In a remarkable feat this past June, Cindy raced the Ironman Coeur D’Alene, setting a blazing new personal record on the Ironman course and securing her well-deserved spot at the prestigious Ironman World Championships. Her journey to success, however, isn’t merely a product of chance or luck.
With unwavering dedication and a commitment to her triathlon craft, Cindy’s training regimen has been nothing short of awe-inspiring. An epitome of consistency, she has missed only a mere four workouts in her relentless pursuit of excellence. It’s no wonder her triathlon achievements have soared to such heights. Take a look at her six-month training data from Athletica showing her Performance Potential Chart from January to the race day in June. This is the perfect picture of consistency!
Cindy Maloney Performance Profile in Athletica
This triathlon training block picture above is an illustration of what it takes to succeed in making your dreams come true. To show up every single day for months takes dedication, grit and smart training. With the help of adaptable training programming of Athletica, moving things around when life happens is the key to keep smart training in the forefront – even when you have a full time job and kids. Success in long-distance triathlon is not about a few big heroic training sessions but consistent, smart training efforts over a long time.
Let’s find out how Cindy did it!
As I caught up with Cindy for an exhilarating mountain bike ride in July, I discovered there’s more to this remarkable athlete than meets the eye. Not only does she exhibit unwavering finesse on the triathlon bike, but she also boasts a natural talent for conquering the challenges of mountain biking with astounding skill. While I was clearly struggling to climb up the hill, she was easily on zone 2 intensity. She truly inspired me to get back on my own triathlon training!
Two journeys: athlete with 3 months of detraining and another with 6 months of consistent training and Kona qualification!
Good laughs to be had when two Athletica athletes meet up for an afternoon of fun at the mountains in BC, Canada.
How did you start with your current sport?
I did my first triathlon – Half Ironman distance in 2007 at the end of my maternity leave with my first child. I had experience running (I had completed 6 marathons), and I loved to mountain bike and knew the basics of swimming. I bought my first road bike that year, added some clip-on aero bars and off I went. I really enjoyed the experience, and planned to do a few more over the years, but I found it too hard to train with little kids and a full time job – so I didn’t sign up for my next one until 7 years later. Since then I have done 5 additional half Ironman distance events and 2 Ironman’s.
What habit or mindset change has been most beneficial to you as an athlete?
I think that having a positive mindset has been beneficial to me as an athlete. Workouts don’t always go as planned, injuries pop up, pandemics happen and races get canceled, but staying positive has allowed me to stay motivated and has allowed me to keep moving towards my goals.
How do you balance work, family, and social life with your training?
I think that having a consistent training schedule and using my time efficiently helps me balance training, work, family and social time. I need to be organized the night before or wake up early to get organized for the day. I typically train before work as well as during my lunch break while at work – this means I need to have my breakfast/lunch organized in advance if possible, make sure the kids are organized for school etc. Having most of my training completed by mid-day means that I am available most evenings to get the kids to their various activities, help prepare dinner, help with homework etc. It doesn’t always go to plan and if I miss a morning/ or noon workout then I will try to make it up after work. The great thing about Athletica is that I can always move that workout to another day, or just skip it all together and it will adapt to make sure I am still on track. On the weekends, I love to get up early and will often complete my long ride and runs before 10 am – that way I have the rest of the day to dedicate to family, friends or other non-triathlon things.
Cindy at Ironman Couer D’Alene in June 2022.
What are your strengths and weaknesses as an athlete?
Strengths – I think that my strengths are on the bike – I especially love climbing and descending and living in the mountains helps with this. My weakness is in the swim – but since using Athletica I have been able to see improvements each year which is satisfying!
How has using Athletica improved your training?
Athletica has helped me get stronger in all three disciplines since I’ve been using it in 2020. I love being able to follow the science-based triathlon training plan and not have to think about which training I should do each day and I feel confident that the plan is going to get me where I want to be on race day. I love how each workout is very specific and has a purpose – with such a busy schedule with work/kids I don’t feel like I am wasting my time. Prior to using Athletica, my fastest half iron race was well over 6 hours. I have been able to knock off over an hour of my time, with my PB to date at 5 hours 21 minutes at 70.3 Coeur D’Alene.
Share your most epic failure, funny story, or insane thing that has happened to you while in training or during a race that you have learned from or think about often.
Epic Failure – they say never to try anything new on race day – when racing Calgary 70.3 in 2021, I grabbed a bunch of samples from the Expo – I thought I had grabbed a gel which I carried with me during the run. When I squirted it into my mouth, I realized that it was sunscreen! It was awful!!
A Journey to Kona
As Cindy readies herself for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, her determination remains unwavering. Her inspiring journey, fueled by the intellectual training programming of Athletica, has set her on a trajectory to achieve optimal fitness levels for the big day. The whole team Athletica is excited to follow Cindy Maloney’s unstoppable momentum in Kona, where she will showcase the true essence of an Athletica athlete—a force to be reckoned with.
Follow Cindy on Instagram @bikensewrevy
About the Author:
Marjaana Rakai is a passionate triathlon enthusiast, Athletica Ambassador and a dedicated follower of inspiring athletes like Cindy Maloney. As a writer, she finds joy in telling stories that inspire others to chase their dreams and push their limits in the world of endurance sports.