![Iwan Thomas](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/health-fitness/2024/07/19/TELEMMGLPICT000378772894_17213863841490_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqGCVIbfzcmaCREI4GmIYvWFz94VcDfpn2mhI5Yycoc48.jpeg?imwidth=680)
Iwan Thomas: ‘I stopped doing Parkrun when a nine-year-old boy kept beating me’
Almost 30 years after winning a silver Olympic medal, the runner says he’s fitter than ever despite his love of desserts and burgers
![Iwan Thomas](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/health-fitness/2024/07/19/TELEMMGLPICT000378772894_17213863841490_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqGCVIbfzcmaCREI4GmIYvWFz94VcDfpn2mhI5Yycoc48.jpeg?imwidth=680)
The real lives of Olympians: in the lead up to the Paris Olympics, we will be talking to former Olympian medallists about how they keep fit now – from ageing and retiring to what they eat and how much they exercise. Meet the third in our series, Iwan Thomas.
Thomas won an Olympic silver medal in the 4x400m relay at the Atlanta Games in 1996. As well as winning World Championship and Commonwealth medals, he was awarded Wales Sports Personality of the Year in 1998. The 50-year-old has recently published his autobiography, Brutal. He lives in Southampton with his partner and three young children.
How fit are you?
I did my first ever Strongman competition in my gym in January against 20-year-olds, and I won it as well. I felt really proud. As an ex-professional sportsperson who made a living from being fit, rather than thinking my best days are behind me, I can bench press 130kg. And I did a 100-mile ultra-marathon two years ago.
What motivates you to stay fit?
So I can be a good dad. I don’t ever want to say, “Slow down, kids. I can’t keep up”. I never want to be that dad, so I’ve got to stay fit.
![Jamie Baulch, Mark Richardson, Iwan Thomas and Roger Black celebrate their 4 x 400m relay silver medals at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/health-fitness/2024/07/19/TELEMMGLPICT000385805043_17213871898470_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bq_yinDx4FRR66WmBAJxdJbP4Xpit_DMGvdp2n7FDd82k.jpeg?imwidth=350)
How has your body changed?
When I was an athlete I was 80kg, now I’m between 90 and 95. That’s not too bad in 25 years. I never wanted to retire and become an overweight blob. I know I would be if I didn’t train.
What exercise do you do?
After I retired I didn’t do sports for a while. I’d had enough. As the years went by I started to run 5ks, then 10ks, then half-marathons and marathons. I try to do something each year to give me the focus, which means I have to have a reason to be fit. So I give myself a challenge. If I didn’t have that I could very easily fall into the lifestyle of still eating like I’m an athlete but not training. I’ve got a bike, so I cycle a little bit.
Any injuries?
In one respect my body is knackered because I put it through so much, but compared to most of my mates my age, athletes or not, I’m in a better shape.
All my old injuries have settled down, like my ruptured achilles. It’s new injuries that I’ve done to myself in retirement like plantar fasciitis and fracturing a bone in my left foot.
I broke my foot doing the ultramarathon, so I’ve had two years off running as a result.
Do you still enjoy running?
Until my feet were broken I was running a lot. I used to religiously do Parkrun.
It was a reason to keep sharp. But then I noticed people saying, “It’s that Olympic runner, I’m going to beat him!” I stopped doing Parkrun when a nine-year-old boy in an Everton jersey kept beating me. I knew my time was up.
![Thomas competing in the 400m heats in the 1996 Olympic Games](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/health-fitness/2024/07/19/TELEMMGLPICT000385805041_17213872950340_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqy66hu0TpIy4d7oO0NBM5NeLf7gUTqdFjMi-pVf1nen0.jpeg?imwidth=350)
How competitive are you?
At 50 years of age I am still the most competitive person I have ever met.
I know I won’t be the best. When I did my ultra-marathon, the Centurion, I came second last but I didn’t mention that. Instead I say: “Out of 450 starters I was one of only 180 to finish that day.” It was so tough.
What are your guilty pleasures?
I have many guilty, unhealthy habits. I love a dessert. The bigger the better.
What are your unhealthy habits?
You could argue the most unhealthy thing I’ve done recently is run 100 miles. My body’s telling me that was very unhealthy. But if I’m being honest, the other day I got two McDonalds triple cheese burgers and stacked them on top of each other and it was lush.
What was the worst thing about being an elite athlete?
The things that were horrible were the things I actually liked. Most people hated running until they were sick but I thought it was part of the job. I loved pushing myself too far sometimes.
How does your fitness compare to when you were an athlete?
My body is better now than when I was an athlete. I’m not trying to push it 120 per cent on an athletics track, which is very unforgiving.
I think I’m probably stronger from the gym than when I was an athlete. I feel alright actually.
![Iwan Thomas](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/health-fitness/2024/07/19/TELEMMGLPICT000378772869_17213874197680_trans_NvBQzQNjv4Bqv3hxuICTza90rxjOncu1SDDAfwB3lrD912jpbltkVmM.jpeg?imwidth=350)
How often do you go to the gym?
I go to the gym three times a week, four if I’m allowed. I put the kids to bed and then go for two hours. It’s a proper training gym. There’s not one mirror in the whole palace. There’s one rowing machine and one bike.
Worst fitness habit?
I do no stretching. I don’t even warm up, I go straight into training. It’s bad I know but it’s a time thing. If I get there at 7.30pm at night and it shuts at 9pm I haven’t got time to warm up. And I find it boring. Before, if I didn’t warm up I would get injured but now I’m old and I think I’ll just rock up and train.
What was your training as an athlete?
The winter would be the conditioning phase, getting super fit. Summer was about sheer speed. The warm up would quite often take longer than the session. You’d warm up for an hour, the training session would be 20 minutes, you’d warm down and go home.
What was your earliest sporting success?
I was that annoying cheeky boy who represented my school in so many sports that I got away with being a bit naughty. BMX racing was my main thing from the age of nine. I came fourth in the European championships when I was 14.
How is your sleep?
With three young kids I don’t get any sleep. I miss sleep a lot. I used to love sleep. I think when you’re pushing your body to such extremes, you’re tired a lot.
What did you eat as an athlete?
I used to eat a lot – 5,000 calories a day, and not necessarily good calories. Every training session on the way back before I got home for dinner I’d have a Big Mac meal with a milkshake, just to keep me going.
It was less scientific in my day. I might have taken the occasional multivitamin. Creatine had just come out but I was so worried and cautious about what I took because of the drug testing.
![Iwan Thomas](/https/www.telegraph.co.uk/content/dam/health-fitness/2024/07/19/TELEMMGLPICT000378772832_17213875250100_trans_NvBQzQNjv4BqpVlberWd9EgFPZtcLiMQf0Rf_Wk3V23H2268P_XkPxc.jpeg?imwidth=350)
What is your diet like?
I still like to eat a lot, so I have to train a lot. I could be in better shape given how much I train. Seriously, my diet could be better. I love junk food. I love burgers. I love sweet things like McFlurries. I could do with eating more sensibly, especially now that I’m getting older.
What supplements do you take?
I haven’t taken any for months, but I do take protein or creatine.
Any fitness fads that you like?
I’ve tried fasting. The one thing that I’d like to try is Hyrox (a fitness competition that sees competitors complete 8km of running interspersed with eight separate fitness stations). I’ve had a number of people message me and say you’d be really good at that. There’s an over-50 category. That’s my next challenge.