„It’s about tactics,
not speed”

What is special about the Ironman on Hawaii?

Mariusz: Ironman World Championship Hawaii is the cradle of the triathlon. Qualifying and participating is, in a way, the holy grail for any long-distance triathlete (3.8 km Swim, 180 km Bike, 42 km Run). In my case, it took 10 years. The place, atmosphere, routes, emotions and fans are something unique.
 
 

What was the most difficult part of your training for this Ironman? And what was most challenging in the competition?

Triathlon is an extremely demanding sport because it consists of three disciplines. Having a family and three children and working as Head of Sales means that I have to be highly disciplined to find time for training. I must admit that my management skills help me fit these puzzle pieces together. During long trainings I fall into meditation mode, meaning that I find them more restful than difficult. However, sometimes during training and competitions there are crises, and then you have to strongly motivate yourself to survive. IRONMAN Hawaii was very brutal for me because I hadn’t had enough time to acclimatize. Because of that (it was 34 degrees) I didn’t achieve my target time during this race. Regardless, I’m happy to have reached the finish line.
 

This issue is mainly focused on speed. How important is speed in the different disciplines of your sport?

That’s a pretty strange question. Over long triathlon distances it is said that, if you want to win, you have to slow down as little as you can. Otherwise, you will slow down completely. Generally speaking, it’s about tactics, not speed. From a business point of view, it can be compared to a company that can produce goods but has no stock and no distribution….
 

What’s next on your agenda?

I’m currently not training. Recovery time is very important too. I’ve more time for family, reading books, music and housework, but anyone who knows me knows that I’ll start getting restless again soon.