The race – Ironman Austria

Although newer races like the yet-to-be-run Ironman New York and Ironman Melbourne are maybe now taking a bit more of the spotlight, Europe (and more specifically, Austria and Germany) are really one of the heartlands of Ironman racing. Along with Challenge Roth, IM Austria is right up there as one of the most iconic, well-established and best-supported races on the scene.

I’ve been lucky enough to see quite a lot of Austria in the past few years and have rarely stumbled upon anywhere that is less than spectacular but even by those high standards, the region of Carinthia looks stunning. Austria’s southernmost state, it borders Italy and Slovenia.

Carinthia (all images courtesy of kaernten.at)

The race takes place in the Carinthian capital of Klagenfurt which is a relatively small city (population of 90,000) which is all the better for Ironman racing as, apparently, the town comes alive during IM week, and the locals lap up the experience, the excitement and, of course, the huge boost to the local economy.

Klagenfurt - a bit of a change from Dubai

Although it can rain at this time of year, the past few editions of the race have all been dry affairs, with average highs in Klagenfurt of around 27C (80F) in July – so, if it stays dry, it’s perfect Ironman weather.

Klagenfurt sits on the banks of the stunning Worthersee, a 20km long Alpine lake that plays a central role in the race.

Picture postcard Lake Worthersee - bit like Wadi Adventure, but bigger...

Swim

Swim start

It’s 3.8k, of course, in the crystal clear Worthersee; being an Alpine lake, even in summer it’s a wetsuit swim, and the water is usually flat as a fish pond. 

Not a bad place to swim.

The swim course heads directly out from the start on the east side of the lake, then comes back into the most iconic section of the swim – the last 700m or so is up a narrow canal, so spectators line both banks to cheer on the competitors.

Swimming up the canal.

Swim exit in front of a giant Connect 4 board.

Bike

The 180km bike course is two identical 90km loops which I like the sound of – not so many laps that you get bored, but manageable rides and you can learn from the first loop as you tackle the second. 

Biking along the lake.

The loops head off to the south of Worthersee following its banks, then comes back a little further south. 

Drafting? Us?

Apparently, the first and last 30km of each loop is rolling and can be tackled on the aero bars, with the middle 30km where most the challenging climbs can be found. 

I can almost hear the cow bells!

It’s not an easy course – with a couple of tough climbs in there and more than 2,000m of climbing on the bike – but a lot of the elevation differences are said to be through rolling terrain rather than pure climbs.

Everyone that does the race also talks of the amazing atmosphere, with locals flooding on to the roads Tour de France style and even writing their support across the tarmac.

Run

The marathon course heads out in the other direction, following the lake’s northern shore. It’s a sort of double figure of 8 course, with transition/start/finish located in the very centre – you head north along the shore into the town of Krumpendorf before coming back, passing transition/race village and heading east into Klagenfurt city centre. 

Race village.

You then head back to transition/race village and that’s the first lap completed – you just have to do it all one more time. Again, I like the sound of this course – it has the interest level of a two-looper but the motivation factor of a four-looper – i.e. you only have to see each section of the course twice, other than the transition/race village area which is where most spectators can be found, which you pass through every half loop.

Crowds gathering at the finish line.

It’s pretty much entirely flat on lakeside paths and main roads which, after the non-stop climbs and descents of IM Wales, I’m almost looking forward to!

Can't wait to get to this point!

Almost as much as that big stein of local beer at the end of the race!

The Times They Are A’Changin’

I have to admit that, other than the occasional race report here and there, I’ve been seriously rubbish at keeping you, my dear, loyal, slightly mental blog readers, updated of late. The reason for this, like a devil’s pitchfork, is triple-pronged.

Firstly, after quite a bit of blogging in the run up to Ironman, I guess I just ran out of steam. Secondly, I’ve been adjusting to my new job (well, promotion – same company) which has been pretty tough as I seem to have all the same old responsibilities but a pile of new ones too! The final reason is, happily, triathlon related – I’ve been busily sorting a couple of things out.

The first big bit of news is that, after going it alone so far, I’ve joined Tri2Aspire – the top local triathlon team here in the UAE. Coached by an ex pro triathlete, Jason (worryingly also goes by names like The Tyrant and Coach Pain!), there are all sorts of levels in the team but at the top end are some really cracking athletes, with age group World Championships and Kona qualifications under their race belts. Impressive stuff.

As you know if you’ve been a regular blog follower, I’ve always really enjoyed the self-coaching element of triathlon and learning by doing but it’s an extra burden on an already busy schedule. This month, coach has sent me my schedule along with the reason I’m doing what I’m doing and where it’s leading in the greater scheme of things. But that’s not my only reason for joining T2A. Triathlon can be quite a lonely endeavour and, at times during my training for IM Wales, I found ploughing that lonely furrow even harder than the physical ‘getting er done’. The social element seems to play a big role in the team – from coffee after early morning swim sessions or cheering each other to PBs to having a training partner to push you that little bit harder...I’m looking forward to diving into my first team sessions this weekend. It’s a long weekend (Eid holidays) here in Dubai, so a great chance to really give the body a beating!

So, the second big tri related news? Ironman Austria, baby...hell yes! Registered, accommodation booked, flight almost sorted. Not till July 1^st next year but I’m already really excited. The goal is 11 hours...but there’s a long time between now and then, so we’ll have to see.

Once again, though, that team dynamic is playing a role as many of the other T2A members have entered Challenge Roth (another Iron distance race in similar terrain/conditions) which is just one week after IM Austria, meaning my experience of training for an IM this time around should be very different from last. Plus, it’ll be up to me to put in a good performance to set the tone for the other guys to follow. 

Are all Ironmen equal?

Oh dear, it seems I’ve made a terrible mistake...

A couple of weeks ago, there was quite a bit of discussion and even controversy throughout the triathlon and Ironman community - the catalysts were Ironman Austria and Challenge Roth. At IM Austria, the awesome Marino Vanhoenacker (now try saying that after a few pints) went out on his favourite course in great conditions and absolutely destroyed the previous world record for an Iron distance race (3.8km swim, 180km bike, 42.2km run) which had stood for 14 years.

One week later at Challenge Roth in Germany (also an Iron distance race but not run by the WTC and, therefore, not an official ‘Ironman’ brand race), Andreas Raelert tore down the pants on Marino’s world record and spanked it like a ginger stepchild to the tune of four and a half minutes.

The controversy stemmed from reports that Challenge Roth could have been a short course - inexcusable in days of Google Earth, GPS measurements etc. The discussion, on several triathlon sites, podcasts and magazine websites, was along the lines of ‘when is an Ironman not an Ironman?’

Look back at previous Iron distance world records and you’ll see that they’ve all been set in Austria or Germany. Throw some of the other central European races that pop up around the same time of year and that’s where the fastest times are inevitably recorded each year. They’re fast courses - the swims are in lakes or canals that are as still and clear as ponds, while the bike and run legs are mainly flat with some nice rolling hills. Conditions at that time of year are perfect too - warm, still but not too hot. But, the question is, does that make them less ‘worthy’ or ‘easier’?

My interest in this has been piqued by recent reports from both pros and top age group racers who’ve been recce-ing the Ironman Wales course of late. In a test swim, half the competitors were washed up kilometres down the beach, so strong were the currents. The sea is rough and very cold - an Olympic swimmer expected to record a time of 44 minutes for the course came in on 56 minutes - a HUGE difference for an athlete of that calibre.

The UK 70.3 bike course (Half Ironman) is said to be the world’s most difficult 70.3. One seasoned racer recently rode the IM Wales course and likened it to doing UK 70.3 twice! Many potential Kona qualifiers are opting for road bikes over tri bikes, such is the difficulty of the climbs and technical nature of the descents. Even the run has huge inclines which stretch on for kilometres at a time. Most are claiming Wales will become a classic due to being the toughest Ironman in Europe. When I read the reports, it scares the hell out of me and, I confess, makes me question why I didn’t try a flatter race.

But there’s an old saying in triathlon: it doesn’t get any easier, you just get faster. Those central European courses may be faster, but that just means you’re expected to post quicker times. They’re no easier. 100% effort is 100% effort, no matter where you lay it down. The beauty of triathlon, and this probably applies even more to Ironman triathlon, is that you race the course on any given day. Full stop. Yes, I’d probably finish quicker doing a different course, but so would everyone else.

Last winter, I raced two Olympic distance triathlons maybe a month apart. The first was OK, tho I found the run a struggle, but I posted a PR of 2:13. The next one I nailed and felt much faster throughout - I did 2:15. But when I looked at everyone else who raced, including the winners, almost to a man they were 4-5 minutes down on their times in the previous race for some reason - dodgy distances, conditions, a harder course...who knows. So my 2.15 was my better performance. Weather conditions on race day can even affect what constitutes a good performance on the same course you’ve raced on several times before.

So, I’m expecting a long, hard slog - but I’d expect that anywhere. Any hopes and dreams in terms of finishing times have been scrapped - this one is about finishing and nothing else. And if I do, and get that IM finisher medal around my neck, I’ll know I well and truly earned it (and other IM courses will hold no fear!).

So did I make a terrible mistake, after all? Absolutely, I should never have read those damn route reports.