Search
shop

Porta Potty and puking were the biggest challenges for Kristian Blummenfelt on sensational IRONMAN return

Despite barely riding his TT bike and minimal longer runs, Kristian Blummenfelt proved way to good for his IRONMAN Frankfurt rivals.
News Director
Last updated -
Get the ultimate guide to destination racing

Just 13 days on from competing in virtually the shortest format in the sport, the incredible Kristian Blummenfelt admitted he “surprised” himself with an astonishing victory at IRONMAN Frankfurt.

Blummenfelt finished 12th as he looked to defend his Olympic title in Paris at the end of July and then on August 5 took part in the Mixed Team Relay over the super sprint distance.

Back to full distance for the first time in nearly two years, the 2021 IRONMAN World Champion and 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 World Champion only had to finish in Frankfurt to validate his slot for this year’s IMWC on Kona.

But he did so much more than that as he powered clear of the field by clocking a 2:32:29 marathon – despite both a toilet stop and throwing up on the run!

Advertisement

‘I’d barely done any long runs’

He had nearly five minutes in hand of runner-up Kieran Lindars of Great Britain and interviewed afterwards on the live broadcast he told Paul Kaye: “I must say I’m quite surprised.

“I felt I came in with really not much preparation – a real lack of riding the TT bike and I’d barely done any long runs.

“So I was realistically thinking like, yeah, go out as normal and just expect the world to hit me quite early on the bike!

“But I think it was after 160k, I realised there were only two guys up front.

“I thought it was a way bigger group up front and I was riding in something like 15th. And at that point I started realising that if I’m feeling okay coming off the bike, I can actually run for a podium.”

‘Everything just came up!’

That front duo were Kristian Hogenhaug and Ruben Zepuntke and starting the run Blummenfelt would have nearly five minutes to make up on the former, and a little over two minutes on Zepuntke.

It would take him less than 10km to reel them both in – and then it was a question of holding in some nutrition.

He explained: “I haven’t really practiced nutrition for long course in quite a while and I really felt that on the third lap when everything just came up!”

The toilet stop and the mid-stride vomit didn’t derail him though and he added: “I think most of the [full-distance] races I’ve done have been in the heat and humidity so to finally have this sort of help as well – when it was p***ing it down on the bike – really helped me to stay cool.”

And despite jumping up from 10km to 42km on the run, Blummenfelt never looked like weakening – indeed for a while a first-ever sub 2:30 marathon in a full-distance race looked under threat.

And asked about that, he again admitted surprise, adding: “I guess that was maybe the reason why I didn’t go that well in Paris where I finished 12th. Maybe I was coming in with a bit too much capacity rather than focusing on the shorter path.”

Kristian Blummenfelt finish line IRONMAN Frankfurt 2024 photo credit IRONMAN
Kristian Blummenfelt celebrates another famous win [Photo credit: Getty Images for IRONMAN]

But when did he realise that he was going to add another title to his incredible CV?

“I would say you never know on the marathon. When I started puking up on the third lap of the run with 15k to go, I knew that it would be crucial to still be able to take in the nutrition, even though I’d just lost everything!

“But then when I sort of managed to find the rhythm again, I knew that I was still running faster than second and third and could hold it together.”

Jonathan Turner
Written by
Jonathan Turner
Jonathan Turner is News Director for both TRI247 and RUN247, and is accustomed to big-name interviews, breaking news stories and providing unrivalled coverage for endurance sports.  
Discover more
TRI247 podcast p/b Challenge Family episode 2
Go behind the scenes at Challenge Roth with the latest episode of the TRI247 podcast
Cadomotus Chronos triathlon cycling shoes
The triathlon cycling shoe that promises a 10-watt saving: Cadomotus Chronos Aero triathlon cycling shoes review
Challenge Family Roth
Five things you need to know about the Challenge Roth bike course
Challenge St. Pölten 2024 - image credit Jose Luis Hourcade / Challenge Family
Expert swim coach on the three most common swim mistakes age group triathletes make (and how to fix them!)
TRI-FIT VANGUARD tri suit review
The entry-level tri suit with a serious amount of performance for the price point – TRI-FIT VANGUARD review
latest News
Gwen Jorgensen reflective World Triathlon Cup Vina del Mer 2023
‘Unbreakable’ Gwen Jorgensen ‘bruised’ after bike crash but vows to bounce back
IRONMAN CEO Scott DeRue Women For Tri 2024
IRONMAN announce new age-group qualification system for Kona and 70.3 Worlds
IRONMAN World Championship 2019 / Kona 2019
IRONMAN’s new age-group system for Kona – all the big questions answered
Frederic Funk finish line Challenge Samarkand 2023 photo credit Challenge Family
Challenge Roth 2025: German star goes into the unknown in iconic triathlon showdown
Challenge Barcelona 2023 - Photo Credit: Jose Luis Hourcade
‘It’s going to be an absolute firecracker’ says Cam Wurf after booking IRONMAN World Champs spot
triathlon on your terms
Never miss out with our triathlon alerts & digest. Get a dose of adventure & inspiration with Boundless.
The 247 Group

The home of endurance sports

Share to...