Marathon training and finding a balance: Behind the Visor with Rafael Villagómez

Over the next few weeks, Rafael Villagómez will be training to jump back into the car at Monza, but he will also be working to be ready for his marathon later this year.

The Van Amersfoort Racing driver recently sat down with us to tell us about what he does away from the track, and it turns out it involves a lot of physical activity.

“I like to do a few things, running, cycling and padel. Those three are the ones that I do the most.

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“I don't know why all of us drivers love those things, especially padel, but it's all what I do. It's good training, and at the same time I am training for a marathon at the end of the year.

“Padel is just for fun you know, with friends and family, and also with some of the guys that race here, so it's cool.

“I play padel with my teammate John sometimes, but mainly I play with Amaury. He is pretty good.

“I am running the New York Marathon later this year. It's tough because I am racing and then running, but running is a sport where if you stop for a couple of days, it's super tough to go back. This year, I need to find a balance a little bit more, it's a challenge but it will be fine.

“For the marathon, it depends on the week, but my average week is running 65kms, but when we are racing, like during a double header, it's just when I get the time. I could be doing 50kms but then I would be super tired for the weekend.

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“With cycling as well, it's good because you spend time outdoors which I like, and you get stronger. It's also easier on the body and the muscles, but also, I need to balance it with lifting.

“You cannot only balance cycling and running, you still need to be in the gym, it's just all about finding the right balance.

“Also I love food. That's one of the reasons why I cycle. You can then pretty much eat everything. I also really like music, so those are my normal hobbies, music and food.

“I listen to everything. My playlist is so random, if you go through it, it's really random, but I would say it's mainly rap and house music.

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“I live in Madrid, and there are a couple of Mexican restaurants there that are quite good. That's pretty much what I have been doing.”