I can’t say I’m an expert, but I’ve done three triathlons. An Olympic one in Barcelona, a half Ironman in Tampa (USA), and a full Ironman in Cervia, Italy. I have to tell the truth, the first one was a total failure because I decided to do it just to accompany a friend, but I had no kind of preparation, especially for swimming, and the last 10km of running (which could be compared to a fast walk) were the longest of my life.
However, for the half Ironman, I had prepared myself physically well, but unfortunately, I completely messed up my nutrition during the race, and in the half marathon, I had to walk due to liver pain. Nevertheless, the experience of the half Ironman gave me the necessary foundations to prepare for the full one, which, if you haven’t looked at the Wikipedia page, involves 3.8km of open water swimming, 180km of cycling (with a minimum of altitude difference), and 42km of flat running. Fortunately for me, everything went according to plan, the weather was good, and I didn’t have any injuries before or during the race. Of course, my goal was to finish it “well,” enjoying the event and not stressing my body too much, and I have to say that’s exactly what happened.
I arrived smiling and satisfied, and after finishing the race, I even took the opportunity to go for a beer with my mom, dad, and some dear friends (who I still thank today for their support) who came to watch me compete.
If you plan to try a triathlon of any kind, the advice I can give you is to learn to swim well (if you don’t already know how) and to test well when, how much, and what to eat and drink. My experience with triathlon has been very fulfilling, and if I can give you a piece of advice, don’t pay attention to the registration costs to participate in a race organized by the IRONMAN association. I know there are others organized around Italy, but the feeling of being part of an event managed by the official association is truly electrifying. Even more so if you don’t want to make triathlon your sport and if, like me, you aim to do one just to test yourself.
If you want to know how I trained and how much, feel free to write to me, I will be happy to share with you all my preparation.
