INTERVIEWER: This is a blue carpet.
There are many like it in the world,
but this one bears a unique significance.
It's where dreams can get realized or shattered.
GWEN JORGENSEN: You know that blue carpet is something that's
at the end of every race, no matter if you're crossing in
first or you're crossing in last,
you're still running down the blue carpet.
And it's why we do what we do.
It's why we're gone for nine months of the years
that we can actually perform and just get
the most out of ourselves.
INTERVIEWER: With nine races crisscrossing the globe,
the blue carpet is the only constant
facing athletes race after race.
Injury, illness, mechanicals, so much to go wrong on race day.
How do you find consistency and become the most successful
athlete in the world?
Is it sheer luck?
Or is it a combination of good old hard work and meticulous
attention to detail?
GWEN JORGENSEN: In triathlon, everything I do
is for or because of my job of triathlon.
When I sleep, when I recover, what
I do for recovery, training, it's a 24 hour job.
There's definitely days I wake up when
I don't want to get out of bed.
And my muscles are sore, I'm tired.
I mean, we don't really get days off.
That's not the luxury I'm given.
I have a journal now that I've kept for the past three years.
I write in it every single day when I'm training.
In season, I'll write down three things I did well
and three things I could improve upon.
I know that in order to be successful,
I really need to invest in myself
and invest in this career every single day.
I think what everyone loves about sport,
and why everyone follows it, and watches it,
is because you never know what's going to happen on race day.
It doesn't matter what you've done in the past.
It doesn't matter how good your training's been going
or how bad.
It's who shows up on that day.
It's why the world comes together to watch sport.
It's something exciting.
And every time I line up, I'm prepared
and I want to do my best and I give it my all.
I've had a plan for four years and that's
to go to the Rio Olympics.
I don't have a plan after that.
I just don't know what I'm going to do.
It's so hard when you put four years into one goal,
you don't know how you're going to feel afterwards.
You know, it comes down to that one race
and everything I do leading up to August 20th
is for that race at the Olympics.
We came to New Plymouth because we
were trying to get in some really good riding
to prepare for the Rio Olympics.
I have endless run trails to run on with water flowing.
It's just gorgeous.
The riding is unbelievable.
And every time we go out, there's sheep and cows
and you have the mountain in the background.
And just being able to go on some long rides and see
that beauty is something that I feel really
fortunate to be able to do.
I've been working with Jamie Turner since the end of 2012.
He has the big picture in mind.
And a lot of times I maybe can't see that big picture,
and there's definitely days when I get frustrated,
but I know that Jamie's the best triathlon coach in the world.
And I feel really fortunate to be working with him.
Did you get some cheese today, honey?
PATRICK JORGENSEN: I'm just cooking it.
I'm going out.
Gwen, can I go out?
GWEN JORGENSEN: Patrick is a huge part of my life.
We're married first and foremost.
But you know, he gave up his career
to follow me around so when I come home from training,
I don't have to talk about triathlon.
He gets me.
And we're just able to be ourselves and have
a really good time.
I'm excited going to Gold Coast and race my first WTS of 2016,
to go against the best in the world,
and see maybe where I can improve upon.
SUBJECT 1: It's 31, from the United States,
two time world triathlon champion, Gwen Jorgensen.
INTERVIEWER: In racing, and in life,
things are often unpredictable and beyond our control.
Today, however, will not be Gwen's day on the carpet,
her first second place finish in nearly two years of racing.
With the pressure of a constant winning streak now broken,
she can focus on the ultimate goal, Rio 2016.