Ironman Hamburg 2019
Competing in Ironman Hamburg , Dundalk athlete Paul Savage Cairlinn Triathlon Club completed the full Ironman distance in a finish time of 10 hours 52 minutes.
“Conditions were extremely hot following a heatwave across Europe in the days leading up to the event.
The race began with the 3.8 kilometre swim in the lake in the centre of Hamburg. Despite the calm water, the swim proved more challenging than expected, with the limited buoyancy making it difficult to settle early on. Combined with the already warm conditions following the heatwave in the days before the race, it took some time to find a comfortable pace. The swim was eventually completed in 1 hour 22 minutes before heading into transition for the bike leg.”
“The 180 kilometre bike course around Hamburg was technical in sections and required concentration. The outward leg was made particularly tough by strong headwinds, which made it difficult to maintain momentum and required careful pacing via heart rate and power to avoid burning too much energy early in the race.
The return journey offered some relief with tailwinds helping to carry a faster pace back towards the city center. With the temperatures continuing to rise throughout the day, managing effort and staying on top of hydration and nutrition was key on the bike leg, in order to arrive at the run in a reasonable condition.
The bike leg was completed in 5 hours 36 minutes.“
“The race concluded with the marathon run through the streets of Hamburg. The course looped through the city centre, with large crowds lining many sections of the route and providing great support throughout.
The high temperatures made the run demanding, with the heat taking its toll on energy levels as the kilometres passed. Careful pacing and constant attention to hydration were essential in order to keep moving steadily through the later stages of the race.
The marathon was completed in 3 hours 39 minutes, bringing the day to a welcome close.“
Read more race reports from Cairlinn Traithlon Club
