Lisa Nordén Joins the SCOTT Global Triathlon Team with Sights on Kona
SCOTT Sports is proud to announce that Lisa Nordén has joined SCOTT’s Global Triathlon Team. Nordén is a long time SCOTT athlete of Sweden with an impressive list of results including a silver medal in the 2012 London Olympics and wins at 2018 Swedish Time Trail Championship and 2019 Swedish Road Cycling Championship, just to name a few.
Looking ahead, Nordén’s goal is clear: Kona. After a number of years battling injuries, Nordén believes there is no better time to set her sights on a new goal and new distance.
We caught up with Lisa to ask her some questions heading into 2021.
What is your goal for 2021?
My main goal for 2021 is to do my Ironman debut - and try to do it well. I want to be on that start line feeling prepared and ready for the challenge and execution. A big bonus of course would be to qualify to Kona and get a first real look at the island.
Why Kona now?
It turned out to be quite a natural step for me to take this year. I have been playing with the thought for quite some time, but it needed to sink in and grow to a definite decision.
Ever since I started with triathlon Kona has been THE race to do. For most people back then triathlon was almost equal to Kona and I had to explain that what I did (shortcourse) was different. After three Olympic Games and a stint in cycling I feel that I’m ready for a new challenge in the sport, and FINALLY do that distance everyone has been talking about since I started out.
Here Lisa’s story on her journey into the world of cycling and triathlon.
What’s your training focus looking towards Kona?
For Kona the challenges will be completely different from the intuitive racing in short course triathlon, or the max kind of effort a UCI time trial.
My main focus will be to work on efficiency, to get the metabolic system used to the steady state and teach my body to fuel and keep going for a longer time. I’m also working really hard on building a strong foundation so my legs will be able to handle the marathon. I’ve never ran a marathon before and I have a huge respect for the distance
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Catch Lisa for a day of training at Playitas in her latest video.
Over many years you have continued to evolve as an athlete, how do you maintain that drive?
I think there is a combination of two things that have kept me going through the (many!) ups and downs in my career.
My strongest drive is the search for the perfect performance. I want to feel and know that I have done everything there is to do, and there is nothing more to find or improve on. I want to reach the peak when my body tells me there is nothing more to find.
The second key has been the constant flow of new challenges I’ve managed to incorporate parallell to the triathlon career. I’ve always used the individual disciplines to challenge myself, swimming various distances in local swim carnivals, racing open water and especially lately really exploring cycling at the highest level. To prepare for a UCI World Championships simultaneously as racing triathlon is as difficult as it sounds. But going through that kind of prep and trying to bring out everything there is for a solo time trial (or road race) really improved me as an athlete. I was definitely outside my comfort zone, but thats normally the place to grow and learn new things.
Thoughts about riding the new 2021 SCOTT Plasma 6?
I’m super excited to be on the Plasma 6 this year. Not only is it the best looking bike I’ve been riding but it’s so purposeful for what I do. The previous years I’ve been riding the Plasma 5 with a UCI set up, which meant all hydration and nutrition was attached separately. Now everything is integrated and accessible. I’m also impressed by how well it handles, even with strong crosswinds it feels stable to ride.
It’s going to be so exciting to test it under pressure this summer!
Lisa’s Training Bike – the 2021 SCOTT Plasma RC. Learn more about the all new Plasma 6 here.
Follow Lisa’s Journey on Instagram here.
Catch all of Lisa’s latest videos by subscribing to her channel here.