"Balance Is a Myth": Going All In with 2022 Ironman Champion Chelsea Sodaro

A New Documentary to Watch: Why True Greatness Requires Full Commitment—and How Finding Balance Comes in Seasons, Not Moments

Hey swimmers and triathletes,

Tomorrow, for the first time in the 45-year history of the women’s Ironman World Championships, the race will be held outside its spiritual home of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, and take place in Nice, France. I’m not sure I’m a massive fan of the split male/female racing and outside of Kona, but hey ho. Will you be watching? Here’s how:

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"Balance Is a Myth": Going All In with 2022 Ironman Champion Chelsea Sodaro

In May 2022, I received an exciting call from my long-time friend, Dan Plews, Head Coach at EndureIQ, and himself the Age Group Ironman World Championship’s Record Holder.

Dan asked if I would be interested in helping Chelsea Sodaro improve her swimming in preparation for her first Ironman event. I knew very little about Chelsea at this stage, but as we were both in Mallorca, Spain and Dan was a great mate, I said, “sure, I’d love to!”

The goal was ambitious: to qualify for the Ironman World Championships in Kona that October.

I was thrilled at the opportunity to work with such a talented athlete, especially with a shot at Kona on the horizon.

From that point, Dan, Chelsea and I got to work, focusing intently on refining her technique and building the endurance she would need to be competitive in the sport’s most prestigious event. Her dedication and grit were remarkable, and the results showed when she not only qualified for Kona but went on to win the 2022 Ironman World Championship in a stunning debut performance.

If you’re a coach or an enthusiast, you can get exclusive access to exactly what we worked on with Chelsea’s stroke to win the 2022 Hawaii Ironman World Championships (and also Dan’s stroke for his 2018 win) as part of the 7-day PRO Online Video Analysis Bootcamp (and don’t panic, you don’t need a full 7 days to get through it!):

A Friendship Spanning Nearly 30 Years

Dan and I go way back, nearly 30 years, in fact. Our friendship began when we raced against each other at the 1994 Rother Valley Triathlon near Sheffield. I was 16, and Dan was just 12—a young lad from Hebden Bridge, near Halifax. At the time, his father gave him a memorable piece of advice:

"Jump on Paul’s wheel and draft him out of the transition area!"

Dan was too young to officially compete, but that didn’t stop him from making an impression. Little did we know back then that the scrawny kid in the transition area would grow up to become one of the world’s leading triathlon coaches. Our mutual respect and shared journey in the sport have only strengthened over the years, making our collaboration on Chelsea’s journey something truly special.

A Privilege and Career Highlight: Supporting Chelsea in Kona

Fast forward to September 2023, I was honored to be invited by Dan and Chelsea to Kona as she prepared to defend her world title. It was an absolute privilege and a highlight of my coaching career.

During that period, Ironman and Netflix were on location, capturing Chelsea's preparation for a documentary series. While it has taken 12 months for that footage to surface, it has now been released on YouTube to much acclaim. The film offers an intimate glimpse into Chelsea’s mindset, highlighting her tenacity and the struggles she faced as she geared up for the race. You can watch it here (we’re in it between about 25 and 35 minutes):

However, as is often the case in sports, not everything goes according to plan. Despite Chelsea’s best efforts, things didn't pan out as we had hoped. She finished a very respectable 6th overall in the 2023 World Championships, which in itself is a testament to her talent and perseverance. Now, as she prepares to race again tomorrow at the 2024 World Championships in Nice, France, I can’t help but reflect on the journey we’ve shared over the last year.

A Moment of Reflection: From Hebden Bridge to World-Class Coaching

One of my fondest memories from Kona last year was a quiet moment I shared with Dan. We were sitting on some deck chairs, watching the sun dip below the horizon, and sharing a non-alcoholic beer (his choice, not mine!) During our conversation, I told Dan how proud I was of how far he had come—from that eager kid in Hebden Bridge to one of the most respected experts in triathlon coaching. I was genuinely blown away by the level of science, structure, and planning he brought to Chelsea’s preparation. It was an inspiring moment, a reflection of the incredible journey Dan had been on, and I felt privileged to witness it firsthand.

Analyzing the 2023 Race: Chelsea’s Strengths and Challenges

Dan’s meticulous coaching was instrumental in preparing Chelsea for her 2022 win and for the 2023/24 season. As he noted during the documentary,

“Her biggest strength is also part of her weakness as well. She’s so meticulous and such a perfectionist. She leaves no stone unturned and looks at every single micro-detail to make sure she’s doing it right, but sometimes that perfection can stand in the way of progress a little bit.”

In the lead-up to the 2023 race, one area we focused on was Chelsea’s positioning in the swim. I shared my analysis with the Ironman crew, saying,

“We’ve been able to identify that there’s a point in the race at about 300 meters—so about 4 minutes of swimming—where the group tends to split up a little bit. That’s certainly what happened last year. So what we’ve been trying to do is identify how to improve Chelsea’s performance at that specific point in time. Last year, she was in the second chase pack, and this year, we want to get her into that first chase pack.”

In the 2023 race, Chelsea executed the plan beautifully and managed to hang onto the toes of Fenella Langridge, who was in the first chase pack in 2022. It was a testament to the hard work and detailed planning that went into her preparation. Unfortunately, Fenella didn't have the greatest swim that year, and as a result, Chelsea found herself out of position within the overall field.

Despite swimming faster than she did in 2022, the dynamics of the race meant that her improved time didn't translate into a positional gain. It was a reminder of how unpredictable open-water swimming can be, where success depends not just on individual effort, but also on the movements of others in the race.

A New Chapter for Chelsea

This year, Dan is sadly no longer coaching Chelsea, but Chelsea has kept me posted with her progress with her new set up and I will of course be supporting from the sidelines. I have no doubt that the foundational work that I witnessed with Dan’s coaching of Chelsea in Kona last year will still be impacting her now.

The recently released Ironman video offers a fascinating insight into Chelsea's family dynamic. Her husband, Steve, has taken on the role of 'Mr. Mum' to support Chelsea’s demanding training schedule. The documentary includes a candid quote from Chelsea that challenges many conventional views on life balance:

“I’m asked a lot about how I balance my family life and my work life, and the reality is that I don’t balance, I don’t really believe in balance—I think it’s maybe about having balance throughout the year, or the years. But when I’m preparing for a World Championship, I go all in. After Kona, I will be a full-time mum, but when I’m training for something like this, I need to be a full-time athlete.”

Her honesty offers a unique perspective on the sacrifices and commitments involved in high-level competition. It's a glimpse into the all-in mentality required for world-class performance, one that resonates with those who understand the dedication the sport demands.

Reflecting on Four Female Ironman World Champions

To wrap up, I’d like to highlight a video I created last year, which discusses the work I’ve had the pleasure of doing with four female Ironman World Champions: Leanda Cave, Anne Haug, Chelsea Sodaro, and Lucy Charles-Barclay.

I approach this humbly, acknowledging that each of these incredible athletes has had input from various coaches and, ultimately, their success is down to their own hard work and dedication.

Nevertheless, the video outlines some key technique areas we worked on that can help anyone looking to improve their open-water swimming. Whether you're aiming to swim well in your next race or simply want to understand the styles you'll see in tomorrow’s World Championship, there’s something in there for everyone.

As Chelsea heads into the 2024 World Championships in Nice, I’ll be watching and cheering her on, feeling grateful to have been a part of her remarkable journey.

See you next week…from Montenegro! I’ll be there with 12 swimmers from around the world who are coming to enjoy a memorable 7-day Swim Smooth Experience - stay tuned for our 2025 schedule launching in October, or register via the link to be the first to hear about them: