Finishline Coaching and Duisburg 70.3 Recap

I first discovered the Trisutto method through a Trisutto camp organised by David in Khorfakkan UAE. I had done a few sprints and my very first Olympic triathlon a few weeks prior and was timidly considering levelling up to the longer distance races.

Though the idea of going to a training camp felt daunting for me as a basic “NOOB” triathlete, the experience was incredibly valuable because of the theory sessions, the quality training sessions and the like minded people I met there.

I really got hooked on the TriSutto approach of training for triathlon as one sport, focusing on feels rather than the numbers and metrics (as someone who always likes to overanalyse and overcomplicate things, this approach was a game changer) and the types of trainings we did during the camp (focus on Quality over Quantity).

After the camp, I was inspired to take the leap and sign up for my First 70.3 Ironman Race in Duisburg in August 2023 (16 weeks away at the time).

I knew I had gained a lot more knowledge about Training sessions, Nutrition and Recovery after the camp but I still felt daunted by the huge challenge I had set for myself. I’d never ridden more than 50kms on the bike and hadn’t run more than 10km for years. I also lacked a lot of structure and consistency in my training.

Even though I was initially nervous and apprehensive about investing in a coach at first, taking that leap and working with David was the best decision I could’ve made not only for my race preparation but for my life long journey as a triathlete. Training became more than just a nice side hobby for me, it helped me become physically fit and mentally strong and became a way of life.

Thanks to the structured team sessions (which included some healthy competition with fellow team mates), the accountability, the help in finding and building my kit, I’ve improved so much in a matter of weeks and months. I went from just wanting to finish my 70.3 race within the time limit and injury free to actually training seriously and aiming for a Sub 6 hour time.

I found great friendships and so much inspiration within the Finishline Coaching group and the TriDubai community. Training with others also helped keep me accountable, push harder and made training so much more fun.

Race Update/Recap

I completed my First 70.3 Ironman race on August 6 2023 in Duisburg with a time of 5 hours 52 minutes!

The swim was along the Regatta course and was ideal for first timers like me: It was a very spaced out rolling start so not much fighting going on in the water and super easy sighting. Picture doing 2 laps in a gigantic open air pool with oversized swim lanes and you’ve got the Duisburg swim course in a nutshell.

The cycle was 2 loops through the city and suburbs of Duisburg. Cycling through the Steel capital of Germany sounds epic but it definitely won’t win prized for the scenery. It is classified as “rolling” on the Ironman website but the only real hills were up and down bridges. One thing I can say is the course is FAST. Being quite well seeded in the swim, I started biking early on in the race and people were just flying passed me. I was thrilled to finish under 3 hours despite suffering from bad cramps in both hamstrings in the 2d loop. By some miracle the forecasted rain held off until now.

The run course was 3 flat loops around the regatta and sports complex with a finish inside the Sports Stadium. This was great because in my mind, I wasn’t doing a half marathon, I was running 3x7km. Since I was in bad shape getting off the bike, I started executing my strategy which I’d done so many times in training (a TriSutto classic): 3 loops of Mod, Med, Mad. I started feeling progressively better with each loop, pushing the pace along as I went and finishing strong with a reverse split.

I crossed the finish line teary eyed under the pouring rain and cheers from spectators!

By Clarissa Zaruk