Kevin Attard may soon become the first Maltese to complete a triple Ironman challenge – but he’s keeping his feet on the ground about his chances.
“At this point, I feel ready and confident that I can actually make it, but in reality I still to have to keep in mind that anything can happen during the race and it can go either way,” said Mr Attard, 41, as he neared the end of a gruelling training regime.
The athlete will be heading to Lensahn, Germany, next week to compete in the July 29 race, known officially as the annual Triple Ultra Triathlon.
He will have to run 126.6 kilometres, swim another 11.4 kilometres and cycle a distance of 540 kilometres – all within 58 hours.
“I believe that if everything goes as planned, I will be able to cover all the distances in about 52 to 55 hours,” he says, adding that it would be a huge honour to become the first-ever Maltese to complete the race.
I will be able to cover all the distances in about 52 to 55 hours
To achieve his aim, he has been training for the last four years, also competing in other races. For the last six months, the triple Ironman race has been his sole aim.
The intense training took a toll on his emotional well-being and on his social life.
The standard training programme for such a race has athletes training for four hours a day, six times a week, for a stretch of 21 weeks. While on some days he might only train for two hours, on other days he does 10 straight hours.
“There have been moments when yes, I was ready to give up. For me the physical aspect of it all is the least difficult part.
“But psychologically, it’s not easy. You give up your social life when you take up such a challenge. The only time I get to spend with my friends is when they come over and train with me to keep me company,” Mr Attard said.
A good support system is crucial – three friends will be travelling with him to Germany for moral support.
Is he anxious?
“I have followed the training programme closely and believe I am very well prepared, I just hope to return home and be able to say that I have completed the triple Ironman challenge.”