How was the sport of triathlon born?

DB: It all happened in Hawaii, when three U.S. Marines got drunk and couldn’t decide which of the three individual events on the island was the hardest. So they put them all in a row and called it the ‘Ironman’.

What’s the best way to prepare for an event?

It all depends which event. Triathlon ranges from sprint distance to Ironman. From 0:45h to 8:15h of racing. The longer the race lasts the more you have to train and prepare -  and with the increasing distance the importance of the bike increases.  Several short distance events are drafting legal races, whereas every Half Ironman and Ironman is an individual time trial, hence the greater importance of the bike leg.  To take it to the next level from “just finishing” to really racing, you would need a good coach to lead you by experience.

Why do you only race four of five times per year?

I really believe that if you race only a few very selected and quality races and focus on them solely, you will produce better results.  In contrast to bike racing, where races are also used to prepare with race specific speed and finally get you into shape, triathletes in general prepare with hard training sessions and race simulations, as racing (especially the longer events) will take a lot out of you.  The key for me personally is to be 100% fit when I race so I can perform at my maximum.  There is no hiding or cruising in triathlon, as each race is an individual time trial.

Does every triathlete have a discipline where he’s stronger/weaker than the rest of the field?  How to anticipate for that?

Many athletes cross over to triathlons and have a different sporting past which allows them to favor one of the three disciplines, but key is to be strong throughout the swim, the bike and of course the final run to be able to adapt to each race tactics and formats. As a strong runner you have to hang on for dear life to hope to be close to the other competitors to show your strength and vice-versa.  If you are a top swimmer, you can make a difference early on and you have to hope that your swim advantage carries on till the finish.  If you are strong in each discipline, you could always be a factor and react according to the demands of a race.

Why isn’t the Olympic discipline the same as the Ironman?

Olympic distance (OD) is basically 1/4 of the originally Ironman Distance (IM) of (3.86/180/42.1). OD is the Olympic event, whereas IM is the origin of our sport and with its mecca in Hawaii, Kona, the most prestigious of our sport history.  It has also become the title of the hardest one-day sporting event in the world.  I believe that says enough about it...

What’s the hardest part about switching from Olympic to Ironman?

It‘s a different sport, racing 1h50 versus 8h15 is a major change in training and a mental challenge in itself. Swimming is probably the easiest to adapt quickly.  The bike becomes a major focus and all that plays a role (aerodynamics, switching to TT bikes).  Running 10 kilometers versus a marathon is also a completely different game.  Given the fact that training entails much more and longer sessions, the mental aspect adds quite a big component to it as well and not getting injured.  The sport becomes integrated into everyday life as each little puzzle piece will contribute to success.

How do you fuel your body during the race?

Fuelling right is similar to the Transition part of the race in the sense that it is somewhat like the 4th discipline of tri racing.  To cut it short: a race car doesn’t go fast without the right fuel.  But also, if the driver is bad, the best race car won‘t go fast either.  The key is to know your body, which happens over time. Personal experience is needed to understand the needs of your own body. There is no plan that works for everyone. Having a well oiled engine throughout training and racing sessions is key for it to function and to recover afterwards.  In tri racing you need to adapt the same system and according to temperature and other conditions slightly adapt your intake, never forgetting electrolytes and pure energy for the entire duration of the race.

What do you eat in the 24 hours before an Ironman?

Carbo loading is a typical way to fuel up the days before the race. You would typically eat light and easy digestible meals. Obviously a lot of pasta goes down night before the race.  The morning of the race, I eat white bread with some nice spread of jam or honey, so I can somehow enjoy the not so great tasting food at 4 am in the morning of my Ironman.  A strong cup of coffee will help to digest and wake you up fully.  Sleep is usually not the very best the night(s) before the big key races.

How many hours per week do you train?

Training varies depending on the time of the year. In peak training, so before a major race, I am putting in 30-35 hours consistently over a few weeks to get adapted to the big work load.  In calmer weeks I will reduce drastically and operate only on 60-75% depending on my physical condition.  The toughest part is after the long winter break to come back to training without getting hurt.  Potential weight gain and very low training hours the weeks before make the transition into training a tougher task compared with during the season.