? Maybe it's a little early to ask
this question, but how do you think that marriage has taught
(48:18):
you how to be like a better person but also maybe even a
better athlete? Yeah, I think it's maybe it's a
bit early for this question. Now The funny thing is like with
with my wife, it kind of like I sometimes forget that we're that
we are married. So it's like because I I just I
(48:41):
just know her for for so long and we've been together like
just this whole time that like kind of when we married, nothing
other than like some papers havehave changed, has changed for
us. So yeah, that that that's the
thing. But but yeah, obviously I think
(49:01):
feel like yeah, you know, you'reyou're getting it just feels
good. You know, I think to, to be on
even like if triathlon assisted one part of my life, but also
it's like the other part of the life.
It's just all, all that, that kind of stuff like like marriage
(49:22):
or, you know, buying a house andlike these things that they are
definitely also like good on a on a, on a good point in life.
And this helps me of course, for, for the mental aspect
especially. And then for triathlon,
triathlon as well. Yeah.
Do you want to have like a family?
(49:44):
Do you want to have kids? Yeah, for sure, for sure.
Yeah, not, not straight away, definitely want to take, take.
We want to take our time with it, but definitely, yeah.
There's no rush. I've been married almost eight
years and we're just thinking about kids here soon so.
Yeah, great. Yeah, So what kind of dad do you
want to be? Yeah, I think it's.
(50:08):
A big question. Yeah, that is yeah, I think for
sure someone who wants like kindof like, yeah, my my dad or my,
my parents who like, of course sometimes you need, you need to
be like strong with your child. And so I so pressure some
(50:29):
things, but more like, so like let them make their own
decisions, but then kind of helpthem to stick to their
decisions. So I think that's that's
something which which my parentsdid really well because like,
you know, kids all over the place, they want to do that and
(50:50):
that. Yeah.
But and yeah, I think just be there, be there for them.
I think is, you know, that's what you hear everywhere always.
But I think it's also just like the most important thing.
And then I think if you do that right, then everything else just
just go goes by itself. And yeah.
(51:13):
What do you want to be remembered for?
Yeah, I think someone who like you.
You mean like after my triathloncareer, right?
Or or after you die. Like what you'd like to see?
We're going existential super deep now.
What's going to be on your epitaph?
(51:37):
Yes, someone who like enjoyed enjoyed the journey, like didn't
think too much or like didn't think too much about past
things, but learned from other than like learning from from
mistakes or anything. But then lift, lift the moment
(51:57):
and also like being optimistic not not not think about
tomorrow, but being optimistic about tomorrow, about the about
the future and yeah and sport wise, just to have inspired and
motivate a lot of people to to reach their goals.
(52:22):
Yeah, if it's, yeah, if it's in a sport or not, that doesn't
really matter. I think like it's not like I
want to pee, like I want to motivate the people to start for
Arsenal and it's, I think ratherlike want to motivate the people
to yeah, to to reach their goalsand can be outside of triathlon
as well. So yeah, kind of stuff like
(52:44):
that. And just generally as a as a
happy person, I want to be remembered.
Yeah, for sure. So something I've noticed in my
own journey and talking to otherpeople is, you know, when we get
into sports, anything that involves competition and we find
a little bit of success that obviously feels really good.
And then as we go throughout that journey and we progress,
(53:05):
the law of diminishing returns kind of kicks in and we start to
see a little bit more of a plateau.
And it can be discouraging. And then, you know, learning
that lesson from oh, it's all about the numbers and getting
the placements and getting on the podium to actually, it's
about the journey and I want to enjoy this.
I wonder if my question is, I wonder if which it's twofold.
Do you think that it's possible to get from that side to this
(53:27):
side without going through the hard time?
And if so, what would you give somebody as advice to help them
to get to that place of? It's all about the enjoyment of
the journey. It's not about where you're
arriving. It's about where you're going to
and the path between. Yeah, I think it's kind of, I
would say think, think about yourself in like at the end of
(53:51):
your end of your career. And then yeah, try like try to
think in that situation that youare looking back on your career
and what are you, what's the things you you are remembering
the most? Is it like, of course you like
results and everything. And with results obviously
obviously also comes a lot of like emotions and everything.
(54:13):
But in the end of the day, I think there's like that's, I
think that's probably like 1% and then exactly it's like 99%
of it. It's like just a journey towards
those results. And especially also the, the
people you're sharing the, the journey with, like your, your
(54:36):
support, your, your loved ones and all that.
So and I think that's just yeah,that's, that's just an even even
big like bigger thing than than what you reached in in the end
of the day. And yeah, I think that's that's
(54:57):
how how I would maybe try to tryto explain it.
Yeah, for sure. Well, thanks for taking the
moment to explain it. I always love asking those
advice questions at the end because I think it people really
yearn to hear from people that they look up to how they how
they do life. So, But yeah, do you prefer, by
the way, to be called Freddie Frederick?
(55:18):
Fred, do you care? I think most people call me call
me Fred. Then in Australia, I was
Freddie. Freddie, OK.
Freddie Because Australia I think last like to take a take
AY and the end of every every word.
Freddie, but no. But I think Fred is like the
(55:39):
most common. Yeah, my wife calls me Fred as
well, so OK. Perfect the last Test.
But Frederick, I think it's like, you know, it's, it's when
your parents are angry with you.Like Frederick.
Yeah, for sure. Well, Fred, thank you so much,
man for taking the opportunity to sit down with me, especially
with your busy schedule. I hope the next two weeks of or
(56:01):
week and a half of you spending time at home is restful and
relaxing and that you enjoy the Next up and coming out to do
camp. So make sure to link your
YouTube so some people can go watch that and and whatnot.
But yeah, man, I really appreciate you talking with me.
Yeah, thanks a lot. Yeah, it was fun, fun chat.
And I think you should change your your title from stupid
(56:22):
questions into into deep questions.
Yeah, and no one would listen, right?
And no one would say yes. I was wondering like where were
the stupid questions? I know I some of my family,
they're like, look, when you started this thing, I was really
hoping to hear some of the the jokes and the the comedy and the
stupid questions can happen. Like I don't know, I just like
getting deep with people. So, but you know it's.
(56:43):
Good. Like yeah, enjoyed the chat,
good questions and yeah, hope everyone, everyone has enjoyed
it as well. Awesome, Thank you so much to
Fred for coming on the pod and letting me ask some questions
about his life. I don't know, maybe once in a
while I should ask a stupid question, but I really do just
really enjoy getting to know people on a deep level.
(57:04):
And I don't know, I guess maybe you can ask some stupid
questions to get there, but who knows, maybe I'll think about
it. But anyway, thank you so much to
Fred for coming on the podcast and letting me dive into his
life again. Make sure to go check out his
YouTube super cool videos there that he obviously spends a lot
of energy and quality creation and creativity in making those
(57:25):
happen. Him and his team there.
So make sure to check that out. If you want to sign up for a
newsletter, also check out the show notes below.
You can do that. Check out the Zone 2 stuff
that's also in the show notes and any and everything else that
you can do to help continue to grow this podcast with me would
be super helpful. If you're on YouTube, like
comment, subscribe, turn on the notification bell.
If you are watching on Spotify or listening an Apple podcast.
(57:47):
If you could also like review and leave any comments there,
that really helps to continue togrow the pod.
All right, guys. Thank you so much and we'll
catch you in the next one. Peace.
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