Lanzarote and IRONMAN set the course in Ingrid Arning’s life. We find out the story of the triathlete who found her personal balance on the island and in triathlon
She arrived on the island in December 2006, in 2007 she heard out about the IRONMAN event and two years later she won her first finisher medal in this demanding triathlon. Since then, Ingrid Arning has completed twenty-three IRONMAN distance races (including World and European Championships) and has participated in several mid-distance triathlons. She came to the island in search of change and found her best ally in sport.
This is where I first came across the Ironman and I really liked the idea of training in this landscape and under this sun.
It was seeing the race in person that led her to start preparing for her first IRONMAN Lanzarote. Everything surrounding the event seemed spectacular to her, so from that day she set herself the goal of participating in this demanding triathlon. “I was pleasantly surprised by the event; I had never seen anything like it before and from that day on I knew that I wanted to participate in it.“
The truth is that running here gives you lots of energy. Sometimes I go to the mountains and train on the trails, sometimes I go to the coast …
With this clear goal in mind, Ingrid began to prepare herself, learning to ride a bike and signing up for swimming lessons. Her morning and afternoon job meant she had little time to dedicate to her training, but she organised her schedule so as not to miss any sessions. “I’d go out running at 5 in the morning and at midday I’d go swimming or hop on the bike. It was very hard work, but training in Lanzarote was a great help because the island, the landscapes, the people and the peace and quiet give you enough strength to keep it up.“
In 2009 she crossed the finish line of her first Lanzarote IRONMAN, and it was one of the happiest days of her life. “It was a great experience and something I never thought I’d be able to do.” But she was not satisfied with just that finisher’s medal, and years later her perseverance has even led her to participate in the IRONMAN World Championship after qualifying for her age group.
Since 2009, I’ve completed 11 Ironman Lanzarote events, and participated in Ironman 70.3 and other races. In total I’ve participated in 23 Ironman races.
Ingrid believes that coming to live in Lanzarote was the best decision of her life and getting to know triathlon and the people involved in the sport has brought her a huge amount of happiness. “I always tell my friends that I am lucky to live in a place that is basically paradise.”
