Around 60 Austrian triathletes are going to Hawaii at the end of September. However, not to enjoy the beach and sea, but to take part in the legendary Ironman and to torture yourself for hours. Heinz Travnicek from Bisamberg and Paul Marouschek from St. Andrä-Wördern are currently completing their intensive preparatory program for the classic.
Marouschek started in Hawaii in 2018 and is still enthusiastic about the impressions: “It’s incredible when you fulfill your sporting lifelong dream. Everyone who was there will always remember it.”
Travnicek celebrates his premiere, primarily wants to see the goal and also deliver a good competition. He will not be able to reach his best time of 9 hours 49 minutes due to the topography of the route. “If I stay under eleven hours, then I would be very happy.” The two competitive athletes, who describe themselves as ambitious amateurs, will arrive two weeks before the competition to acclimatize. “It’s about a twelve-hour time difference and also about absorbing the mood,” says Travnicek, who is already ready for the island. “A sleepy town suddenly becomes a vibrant place.”
Enormous effort
If you want to compete in Hawaii, you have to perform well and qualify through the various Ironman events. “That’s what makes Hawaii so special. You can’t just book it on Booking,” says Marouschek. 4,500 participants start. The effort of the athletes is enormous, both financially and in terms of time. Marouschek calculates: “I’ve been keeping records since 2012. Without participation abroad and without new purchases, you can expect 12,000 to 15,000 euros.” 2022 will be significantly more expensive with Hawaii. The training effort is also impressive. Travnicek: “It also depends on the season. But you definitely get ten to 20 hours a week.”
Any destinations left after Hawaii? Marouschek: “Hawaii is like when you win at Streif or Wimbledon. After that, it was difficult to motivate yourself to set new goals.” But there will be new ones.
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