Laura Philipp says she’s found it difficult to recreate the “tension and focus” since her epic IRONMAN World Championship victory in Nice.
The German superstar achieved a lifetime ambition when winning full-distance triathlon’s biggest event on the French Riviera in September after top-four placings in her previous three attempts, all of them in Kona.
After a perfectly-executed race, she ran out a clear-cut winner in Nice after a brilliant battle for much of the event with Britain’s Kat Matthews.
But in common with Matthews – and others – the season wasn’t over at that point as there was still the climax of the T100 campaign to come, something Philipp readily admits has been a challenge.
‘Hey it’s not over yet’
She understandably didn’t line up just six days later at T100 Ibiza but she did race at both T100 Lake Las Vegas and then the Grand Final in Dubai, coming seventh in both races to finish in the same position in the overall standings.
Speaking in her latest YouTube video, which is embedded below, and reflecting on the season and what she has achieved, she said of the IMWC victory: “I didn’t know what it would do to me or what impact it would have.
“The main impact was simply that a huge tension fell away from me and then Las Vegas in particular came around that corner super quickly.
“I tried to do a few sessions in training to show my body ‘hey it’s not over yet, there’s still something planned’ but it was one of the hardest racing experiences I’ve had.
“I’d say for the final in Dubai I managed it a little better to do a few good sessions because the fitness was actually there.
But I think what was super difficult was to really create this tension and focus again.
“And I have to say that Nice was such a great experience that it will be difficult for any other event to get there again anyway.”
Motivation will be back
Philipp is coached by her husband Philipp Seipp, who masterminded the route to Nice glory alongside her – not just this season but in the years building up to it.
And she added: “On top of that I really had the feeling that my team and Philipp, before Nice we had formulated this goal so clearly – everyone was ‘all in’ and everyone did their best to make it really possible. And the team was [then] also a bit out of breath.”
Looking back now she’s pleased she continued to race but is relishing a break and reset before focussing on 2025 and beyond.
“It was cool to do the races, to finish them, because I think these are important experiences that I have also gained for the future. I’m also extremely proud of my performance in Dubai, that was a top performance.
“It’s just a really completely different race format and a really good line up. You have to focus on this format in the end in order to be really good there. I decided at the beginning of the year to do this series, brought it to the finish [and] ended what is my most successful year from a sporting point of view.
“I think I’ve done some of the most competitions I’ve ever done in a year [nine races]. I’ve stayed healthy, I’m not burnt out or anything but I’m extremely looking forward to my break but above all to just work through everything for myself and reflect and process it and then start the new year again extremely motivated.”
Philipp is currently winning plenty of awards after her stellar season and enjoying that well-deserved limelight – watch the video for more on that.
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