Bonjour Nice! A seaside Ironman chat with Alice Alberts

The Ironman Women’s World Championship is upon us, and it’s a special one. For the first time, with the titles being rotated annually, the women will take to Nice, France, for the battle of Ironman supremacy.

And it’s a place with so much distance racing history. True, Ironman has only hosted a few events on the French Riviera, but the cobbled beach, the Promenade des Anglais, and the challenging, mountainous terrain where the Alpes Hautes drop into the ocean are fabled. Paula Newby-Fraser, the Puntous Twins, Mark Allen, and Rob Barel took on the Nice Triathlon, a long-course event that was among the biggest races in the 1980s.

Fast forward to this weekend, where over 1,400 women will take on the same hills, brisk ocean water, and heat on the run in search of… well, a lot of firsts. Unlike Kona, many women will be racing the Nice course for the very first time.

Such is the case for Alice Alberts. The Boston-based pro is going in green—but not as green as many. For nearly three weeks ahead of the race, she’s been in Nice, scouting the swim, bike, and run courses, getting as familiar as she can with the new terrain.

And it’s not just new terrain; it’s not just her first Ironman World Championship as a pro; it’s her first-ever race in Europe. Happily, it’s also her first time trying the amazing food available in the South of France. We caught up with Alice to chat about her season, her preparation for the race, having her two coaches on hand to polish off her final days of training, and dining out in Nice.

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This season has been a new experience. There’s been another Ironman podium at Lake Placid, but thanks to the Ironman Pro Series, which rewards balance across the full and half Ironman distances, you’ve done more 70.3 events than ever, putting you sixth in the series for the year. How has incorporating more “shorter” races with the 70.3s played into your season?

With two Ironman wins, last year was a successful year. But I almost find this year to be even better. I’ve had great results in shorter, faster races with the 70.3s, and in really competitive fields. I feel like it’s set me up nicely for this extremely competitive field here in Nice. I’ve really loved the Ironman Pro Series; it’s definitely raising the bar and improving the quality of athletes showing up at these races. It’s really challenged me to step up in training and racing and see what I’m capable of.

The 70.3s have been enjoyable. That kind of training has only benefited my Ironman performance, giving me a touch of high-end power and speed that I can extend into a longer race.

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You’ve been working with Natasha Van Der Merwe for a while now, and we’ve also seen legendary Ironman champ Chris Lieto joining your training and strength work ahead of the race. What’s the story there?

It was Natasha’s idea to bring Chris onto our squad and have him come out to Nice along with her. I’ve seen improvements in my numbers, and I’m excited to hopefully show them off on race day. But yes, Chris joined us after Ironman Texas. At Ironman Lake Placid, I started to show some of that fitness, and I’ve improved since then.

Having Chris to train with and learn from has been unreal. His advice on descents, climbing, and how to approach the course, which is really tactical, has been invaluable. If you can’t ride the course, I recommend driving it. It takes a while, but it’s worth it.

In addition, so much of Ironman racing is mental. Being surrounded by good people puts me in the right mindset, and when I’m in that space, I always race better. It’s been a fantastic few weeks, and I’m feeling great mentally and physically.

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I imagine there have only been a few other pros pre-training on the course this far out from the race.

We wanted to set myself up for success, and we think this is the best way to do it. There are good hills to climb in the U.S., but there’s really nothing like this. You can’t practice these kinds of descents and sustained climbs in the States. So, I’ve been getting familiar with that and building a game plan for the course. I think it’s necessary.

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What’s your first impression of Nice, and your first time in France?

I didn’t know what to expect! It’s such a cool city, and I’ve been getting a good feel for the culture. Maybe it’s because I’m from Massachusetts, but I’m super impressed with the road quality. The roads are narrow, but cars are really used to cyclists—they know how to share the space. And yeah, I’ve never raced in Europe, so that’s a first!

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And the French food?

Oh, it’s spectacular. We originally planned to cook in, but we’ve ended up going out every night for the experience and the culture. There are just so many restaurants—and they’re packed every single night. I thought, “OK, we’ll go out Monday after the weekend crowds settle down,” but nope, they’re packed every evening! I had a salade niçoise the other evening... so good!

And when I’ve been out riding, I’ve come across some amazing boulangeries. I found the best croissant I’ve ever had in my life—so flaky and incredible. And it was in this tiny, random bakery at mile 80 on the course!

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We’ve been enjoying following your journey, not just in Nice but all season long. How has it been being a pro who invites age-groupers to share in your experiences in such an approachable way?

It’s been fun and unexpected! I decided to do it when I turned pro, thinking it would be great to just share what I’m doing day-to-day—training, meals, recovery. I love sharing and interacting with others, and the engagement is fantastic. It’s so much fun to connect with other triathletes. And it should be fun! The age-groupers I chat with are training really hard too, so we bond over it. I don’t hide anything; I show my good days and my bad days. It’s been really rewarding to have the support of fans. Some people see social media as a job, but for me, it’s an opportunity to show who I am. And sharing that—that’s been fun.

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Your husband Mike, who frequently shows up on your social media, has been back home working. Has it been tough being in a place as nice as Nice without him?

He gets here Monday, and I can’t wait! The time zone difference is tough, so syncing up to talk has been hard. I miss him a lot and am excited for him to finally get here. Not that my current company isn’t awesome! (laughs) Natasha and Chris have been wonderful. But yeah, I’m really excited for him to arrive.

To be honest, I wouldn’t be where I am without Mike. He believes in my dreams at every turn. He keeps me grounded, and his belief in me is unwavering. I wouldn’t have done an Ironman without him, and I never imagined I could have gone pro, won a race, or been at the World Championship without him. He keeps me going.

Alice Alberts will be racing in the women’s pro division at the IRONMAN World Championship Women’s event on Sunday, Sept 22. 

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