Editorโs Note: This story originally appeared in Volume 4 of B.H. Magazine. To get your copy (and access to future issues), subscribe here.
Simply put, Cameron Wurf is one of the best endurance athletes Australia has ever seen. He has rowed for Australia at the Olympics, raced in the professional cycling peloton for 13 seasons, and won four professional Ironman triathlons, including three top-10 finishes at the Kona Ironman World Championships.
Today, Wurf is one of the only athletes on the planet competing professionally in two different sports: racing with the Ineos Grenadiers during the cycling season, and as a professional triathlete. B.H. caught up with Cam during a recent trip to Miamiโinterrupting a day on the golf course with Bryson DeChambeau and Tom Bradyโto talk about his life, career, and how he became a world-class athlete in three different sports.
B.H. Magazine: What got you into sport as a kid, and when did you realise you were better than most of your mates?
Cameron Wurf: I never thought I was better at any sport than anyone else, but I realised early on that I didnโt get tired. When I was 16, I started this thing called 6-Hour Saturdays, where weโd row in the mornings, go to the gym, and then ride the bike until we hit six hours. They were long days, and the other guys would be destroyed, but I just genuinely loved exercising.
After making it to the Olympics in rowing, you transitioned to cycling because of an injury. Tell us more about this move.
I never let what I canโt do get in the way of what I can do, so to stay fit I threw myself into cycling big time, later racing in the National Championships, where I came fourth in the elite time trial against professionals. I always admired the guys at the front, selflessly doing all the work for their teammates, and I found I had a passion for that role. Iโll always admit to the younger guys in the sport that I donโt know much about racing, but I try to show them work ethic, how to do things properly, be accountable, and look after your body.
What is your best piece of advice for someone wanting to get better at something?
I got the best advice from Eliud Kipchoge, which was to chase one rabbit at a time. If you want to do something, you need to commit, because there will always be someone youโre racing whoโs equally talented and fully committed. Another great bit of advice is we always say practice makes perfect, but practice makes permanent. We can get very good at going through the motions, but doing it properly is hard.
How do you think your psychology has helped you perform at such a high level?
Iโve noticed Iโm very quick to move on to the next thing. Itโs a handy skill when things go wrong because you can put them behind you quickly, and itโs one of the similarities Iโve seen across great athletes. Youโll have plenty of time to dwell on your career when youโre done, but while youโre in it, you just need to keep looking forward to the next thing. If you donโt, your competitors will catch you.
Whatโs your process for juggling the different training demands of cycling and triathlon?
Bend like bamboo. Itโs easy to feel like youโre failing when youโre not achieving what you set out to, but the reality is, if I canโt swim or run as hard as Iโd like because of a bike race, Iโll use that energy to ride harder.
How do you juggle your busy schedule with family life?
When youโre waiting for your baby to take their first breath, youโd happily trade your last breath for their first. That adds to the motivation to make everything count, because Iโve got a little heart relying on me. Iโm also very fortunate to have a wife who was born for motherhood and relishes the opportunity to bring up our little guy. My role is to support her in that.
Talk us through your nutrition and how you manage alcohol consumption while training and racing.
My wife is doing her Masterโs in Nutrition, so the house is always full of good food. Weโll still have dessert when weโre racing, but thereโs always fresh fruit and high-quality meat, and when you have access to good food, things like chocolate cravings disappear. As far as alcohol, I am yet to see any literature that doesnโt show the negative effects alcohol has on your recovery. So if I do drink, I generally drink earlier in the day so itโs out of my system before I go to bed.
Beyond conventional training, do you do much on the flexibility and strength side?
The key to being better at anything is showing up and doing it. If thatโs in an office, it means being healthy and cognitively sharp, but mobility and functional strength are critical in sports. Iโve never had an injury from wear and tear, but Iโve always been into stretching and more in the last couple of years, functional strength.
Who are the athletes whose work rate impresses you?
Tom Brady is someone Iโve followed for 20 years, but watching him in his latter years, Iโve been in awe of his passion for the game. He changed the status quo about how long you can be at the top, so I draw inspiration from guys like him.
You mentioned the possibility of targeting the 2028 Olympics. Tell us about that.
I was training with a world-class 16-year-old called Jack Woodberry over the summer, and being able to race with him would be a fairytale way to finish my career. The evolution of Olympic-distance triathlon and Jackโs arrival on the scene has motivated me to be there and try to put him in a position to win. I might have to give up road cycling to see if I could make it happen, but the Olympics would be a dream.
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