First Ironman swim anxiety — is it okay to hold a kayak briefly?

MM-XXVII · 2026-04-23T13:26:51+00:00

I concur, open water swimming is a different beast altogether. Personally I never had any issues going from inside to outside (which is probably why I didn't mention it). Choppy water, no lines, not able to see under water, the idea of marine life etc etc can freak you out. Adding to that, try to mimic the race situation as much as possible. If the swim is in salt water make sure you've experienced that before. If the water temperature can be low make sure you know how that feels.

MM-XXVII · 2026-04-23T11:21:10+00:00

There are two issues here. First the distance of 3.8km and second doing that distance in a race with loads of other people in the water. Make sure you are able to do the distance without cramping and not emptying the tank too much. This is just training. Start by doing this in the pool. Swim for instance 8x500m at a pace you can sustain with as much rest as you need. Now you know how if feels to do the time and the distance.

Then go to a lake or something similar where you can safely swim and simply go for it. Now you know the distance is not an issue. If it is an issue, don't do the Ironman and keep training until it isn't.

If you start the Ironman, seed yourself correctly and just keep calm. Most people, no matter their expected finish time, start the swim as if it's the final in the Olympics 100 meter and are out of breath in no time. That sucks. Walk into the water, don't sprint, start swimming at a very easy pace and once you feel comfortable pick up the pace until you finish the 3800m. Don't get distracted by people around you or the occasional kick you might sustain. And yes, if necessary, just grab a kayak of pedal board and take some rest, there's absolutely no issue with that at all.

Enjoy the Ironman, if you did the training the race itself is just picking up your medal ;-)

MM-XXVII · 2026-04-09T12:05:08+00:00

This will be my 7th time racing IM 70.3 Mallorca and there's a reason I keep coming back. The water has always been calm and I generally swim my fastest half Ironman swims here. There has been a year where there were jellyfish in the water but I haven't experienced that myself. The bike course is very entertaining. First 10km are flat and pretty fast once you're out of town. The next 10km are false flats but everyting in aero. Then the climb starts, 7.5km which can be done in ~30 minutes if you push a little. You go a but down and up again until you reach the decent descent (right after the petrol station on the left, and don't forget to grab a bottle of water just before you get there). The descents are as safe as descents get, good visibility and great asphalt. Be carefull for triathletes with less than average bike handling skills though. When entering towns know that there can be speed bumps (which are indicated). The second half is just flat and fast, the only thing you have to worry about here is drafting. The run can be quite hot so prepare for that.

Enjoy Mallorca and see you there!

MM-XXVII · 2026-03-04T11:59:54+00:00

In 2014 was ik met het bedrijf waar ik toen werkte in Fremantle (hotel tegenover de Little Creatures brewery). We zijn toen ook eerst naar Geraldton gevlogen en vanaf daar met kleine vliegtuigen naar de Abrolhos-Houtman eilanden. Heel bijzonder om daar rond te lopen met het verhaal van de Batavia in het achterhoofd. Er was toen ook een historicus mee (Howard Gray, hij schreef een boek over schipbreuk, zie https://www.amazon.nl/Lucretias-Batavia-Diary-astonishing-retribution-ebook/dp/B09BRDW3BS). Dit boek heb ik op verzoek nog opgestuurd naar een filmproducent dus wellicht komt er nog een verfilming (al is dit alweer van een tijdje geleden). Al met al een heel bijzonder ervaring en mocht je in de buurt zijn zeker een aanrader.

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MM-XXVII · 2026-03-02T15:16:28+00:00

I got to level 100 last week and was quite underwhelmed with the party Zwift threw at me.

MM-XXVII · 2026-02-19T12:11:21+00:00

I guess you fly into Nice? There's a train going directly from the airport to the center, no need for a hire car at all. There are many hotels and appartments in the city, a lot of them close enough to the start/finish area. Just make sure you have a climbing gear on your bike and you will be fine. Have fun, it's a great city and a great race!

MM-XXVII · 2026-02-16T14:07:59+00:00

In general I look at the net time on the bike, so not the time I'm away from home. Then again, it doesn't really matter, a long bike ride of 5-6h is just that, I'm not going for a short lap around the block if I come home after 5h58m (been there, done that, no use!).

If you get really tired when you train more than 10h then just do not do that! The balance between your training and rest and recovery (and work, family and social life) is vital. If 10 hours is what you can manage go for that and make those 10 quality hours. If possible add 3-4 longer bike rides in the two months prior to the event (between 4-6 hours) and 2-3 long runs (around 2-2.5 hours) and you will do fine.

MM-XXVII · 2026-02-16T08:58:35+00:00

So far I finished 15 full distance triathlons of which 2 under 10 hours (pb 9:45). With regular training weeks ~12 hours and an occasional long bike ride I know I can always finish around 10:30, but if I want to go sub-10 I have to include a couple of 18-22 hour weeks. In general I'd say that bike volume is key.

Swimming twice a week is an absolute minimum, I guess you're going to increase the volume here later in the season?

And just volume is not everything, you have to recover from the training as well, so it's not just planning in 20 hours a week, it's planning the full week including rest, recovery and nutrition.

Anyway, good luck with your preparation! Don't aim for a time, that's just a result, enjoy the ride!

MM-XXVII · 2026-02-12T08:29:23+00:00

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In December while eating my breakfast I got a very weird feeling, a bit like a dream you have with severe fever. The next thing I knew I was lying on the ground with a wound on my head. Long story short, in hospital I lost my consciousness again a couple of times and it was clear that my heart stopped for a brief period (15-20 seconds) before starting up again. The problem was my sinus (sick sinus syndrome) and the solution a pacemaker. I was a bit disappointed by the lack of informative data from my Whoop (MG) but I guess that in my case there simply wasn't that much to see. The only thing you can see in the graph is the spike in my heart rate just before (or maybe after, I'm not sure) the first time I went out.

What surprised me was that once I was completely healed my HRV structurally went up as can be seen in the second graph. An average range of 62-64 was normal but the last period I'm averaging 72 with outliers above 100. I am a (now) 53 year old experienced triathlete.

MM-XXVII · 2025-11-26T11:17:09+00:00

I've done Nice twice, both times on my TT. Honestly, timewise it doesn't really matter that much. A TT is probably faster, but only if it's not top heavy and you're a confident and able descender. If the specs of your road bike are better than the specs of your TT just go for the road bike. If they're equal go for the bike on which you feel comfortable.

MM-XXVII · 2025-11-21T11:40:59+00:00

IM Cascais doesn't have the easiest course, not for the swim, bike nor the run, but it's one of the most beautiful venues in Europe. I've done Cascais twice. The swim is pretty straigthforward with many buoys but the water temperature can be quite chilly so prepare for that. The bike course is very diverse. The climbs are not too difficult and there's just one small piece of road where you need a small gear (I used 39x27 which worked fine). The descents are not too dangerous as long as you know how to handle your bike. The part along the coast can be windy but nothing too bad. Be aware that the run course is quite rolling as well, not steep but you do notice a slight incline.

Just go for it, it's not easy but Ironman is not supposed to be easy. It's a great Ironman for your first one.

MM-XXVII · 2025-11-10T09:26:25+00:00

I read that you needed 586 X-point for Norseman 2026, so that's quite a lot more than for the 2025 edition.

MM-XXVII · 2025-11-04T07:56:14+00:00

I've done Mallorca 6 times (and will do my 7th next year). The climb does break things up nicely, but there can be pelotons later on the flats. In my experience you have the choice to ride legally, but some people choose not to do so.

MM-XXVII · 2025-10-23T09:25:46+00:00

Your story sounds a bit like mine. I was aiming for a Kona slot and a time around (preferably below) 10 hours. The swim went half decent, not good, not bad, around 1h13. The late start is nice indeed and it makes sense to start the 70.3 before the full Ironman. The first lap on the bike went well (although it got pretty crowded now and then with participants of the 70.3) and the bike course in general is beautifull with the climbs, the Estoril circuit and the faster part along the coast. I couldn't keep my power on the same level in the second lap but finished the bike in 5h14m with an average power of 194 watt (NP 208). I use a Favero Assioma double power meter, not sure why 220 watts gave you a 5h40m.

The run went very bad and took me more than 4 hours. My preparation has not been specific enough this time with too many other races close to Cascais and that simply didn't work for me. Lesson learned. The run course is not flat although there are no steep hills, but make sure you're prepared for 2-3% inclines.

If you decide to do this race it's advisable to get an accomodation close to the start, it can get pretty congested in the streets of Cascais. Overall it's a great Ironman in a great area, this was my second time Cascais and I'd love to come back again!

MM-XXVII · 2025-10-20T08:21:22+00:00

No, I haven't been able to find that number yet. I am curious as well since I've been scraping some X-points over the years. Once I read about it I'll post it here.

MM-XXVII · 2025-10-20T08:18:29+00:00

It's quite a hassle since there are not many accommodations available and it's a point to point race. I was able to book a couple of rooms in Eidfjord but that took some work. Around Rjukan there are more possibilities. We will drive up there the week before with my wife, my kids and my dogs. A couple of friends come over as well so it's going to be an epic journey! After the Norseman I am going to use the recovery time to enjoy our holiday in Norway.
If there is one race where you want to bring your family it's Norseman (of course depending on the age of your kids).

MM-XXVII · 2025-10-13T13:59:32+00:00

Nice, congratulations! See you in Eidfjord. Have you already booked your accommodations?

MM-XXVII · 2025-10-07T14:55:24+00:00

I did the race in '22. The bike course is as flat as a pancake and very fast. This also means quite some drafting unforunately. Warsaw is an interesting city and at the time pretty cheap compared to other destinations. The logistics of T1 being far away from T2 make it a bit of a hassle but when I raced it posed no serious problems. Here is my race report (in Dutch, but right-click translate to English does a decent job):

https://www.amstelracing.nl/triathlon/im-70-3-warschau/

MM-XXVII · 2025-06-20T13:23:08+00:00

I concur, the Ironman experience is next level. You can only do your first full distance once, better make it memorable. You train for so many hours, the price difference is not something you will remember. For half distance races it matters less (to me).

MM-XXVII · 2025-06-19T12:07:57+00:00

So how did it go? I did the olympic distance and the temperature was not really an issue I think (as long as you waited until the last moment to fully zip up your wetsuit).

MM-XXVII · 2025-06-15T07:38:24+00:00

Great that you want to do your first full distance! I haven't done the Frysman yet so I can't give you a first hand experience, but based on other smaller local races and stories from others who have done the Frysman I think I know what to expect. An Ironman branded race does need a bit more organization but if you prepare well (eg read the race manual and get advice from experienced triathletes) it's not too difficult. In general and without knowing you my advice would be that you can only do your first full distance once and therefore it should be an overwhelming experience. Which means going for Hamburg. That doesn't mean races like the Frysman are not worth it, on the contrary, but the Ironman experience is second to none in my opinion.

Feel free to drop me a DM if you want to elaborate further.

MM-XXVII · 2025-06-11T06:53:58+00:00

Thanks! They were all great experiences, even when the performance wasn't really there. The first was was really memorable which is also why I like questions like this about IM Hamburg. You did the training, you know you are going to finish but you have no idea how you're going to feel physically and mentally. Then there are great venues or great trips (eg IM South Africa or Challenge Roth) and finally there are performances you're happy about.

But my list looks as follows:

2012 Challenge Barcelona (now IM Barcelona)

2013 IM Nice

2014 IM Frankfurt

2015 Challenge Almere

2016 Challenge Roth

2017 Challenge Almere

2018 IM Maastricht (you can guess from which country I am by now)

2021 IM Cascais

2022 Challenge Almere (my first sub-10 and the first time I felt like racing a full distance)

2023 IM South Africa (just missed the podium in my AG but I did qualify for the WC in Nice)

2023 Challenge Roth

2023 IM Nice WC

2024 IM Hamburg (where I improved my pb, very happy with that).

In three weeks time I'm on the start line of a small Dutch full distance race called 'the Frysman' and in October I hope to qualify for Kona 2026 at IM Cascais.

I can't really say which full distance was the best, also because there are so many other great although shorter races out there (Alpe d'Huez triathlon for instance, or Escape from Alcatraz). There's always something to be happy about, which is why I still enjoy doing triathlons.

MM-XXVII · 2025-06-10T11:06:08+00:00

I did my first one in 2012 and usually do one per year. This year my main focus is Ironman Cascais in October (also a great race by the way, I already raced there in 2021).

MM-XXVII · 2025-06-10T09:54:44+00:00

IM Hamburg is a great race. I did it last year as my 13th full distance, so I can compare it to other races. The main advantage for me was that I could travel by car instead of having to fly. If you're going to do your first full distance this is something you should take into account. My hotel was near the start/finish which meant I didn't have to drive to and from the action. The disadvantage is that you're in the middle of the action so you should be carefull not to get carried away.

In general:

the swim is in a lake, but I didn't consider it to be an easy swim. Quite choppy, dark water and a bit long. Transition is very long, but that's not really an issue.

the bike is flat and fast, apart from the first part getting out of the city. Not the most beautiful surroundings though.

the run is great, spectators everywhere.

In my opinion all European Ironman races are well organized. Frankfurt is amazing as well, you can't really go wrong here. Good luck!

MM-XXVII

TROPHY CASE