Linsey Corbin is a professional Ironman Triathlete who grew up in Bend, Oregon with dreams of winning Olympic Gold as a ski racer. Although she garnered many accolades as a downhill ski racer, her 100 -pound frame, large lung capacity, and tenacity led to running cross country and track & field through high school and early college. When she decided she no longer enjoyed running in circles, she hung up her track cleats and transferred to the University of Montana to study nutrition and exercise physiology.
Once in Missoula, she found her two loves: Chris Corbin and triathlon. It is in this complex sport that balances mental fortitude with peak physical fitness that she began to really dream.
She won the first two races she entered and set a course record in her first race as a pro. Her vision is to transcend the boundaries of my sport and represent the importance of a sound mind, body, and diet in achieving dreams.
What are you working on right now?
I just raced the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. I had a great race, finishing 12th in the World. I am recovering from my efforts in Hawaii and putting in some preparations for my final event of the year, Ironman Arizona, which takes place on November 21st. I am also working with some of my great sponsors on some marketing materials as well as continuing to grow my Montana-Made brand as an ambassador for women’s health & fitness, triathlon, and chasing your dreams.
Three trends that excite you?
1. The 80’s are back! More importantly, the Ironman industry has fully embraced this trend.
2. Social Media is more powerful than advertising. As a sponsored athlete, I believe social media is a game changer. It’s word of mouth marketing on steroids or EPO in the case of endurance athletes.
3. Less is more. I’ve cut my training in half and double my intensity. As a result, I’m fit, fresh, and breaking personal records.
Tell us about Linsey Corbin the person, versus Linsey Corbin the world class triathlete.
I’ve always been determined. My first words were: I do it, I do it. This is reflected in performance and life. The key is to find something you love and do it.
[quote]My first words were: I do it, I do it. This is reflected in performance and life. The key is to find something you love and do it.[/quote]
My life outside of triathlon consist of living a balanced life. This includes rowing my husbands drift boat while he fishes, playing with our golden retriever, and cooking. As for cooking, I think that there are some great ways to make simple, healthy, food in a small amount of time. Once again, I spend as much time as possible, doing what makes me happy.
You live in Missoula, Montana. An interesting home for a professional athlete. Tell us about Missoula Montana and why it’s the right place for you? Was it challenging to break into the industry coming from Missoula?
Living in Montana provides me a perfect training platform. We are blessed with great trail runs, a nice 50m outdoor pool, rivers to swim in, open roads for riding, and mountains to climb. While the training is epic in Montana, the most important thing I get out of living in Missoula is happiness. We – my husband Chris and our dog Madison – have found a perfect balance and way of life in Missoula. I am surrounded by some of the greatest friends and training partners ever. I think having a happy heart is the first step to competing well. I come to Kona with little stress, injury-free, well-prepared, and I have trained hard, all in Missoula. You can’t beat that!
What does your typical training schedule look like for an Ironman?
Mondays – I focus on rest and recovery from the hard weekend. This will include: eating lots of healthy foods, an hour doing some easy swimming, an hour at the gym stretching, doing core work and TRX training. I also get a massage.
Tuesday – 90 minute swim with some hard efforts, 2-3 hours of high intensity riding, 90 minute run with intervals, an hour of stretching and core work.
Wednesday – 90 minute hard effort swim, 4 hours or lower-intensity riding, 30 minute run off the bike.
Thursday – 90 minute endurance swim, 2 hours of interval bike riding, 45 minute run with some pick-ups.
Friday – Rest and recovery from the past few days and prepare for a hard weekend of training. Usually an easy swim, and an easy spin on the bike or an easy run with the pup.
Saturday – Long day on the bike – 5 hours with some intervals in the last 2-3 hours. A 30-45 minute run off the bike. An easier evening swim sometimes.
Sunday – Long, hard run. 2 hours with some race-pace intervals in the last hour. Longer, easier afternoon swim and a stretch.
What is one mistake you made that we can learn from?
Don’t train hard, train smart. As an athlete it’s easy to train, but it takes discipline to rest.
What inspires you?
I am inspired to be the best that I can be at what I do. I am always looking to improve, putting the pieces of the puzzle together, analyzing what works for me, and what doesn’t. I always try to be a positive person and focus on what is going right, versus what is not working. I am inspired by others that know how to work hard and have fun while they are doing it. I think everyone needs a passion, and if you are passionate about something, the sky is the limit.
If there is one person who you would love to see interviewed on IdeaMensch?
Joyce Meyer
How do you get through the lows when training or racing an Ironman?
Lows are part of our sport, getting through them is just part of being an Ironman. One trick I incorporate is using words. I set out a series of positive phrases to recite during challenging times during the race. I’ve raced enough now, that I’ve come to understand the highs and lows. I think the best thing is to never give up and always look for the positives and what IS working well at that moment in time.
Connect:
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @linseycorbin
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.