I raced Ironman Tallinn a couple of years ago and it's still one of my favourite races. PBs in the swim, the bike, and the marathon. If you're racing it this year, here are five things I wish somebody had told me beforehand.
Five things that caught me off guard
The swim start caught me off guard. You don't start from the beach — you walk through shallow water to a floating pontoon, then jump in to begin. And at the end of lap one, you climb back onto that pontoon before jumping in again for lap two. Don't rush that bit, it's easy to spike your heart rate or slip if you get carried away.
The bike course is quick, but don't underestimate the bridge. It's one of the biggest climbs on the course and you ride it more than once. Take it sensibly early on, you'll thank yourself later.
The run is flat and fast, genuinely good for a PB, but sand drifts onto parts of the course from the nearby beach and makes some corners slippery. There's also a short incline near the turnaround on each lap — not huge, but you notice it by the end.
None of that takes away from the atmosphere though, which is incredible. Every lap through the town centre gives you a lift, and turning into that finish chute is one of the best finishes I've experienced. I'll actually be back in Tallinn this year supporting Chiara in the 70.3, so if you're racing either distance, come say hello.