There are more than 30 qualifying races around the world, each of them has a fixed number of slots to be divided among the different age-groups according to number of participants.
IM Wales has 50 slots for the approx 2000 participants, 3 in my AG with 130 participants.
Since IM Wales is in September, it's to late for the same year's WC, then it is qualification for next year. (I qualified in Sept 2014).
The race in Wales:
- Swim: 3860m: Very rough sea - 2000 participants swimming, crashing into each other and difficult to see the markers. Needed to push harder than usual, and swallowing a lot of water. I managed quite well (as a poor swimmer I'm satified to be #20 in my AG and 375 totally). Then we had to run more than a km to the bikes. (Mainly due the rough swim, 12% of the starters did not make it to the finish.)
- Bike: 180,2km: As indicated in the picture I'm more confident (and aggressive) on the rough bike course. Rough road surface, hundreds of hills, turns and wind makes it a very slow bike course. Even with a flat (I had to fix myself) I managed to have my AG's second best bike leg and changed to running shoes as #2.
- Run: 42,2km: Injuries the last years have made my running suffer. And this marathon it though, up and down all the way. The time of truth - mostly a question about being "hard" in the head - continue to push despite pain in legs, stomach, head .... Not my best run - but managed OK, only bypassed by one in my AG. Ending as number 3 in my AG, got my medal and qualification! (96 totally in the race)
Meaning that I again am among the 1600 qualified athletes for the World Championship (and not a part of the 100.000 that tried, but did not qualify.)
Click here for more details of IM Wales 2014.
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