In this episode

Evdokia Papanikolaou, a swimming coach in Volos, recalls her introduction to triathlon: a group of training partners, her first aluminium road bike and short-distance races. She explains how she progressed to preparing for her first IRONMAN 70.3 in Czechia while working at the pool.

She describes the road trip, the river swim, a demanding bike course and the run she enjoyed most of all. She also reflects on finishing fourth in her age group and explains why she declined a slot for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship.

Quick navigation

  • 00:00 — Introduction and meeting Evdokia
  • 02:04 — Coaching swimmers in Volos
  • 04:01 — From swimming and water polo to triathlon
  • 09:41 — Training partners and the first bike
  • 14:54 — The first sprint triathlon
  • 16:29 — Progress in swimming and cycling
  • 20:11 — Progress in running
  • 21:00 — Preparation and race nerves
  • 23:57 — Favourite training sessions
  • 27:53 — Olympic distance and a long season
  • 30:04 — Driving from Volos to Czechia
  • 34:28 — The start and the river swim
  • 39:27 — Climbs and a demanding bike leg
  • 41:53 — Transitions and the joy of running
  • 49:30 — Fourth place and declining the slot
  • 52:30 — Future races and the idea of going longer
  • 57:44 — Training hours and everyday life
  • 59:43 — Consistency and gradually building volume
  • 01:01:37 — Progress, health and long-term goals
  • 01:06:26 — Advice to her earlier self
  • 01:07:51 — Quick-fire questions
  • 01:12:01 — Closing

Detailed show notes

From swimming to triathlon

Evdokia coaches children and adults in Volos. After trying swimming, synchronised swimming and water polo, she found the variety she had been looking for in triathlon. A group of athletes she met at work encouraged her to get involved. Konstantinos, her partner and colleague, helped her choose equipment and get started with training.

The first road bike and shorter races

She bought an aluminium road bike to try the sport without a large initial outlay, and continued using it for training and racing. Although she could already swim, she needed to develop the endurance required for triathlon training. Sprint races helped her gain experience and formed part of her preparation for the longer distance.

Preparing for a 70.3 alongside work

She usually trained for 15–17 hours a week, reaching 18 during the busiest weeks. Working with Konstantinos in training and at the pool helped her keep to her schedule. They had already developed speed and worked at higher intensities for sprint races, before placing greater emphasis on endurance, particularly on the bike.

Driving from Volos to Czechia

They chose an August race, when they could both take leave, to combine her first 70.3 with a holiday. They drove so they could transport the bikes without dismantling and packing them for a flight. Their journey included overnight stops in Belgrade and Budapest.

The swim, the climbs and the run

Warming up in the pool before the start eased her nerves, and she found it easy to navigate the river swim. The bike course had more climbing than she expected. The large transition areas also took longer than she had allowed for — another factor to include when estimating a triathlon finish time. On the run, she enjoyed the crowd’s support and seeing Konstantinos out on the course.

Fourth place and a World Championship slot

She finished in 5:09:38, fourth in her age group. Hearing her name called during the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship slot allocation was a happy moment. However, she and Konstantinos had already decided not to travel to America, so she declined the slot. Looking ahead, she wants to stay healthy and see progress in her training. Her advice to herself when she was starting out would be to have patience.

Key takeaways

  • Her preparation for the first 70.3 began well before the final training period, through regular training and shorter races.
  • Her swimming background helped, but swim endurance still needed dedicated work.
  • Konstantinos’s practical support helped her combine work and training.
  • Climbs and transitions affected her finish time more than she had expected.
  • She enjoyed qualifying for the World Championship despite having already decided not to travel to America.