“It doesn’t necessarily mean you are an ironman if you finish an ironman distance triathlon,” so says Qi, a Chinese triathlete who features in a soon-to-be-released movie called We Are Triathletes. “A real ironman should be an ironman in life,” says Qi.
This insight is one of many gems in the independent documentary that follows the struggle of six pro athletes from four different countries and explores how each trained and prepared for the 2014 Challenge Roth in Germany, the world’s largest long-distance ironman triathlon, often called Europe’s Kona.
The movie is raw and honest with interviews with triathlon greats like John and Judy Collins, Julie Moss, Kathleen McCartney, Scott Tinley, Dave Scott, and Mark Allen talking about the genesis of the sport and how it is today to compete compared to the early years in the Seventies and Eighties, as well as contemporary champions like Australia’s 8-time Ironman Champion, Luke McKenzie.
The interviewees are candid and the film’s director, Yanfeng Zhang, an Ironman triathlon finisher and marathon runner, extracts some amusing anecdotes about the sport in general and some of the classic races.
But perhaps the most interesting parts of the film, for me at least, was the “whys”. Ironman is a gruelling challenge that extends the limits of commitment to training and tolerance to pain to insane levels. It takes an inordinate amount of training, nutritional planning and rest. Qi has a bed by his work desk so he can periodically rest from his 30 hours plus or training per week. Professional triathlete Mirinda Carfrae admits that when not training, sleeping or doing chores, her hobbies are couch sitting, sleeping and watching movies. She has little time for anything else.
So why do it? That’s the interesting part of the movie. Each triathlete has different motivation, but they share a common frame: personal struggle, lifelong dream and a commitment to achievement and a burning passion that borders on fanatical.
All up, We Are Triathletes is a compelling documentary that’s easy to watch and will undoubtedly inspire you to lace up the runners, pump up the tyres and dust off the speedos. Opening August 8 around the world.
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Related: Beginner’s Triathlon