Christina, it's great that you're taking the time to answer a few questions after your triathlon. How are you feeling today? Have you managed to recover a bit from the exertion?

Christina: I'm feeling much better now. A few days after the triathlon, I was quite tired, and my feet took a beating – lots of blisters and I even lost a toenail. But now, two weeks post-race, I'm back in shape and, to be honest, already getting back into training a bit...

That's incredible! Let's dive into the triathlon itself first. If you had to capture your Ironman experience using a single word, what would it be?

Christina: Unbelievable. This experience has been truly incredible. It's impossible to fully put it into words. The challenges, the highs and lows throughout the training and the race itself, have been immense, intense, and incredibly beautiful. It's been an emotional rollercoaster and a journey to discover myself and my limits. I actually celebrated my birthday in Hawaii as well. So, it's been quite the eventful few weeks!

It must have been incredible to finally set off after all that training and effort. How did you manage to balance your work routine with training? Juggling triathlon training, work, and daily life must have been quite a challenge. What did your typical week look like with training and work? How did you find a balance between these areas of your life?

Christina: That truly is a monumental task and requires a lot of planning. For instance, I hand over the general training planning to an 'actual' coach who sets up my weekly sessions through an app, making it so I just have to 'execute' them. I use the app to note down days when I can't train at all or only partially. Every Sunday, I receive the plan for the upcoming week, which I then sync with my calendar to adjust accordingly. Flexibility is crucial in such a plan—it needs to adapt to life rather than the other way around. Additionally, in an outdoor sport like this, keeping an eye on the weather is a must; cycling in the rain is far less enjoyable. Generally, I try to schedule shorter workouts mainly before work to have time for friends and family after office hours. If there's a 45-minute run on the schedule and work allows, especially in winter, I might do it during my lunch break as I prefer not to run alone in the dark. My colleagues usually figure out how I spent my break from my wet hair and the bowl of cereal on the next call. Despite all the planning, some things inevitably fall by the wayside, and during intense training phases, friends and family might unfortunately get a bit neglected. An Ironman preparation truly can't happen without support and an understanding environment. Especially nearing the competition, my circle needs to endure the occasional nervous breakdown or help with equipment since I might not be capable of managing it myself.

You've narrowly missed qualifying for the Ironman Hawaii twice in the past but finally achieved it on the third attempt. What have you learned from this experience of setbacks and getting back up? How did you manage to overcome failures and stay motivated to keep going?

Christina: Sure, during training and in the heat of competition, there are moments of doubt and questioning the purpose behind it all. It's about learning to weather those moments and keeping in mind that the struggle is always worth it. Once you reach the finish line (or achieve a significant goal in everyday life), most of the pains and setbacks along the way tend to fade away. This sport has taught me that I'm capable of enduring more than I give myself credit for, but it's also okay to acknowledge when I need assistance or a break.

Thank you for sharing your experiences with us, it's been a delight to witness your Ironman journey, and I'm genuinely thrilled about your impressive 9th place in your age group and 39th overall among all amateur participants. That's an amazing achievement! What are your plans moving forward? Getting back to your regular routine?

Christina: It might sound absurd, but I've already resumed training and will be competing next year in the World Championship in Nice. If I manage to qualify again, I'd love to return to Hawaii, aiming for a top-five finish and to bring home a traditional Hawaiian wooden bowl trophy. Let's see how that unfolds!

Thank you for talking to us, Christina!