Athlete Profile: Triathlete Ironman Lars Stolk

Some of you know him as Lars Running others know him as the tall Dutch marine. Well Lars Stolk has added another title under his belt "Ironman". Recently in July, Lars completed his 1st Ironman Triathlon in Zurich Switzerland. He is no stranger to Aruba's Running races & Triathlons but how much do you really know about him? Duck Blabber had the honor of sitting down with Lars for an exclusive interview.

Duck Blabber: So Lars tell us How did you get your start in triathlon?

Lars: In 2011 I arrived to the beautiful island of Aruba for a second period with the Dutch Marines. I started running and cycling. I had a Lemond racing bike. Then I watched one of the triathlon races on Aruba and I thought... -Why not? Sounds fun! Time to train swimming! So I decided to train on technique and endurance/power for the swimming part. After a couple of months I tried my first small triathlon. "After that, I was convinced. This is it, I want to do an Olympic distance triathlon". So I did my first triathlon at the end of may 2012 in Curacao, then another one in June 2012 on Aruba, and now I am addicted to it!

Duck Blabber: What do you enjoy most about the sport?

Lars: To combine three different sports in one race. Feel free in the water. Busting my balls on the bike, and run like crazy to the finish. And most important of all... I Enjoy the race, the magnificent view and all the spectators.

Duck Blabber: You’ have competed in all the different triathlon distances. Which is your favorite and why?

Lars: I don't like the short races. Olympic distance is really fun, cause I am better in long distance(Endurance) So I can tell you right now, my favorite distance is the Ironman Distance (Endurance!!!!).

Duck Blabber: You participated last month at the IronMan Zurich. How did that race go?

Lars: I was really, really nervous about the race. I was dealing with a lot of anxiety and mixed feelings due to a bad news I received regarding my mother's health, and of course, that was a "pain" in the ass. I had a hard time during the last preparations in France and Switzerland, so I thought I wasn't prepared for the Ironman. However I decided to do the race for mom, and that motivation was very important to succeed.

The swimming part was a difficult one. I really wanted to swim around 1:10 however a massive start of 2500 participants. I started close to the first line and the first loop I almost drowned. I couldn't breathe and I couldn't swim that good. So I had to wait for the second loop. During the second loop I had more space and I could fasten up in the water finally and after 1:14 I jumped out of the water preparing for T1.

T1, I did it in about 4:30. I had a quick change from trisuit into my bike clothes. I forgot to wear my compression sleeves, so I had to take off my shoes again. I drank an Ensure drink ran to my bike and took off for my 180km bike ride. The bike ride was tough. It was a high temperature around 36-38 degrees Celsius. They recommended not to wear a time trial helmet so I didn't. We had to ride 2 loops of 90km. 3 hills in the loops called "The beast", "The egg" and "Heartbreak Hill". All of them were really tough although the Heartbreak Hill, the toughest one was 18% in 500m up.

I did the first loop in 2:30. I ate and drank a lot on the bike. The second loop was much heavier, I had heavy legs, but I ended up in 5:47 preparing for T2.

T2, I did it in about 3:30, much faster than T1. I changed clothes again to my Athlete's Foot Running clothes. We had to run 4 loops of 10km. The first one was easy, 11km/per hour. No pain, no heavy legs. The second one in 10.9km/per hour, and then when I began in the third loop, my legs got heavier and heavier. I ended up the third loop in 10.8km/hour; as I prepared to enter the last loop.

The last 10km were the heaviest of the whole race. When I turned into the finishing park, I heard my name being mentioned on the speakers and I took an Aruban waving flag from the crowd, and ran into the last few meters. I Finished with a time of 11:18:46, being on the 441th place among 2500 participants.

As I finished in tears and much adrenaline, they gave me my well deserved medal, which I let them engrave right then a dedication to my mom.

Duck Blabber: How did you prepare for IronMan Zurich?

Lars: I started to train for the IronMan Zurich around October 2012. I focused on the swimming part, to make sure my technique was good, and to be able to swim using mostly my arms instead of using my legs for those 3.8km. I trained 2 times a week at the Olympic pool in Savaneta on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and also on Thursday evening I swam at Aquawindies, where Jan Roodzant trained me and helped me with my technique. Most of the times I swam on Saturday afternoons at Arashi Beach in open water.

At the beginning I trained the biking part together with Mario and Michel, 2 or 3 times a week. Around may 2013 I was sick of the wind in Aruba so I decided to buy a Tacx VR Trainer so I could bike inside in the AC without the wind.

I trained the running part all alone and I trained till 30km. No interval training, but most of the times endurance.

I decided not to train 2 disciplines after each other cause of the recovery after training both disciplines. The longer you train, the more recovery you need.

I listened very good to my body. When I was tired I didn't train for a day or 2. While I was training I followed the directions of a dietist, Melissa Greives, who helped me with a food log and food schedule. She gave me a schedule specifying what to drink and eat during the training, the preparations before the Ironman and during the Ironman. I strictly keep to that schedule during the Ironman and it worked!

Duck Blabber: How does it feel to be an IronMan?

Lars: To be honest the whole IronMan thing I did is not important right now due to the medical situation of my mom. So the title of IronMan will vanish very quick I guess. However, it felt super when I crossed the finish line. I almost felt invincible! But I had experienced that already after I finished the Mont Blanc Marathon a few years back.

I love to put myself into almost impossible things. 'Cause then I can push myself harder. But I have the title "IronMan" now and I love it, it makes me feel that I can do it again, faster; and I will do that again. I am going to push myself harder, and harder to conquer more difficult races throughout the world.

Duck Blabber: What are your goals for the rest of this season? What does the rest of your race schedule look like?

Lars: My first and most important goal for the rest of the season is my personal recovery after my 2 tendons are torn apart of my shoulder. It will take me at least 3 months to recover. But I still have a ticket for the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington end of October. Begin of January I have a ticket for the ING Miami marathon 2014. Of course, When I am able to race again I will run all the races on Aruba And the triathlons.

Duck Blabber: You mentioned an injury, tell us a little more about what happened.

Lars: 2 days before I was supposed to leave Holland to go back to Aruba, I did a recovery training on my bike. I had just biked 60km and I ended up close to my apartment in Rotterdam. With a speed of 40k/hour I biked on the road and on the other side another biker came towards me, however he wasn't allowed to bike there. He crashed into me and I flew over him. I was K.O. and I woke up in the ambulance.

A few minutes later, after my arrival to the hospital, they told me after a few exams that 2 tendons were torn apart from my shoulder. Last week I had to go back to the doctor and he told me, I will get 2 donor tendons and he can't assure me a 100% recovery. The surgery will be a tough one on the 26th of August. It is my intention to recover a fully 100%. I will recover having therapy with Roeland Krijnen, my personal physiotherapist from Acuclinic in Aruba.

Duck Blabber: Do you have a sport hero?

Lars: Yes I have. The one I really admire is Lance Armstrong, even after all his confessions. This man is really very strong and he is the best in triathlons and biking. He conquered the disease cancer and he came back fast and hard back on track.

Duck Blabber: What helps to motivate you?

Lars: The people I love and care about motivates me. Those people support me in all my races, and of course especially my parents, who support me since the day I was born.

Duck Blabber: Which of the 3 sports in triathlon is your strongest and which one is your weakest?

Lars: That's a funny question. All the 3 disciplines I can do like 75%. I don't have a weak or a strong discipline, but if I really have to choose one it will be the swim part to be the "weakest" and the run part the "strongest".

Duck Blabber: Finally what advice do you have for the youngsters and other triathletes out there, dreaming of competing in an IronMan one day?

Lars: "I can only say, believe in yourself and believe anything in life is possible. Train hard, race easy but listen very good to your body, otherwise you will get injured. Set a goal (race) and train all the way towards your race. Think hard about how to train and when to recover. The youngsters usually train hard, and recover bad, and then they get injured.

Anyone can do an Ironman. It is "just" a race. Most people dream to do an IronMan, believe me, I did the same. And I did in a magnificent time and I am proud of it. I was devoted all the way and highly disciplined to make sure to complete it. Listen to people who have knowledge about the human body and about training principals. If anyone would like advice or assistance during their training or races, they can reach out to me, as I am a Personal Trainer (PT) and I can create a personalized training schedule according to their level of performance, in order to help them reach their goals.

Duck Blabber wishes Mr Stolk a quick recovery and wishes to see him very soon in his next race.