FoT Firsts – Theo at Ironman Copenhagen

If you’re riding with the club this weekend, it’s because of Theo Robinson. While not organising our club rides (and leading lots of them!), Theo found time to train for a full Ironman… and then absolutely smashed it. 

Here’s what Theo had to say about it:

Your first full Ironman! How were you feeling ahead of it? Nervous? Excited?

It was a combination of excitement and nerves. Leading up to the race I was reasonably confident over all three distances individually, but putting it all together in one day is a different beast entirely (especially as a first-timer) – there’s the potential for a lot to go wrong. I’d also injured my Achilles last September, and, although it had held up in training, I was hoping it wouldn’t flare up on race day. 

Why did you choose Ironman Copenhagen?

It’s a city of bikes! What’s not to love? The swim location was a big plus for me. It’s coastal but tucked into a sheltered lagoon with no current. There are three bridges over the course, all packed with spectators cheering you on. The bike course has just enough elevation to keep things interesting, while still being fairly kind. And the run course has the most amazing support. It’s one of the few Ironmans held in a capital city and the locals go all-in to support the race. There’s a huge party atmosphere and people are cheering on the final competitors late into the night. 

How was the training? 

Coach Liv put together an incredible plan. One of my goals was to enjoy the training, so even when something didn’t go well, I tried to find a positive somewhere, or something to learn from, and I reckon I enjoyed about 99% of it! Doing a lot of swim sessions at the Olympic pool in Stratford was a game-changer for my swim training. One morning I looked over and realized Lucy Charles-Barclay was in the next lane, which was slightly surreal. 

I read a good quote from the Olympic athlete Alexei Pappas, whose coach told her: “When you’re chasing a big goal, you’re supposed to feel good a third of the time, okay a third of the time, and crappy a third of the time…and if the ratio is roughly in that range, then you’re doing fine.” That was a helpful bit of perspective to have at the back of my mind.

How did the club help you? 

This year’s Mallorca camp was huge for me. I was able to do some climbs I hadn’t done since I got long covid (there may or may not have been an emotional moment at the top of Puig Major!). Lizzie came out to Copenhagen to support, which was amazing. She helped keep everything calm and made sensible decisions, including making me #BeMoreLauraKenny (“never stand when you can sit, never sit when you can lie down”), and then on race day she ran all over the course to cheer and updated the virtual cheer squad. 

How was the race? Fun? Harder than you expected?

To my total astonishment, everything went right, and it ended up being a pretty perfect day! I’m so, so proud of the swim: I think anyone who saw me swim when I joined the club in 2016 will know how far I had to come with my stroke! And I definitely didn’t think I had a 1:30 swim in me (honestly, I thought I’d be coming out around the 2hr mark, even though Liv assured me that wouldn’t be the case). I managed to hold a nearly perfect line, too, so I was super happy with my sighting. Normally, I come out of the water a bit disoriented, but I felt calm and clear-headed. 

The bike course was a nice mix of coastal and countryside, with some lovely straight, fast sections, and a few undulating bits which took just slightly more out of the legs than you’d expect. Seeing Lizzie on Geels Bakke, the main climb, was a fantastic boost. I found a comfortable rhythm and just kept going. Rolling into T2, I had a moment where I couldn’t let go of my bike—I think my brain couldn’t quite process that the bike leg was over. Then onto the run, it was the moment of truth: my legs were stiff, but in slight disbelief I found I was moving well and running. Liv had given me Ironman marathon legs!

After the first 5km the stiffness began to fade, and then it was just about ticking it off, a kilometre at a time. The volunteers were amazing, providing much-needed orange slices at the aid stations and the support from the crowd was incredible: kids at the roadside with their hands stretched out for high-fives and total strangers shouting your name. The third loop is is a bit of a blur: I saw Lizzie again and couldn’t speak, but just seeing her gave me a lift. With 30km under my belt, I made it to the fourth and final loop, and then I KNEW I would finish. The sun was setting, bathing the city in pink light and lights started to twinkle over the water. I focused on enjoying the final loop and thanking the volunteers. In the final 5km the tiredness and soreness finally kicked in, and I switched to a run-walk. The city clock chimed 10pm and then suddenly the finish line was in sight. Running down the chute, the noise, music, and lights were overwhelming, but suddenly all the pain disappeared and I sprinted down the famous red carpet. I had done it. I was an IRONMAN!

What’s next for you? 

The best words of wisdom I received after the race were: “Sleep. Eat. And don’t sign up for another race for at least a month!” That sounded like pretty good advice, so maybe ask me in a month’s time?!

Anything else you want to mention?

Just a massive thank you to everyone who supported me along the way – from training buddies to race-day cheer squad (in person + virtual). I feel very lucky to have such an awesome village.