The real lives of Olympians: in the lead up to the Paris Olympics, we will be talking to former Olympian medallists about how they keep fit now – from ageing and retiring to what they eat and how much they exercise. Meet the fourth in our series, Victoria Pendleton.
Track cyclist Pendleton won gold in the individual sprint at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and gold in the keirin and silver in the individual sprint at the London 2012 Olympics. After retirement she trained to become an amateur jockey, participating in the 2016 Foxhunter Chase at Cheltenham. The 43-year-old lives in Dorset with her partner and two retired racehorses.
How fit are you?
I feel pretty fit for my age and occupation. I think my body is in more of a balanced place now. I still fit into items of clothing that I had when I was 14.
What keeps you motivated?
I think the word motivation is a bit whimsical, but what keeps me committed to being fit and healthy is how it makes me feel. I need it for my mental health more than anything, but being physically fit and active is a big part of who I am.
When I neglect it, everything suffers in my life. I feel down, I don’t feel as enthusiastic about doing other things. I like to keep my body feeling firm. If I’m running and I start to feel my middle jiggling, that’s a sign.
What was your earliest sporting success?
The sack race!
How often do you exercise?
Last week I ran seven days on the trot. Generally I run five times a week and the gym three times a week minimum. I know a lot of people don’t have the luxury of training every day.
I am lucky to have a gym space at home and I live a very short distance from lots of beautiful woodland, so going out and going running, training at home and seeing my horses and exercising them, fills a lot of my day. I struggle to sit down at my desk and do admin.
How often do you cycle?
I’m not afraid to admit that these days I’m a fair weather cyclist. Mostly now I ride a bike as a warm up in the gym. I occasionally go out on my mountain bike, maybe once a month.
It took me about 18 months after I retired to get on my bike because I wanted to. It had been my job and there were so many other things I was suddenly allowed to do, like skiing or running. Running was considered dangerous, in case I twisted an ankle.
What is your favourite way to keep fit?
Running is my preferred exercise at the moment, mostly because of the low admin required to do it and cleaning. No bike cleaning needed!
I do sessions for both, but I’ve always run cross country. For me it’s about enjoying the process a bit more. Being out in the countryside I feel like it’s a lot easier to push yourself hard when the terrain is varied.
How much did you train as an elite athlete?
About 24 hours a week at the velodrome. Usually we would go to the gym every other day for three hours, followed by two to five hours on the track. Because it was sprint training it was not massively time consuming, it was more about the intensity.
Occasionally I’d put a third session in of intervals on the Friday for lactic acid tolerance. Some of the sessions would be in the lab, doing very specific durations and cadences. On rest days we’d go for recovery road rides for a couple of hours.
How did you fuel yourself?
With lots of whey protein shakes, which I do not miss at all. I had a shake created specifically for me that was 600 calories. Losing mass was one of my biggest issues; as soon as I backed off the weight training I was detraining.
When I retired I remember thinking how long ago it was since I’d experienced hunger.
What is your diet like now?
I went vegetarian as soon as I retired. I was fed up with eating animal protein and had a huge sense of guilt. I kept being told that without eating animal protein there was no way I was going to maintain the size I was.
I’m now entirely plant based because it felt like the right thing to do and I’ve never looked back. I’ve never enjoyed my food so much.
A lot of people are always full of so many concerns, even my mum, but I feel really good on it.
What do you eat on a typical day?
Breakfast is usually porridge with quinoa flakes for the amino acids, plus hemp seeds and chia seeds. I usually have it with some seasonal fruit.
Lunch tends to be something light and salad-y with lots of hummus. I really enjoy cooking so I try to incorporate a lot of whole foods into my diet. Lentils on salads and nuts and seeds sprinkled on top.
For supper I make a lot of curries. A lot of Asian food and tofu. Making it crispy was a mission to start with. I own a lot of cook books and I keep it very varied.
What is your guilty pleasure?
Ready salted crisps. I can’t resist the crunch.
Do you drink?
I have an occasional glass of wine but I’ve never been a big drinker. I don’t like being out of control. When I was an athlete I would allow myself a sherry glass of red wine with my meal.
Do you take supplements?
I take a plant based protein shake to make sure I’ve reached my daily numbers. It’s got superfoods in it as well. It doesn’t make me feel as bad as the whey ones.
It also comes in a tiramisu flavour, which used to be my number one dessert when I wasn’t vegan. I genuinely enjoy drinking it.
I also take a multivitamin and an iron supplement just in case, especially being female. I won’t have bovine collagen, so I will put up with my creaky joints for the sake of the animals.
Do you have any injuries?
When you train at an elite level it takes its toll on your joints. You know you’re probably going to pay a price at some point later in life. I am very cautious in how I train now and listen to how the old body is feeling.
Are you still competitive?
I’m definitely competitive with myself. It’s a different standard now. I can’t lift what I used to lift and I don’t need to now, but I like to push myself. I like to see progress. If I don’t see progress it’s a sign that something’s not right.
What can you squat?
I used to be able to squat 120kg, enough to have been a competitive weightlifter in my category domestically. The most I’ve squated since I retired is 90kg.
At my peak I was fighting every day in order to stay muscly. It’s not my natural body shape and I was fighting my nature a bit. I had to be very strict on my nutrition in order to maintain that size.
What’s your fitness weakness?
I’m no good at yoga but I do enjoy it occasionally.
When you’re a cyclist, flexibility isn’t high on your priority list. It’s a close chained movement. If you’re flexible enough to do your job, that’s enough.
Your top health tip?
Find something you enjoy doing. When you’re struggling to feel committed to what you’re doing, if you find joy in it, it’s easier.
How do you look after your mental health?
I struggle to meditate but when I’m working hard it’s a very quiet mental space for me, and it’s a familiar space for me, pushing your body close to your limit and maintaining your focus in a positive way. That for me is a really important time.
Afterwards the endorphins carry you through the day. That’s the biggest part of it.