Should you take the leap and do an Ironman?

We asked the advice of Grant Grego, double Ironman finisher, ultra runner and coach

Is there such a thing as a “good time” to enter an Ironman?

You need to find out your “why?”

What’s pulling you towards an Ironman? Is it because you’ve seen others do it on social media? Is it because it scares you? Is there a certain discipline that you’re lacking? With an Ironman you need to be good at all 3 disciplines - running, cycling and swimming. It forces you to get competent with all of them and gives you a sense of confidence in your capabilities.

Is there a minimum level of training you need to have done before entering?

Anything is possible but what sacrifices are you willing to make to get to the start line? What are you willing to let go of to put the hours required into training for the event? I don’t believe you need to do a Sprint triathlon first or that you need to have done a half Ironman before applying for a full one. It’s understanding your life and what you can fit around that. If you have a full-time job and are married with two kids, that would be a limiting factor on what event you could conceivably train for. If you have 25 hours a week to train then you could go for a full ironman but if you’ve got 8-10 hours then maybe start with a 70.3 because it’s not just the training, it’s also the cost.

Should you get a coach?

If you’re doing a sprint or an Olympic distance triathlon, I would suggest seeking out a triathlon club, getting some tips and getting to know people who have been in the space for a while. It’s important to see if you like it before taking the leap and investing in decent equipment.

A coach gives you that experience and they’re more important for an event like a full Ironman as they can advise on managing expectations and managing load. There’s also a difference between just wanting to finish an Ironman and finishing in a specific time such as sub-12 hour. A coach can work with you to support the level of training you need to accomplish your goals.

Are there any Ironman events you would recommend as your first one?

Depending on your experience, you may prefer to do an Ironman with a lake swim rather than a sea swim. Perhaps a flat Ironman would be good for your first time, or if you’re up for an extreme challenge then Ironman Wales is a great event. And then there’s the cost. A UK-based event is likely to be cheaper but if the cost is less of an issue then doing an Ironman in Valencia, Copenhagen or Austria are all great choices.

Any final pieces of advice?

Practice fuelling and be prepared to eat a lot! It’s important to drill nutrition into your training regime as it’s key to keeping you going. For ultra endurance, you need to be a Toyota Prius and not a Lamborghini – you need an engine that runs forever and the right fuel is key.

Also be aware that the Ironman training will vary from person to person and so don’t compare what your training looks like to someone else’s.

Finally, I’d say just take the leap of faith as you have nothing to lose but everything to gain. It can be revealing and difficult and the training full-on. But instead of shying away from it, lean into it. And when you get to the finish line, it will be everything you’d imagined it would be!