Successful Ironman Training

11 Ironman Events, 14 finishers

Peak XV Tri Coaching is reflecting and celebrating a very successful Ironman training and racing year. Our athletes have competed as far east as Israel and as far west as Alaska.

Training to be successful at Ironman

We’ve trained for and endured Ironman races in very different climates, terrane, weather, courses and environments. The sun has been burning hot and we endured. The rain has pelted us and we endured. The wind has howled and we have endured. The sea has crashed and we have endured. Nothing stopped us because we are Ironmen and we endure.

So where in the World have we successfully trained and raced in 2022 ?

An A to W of Ironman events.

Ironman Austria Karten-Klagenfurt

Peak XV athlete Stephen Edge not only successfully trained for and completed Ironman Austria he also overcame personal health issues having previously suffered a heart prior to choosing Peak XV to help him train for his Ironman ambition. A remarkable story, a remarkable Ironman.

Ironman Austria is renowned for its beauty, swimming in crystal clear and warm lake (73f/23c) and cruising an undulating bike course in stunning green countryside. The run finishes on a flat course round the old city. With an expected air temperature of around 81F/27/C this event scheduled to take place next on 18th June 2018 is ideal for first timers or athletes trying to qualify for the World Championships. It provides a great race, an opportunity for a holiday and is early enough in the season to allow you to qualify, recover and race the World Championships later in the year.

Ironman Alaska Juneau

This event has been cancelled for 2023, but we can reflect on a wet and rainy and hilly and cold endurance test for Peak XV Athlete Thierry. Suffice to say he survived the 2022 race and many didn’t.

Ironman Barcelona Spain

Two Peak XV athletes, Joe and Gordon smashed this course after successfully training for this fabulous Ironman event.

Its located in the Spanish village of Calella and is Europes most popular late season Ironman event. Its a sea swim in the warm bay, exit onto the beach, a fast bike and a flat run with a great atmosphere and party vibe. With warm sunny weather, warm water (though wet suit legal at about 72F/22C ) fantastic hotels, the charms of Barcelona its a bucket list event for many. We recommend it for both the social and if you want to pb. Next years race takes place on 1st October 2023

Worth a mention is the fact that the Ironman 70.3 event takes place on the same day, so ideal if your with friends/family/partner who is into the half distance, something for everyone.

Ironman Florida

Thierry smashed this course with a pb following a very successful Ironman training plan given to him by Ironman Coach Quin Beech

This event is another very popular end of season event (November) Its an Ocean swim in wet suit followed by flat and fast bike and run courses. A good one for a pb, fast, flat, wet suit swim, warm not hot temperatures at about 66F/19C.

It takes place at Panama City beach on the Gulf course, a popular vacation destination and ideal for family support with plenty to do other than race.

It’s also a good time of year to qualify for the World Championships as it takes place just after the championships and gives you plenty of time with successful Ironman training to prepare and improve for the next years World Championship.

Ironman Israel – Middle East Championship – Tiberias, Sea of Galilee

Obviously an area of great historical and religious significance but so much more. On race day Peak XV athlete Robin battled the weather to finish the course, it was wet and windy and not the hot dry that you would be forgiven for imagining.

The swim is a 2 loop without an Oz exit on the same course and at the same time as the 70.3 event which can make it congested. In 2022 it was a wet suit swim but the average water temperature 77F/25C makes it quite possible that in 2023 you could be in skins.

The bike course is a 2 loop that leaves Tiberias and follows the shores of the Sea of Galilee, infuriatingly (in my view) stopping just short of a full circuit of the sea before heading back to Tiberias then doing it all again. In good weather this is potentially a fast flat bike course, on race day 2022 it was wet and windy and very hard work for Robin.

The run is also flat and is a 4 loop course, this format is spectator friendly and is loved and hated in equal measure by triathletes.

Next years event date is as yet to be determined but is likely to be a late season event in November or December.

Ironman Kona -World Championship 2022

Where it all began! Well no actually Ironman did not start in Kona, the first event was even on the same Hawaiian island, but it was Hawaii (near Honolulu ) . The 2022 Ironman World Championship was held in Kona in October 2022, this for many years has been its usual home and it is considered by many to be the iconic home of triathlon. However the Ironman World Championship event is an evolving creature, its been held at other venues in the past and is likely (at time of writing) to visit other venues in the future.

2022 World Championship was in Kona and Peak XV athlete Greg was there flying the Peak XV colours. Greg had qualified for the Championship by his outstanding efforts at Ironman UK.

The Kona experience is a mixed bag and different athletes have different experiences. All tend to agree that the size and party atmosphere is phenomenal. the Ocean swim is beautiful, the bike is tough and windy and the run is hard and hot.

The swim is probably the outstanding and more unusual feature of the race. It is a mass start straight out for a mile and a mile back. The water is clear and you can watch fish over the reefs. Its also warm and is always a skin swim, which doesn’t suit everyone but is a purist experience. The ocean can be flat calm or very lumpy, often there is a swell because of the prevailing trade winds (which are also the bike curse).

Successful Ironman training of Greg for the swim needed Peak XV Tri coach Garrie Prosser to emphasise the need to swim in skins, without a wet suit, not an easy thing to do in open-water in a UK climate. So most of Greg’s training was in the pool following Garrie’s swim workouts.

The bike is an out and back, undulating, hot and usually windy. Athletes quizzed on the experience nearly always refer back to the wind, it can be ferocious.

The heat on the run is what makes it such a challenge, the course crosses lava fields and the heat is relentless. Successful Ironman training for the run involves understanding the importance of and how to correctly fuel and hydrate. Its not just the physical fatigue that needs to be overcome, its preparing the athlete to be mentally strong and conditioned to deal with the demands of the course.

Ironman World Championship 2023

As of December 2022, the latest news on the 2023 Ironman World Championship is that a definitive announcement of venues and dates will be published in January 2023. Ironman have however said that the event will be split into women and mens races, to take place on different dates and at different venues. Currently the women are believed to be racing at Kona, whilst the men are at another venue which is yet to be finalised. The mens race is currently expected to be at Nice in France but this has yet to be confirmed.

Ironman has said that in 2024 the venues for men and women will be reversed with the men racing in 2024 at Kona.

Qualifying for Ironman World Championships

Peak XV Tri Coaching are excellent at helping you achieve your goals. For many the ultimate dream race is at Kona, for others its to race in the World Championships. For many years these 2 goals/dreams have been the same race at the same venue. This has all changed, the 2021 World Championship was at St George, Utah. The 2023 mens is likely to be at Nice France.

Currently the World Championship is an entry by qualification race only. However just how you qualify is also evolving. It remains true that athletes who win there age groups at Ironman events will be offered a place in the World Championships.

Following the winner other places are offered to other athletes, the number of places depends upon how many athletes are in your age group. The more athletes in your age group, then more places at the World Championships are offered. This applies equally to men and women.

Just recently Ironman have been offering a lot of extra places to women in order to fill the woman’s race. This does not impact on the men who are currently treated separately.

Ironman Legend is a scheme which allows athletes to compete in Ironman events across the world and qualify for the World Championships purely out of loyalty and determination. This route is currently available but is caught up in the evolving World Championship format. The problem being is the success of the scheme which is seeing more and more athletes qualify based on the number of events they have completed and not the placing. Ironman are having to evolve to accommodate the numbers.

Successful Ironman Training for the Ironman World Championships

Just a quick mention, that if you do have a dream to race at Kona and or the Ironman World Championships then we do have the experience of both coaching multiple athletes to get to and race at Kona and the World Championships. We also have the experience of personally having raced at the World Championships and of having placed on the podium. Contact us to discuss your dreams here

Ironman Portugal

Robin has his day out at this beautiful late season event. Its a good event to end your season because it is late enough to allow you to race early season and recover, also it gives you the benefit of better summer weather for your training, especially the long bike rides so essential to successful Ironman training. Finally it gives qualification spots for the following years Ironman World Championships giving you plenty of time to recover, improve and prepare.

It takes place in the old town of Cascais. It is very accessible being near Lisbon airport but also to motorists from mainland Europe and UK by ferry to Santander and Bilbao.

The course is a swim around a protected bay in a wet suit, followed by a hilly bike. The run is rolling. Its not an easy course but neither is it to daunting. It fits very well if athletes wanting to do Ironman UK (July) and another late season race.

Ironman St George – Utah – Ironman World Championship 2021

2022 was unique in that in the 1 year 2 World Championships took place. The 2021 event took place on 7th May and the 2022 event took place in October. The reason was COVID.

The 2021 event was originally scheduled to take place at Kona in October 2021, it was then postponed to Kona February 2022. Finally it was postponed to May 2022 and moved to St George, Utah.

I was the Peak XV athlete flying the colours on this occasion having won the 2021 Ironman UK (AG). My successful Ironman training was provided by my tri coaching partner Garrie Prosser. Together we worked on a training plan that was successful enough to get me onto the podium with a pb and a 5th place.

The course was very challenging, it started with a cold dark lake swim that left hand and feet numb and ended with people collapsing in 32C heat on a hilly run course. In between we were battered by crosswinds that got up to 35mph.

It was a very tough day but we had successful trained and I was very well prepared. Its an essential part of what we do at Peak XV Tri Coaching – we prepare!

Ironman UK – England – Bolton

Peak XV Tri Coaching have a base and swim facility at Bolton and the course is very well known to its coaches and athletes. In addition to our weekly coaching and training which can be done locally on the course, we also offer our Ironman UK Training Weekend The weekend is aimed at course familiarisation and is a great addition to your race preparation for Ironman UK. It is suitable for all abilities with multiple groups being escorted round the course and question & answer sessions with coaches and athletes that have done the race and been on the podium.

In 2022 we had 6 athletes taking on the course Greg, Stuart, Craig, Chris, Jonny and Danny. Bolton is renowned for its unrelenting hilly bike course which changes nearly every year, but somehow keeps the pain element. With 2500m of climbing, rough roads and technical descents, this is an Ironman that truly gives you bragging rights.

Its a wet suit swim in a lake, a very hilly bike and a hilly 4 lap run which takes you around the town centre and on a long out and back. This is a challenge course not a pb course, do this and you can do any. It next takes place on 2nd July 2023.

Ironman Vitoria-Gasteiz – Spain

Reaping the benefit of her successful Ironman training in this event was Kirsty. She truly smashed it. Race day was silly hot and many athletes suffered from the heat and hydration problems. Kirsty dealt with it all and cruised down the red carpet.

Another July race based in the very north of Spain close to the ferry ports of Santander and Bilbeo. A superb event with a warm lake wet suit swim, a rolling quite fast bike course and a flat run around the old town. Its very scenic, challenging but totally doable an ideal race if you want to see somewhere beautiful and different, its a great trip and accessible by car from Europe mainland and UK. Definitely a good choice.

Ironman Wales a test of successful Ironman training

Finally. Last but not least we have Ironman Wales. 2 Peak XV athletes raced, Gordon and Kerry.

Wales is a bucket list Ironman which sells out quickly every year. It is often said that it has the best support, the best atmosphere, is the most beautiful and the most challenging. We will let you decide, but having raced Ironman Wales myselfI agree that its special.

Its based in the small seaside town Tenby, complete with high cliffs, medieval town and castle, sandy beaches stretching in every direction backed by rolling hills, certainly its a great setting.

Your day starts on the beach surrounded by high cliffs and thousands of people watching cheering singing wow!

On any day its a tough course with a 2 loop swim course around a bay and an Oz exit between. You then have a 1K run up zigzag cliff paths, up through the old medieval town through the old town wall gate and into transition.

The bike is unrelenting hills, a big loop then a small loop with a couple of short but very steep hills, lined by supporters a-la-tour de France.

The run is 4 laps round and round up and down the old town.

What potentially makes this a most challenging course, is that it starts tough in good weather. In bad weather its will push you to breaking point. The calm bay becomes a caldron, in 2022 hundreds of swimmers had to be taken out of the water. The wind will then batter you always feeling like a head wind, Soaked and exhausted you then have 1 of the toughest hilliest Ironman runs to do.

So whilst its iconic and we highly recommend it essential that you have behind you a successful Ironman training plan. Be prepared.