Klean Team USA Sponsored Pro Triathlete: Balazs Csoke

Blog by Klean Team USA’s Balazs Csoke

2015 is Balazs’ third year on the Klean Team USA. Balazs is a professional triathlete born in Szeged, Hungary, currently based in The Woodlands, TX. Balazs was exposed to sport at a very young age and soon grew to love triathlon by the age of 16. He lives and breathes triathlon and has devoted himself to the sport that he loves. In addition to sport, he is passionate about nutrition and maintaining a healthy lifestyle both on and off the race course. For Balazs, Klean Athlete is part of the daily regimen. “I truly believe that I am what I eat. I’m committed to only taking the best possible products and competing at my very best. Klean Athlete helps fuel me to do so,” according to him. Shortly after IRONMAN® Brazil, we had an opportunity to chat with Balazs and find out more about his training, racing, lifestyle and what keeps him going day after day.

Q: When and how did you first become interested in triathlon and how long have you been competing? How did that interest grow into competing at the professional level?

A: I grew up in a small town in Hungary called Szeged. My first experience with sport was at the age of 6, when my parents brought me to the local swimming pool to learn to swim. I really liked it and became a competitive swimmer until I turned 18, then I did my first triathlon during my university years. I turned pro 6 years ago, when I finished my first IRONMAN® distance race.

Q: What is a typical day like for you?

A: I usually wake up at 5:15 AM, have a coffee and a banana, and then head to swim with Magnolia Masters, which is the best swim squad in my hometown of The Woodlands, TX. After coach Tim Floyd’s workout, I usually go home and have a big breakfast. I start my second session of the day around 10 or 11 AM, then a light lunch, and normally I finish my day in the gym. I try to make sure I am done with all my trainings by 6 PM so I have enough time to eat and rest, so I can be ready for the next day.

Q: How does nutrition factor into your training approach? How important is it and how specific is your diet to ensure you’re getting what you need?

A: Nutrition is absolutely a key part of being successful in triathlon. I do not follow any special diet and try to eat as many different foods as I can. I do pay extra attention to my nutritional intake pre and post-workouts.

Q: As a professional athlete always trying to maximize your performance potential, what role does Klean Athlete NSF Certified for Sport® product play for you?

A: I use Klean Athlete® products every single day. I take Klean Multivitamin™ every morning, but my very favorite product is the Klean Recovery™. I make a smoothie after almost every workout with it. It’s super important for me now to know what I’m consuming. In addition to the quality, I must know that what I am taking is 100% safe and compliant. We hear stories almost every day about athletes getting into trouble from consuming an unreliable nutritional supplement product. NSF Certified for Sport® products like Klean Athlete®, are not only high quality, but I can rest assured they are also safe and effective.^‡

Q: Maintaining every day health and wellness is critical for athletes. What role does Klean Athlete® play in supporting this foundation for success?

A: Consuming the right nutrients and achieving balanced nutrition from vitamins and other minerals are critical for endurance athletes. Klean Athlete® provides me with a complete nutritional supplement line with everything I need.^‡ I’ve established a daily routine for using the products. I usually start the day with Klean Multivitamin™ and some Klean Electrolytes™. I use Klean Endurance™ during my longer session and have a Klean Recovery drink after every session. I find that this is the single most important thing to do, as I can quickly consume what my body needs to help me recover for my next training session. I take Klean Probiotic™ and some Klean Antioxidant™ before bed. Staying healthy does not only mean I avoid the doctor, but I can also train and compete more consistently.

Q: How do you approach triathlon season, and how do you target specific races?

A: Racing long distance triathlon is not easy on your body. Especially when you do 2-3 IRONMAN® distance races a year. It’s important for me to decide what my main goal is during the season. Our biggest race in the sport is the IRONMAN® World Championship, which is in Kona, Hawaii. We have a long qualification process to race there which starts in September of the previous year. So, if you have the goal to race there, you have to make sure you preform very well at key races to get enough points. I did qualify twice for this race, but recently I realized that finishing in the top 10 there requires so much more than I ever thought. You have to be able to focus for this race 24/7, as much mentally as physically.

Q: IRONMAN® Brazil was one of your target races for 2015. How did it go? Walk us through your race.

A: Since Hawaii was not my target this year, I wanted to pick up a hard race where a very deep field was expected. Brazil seemed to be a perfect choice for this. I can say I had the best preparation ever leading up to the race. The field was absolutely world class and very deep. I had an ok swim, an ok bike and an ok run, and I even had a personal best time, but in a field like this you need to have an outstanding performance to finish in the top 5. Actually, it was the first ever race in IRONMAN® history where a sub-8 hour finish was not enough for a podium. It clearly shows that our sport is growing really fast. Unfortunately, my timing chip did not work all day, so I am still waiting for my official result.

Q: Looking back, what could you have done differently to affect your result?

A: At this point I feel like I had done all the training I wanted to do, but there was room to improve my mindset for that race.

Q: What inspires you to continue competing? What is it about racing that keeps you coming back for more?

A: That is a very good question! I think as I spend more and more time in triathlon it has changed a lot. At the beginning it gave me an opportunity to travel around the world, meet amazing people and chase my dream. Nowadays I find challenging myself is the biggest motivation for me.

Q: When you get to the point of feeling like you can’t continue in training or racing, how do you keep going?

A: I always remember how much I worked already to be able to compete at this level.

Q: Is there anything else you’d like to share?

A: I would like to say thank you to everyone who has ever supported me. Triathlon is an individual sport but having the right people around you is essential to being successful.

You can learn more about Balazs at his website and be sure to follow him on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates on his racing, travels and adventures.