Warsaw 70.3 - Thirsty for some speed!

Christina (and Kamal!) Warsaw IM 70.3 2026

Warsaw 70.3 was my return to the distance after a year and a half of focusing on full Ironman racing, which had left me thirsty for some speed. I had also just moved into the 40–44 age group and was determined to keep challenging myself to embrace intensity rather than settling into comfortable Ironman paces. It was also my first opportunity to race a genuinely fast 70.3 course, something that had motivated me all winter. Training had gone very well—by which I basically mean uninterrupted, which for me is always a good sign—including an extended training camp in Mallorca in March.

We recently got a puppy, so I headed to this race on my own. But you never really race alone when teammates are there, and I was lucky to have Kamal around to share the pre-race stress, preparations and carb-loading in the lovely city of Warsaw.

The logistics were certainly unusual. With the swim start around 40 km from the city, transition was split and athletes were allocated to trains on race morning. My assigned train would have got me to transition only around 20 minutes before it closed, leaving almost no margin for delays or for getting into a good swim position. Like many others, we booked a taxi instead. Thankfully everything worked perfectly and we arrived at T1 with plenty of time to spare.

The swim started and ended in a long stretch of very shallow water, requiring a decent amount of dolphin diving before we could swim or exit. The calm lake waters soon became choppy approaching the turning point. I found the rolling start of six people every 10 seconds ideal, making this the first swim where I didn't feel I was constantly fighting for space. I managed to swim at the intensity I'd prepared for without too much stress from those around me, although it wasn't my fastest swim. I've learnt to let that go quickly—there's no point dwelling on a couple of minutes once the race has moved on.

Transition was fast and uneventful.

Before starting this race I had promised myself one thing: I'd enjoy this bike ride no matter what. Our Friday recce had left me genuinely excited. After months of riding on battered UK roads, it was such a joy to race on beautifully smooth tarmac. Even during our relaxed recce ride it felt as though the road was pushing us forward. The course was largely flat and sheltered by forest for the first half, while the second half followed the motorway into the city, so we hadn't been able to preview it.

I came out of the swim early enough to avoid too much congestion. After giving my legs a few minutes to wake up and taking on some fluids, I settled into race pace. The numbers on my computer were right where they should be.

Soon enough I found myself riding alongside a couple of women of similar ability, which made it feel like a proper race. We spent much of the ride trying to hang on to the fast trains forming up the road without compromising the drafting rules. It was hard work but satisfying to know we were racing honestly while making the most of the dynamics around us.

This pattern continued for most of the bike, apart from the two or three times I got dropped and had to work my way back on my own. I had to push hard there, but I felt I had it. At the same time I told myself I'd allow five candles to be burnt during the race. We had a full headwind leading into the city, so it was important not to be alone on that section. Once we reached the final 10 km out-and-back, though, I was mostly riding solo.

Riding through the motorway tunnel was surreal. For a few seconds it was so dark you could barely see anything, but the blast of cool air made it one of my favourite moments of the bike.

Leading into T2 I was slightly nervous as I knew it was at the top of a small hill, making taking off the shoes on the go a little trickier. Somehow I managed it and headed out under the RUN arch after the surprisingly useful 400m run through transition while pushing my bike.

The run is always my favourite part of the race. With the bike safely behind me, it finally feels like the race begins in earnest, relying only on my own legs. Running through Warsaw's beautiful old town was a real highlight. The slight undulations were unexpected but made the course more interesting, while the strengthening wind kept things honest.

Thanks to the long T2, I was straight into my target pace and feeling good. Only a couple of weeks before the race I'd started to believe this pace might actually be possible. From the very first kilometre I committed to it. One of my biggest goals in racing is to finish strong rather than simply survive to the line.

A friend shouted that I was running in third place in my age group, with second out of reach but fourth around two minutes behind and running a similar pace. From then on, it was simply about holding that podium position.

As the laps ticked by I focused on staying present, counting the out-and-backs, fuelling and getting to the next turnaround. It's funny how the finish always seems to make the effort feel harder. I often wonder whether we'd feel exactly the same if someone quietly added another 10 km to the course which makes for an interesting thought experiment in these dark moments!

Conditions were perfect: warm but not hot, and thankfully cloudy at that point. I even found myself avoiding the water fountains because I didn't want my shoes to get wet! Carrying a 500ml soft flask with water and electrolytes worked brilliantly, allowing me to skip the early aid stations. That's definitely something I'll keep experimenting with.

Soon enough I was into the final stretch. The course measured about 300m longer, but at least the final section was downhill. I managed the best "sprint" I had left and finally saw the finish line. For once I remembered to enjoy those final few metres rather than simply chasing the clock. I crossed the line feeling strong—right until my hamstring cramped spectacularly just before the finish, bringing the celebrations to an abrupt end! Still, it held on for exactly as long as it needed to.

I didn't even know my finishing time at that point, but I was simply delighted to have held it together all the way to the end. Compared to a full-distance race, it almost felt over in a single breath.

Next up was Kamal's incredible finish (he hadn't raced for as long as I've known him!) and we spent some time enjoying food and drinks in the athlete village. The atmosphere was fantastic.

Looking through the new ‘adjusted-for-age’ results, I realised sixth place overall was enough to secure qualification for the World Championship in Nice. That had been the main objective all along, and I'd already decided a few weeks earlier that if I qualified I'd accept the slot immediately. No agonising decision this time—just the entry fee!

During the awards ceremony I realised the two women ahead of me had not only finished first and second overall but had also stood on the Kona World Championship podium last October. Honestly, I couldn't have been happier with third behind athletes of that calibre. Watching those performances across the older age groups reminded me that there is still so much to look forward to. If anything, it made me even happier to leave my thirties behind and keep chasing improvement.