Page 14 - ARUBA TODAY

A14 LOCAL
Wednesday 25 July 2018

Lars Stolk epic performance at the Alaskaman

Extreme Triathlon 2018

fore, during and after this to come in. It took me an the valley. The roads were
amazing event? extra 5 minutes to get out very dangerous because
We drove more then 1200 of the water and I realized of summer season there
miles in a few days to see I swam 4.1km in 1 hour and were a lot of trucks, cars
the beautiful nature of 40 minutes. Some volun- and RV’s on the road. Ev-
Alaska. On Sunday I did a teers helped me out of the erywhere there were stones
cold water swim of 1km in water, because I was disori- on the road and some-
Hidden Lake and on Mon- ented and Sheryl and Ricky times sand and rubber, this
day we hiked a 1.000m took over. I ran to T1 and I was a survival bike course.
peak in Alaska. Friday felt good. Sheryl took my Safety was my priority num-
morning we arrived back in wet clothes off and started ber one. It took me 150km
Anchorage to pick up our to dress me. The shivering to warm up, because I
last team member Ricardo started and didn't stop for couldn’t feel my toes and
and we drove to Seward at least 10 minutes which hand anymore. I got a flat
to pick up the bib number cost me a lot of energy. tire on the course also and
and be there at the race Finally after 20 minutes I eventually after 180km I
briefing. Afterwards we could get out of T1 and finished my bike course
ALASKA ― Last Saturday because my main focus checked in at the lodge jump on my bike. in 6 hours and 48 minutes
took place the amazing was to finish. I laid down in at Resurrection Bay and with an elevation of almost
Alaskaman Extreme Triath- ice baths every week to ac- ate something before I The bike course started off 1.500m.
lon 2018 event, which con- climatize on the cold water did my last preparations. I hard, because there was a
sisted of 2.6 miles swim in so my body wouldn't shake finished around 23.30 and lot of fog/mist coming into Continued on Page 15
temperatures of 10-13 de- that much. I trained a lot of tried to sleep a few hours
grees Celsius, a 113 miles hours indoors with the bike, because at 2 a.m. in the
bike ride with an elevation because outdoors is not morning I needed to wake
gain of almost 1330 meters safe with all the dogs and up. At 02.30 with less sleep
and finishing with a 27.5 cars driving around. I ran a we went to T1 to prepare
miles run with almost 2050 lot outdoor in combination my bike and afterwards the
meters of elevation gain. with indoor running on the bus drove me to the Swim
This event is held every treadmill with a 12% inclina- start. Just before 04.45 a.m.
year in the beautiful nature tion and with the Hypoxico they started to play the Na-
and wilderness of Alaska. Training Mask on. tional Anthem and after-
We had the opportunity to wards we started.
have Lars Stolk share with
us his personal experience Did you have any specific The water temperature was
at this year amazing event. diet or nutrition? around 14 degrees Celsius
My wife Sheryl, who is a Ho- and my goggles became
How did your training and listic Lifestyle Coach and foggy the first 1km which
preparation for this event Nutritionist, helped me with was annoying. The water
go? my nutrition and Mr. Don was freezing and my face
I started training 6 months Bislip from Natucura helped and hands became numb.
ago and I decided to train me also with my nutrition They told me at km 3 we
specifically instead of hours and recovery in combina- will reach the waterfall and
and hours on the bike. I tion with two treatments the temperature will drop
slept since February this per week to recover faster down to 8 degrees Celsius.
year in my High Altitude during my training sessions. This water is from the gla-
Tent at home and I trained I needed to gain for this cier. I reached that point
on the treadmill on High event because of the cold and my whole body be-
Altitude which gives me water, but that was hard came colder and my face
more oxygen and more because my metabolism is started to hurt. Finally I saw
red blood cells to become so fast. the final orange buoy in the
stronger. I didn't focus on water but the last 400m the
interval training that much, How did everything go be- current and waves started