TRAIN FROM HOME FOR VICTORY

This year has given us proof that devotion to the pain cave' can yield success, but it takes a little more than a fancy home gym...

If I had to add up the number of words I’ve written about new Ironman world champion Lucy Charles-Barclay in the past few weeks, it would extend beyond 10,000. From press conference previews to pressing publish on a race report as she crossed the finish line on Ali’i Drive, to dashing to the interview area to grab some emotional reaction, then more reflective interviews and analysis pieces, it’s times like this – witnessing firsthand the unabated joy of a long-held dream accomplished – that it’s a privilege to have a role as a sports writer.

Some of that hopefully exudes from this issue’s profile feature (see p26) where Lucy dissects the approach her team took to land the coveted title after four narrow misses. Yet behind the victory celebrations there was also one less glamorous aspect that stood out: the switch to indoor training in the build-up to the event.