January 2, 2005 -- After being hit by a car last year, former world-champion triathlete Spencer Smith has a realistic plan, a long road and a burning fire to get back to the top of the sport he loves.
As triathlon goes, Great Britain’s Spencer Smith has done just about everything: short-course world champ, twice, to go with his two Ironman wins. He’s finished as high as fifth at the Hawaii Ironman. Heck, he’s raced under Linda McCartney in the European pro road cycling peloton.
On the flip side, however, Smith has taken a few lumps: a nasty, but ultimately successful, battle against a nandrolone doping positive (the charge was overturned after Smith proved there was no documentation showing how much was in his system), as well as a spate of DNFs and DQs.
But recently Smith was spied training in North County San Diego. “Where ya been?” has been the question du jour for the 32-year-old. He has been AWOL, but his departure was not by choice. Scars on his legs, ankles, shoulder and hamstring prove it. Last year, Smith was struck by an SUV in his then-home of Westfield, New Jersey. Since then, he has gone through extensive surgeries and rehabilitation, has moved to Florida and now is finally starting to train again. Triathlete sat down for coffee with the affable man from England to talk about life, sport and his future.
Triathlete: Welcome back to San Diego . . . for good?
Spencer Smith: No, I’m now in Palm Harbor, Florida. I didn’t know it when I moved there, but I’m just a few miles from the Ironman offices in Tarpon Springs.
Triathlete: Your trip to San Diego, did it represent a return to the scene, a re-immersion?
Smith: Just to train. It’s nice to come somewhere that you know where everything is . . . the routes and runs. I just started training. It’s tough right now.
Triathlete: How has that return to your old stomping grounds been?
Smith: I’m in a world of pain. Not pain in terms of injury, just in terms of physical, when you start back, it’s hard work. An easy run isn’t easy; you’re certainly not floating. The body work’s a bit beaten up, but the engine is still good.
Triathlete: Tell us about what happened with the accident.
Smith: I’d never been touched by a car before that, had never broken a bone. So, all in one go, bang! And it wasn’t a major incident. I was just riding along a road. and a woman was coming across the road from the other side. The bike went under the car, and I went onto the hood, then under the car. My leg was pressed up against my chest and the undercarriage of the car, which was burning the hell out of me. All I really remember is the engine being so close, the whirling of the fan. It was a 90-degree day and the road was hot, too. I had to get up; I was burning. I picked myself up and dragged myself to the police car and sat in the back.
When my wife Melissa came to the hospital, she saw someone on a gurney, blood everywhere, and thought, “That guy’s in bad shape,” then took another step and saw it was me. And she only cried once. I couldn’t see anything in a neck halo, and if she’s crying, that doesn’t help my cause. I’m just happy I wasn’t paralyzed or killed.
Triathlete: So what was the net-net after you got to the hospital?
Smith: Third-degree burns. The scapula and clavicle broke. Six ribs, 60 stitches in the hamstring, and a lot of burns. And with one of the burns on my ankle, my ankle and foot swelled immensely -- I had to go out and buy a size 16 shoe to get my foot into it to walk around. I was in the hospital for four-and-a-half days. I’m not the dramatic type, but it was close, very close.
Triathlete: Was she charged in the incident?
Smith: She said she was driving with undue care and attention. She got a fine. It’s still going to take time going through all the legal, but there’s nothing I can do about that.
Triathlete: How was it going through rehab, knowing you wanted to get back to the sport to make up for the drafting DQ in Kona, a DNF at Ironman Austria, a DQ at Ironman Florida?
Smith: Granted, a lot of that was my own doing. Last year at Austria I was knocked off my bike by an age grouper. This year I was in good shape at Florida when I got a penalty when my wife was cheering me, then for throwing away a GU. I mean, how is that benefiting me in the race, that my wife shares a bit of passion and runs beside me for 10 seconds? It all had nothing to do with the race, and now I’m glad, (with the World Triathlon Corporation’s newly created GTG officiating crew), I don’t have to worry about the officials.
Triathlete: How has it felt to finally get out, get some swims, bikes and runs in and put everything behind you?
Smith: That’s it: a fresh slate. I feel no pressure. I don’t expect to be in super shape, so I have to be patient, which is hard for me. After the accident, everything was hard. With time it’s been getting better. I’m at 188 pounds but want to get back down to my race weight, around 165 pounds. It’s an effort for me to lose the weight, but it will come off.
Triathlete: Had you been written off by many who thought the accident was a curtain call?
Smith: People were like, “He’s retired.” There’s an unofficial Web site someone runs, and it said I was retired. I read that and was like, “How did they come to that, because my e-mail wasn’t working because I had moved, they think I retired? On the other side, I’ve gotten a lot of really nice e-mails from people around the world, and it meant a lot, it was really nice.
Triathlete: What’s your 2006 plan, and your approach to racing given how you want to pace your comeback to competitive racing?
Smith: Don Fink is coaching me now, and he’s been a tremendous help. I’m going to do the Oceanside Half Ironman 70.3, Ironman Arizona, some other halves like Florida or Honu, all good preparation, then maybe Hawaii at the end, or maybe the Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, because it’s only an hour away from where I live. It’s going to be a long road back, but it’s going to be an interesting year. Usually I’m going into a race for the win or top three. Now? Top 10, maybe. Gotta let ’em go on the bike, can’t go with them. One, I won’t have the endurance, the miles. Two, I won’t have the speed. I want to be able to get off the bike and get into it.
Triathlete: How has your coach re-structured your training plan around your build-up?
Smith: We’re talking it slow: 15 hours total per week. Then 18 hours, then 20 hours. Then we do weeks focusing on the bike, focusing on the run. I’ve been testing my watts, learning my power-to-weight ratio. Right now it’s low. But it’s a starting place. Don’s been more worried about me as a person, to just take my time until I’m ready.
Triathlete: How did you come to find Palm Harbor Florida as your new home?
Smith: New Jersey was just a bit expensive. We already had a little place in Florida. It’s good. I loved the riding in New Jersey, but in terms of the terrain, the roads, Florida will be good for training, with good heat.
Triathlete: Has the time off re-affirmed your fire for the sport?
Smith: I believe in my own ability; it’s now just a matter of putting my head down and getting on with it. I’m still very passionate, very excited, and I still love to race, so I’m not tired by the whole experience. They say when you break a bone that the bone mends stronger, so that’s my mentality, that I’m coming back rested and stronger.