Testing the full-distance legs

I am also very lucky how I have been able to design the whole year’s calendar to so all my races are well spaced out and each serve a specific purpose. In some season’s past I have been a bit forced to race in events that were not necessarily ideal for my goals of the year. Now this year everything has just come together perfectly so the calendar really works together.

This year I decided to add my name to the start list for the full-distance national championships because it came at an ideal time in my schedule where I could test all the work I have been doing this year at the long distance. Up until Lahti I have been focusing on ½ distance as I try to build a more powerful engine so when I come back to racing international full-distance events later this year I can progress. The results from Lahti were very promising and show I am really on track for my season goals of a top placing in an Ironman event.

Yesterday I was honored to add another Finnish national championship title to my name in Lahti where I won the Triathlon of the 1000 Lakes. This was my first full-distance national championship and its pretty cool to think I have now won every distance national championship title in triathlon! A few years ago I had been 2nd place in quite a few but never won. Now a few thousand hours of training later, I have 10 (if I counted right…) titles and an amazing collection of memories.

Having now seen where I stand in terms of full-distance fitness, I now get another opportunity to build my power with one final ½ distance race. In just two weeks I will be on the start line in Turku for the Turku Triathlon Weekend and I will be ready to go full gas! I love the course they have put together and the challenge of having Timo Bracht racing against me is something very special. It will surely be an event to remember! See you in two weeks!