Fat Daniel returns to the place where it all began. The grandest event, since the King of the Squirrels alternated trees. Exactly 10 years ago, I absolved my first long distance in this very spot and I now return for my seventh (by now, my third in Kalmar).
In the beginning, they're all kinda the same: you bob up and down in the water, getting slapped on your swim cap left and right, rushing to become disoriented. If, as in this case, those sly little waves of the Baltic come sloshing along, synchronized perfectly with the rhythm of your breathing, euphoria is kept within a manageable limit. Also, it is disgustingly cold.

Those able to open their change-bags, have a definite strategical advantage. Others don't. Stupid knot...

Kalmar's claim to fame is its comfortable changing-zone, where everybody gets a chair. Notice the number of bikes that haven't been picked up yet...

This is true for the bike track: flat, fast, cold. I am actually doing well race- and time-wise, when darkness falls around me. The temperature drops, as if it was switched off, to 55°F/13°C, a strong wind comes up and it starts pouring buckets. Great! The average I was aiming for is kaput.

No matter, Pink Pirates always look like sunshine… after 6:01h, I stumble into T2.

Now, fun time is over. Actually, the run started out well too. I finished the first third, pretty smoothly, in 1:20h. In the second lap, I the dreaded, though unexpectedly extreme, slump comes along. 1:50h for the next 8.7m/14km.

Meanwhile, Susanne is having increasing difficulties in motivating me to keep running. Oh well, she managed in the end. It took 12:52h. During the race, I swore to myself, as always, that I would NEVER participate in an Iron Man again, especially here, in Kalmar. In fact, I swore NEVER to participate in any kind of sport again. NEVER EVER. The following day, I start thinking about when I could come back again. Okay Kalmar, ONE MORE TIME.

Two days later:

That's the last thing I needed! I ran the damn car aground, trying to park. Super!

Ferocious greetings,

Silverback Drabkov