Race information
- What? Ironman Kalmar
- When? August 19, 2023
- How far? 226km (3.8km swim, 180k cycle, 42.2k run)
- Website? https://www.ironman.com/im-kalmar
Goals
| Goal | Description | Completed? |
|---|---|---|
| A | Finish | Yes |
| B | Sub 15 hours | Yes |
| C | Strong Run | No |
Background- Leading up to Kalmar
When I signed up for the Ironman Kalmar, I got asked a lot - and even wondered myself sometimes - why do the full Ironman race all over again? I mean, I’d already done three races in 2022 - Ironman Dubai 70.3, Ironman Tallinn, and Ironman Goa 70.3. Why put myself through it once more?
Well, to think of it there may be more than one reason why:
- Sure, I had done it once, yes; but was that a fluke? A stroke of luck? Was that the result of a whole town of people, family and athletes praying for u to cross the finish line? I wanted to find out for myself, to prove that I could do it again, with consistent training and a whole lot of time spent in the pain cave.
- The finish line feel and the immense high that comes with the race is addictive to say the least. It makes you bask in the warmth of your successful efforts and gives you that surge of confidence to take on greater tasks to meet life head on; and trust me, it lasts quite a while. Sounds a bit cheeky, I know, but it is the kind of energy that is hard to resist.
- And lastly, it puts you on a disciplined and focused path in life. You’re too busy to worry about anything else. You stay fit, active, eat right, and get your beauty sleep. Simple as that!
And there you have it! Right after wrapping up my last race in 2022, I didn’t waste any time. I went ahead and registered for the next challenge: Ironman Kalmar 2023!
The months leading up to the race were pretty straight forward, with clear goals in mind:
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Follow coach’s (Dr kaustubh radkar) training plans to the “T”, not miss a single workout, , except for that one time when I had to travel to Chennai for a visa.
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Weight reduction was another key goal. You’d think that with all the training and workouts, I’d become a lean, mean athlete with no belly fat. However, by April 2023, I found myself at a whopping 85 kg. That’s when my good friend Rishi, (my go-to guy for all things triathlon and my mentor), suggested I seek professional help from Maitreyi. She’s not only a brilliant sports nutritionist but also an Ironman triathlete herself. From that point onwards, it was like magic. With her guidance, I shed 10 kg, and my weight dropped to 75 kg. It’s worth noting that there was no fasting or starving involved; it was all about discovering the right foods to eat, feeling lighter, and getting stronger at the same time.
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Logistics: travel, stay, were booked after inputs from athletes who raced Kalmar in 2022 especially TD (Tara Dutt) and Saurabh Pawa who shared selflessly of their experiences which helped save a lot of effort and time. The plan was to fly to Copenhagen and then by train to Kalmar and the same route back after the race. Schengen Visa process was also quite hassle free and we got it early on by the end of June.
Pre-Race Days
Day 1 (6 days to race)
On the 13th of August, Suseela and I boarded our flight from Kochi at the early hour of 4:30 am. After a layover in Dubai, where we were joined by another RadStrong athlete, Ashutosh Soman, and his dad, we landed in Copenhagen at 1:30 pm. From there, the four of us embarked on a delightful 3-hour and 30-minute train journey to Kalmar.
Upon our arrival in Kalmar, we checked in at the Best Western Plus hotel. Eager to refuel after our travels, we enjoyed a satisfying dinner at a nearby restaurant called Krogers, and then decided to call it a day.
Day 2 (5 days to race)
Ashutosh and I decided to explore the race venue and swim course with a 5 km run. However, we were met with an unexpectedly chilly weather, as the temperature hovered at a mere 10 degrees! This gave rise to concerns about the swim portion of the race.
After our run, we quickly assembled our bikes and then set out for some sightseeing. Kalmar, being a charming small town, was easy to explore on foot. We took in the sights of gardens, parks, the harbor, the museum, and the impressive Kalmar Castle. That pretty much summed up our day of exploring.
During our tour, we had a chance encounter with Niket Doshi and his family, fellow Indian athletes who were also taking on the challenge at Kalmar. We met at the Kalmar Castle and made plans to join forces for a swim the following day.
Day 3 (4 days to race)
It was Independence Day, and after a `big breakfast, we set off with the tricolor flag in hand for some patriotic photos. But, at the same time, we had butterflies in our stomachs, worrying about how we would handle the cold water.
As we dipped into the water, we were greeted with an icy chill – a bone-chilling 15.3 degrees to be precise. It took us a good 15 minutes to adapt, get our breathing in check, steady our heart rates, and finally start feeling somewhat comfortable. We managed to swim about 800 meters before deciding to call it a day. But the nagging concern about spending an hour and a half in this cold water on race day, not to mention the lurking weeds, was on our minds.
I was warned about the weeds in the water so it was not quite a shock. We just had to ignore the slimy things brushing the feet and hands occasionally.
We swam near the swim-finish area and decided to swim in the deeper waters of the start area with other Indian athletes (who started arriving) the following day.
Day 4 (3 days to race)
In the morning, Ashutosh and I went for a 6 km run along the racecourse. Afterward, we had a hearty breakfast and then went for a short 20 km bike ride to make sure our gears and brakes were in perfect order.
Later in the day, along with Niket, Nitendra, Sohil Parekh, and Hitesh Patel, we headed out to the swim start area. This time, the water felt less cold, and it took only a couple of minutes to find our rhythm. It was a reassuring feeling. We decided to wrap up the day without exerting ourselves any further, preserving our energy for the upcoming race.
Day 5 (2 days to race)
With our registration complete and a visit to the expo under our belts, we indulged in some good food and well-deserved rest. It was time for a hotel change, and we made our way to the Kalmar Stadshotell, the official race hotel. To our delight, we were given adjacent rooms with a view overlooking the finish line.
By this point, the once-sleepy town of Kalmar had transformed into a vibrant hub of activity. It was bursting at the seams with 2500 triathletes from all corners of the globe pouring in, and the atmosphere was electric with excitement everywhere you turned.
Day 6 (One day to race)
Transition bags ready, Bike check in done. Got the timing chip anklet. Since it was cold, we did not bother to release the air pressure. By now the sighting buoys were put up and the swim route could be clearly visualised. Met up with more triathletes from India – there were about 15 of us racing the next day. Went to bed with prayers for a warmer, sunny weather.
Kalmar - Race Day - 19th August
Race Morning
Alas! I awoke at 3 am to a very cold, foggy, and windy morning after a night of restless sleep. We grabbed an early breakfast at 4 am – two slices of white bread with butter and a serving of scrambled eggs. Our hotel was conveniently close to the race start and the transition area. At 5:30 am, we made our way to the transition area. There, we checked the air pressure in our tires, ensured our hydration bottles and nutrition were properly stocked on the bikes, and double-checked our transition bags.
After these final preparations, we returned to our room, donned our wetsuits, and headed to the swim start by 6:15 am.
Swim [3.8km]
The swim start was organized as a self-seeded start, with athletes placing themselves based on their estimated swim times. I positioned myself in the 1-hour 40-minute wave.
About 15 minutes before plunging into the water, I took my first gel, a Maurten, to fuel up. As I approached the starting line, I noticed poor visibility 200m into the sea due to the fog, and the winds felt strong. But it wasn’t the time to dwell on these factors; it was time to race. I mentally prepared myself countless times for the shock of the cold water.
And then just like that it started. The first 500 meters were a whirlwind of chaos – jostling, dunking, kicking, and pushing – everything I had expected. After the first turn buoy, the crowd thinned out, but the water became choppy, creating challenging conditions for the next 2 kilometres. Amongst us athletes, thousands of harmless but tingly jellyfish thronged, making sighting, course correction, and maintaining a straight course a real struggle. There were also sudden waves of cold currents in certain parts of the swim, adding an element of fear.
In essence, the swim turned into a mental game, forcing us to confront and overcome our worst fears. The last 800 meters of the swim were closer to the shore and laden with weeds, where spectators cheered us on. The swim course concluded with a passage under a small bridge.
At the swim finish, Suseela was waiting, visibly relieved that I had made it through the challenging swim.
Upon completion of the swim I noticed that
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I was unsteady on my feet feeling slightly dizzy with all the up and down in the cold choppy water but very happy at the same time to have survived!
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I had taken 1 hour 43 min to complete the swim– about 15 -20 minutes more than what I expected and definitely drained my energy battery uncomfortably more than how I would have wanted it. So made a mental note to offset this in the nutrition on the bike.
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I was invariably drunk on sea water and I had to be cautious of a tummy upset. The bright side of the swim was that the sea water was not very salty.
T1
Transition drills and the numerous mental math about how exactly I would go about in the transition from swim to bike helped. Time taken – 7 min
Bike [180km]
On the Kalmar bike course, you are never alone – there are thousands of spectators all along. It was quite chilly, drizzling and windy and I decided to wear my windcheater and skull cap which proved to be a great decision.
The oland bridge was a pleasure to ride on. Sea beneath, sky above and cross winds in between :D!. The first 30km was a breeze. Averaged 29kmph and then came our uninvited friend – the headwind till the end of the bike and I ended up with a disappointing average speed of 24.7 kmph!
I consumed my first gel after 15 minutes on the bike to give my stomach time to settle. My nutrition strategy was spot on – I took one gel every 45 minutes, along with a bottle of Gatorade, a salt capsule, and a piece of banana every hour. At 90 km and 150 km, I ate a small Snickers bar as suggested by Maitreyi. At no point during the bike ride did I feel low on energy, but I chose not to push too hard against the headwind to avoid emptying my tank and risking leg cramps during the run.
So off I pedalled, picking up speed wherever I could and not pushing much against the wind, saving my legs for the run which again proved to be a very wise decision. The course was a rolling one and with the winds on race day there was no respite from pedalling at any given point of time. And then suddenly it was done.
T2
Was lighting fast. Time taken – 3 minutes
Run [42.2 km]
The run was a true carnival of energy. It consisted of a 14 km loop that we had to complete three times. Within each loop, 4 km led us through a bustling town with a lively crowd that infused tremendous energy into the athletes. However, the downside of this lively section was that it was covered in cobblestones.
Having taken it relatively easy on the bike, the run felt good and strong right from the start, and it continued that way until the finish. I maintained a steady average pace of 7 minutes and 30 seconds per kilometer. Eventually, I crossed the finish line strong and injury-free in 14 hours and 34 minutes. I was slightly disappointed with my time, but I was also delighted to have endured the challenging weather and completed the race.
During the run, I bumped into Ashutosh, who was ahead of me by a loop. Later, I ran alongside the incredible 55-year-old Johan, a Swedish triathlete who was racing at Kalmar for the 10th consecutive year. He shared that this was the worst weather Kalmar had ever seen on a race day.
My nutrition strategy during the run included taking one salt capsule, one gel every hour, and a gulp of Gatorade at each aid station. On the final loop, I could no longer tolerate Gatorade (I was quite sick of it by then), so I sipped on coke instead to keep going.
The finish line
Oh, Kalmar, you are pure magic! One truly needs to experience the finish line at Kalmar to grasp its enchantment. The spectators, in a frenzy, were packed into an amphitheater-like arena, illuminated with dazzling, dancing lights and flares. The beats of heart-thumping music filled the air, and the majestic voice of the Ironman announcer declared, “Rupesh Suresh, you are…” Then, the entire crowd responded in unison, “AN IRONMAN.” Time seemed to stand still. In that moment, there was only one word echoing in my head – GRATITUDE!
It’s a memory etched in my mind forever. The emotional run down the red carpet, with each moment and gesture replayed vividly in my mind. It’s an experience that I will cherish and hold close to my heart.
And now here I am, already thinking about my next race for 2024! The journey continues, new challenges awaits!
Learnings
- Swim technique needs to improve in order to improve timing
- More strength training needed to confidently push on the bike; hills or winds come what may. So more time with weights.
- Mentally prepare for the worst, account for variables like weather.
- Continue to eat right
Pics from the event
