Skechers athlete Diego García Carrera: with his sights set on TOKYO 2020
"Right now I feel that having Skechers I have an advantage over my opponents"
Skechers Speed Elite with carbon fiber was the model used by the renowned walker to achieve the record in Spain last March. [no_knock]
Diego Garcia, athlete Skechers, is preparing to debut at the Tokyo Olympics in the 20 km race.
It has recently been proclaimed Champion of Spain of the modality getting the record of the test which presents him as one of the athletes with a medal option in the competition.
We wanted to get to know you a little better, to know how you prepare the games, which Skechers shoes you use, as well as asking you for some good advice to get started in this technical and exciting discipline.
You have achieved victory in the Spanish Championship and above all with a record, you can't ask for more. How was the lap? What feelings did you have?
It is clear that you cannot ask for more, in addition I had never won the Spanish Championship and this year it was a beautiful challenge because in addition to being an important Championship in the Olympic year, it was the first competition after 18 months without doing it at a distance.
I really wanted to compete in the 20 km walk, which is my test, if I had participated in other shorter distances lately, but not in this one, which is my specialty.
There are many differences between competing at one distance and another since we prepare it in a very specific way.
In fact, when we compete in 5 and 10 km we go at the same pace, so sometimes it does not make much sense to go faster in these shorter tests and we prefer the ones we are preparing.
"The sensations have been very good"
Finding myself well again after so much training and having those sensations of competing 1 hour and 20 at the top, with the pulsations also at the top is something that only competition gives you.
Although you have to bear in mind that a marching competition is a psychological battle, I have to say that I am very happy with this result.
In the race you used the Skechers Speed Elite Hyperm, could you tell us something about this model?
The Skechers Speed Elite shoes that I used were great for me, they incorporate all the innovations and all the technology that has been developing in recent years, and now with the carbon fiber plate it gives it a plus!
I think they have something special compared to other brands and that makes them more attractive for the competition. Their drop makes the tread very natural and in addition to making them very comfortable and light since there is no "strange" platform that makes us tread differently, keeping my natural tread.
This has been very good for me since, when it comes to walking, where the technique is very characteristic and important, if the shoe had forced me to change technique I would not have been able to use them and perform as I have done, that is why I feel so comfortable with them in competition.
You have signed the renewal with Skechers for 2 more years, how has your career been with the brand and what has it contributed to you in your professional career?
Yes, we have just renovated and it is a very important thing. For me in this year of uncertainty that since Skechers they have wanted to bet on me again it is something very gratifying
In addition, I really like working with them sincerely and since I have known them since I started marching, 8 years ago, it is a pleasure to continue our journey together
My first competition with Skechers was my first record in Spain and today I have 14. In the end, my relationship with the brand is a very important part of my sports career.
In addition, I am very proud of the brand, they have had a spectacular development in these years and right now I feel that having Skechers I have an advantage over other opponents who use shoes from other brands
How do you face this year of the Olympic Games? How are you doing your homework?
I face it with great enthusiasm, since in 2016 I could not try to qualify for the Games due to a knee injury.
As some games are so far from each other and adding that now with the pandemic they have had to spend 5 years instead of 4, I really want to debut in what is the dream of every athlete, the Olympic games, and this is the reason why I do athletics
On the other hand, I think that one more year has not been bad for me this year too many, since as long as we can continue training in good conditions, everything adds up and improves.
Also, as it is disputed in Sapporo, in the north of Japan, where it is cooler, it motivates me more. After the bad experience in Doha, where the World Championship was held in 2019, now it only remains to train and enter.
Although everything seems that the games are going to be held, there is always uncertainty due to the world situation
How do you deal with it mentally?
I take it for granted that they will be celebrated. In addition, all the big events have been going on for a few months and over time we have learned how to do things.
I don't know how the games are going to be, but I am clear about what they are going to be.
Every few weeks we are sent new instructions, such as that foreign public will not be able to attend, a shame since my family will not be able to come to see me compete.
But it has a positive part since, if they are taking this type of measure, they have everything studied and they will surely celebrate.
What are your next goals? Are you going to compete in Spain or Europe?
Well, after a couple of events on the world circuit have been canceled in April, our most important objective is the European Cup that takes place in the month of May.
Then we will be in the Coruña Challenge in June, which is a world circuit test, a spectacular test.
I will also compete in national leagues or championships that, even if they are not in the Olympic distance, are good for testing in competition.
As for the type of workouts you do, what is the training that you like the most? And which one do you know you are “ready” to compete with?
It is a curious thing, it depends on each person, but in my case I like longer workouts or longer series less, since they make me more boring, but hill workouts, short series, (you look with speed and they are not so long) I like them better.
In the end I feel quite comfortable with the training routine that my coach gives me.
Obviously the routines are tough, high-level sport is tough, but I'm used to it.
Although there is always one day that you have to suffer more than necessary, or the body asks you to stop, that is not normal and I enjoy them.
Each training has its positive side and I try to get the best out of it since we all know the hard part.
What could you say to an athlete who has not tried walking to encourage them to do so?
It is a specialty that has many benefits. Starting with people who are not used to doing sports, since in the end, walking is going out for a fast walk, something that everyone can do.
In addition, it can be done from 12 min / km to 4 min / km, which is the pace that the best walkers in the world take in competition.
The good thing about the march is that there are a lot of middle terms in the pace.
It is a discipline that gives us many things, it is much simpler than running, everyone knows how to walk and you can regulate your pace, which sometimes does not happen when we run.
It is also a very strategic discipline, something that I like a lot when it comes to competing where care and training of technique and resistance rhythms is extremely important.
In that sense, I think it is a specialty that does enough justice, because no matter how good you are, if you don't train a lot, someone who is very good and doesn't train will not beat you. Here you need to do many kilometers
In extreme efforts, although it is very high, for me personally it is somewhat less than if it is done running and I handle it better
It is also true that muscularly it can cost a little more since there are many kilometers, but we avoid many injuries due to impact, since we do not lose contact with the ground.
It is a complementary activity for all athletes and ideal for those who want to start playing sports
Challenge runners Diego García Carrera
Now, for example, I have just launched a “Diego García runners challenge” campaign that consists of trying to run 1 km in 4 minutes, which is the pace we compete in the 20 km march, but that people are not aware of how fast they are. a walker can go in competition.
There is also another option which is to do 1 km at twice the pace that we do, instead of doing it in 4 in 8 minutes
See this post on Instagram
At the moment many people are participating and I think it is something very positive today, where it has been shown that doing sports is something necessary, very healthy and that we all have to do to be somewhat safer against the "threat" of the virus and also outdoors is ideal
Follow Diego through his social networks
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diegogarciacarrera/?
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diego.garciacarrera/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/diegogcarrera
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