In this episode

This time, Jenny Boulmeti takes the guest’s seat to talk to George Svarnas about her race in Kona. Before her third-place finish at the IRONMAN World Championship came months of injury, uncertainty about reaching the start line and changes to the way she coached herself.

From a difficult bike leg to the marathon that took her from eighth to third in her age group, she describes what she thought and did at each crucial point. Preparation, brick sessions, fuelling and managing the course explain how she achieved the result, while the quickfire questions keep the familiar humour of the show.

Quick navigation

  • 00:00 — Introduction
  • 00:32 — Jenny takes the guest’s seat
  • 05:29 — What changed in her preparation
  • 09:51 — More consistent swimming and greater weekly volume
  • 12:31 — The training week and evaluating progress
  • 14:34 — Running and brick sessions at race pace
  • 18:45 — The injury and uncertainty about starting
  • 27:28 — Conditions in Kona and the swim
  • 32:18 — The difficult bike leg and thoughts of stopping
  • 40:00 — The 3:21:16 marathon
  • 46:43 — The overtakes for the podium and weekly running volume
  • 50:41 — The finish and the emotion of third place
  • 52:40 — The fuelling plan with bottles and a soft flask
  • 57:22 — The professional race and managing the heat
  • 01:02:32 — Thoughts on the next races
  • 01:06:50 — Quickfire questions with Jenny
  • 01:14:04 — Family in Kona and long-term goals
  • 01:16:35 — Closing thoughts and the Kona shirt

Detailed show notes

From a plateau to a different training approach

After her previous race in Kona, Jenny took over her own coaching and looked for what she needed to improve. She describes a year averaging 14–15 training hours per week and around 20 at the peak, with more intensity and systematic evaluation. She stresses that this approach rested on the aerobic base she had built over many years.

Swimming, brick sessions and assessing race pace

Weekly swimming volume increased to 12–15 kilometres, while her running focused more on threshold and race pace. Two brick sessions each week, one shorter and one longer, helped her assess how she ran after cycling. Alongside tests and lactate measurements, she used how she felt to judge whether the pace was sustainable. She reports averaging 55–60 kilometres of running per week and reaching 80–85 at the peak.

The injury that put the start line in doubt

A back problem limited her cycling training for months. Although she could swim and run, her bike preparation fell behind and racing in Kona was far from certain. Jenny discusses her gradual return to longer sessions and how she adjusted her expectations before the race.

The bike leg and thoughts of turning towards home

Waves during the swim and wind on the bike added to the difficulty. During the bike leg, pain prevented her from holding her position on the aero bars as she watched other women pass her. On the return towards Waikoloa, she seriously considered stopping. Hearing that she was fifth in her age group gave her fresh motivation to continue.

From eighth at the start of the marathon to the podium

By the second transition, she had dropped to eighth in her age group. On the run, however, she found the rhythm and focus she wanted. She divided the course into sections, ran through the Energy Lab with confidence and began moving up the rankings. She describes the two overtakes that told her she was in contention for the top three and the emotional finish: a 3:21:16 marathon, 9:55:53 overall and third place in the women’s 40–44 age group.

A fuelling approach tested in training

Jenny explains why carbohydrate mixes in bottles and a soft flask worked for her, taken in small, frequent sips. In her own race plan, she reports taking 100 grams of carbohydrate per hour on both the bike and the run. The conversation also turns to the heat, cooling the body and the difficulties faced by the professionals.

What comes next, quickfire questions and family

Her appetite for racing remains, despite saying immediately after the finish that she would not do another IRONMAN. In the quickfire questions, she shares favourite and difficult sessions, the words she had written on her hand and the peculiarities of coaching herself. Having her children in Kona adds a family dimension to the experience.

Key takeaways

  • The changes to her training were based on assessing what she lacked and on years of experience; fewer training hours alone do not explain the result.
  • Brick sessions helped her connect race pace with how she felt after cycling.
  • A difficult first part did not define the whole race: Jenny started the marathon eighth and finished third in her age group.
  • The fuelling plan she used in the race had been tested in her long training sessions.
  • Dividing the marathon into familiar sections and focusing on the next aid station helped her stay concentrated.