In this episode
The years of development behind a sub-9 Ironman, training and race execution, and the support behind an individual performance.
Quick navigation
- 00:00 — Introduction and the 8:56 performance
- 02:26 — From marathons to triathlon
- 13:45 — The journey to sub-9
- 30:20 — Changes in bike training
- 56:00 — Marathon strategy
- 01:15:00 — Fuelling for Ironman distance
- 01:18:00 — Training volume and targeted hours
- 01:27:50 — Individual characteristics and management
- 01:33:20 — The Athens Marathon and “Trexe Mazi Mou”
- 01:37:50 — Georgia and the support behind preparation
- 01:57:15 — Greek athletes under nine hours
Detailed show notes
From marathons to triathlon
Tasos began running after military service and gradually moved from marathons into triathlon without a swimming or cycling background.
His early open-water experiences were difficult. Familiarity, consistent training and successive races gradually turned initial fear into racing experience.
The road to 8:56
The performance did not come from a single preparation cycle. It grew through years of consistency, working with coaches and repeated Ironman-distance attempts.
The biggest change came on the bike. Long rides gained specific structure, including tempo, threshold and higher intensities on an already developed aerobic base.
Race execution and equipment
Tasos explains that an Ironman requires continuous concentration. Position, bike fit, aerodynamics and equipment choices matter only when the athlete can use them effectively for many hours.
His marathon strategy was based on pace control and fatigue management, rather than chasing a theoretically perfect negative split.
Fuelling and training volume
Carbohydrate intake increased gradually in training. Despite an organised plan, the race showed that tolerance can change substantially towards the end of the marathon.
Weekly volume could become very high, but the aim was not simply to accumulate hours. Every session needed a specific purpose.
Why Ironman distance
For Tasos, Ironman distance is a long battle with himself. Satisfaction comes not only at the finish, but also from completing the difficult training beforehand.
Preparation requires individualisation, monitoring and adjustments to the athlete’s actual capabilities and circumstances.
Preparation as a team effort
When Georgia joins, the conversation shifts to the other side of racing. Long training hours, travel, bookings, equipment and race anxiety affect everyday life as a whole.
Although racing is individual, preparation often works as a team effort. Communication and mutual understanding are part of the process.
Races with a different meaning
Each year, Tasos closes his season at the Athens Marathon, accompanying a person with a disability with the “Trexe Mazi Mou” (“Run with Me”) team.
He also closes by discussing the need for greater visibility and support for Greek athletes competing internationally.
Key takeaways
- The 8:56 performance resulted from years of development, not one preparation cycle.
- Targeted hours are more valuable than training volume alone.
- Fuelling requires practice, individualisation and adjustment during the race.
- Equipment and aerodynamics help only when the athlete can use them effectively.
- An entire support team often stands behind an individual performance.
