Ironman Austria - race report: Part 3 - post-race thoughts

Read part 1 - preamble here

Read part 2 - the race itself here

A few words about the race. I can't speak highly enough of the organisation – everything from a bike check-in that involves electronic tagging of bike and wristband, as well as photo of you and bike etc... to great briefings and parties, and the carnival atmosphere throughout. The course was immaculately prepared too. And the size and range of athletes it attracts is awesome. For those of us who'll never get to go to Kona as athletes, I imagine this kind of race is as close as it'll get.

If you don't want to race Ironman Austria, do yourself a favour and go on holiday to Klagenfurt or do a training week in Carinthia. It'll blow your socks off. The city is almost perfect – slightly isolated, it's historic and still cool, with loads happening. Nobody really seems to work too much, instead choosing to swim in the lake, ride their bike and have a beer at any opportunity. It's my kinda town. Plus, the women there are all beautiful and athletic, heavenly creatures – if that's what that young Adolf fella had in mind, maybe we were a tad hasty in judging the chap..? (still too soon..?)

But the people make the race. They love Ironman and what it brings, and they come out en masse. The swim is incredible and the Tour de France style climbs on the bike are sensational but, on this occasion, the people of Klagenfurt are the only thing that got us through. I'll be forever grateful for them turning their garden hoses into sprinkler systems, for lining up with hose pipes ready to dowse us with icy water as we passed by... this happened all the way along the course. Apparently, at around the 15 hour mark, a couple of guys pitched up and started handing out icy cold beers to those still out on the long walk home! Most of all, I'm grateful for the people of Klagenfurt for realising that hosing athletes down is a job best performed by the town's bikini-clad women...

By way of a conclusion, how do I feel now, a week after the race, other than still being in a whole world of sunburn itchy discomfort (oh, and lost four toe nails too!)? 

post-race sunburn

since this pic, i've lost all but four toe nails!

I guess proud covers it. The thought was always that, if things went well on a good day, sub-11 was a possibility. To do that on a day that was far from ideal, makes me proud. If you look at the scores on the doors, last year 1093 people went sub-11 – this year, that number was 413. It's hard to read the results on the official site correctly, but the DNF (did not finish) rate looks to have been as high as 20%. We chatted to a guy at the presentations who'd gone 9.20 in Austria last year – this year he was back in better shape than ever ready to smash the 9 hour mark (bit of a beast, it'd seem!)... he went 9.40. All goes to show how tough a day it was out there.

During IM Wales, I said never again; it took me a few weeks and months to change my mind. During the run on Sunday, I said never again. By the final kilometre, I already knew that wasn't true and I'm already considering my next Ironman race.

But it may be a little while away. Next time out, I want to be able to improve notably again. I'm still a poor cyclist when it comes to hills – that needs to change; just a little more run strength, I'm sure, and I could run sub-4 hours for the IM marathon too. For now, it's back to the short stuff for a little while, as I try to improve my strength and basic speed ready for the sprints and Olys of the season ahead; then we'll try to bring all that to an Ironman in another 12 months' time, maybe.

Read Part 4 - thanks here