By Matt Hanson, Pro Triathlete & Coach
When I was 16, I was challenged by a wrestling coach to make a list of 50 goals for the next 10 years. While I struggled to come up with the final few to complete the assignment, I took that goal sheet very seriously. I carried it around in my wallet for 10 years and would look at it from time to time.
When I was 25, the only remaining goal I could go after was to complete an Ironman Triathlon. I was finishing up my master's and starting my Doctorate program at this time, while working full-time as an athletic trainer and instructor of exercise science. So “free time” was nearly non-existent.
I would swim over my lunch hour every day (a good thing about my office was that it was about 30 feet from a pool and treadmill!) and try to get a bike or run in before I arrived at the university every morning. I was frequently traveling with sports teams at that time, so my long runs were often on the treadmill early morning before tournaments I was working, and long rides were often Sunday evenings when I finally got back after working all weekend.
My goal was just to finish the Ironman and wipe my hands of the sport. I put together a pretty decent swim, right in line with where I thought I would be based on my training. The bike leg went a little slower than I had hoped, but I was able to get off the bike feeling good as I headed out for the run. The run went really well, and I posted the fastest amateur run split on the day. I ended up qualifying for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, on my first attempt at the distance.
I absolutely fell in love with the sport during my first World Champs experience on the Big Island and thought I had found my life-long hobby. Fast forward 2 years, and I qualified to race in the professional field. I won my first Ironman during my rookie season in 2014.
Then, in May of 2015, I won my first of 3 Ironman North American Championship titles. I had just passed mid-point review on the Tenure process and only needed to put in one more year at the university to be granted full tenure. But I wanted to be able to look back at the end of my triathlon career and know if I had what it took rather than wonder “what if?” - so I resigned from the university and went full-time in the sport.
Little did I know that a goal that I set when I was 16 would dictate the direction of my future…and in an entirely different direction than I thought it would go early on in my career.
Throughout my time racing as a professional triathlete, as well as coaching numerous athletes to their first Ironman finishes, I’ve come up with a number of tips I’m happy to share with anyone looking to get through their first Ironman.
1. Choose a Plan That Fits You
Find a training plan that is designed for you and your unique goals. There are plenty of AI programs that can make a good plan for you if you want to keep costs low, but you can’t beat a good coach who will support you on the journey.
2. Show Up and Do the Work
Do the work!!! Life is going to happen, and there will be interruptions to training. But do your best to get on track as quickly as possible. The finish line isn’t the only reward. You’ll take just as much, if not more, from the journey to get you to the start line.
3. Train for the Course, Not the Fantasy
Prepare for the specific demands of the course. Every course has unique difficulties, and you’ll need to prepare to meet those challenges. Maybe the run is really hilly, or the weather will be hot and humid. Make sure your training plan addresses all of these predictable things that the course will throw at you.
4. Dial in Your Nutrition Strategy Early
Develop a nutrition plan for the race. Practice this over and over during your long training sessions. Train your stomach to handle the demands of the day.
5. Master the Simple Stuff—Like Changing a Flat
Learn to change a flat tire on the bike. You don’t want something as simple as a flat tire to prevent you from reaching your goals.
6. Listen to Your Body’s Signals
Learn to listen to the feedback your body is telling you. In your training, you should begin to notice what it feels like when you get dehydrated or when your blood sugar levels drop (bonking). Learn to listen to that feedback and adjust your nutrition plan based on what your body is telling you.
7. Visualize Success in Your Toughest Sessions
Visualize your day going the way you want it to go as you are pushing through your hard sessions.
8. Know Your “Why” and Use It
Know your ‘why” – Know why finishing your first Ironman is important to you. When things get hard on the day…and they always will…focus on that ‘why’ to help you push through.
9. Trust the Training on Race Day
When the wave of fear and nerves start to hit you on the start line, take confidence in all of the training you have done to get you through all of the challenges of the day.
10. Thank Your Support Crew, They Got You Here!
DO NOT FORGET TO THANK YOUR SUPPORT CREW AFTER THE RACE! The people who supported your journey also made numerous sacrifices so you could be successful on the day. Never forget that.
