2026 update: I wrote this article in 2019, when I was only beginning my triathlon journey. I had virtually no swimming experience, no road or triathlon bike, and a full Ironman was little more than a thought in the back of my mind. In 2027, I want to finally stand on the start line of the full distance. I have left the original article below almost unchanged as a record of where this journey began.
I am documenting the entire project on the Road to Ironman 2027 page.
Triathlon… I said I would do it, and I have made the decision. A new goal, a new challenge.
Triathlon?
Yes, but this time with a clear head—and this time for fun. It is supposed to be one big adventure. I cannot repeat the mistake I made last time: taking on too much too soon, on top of a body that was already exhausted.
Triathlon comes in many distances… Somewhere in the back of my mind, of course, there is the full Ironman distance (a 3.9 km swim, 180 km bike ride and 42.2 km run)… but there is still a long way to go before that. It is time to start with something smaller, so I chose a quarter-Ironman distance.
A Whole New Set of Possibilities
Definitely: many more ways to test my body. I had hardly touched the other disciplines before, apart from splashing around in the sea or a swimming pool from time to time, or riding a bike as a child. It is time to learn how to swim properly and how to ride a bike properly.
The Gear I Have for a Triathlon?!?
This is probably the worst part of the plan… I have some swimming trunks somewhere, and the bike is, well… perhaps a women’s model? It has 26-inch wheels and is MTB-style—not a road bike or some fancy time-trial machine. A wetsuit? The only foam I use is shaving foam. I want to show how you can have a go at triathlon on a fairly low budget. I am not going to invest a mountain of money in this sport… What happens later? I will tell you after my first race.
Garmin Triminator Radków
I chose the distance called “I’ll be back”: a quarter-Ironman consisting of a 0.95 km swim, 45 km bike ride and 10.55 km run. I picked this race because the course seems very scenic. That mattered a lot, because above all this is supposed to be fun.
How will it turn out? You will see. I intend to show you my preparations and, most importantly, the doubts and dilemmas I encounter along the way.
14 September 2019—keep your fingers crossed for me. Read the race report here.