Jens Bjergetriathlete and operations operator at Nukissiorfiit, has taken part in the Iron Man WC in Hawaii for the second time.
He has done so as the only one from Greenland.
Jens Bjergetriathlete and operations operator at Nukissiorfiit, has taken part in the Iron Man WC in Hawaii for the second time.
He has done so as the only one from Greenland.
– I’m super proud that it’s my 14th Ironman and I’ve never dropped out of any race, Jens Bjerge tells AG and adds:
– It is great to reach the finish line after such a strenuous trip.
Training in the fjord
An Ironman consists of 3.8 kilometers of swimming, 180 kilometers of cycling and 42.2 kilometers of running.
Of course, it requires a lot of preparation to be able to complete, and in the lead up to the race, Jens Bjerge has sometimes had to use non-traditional forms of training.
As part of his work for Nukissiorfiit, he has spent a lot of time on the Ameralik fjord span this summer to repair a spare cable on the fjord span.
– We lived at an altitude of 500 meters on the north side of the span and we had a barge down on the fjord. I carried many heavy things up and down, says Jens Bjerge.
– It was long days of physical work. Occasionally, however, I managed to squeeze in some runs, says Jens Bjerge.
Prestigious competition
Participating in the WC in Hawaii is something close to the biggest thing a triathlete can achieve, says Jens Bjerge.
– It’s not something you can just sign up for, he says.
In 2015, he qualified for the competition for the first time. Here, 11 years later, he succeeded again, as a result of a challenge he gave himself on his 60th birthday last year.
– I wanted to give it a shot one last time and try to get on the podium for Iron Man in Copenhagen, he says.
Here he came in second place for his age group, and that triggered an invitation to this year’s WC.
– I can never say no
Iron Man is not only physically tough.
It also requires that you can pick yourself up and keep going.
Even when the doubts and self-pity come, explains Jens Bjerge.
– During the day you always ask yourself what the hell you are doing, he says.
He even considered selling his bike after the race because he thought it was over.
– But now I am happy that I have it home. Something will definitely come up… I can never say no!
