How I make it work: Usain Bolt

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Listen folks, it's track season and I can't keep you guys informed all by myself...........







The fastest man in the world explains how he keeps his life on track


(Todd Cole)






Ruby Warrington

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div#related-article-links p a, div#related-article-links p a:visited {color:#06c;} At 6ft 5in, Usain Bolt, 23, towers over other sprinters. He was the first to win three sprinting events at a single Olympics since Carl Lewis, setting world records in the 100m, the 200m and as part of the 4 x 100m relay team. He lives in Jamaica with his girlfriend, Mizicann Evans
What's your daily routine?
I train six days per week, usually going to the gym in the morning for two hours, then to the track in the afternoon for two or three hours. In between, I try to rest and refuel. I’m based in Europe from June to September, and Jamaica the rest of the year.
And when you're not training?
My off season is in October, when I go home to Trelawny, Jamaica. I couldn’t live anywhere else — I get homesick easily and I am not a fan of cold weather. There, I hang out with my friends and relax, although I still play a lot of sport — football, cricket and basketball, mainly. I also like to dance. I love music.
How do you relax?
Sleep is extremely important to me — I need to rest and recover in order for the training I do to be absorbed by my body. I normally sleep 8-10 hours per night, and take naps during the day when I’m training hard.
What do you like to eat and drink?
I like all Jamaican food, especially pork with rice and peas, banana and dumplings, and I tend to eat the same food whether I’m training or not.
I think the Jamaican diet is quite healthy. I ate a lot of chicken nuggets in Beijing — they were the best thing in the restaurant in the Olympic village.
How do you manage the pressure of being number one?
My attitude is that if it doesn’t help me run faster, why think about it? I ran the World Junior Championships at home in Jamaica, aged 15, in front of 30,000 people. I was so nervous, I put my spikes on the wrong feet. Since winning that, I have felt like I can handle anything.
Who is your mentor?
My coach, Glen Mills, has been my mentor in recent years. He started working with me in 2004 and played a huge role in helping me get to the level I have reached.
What are the most important lessons you have learned from him?
He taught me that talent alone isn’t enough, and that you have to have a professional approach to get to the top. This meant training harder and living a more athletics-focused life off the track — getting enough rest, eating the correct food and, as a role model, conducting myself in a proper way.
You are on every billboard in Jamaica. What is it like being such a celebrity there?
People respect me for the fact that I’ve brought a lot of pride and attention to my country, and to get that recognition from Jamaicans is extra-special. I love to see them come out to support me all over the world.
Who are you closest to in life?
I am closest to my family, and my best friends are my brother, Sadiki, and Nugent Walker, who I grew up with and who is part of my management team. I have the same friends now as I have always had.
What do you find most difficult about being a professional athlete?
The training: athletes have to push their bodies to the limit to reach the top. Some days, all I want is to chill out or watch television instead — the normal things people do on a day off.
And what do you love most about it?
I enjoy being able to travel to different parts of the world, and my success has led me to meet some very famous people, which has been wonderful.