Many top athletes swear by unflinching self-belief and unrelenting positivity, but not reigning IRONMAN World Champion Laura Philipp.
According to her coach, and husband, Philipp Seipp, the German superstar’s latest feats are being driven by a very different emotion altogether – doubt.
Philipp smashed the previous best time for an IRONMAN-branded race when she clocked 8:03:13 in Hamburg earlier this month to make it two wins out of two this year following her triumph at Ironman 70.3 Kraichgau.
Leaving the comfort zone
But posting on Instagram after his wife’s latest heroics, Seipp wrote: “If used correctly, doubt can serve as a driver for personal growth and new perspectives.
“They can lead to reflection, innovation and the discovery of new paths by encouraging us to leave our comfort zone and take risks.
“This is exactly the kind of doubting we allowed to happen in winter. I am very grateful that this path is already showing such progress in the first races. It gives me great pleasure to be able to accompany @laura_philipp_tri on this journey😍”
Currently ranked number four in the world, Laura has been training hard at her high altitude camp up the Swiss mountains as she looks to build on last year’s success.
And she also admits that it isn’t just doubt but nerves too which can play a part in motivating her to be her best.
Intensity and nerves
Writing about her bike routine in Switzerland on Instagram this week, she wrote: “Slowly introducing some intensity into my training up here.
“On today’s menu was a set of hard 2 minutes followed by some longer 20 minute reps. I am always nervous before a session like this, because less oxygen in the air makes those efforts even harder.
“It’s a great test of going more by feel rather than focusing too much on the power meter.”
She’s certainly made a fine start to 2025, winning 70.3 Kraichgau for the sixth time in a row before making headlines with her record-breaking run in Germany.
Debut win
When she announced her schedule in April, Challenge Roth was next up on her agenda in July, an event where she is still looking for her debut win.
Philipp finished third in 2023 and then runner-up last year as first Daniela Ryf and then Anne Haug broke the world record for the fastest-ever full-distance time around Roth.
Laura’s big goal for the year of course is defending the IRONMAN World Championship title she won in Nice last year when the race returns to its spiritual home of Kona, Hawaii in October.
