Paralympic body
Richard Whitehead
sprinter
Age: 36
From: Nottingham
Weight: 79kg
Height: 6ft 1in
Motto: “Cometh the hour, cometh the man”
Medals: Became the first leg amputee to break the three-hour barrier for a marathon when he recorded a time of 2hrs 56min 45sec in 2009. Won gold at the IPC Athletics European Championships in 2012 over 200 metres.
Training: “I train six days a week up to three sessions a day, 35 hours a week. Of this about a quarter is spent on the track, another quarter out training on the road and a third quarter in the gym doing strength and conditioning. The rest of the time is made up of doing some soft tissue work or swimming training.”
Diet and food: “It slightly depends on what phase of my year I am in, but if I want to get down to my racing weight I will cut out the carbohydrates in my diet. I eat really healthily so lots of fruit and vegetables. Where possible I get everything I need naturally rather than relying on supplements. I have about five small, manageable meals a day.”
Drinks: “Mainly water but I also take electrolyte drinks to replace lost salt and sodium.”
Treats: “I love Cadbury’s Dairy Milk chocolate and chocolate chip cookie ice cream. I don’t care what brand it is. I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth.”
Beauty: “I’m not sure about that. If guys are spending too much time on that they are a bit soft. At a time of competition it’s about putting everything out there. I do use Clinique moisturiser but not around competition time.”
Hair: “I have it cut before competition. I use paste in it but the days of hair gel are gone. Everyone wants a more natural look now.”
Shaving: “I shave most days. You have to shave on competition days, you know you are ready.”
Spa treatments: “It’s not really me, spending too much time in a beauty salon. I’ve got a friend who owns a spa in Nottingham but I don’t use it.”
Bad habits: “I like to get my own way. I’m quite precise with what I do and I like things to be done in a certain way.”
Favourite body part: “My back. At least that’s what my girlfriend likes.”
Least favourite body part: “I don’t have one.”
Other sports: “My parents started me in a gymnastics club when I was very young. Gymnastics is very disciplined and a lot of what I learnt then I still use today. I swam internationally and also went to the winter Paralympics in 2006 for sledge hockey.”
Passion: “The power of sport is a massive tool which can inspire people whatever background you come from. If you are positive about sport, it can spill over into your community.”
