I had trained hard again, including physiotherapy 50 hours a week, and I was convinced that I could achieve great things again at this Ironman World Championship in Nice, my last race, at the age of 42. The crucial moment for me came at kilometer 65 on the bike. That’s when I knew that this wasn’t my day, that there was something wrong with me physically – and that I was okay with it.
It was a very strange feeling because it was so foreign, but at the same time it was confirmation that the step I actually wanted to take a few hours later was the right one, namely to stop.
“Above all, it was about self-respect for me”
I was very aware that this was the last time and that I also had to enjoy it. I was then able to actually enjoy it because I was able to forgive myself for not being able to give more that day. I was sick, but I didn’t need an excuse.
On the marathon route I had the chance to come into contact with a lot of people in a very, very emotional way, which was never possible for me otherwise and which I would never have allowed. I once had a similar celebration in Hawaii when I had to leave because of a back injury, and I hated myself. For me it was also about recognition, but above all it was about self-respect.
The decisive moment came at cycle kilometer 65: Jan Frodeno in Nice: Image: Picture Alliance
Things were different in Nice than back in Hawaii. I had found contentment and inner peace. That’s a great goal in life, but it’s not a recipe for winning gold medals. It was time to stop.
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From that special moment at cycling kilometer 65, I enjoyed the race from a different perspective. I was able to reflect on a lot on the way up to the marathon, where my team and others sometimes didn’t know that I had long since come to terms with myself. A second moment was when I was able to hug my family at the finish. That’s it. I hung my cap on a nail and shared a Coke with my kids.
Recorded by Michael Eder
