Richard Murray Will Ignore Ironman and Stick with Short Course Racing As He Eyes Triathlon Coaching Career

Richard Murray insists he has no desire to race Kona when he ends his short course triathlon career.

The South African, a mainstay of the Super League and WTS circuit, is preparing for his third Olympics in Tokyo in 2021.

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He will be 32 by the time the Olympics has taken place, and the outside expectation is for him to leave short course racing to head into the world of Ironman.

However, Murray is ready to buck the trend. He says he has no interest in stepping up to full distance racing, and will instead combine short course with an occasional half distance and the start of a coaching career, which is where he sees his future.

He said:

I think I will stick with the short distance stuff. The longer stuff doesn’t excite me all that much and I want to do something I am excited about.

It’s like a prerequisite that you’re meant to want to go to long distance but I don’t really have that feeling. I might dabble in one or two half distances but I don’t really see the full distance being me. Maybe the Team Relay in 2024 (Paris Olympics).

There’s no money in the world that can get me to Kona. I actually want to get into coaching. I studied personal training and conditioning and before London I was coaching myself and it’s a passion I want to get into it. If you want to go to Ironman or full distance you have to go all in.

Murray was speaking to his great rival Jonny Brownlee in an exclusive head-to-head interview for Super League Triathlon. Brownlee has a home Commonwealth Games after Tokyo and intends to stay predominantly short course until at least Birmingham in 2022.

The pair discussed a range of topics, revealing much about their lives as top pro triathletes. Here are a few more highlights:

Richard On Training With His Wife Rachel Klamer

RM: It’s quite nice. We work off each other quite well because I can do an intensity of training that works for me and it works for her. We have trained together the last couple of years and got used to it. You have got to deviate from relationships to training and we understand each other and in what scenario so it carries on working.

JB: Fair play. That deserves a medal.

Jonny and Richard’s Dream Super League Male Athlete

JB: For the swim Richard Varga.

RM: Henri Scheoman. But Richard Varga has the most firsts out of the water

JB: For the bike Vincent Luis. Very strong and technically good and composed.

RM: I would choose Hayden Wilde or Anthony Pujades. From Super League side them and Blummenfelt. Hayden for a technical course.

JB: Hayden is really good. I will give you that.

JB: For the run for Olympic distance Mario Mola but in Super League you want a sprint finish. Vince is one of the first out of transitional and has that sprint finish which Mario might struggle with.

RM: I would also choose Vince for the sprint. If Jake Birthwistle was there it would be interesting to see their sprints. Maybe he might have the edge on him over a 5k.

JB: Transitions – Jonas Schomburg. I have watched him a few times and I don’t know how he does it so fast.

RM: Yes. Jonas too.