A Danish teacher set a world record yesterday after completing 11 consecutive Iron Man triathlons in 11 days.
Thea Storm Henriksen, 33, was the only woman to take part in the XXX Deca Iron competition this September, in which competitors try and complete an Iron Man triathlon every day for 30 days.
Henriksen chose not to complete the competition in Brescia, Italy, but her effort was still enough to set a world record.
“I’m really happy and relieved,” she told Politiken newspaper. “Doing 11 Iron Man triathlons was no walk in the park, and now I’m enjoying sitting here and relaxing while the others bicycle.”
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She added that the greatest struggle was to stay motivated and complete the daily 3.8 kilometre swim, 180 kilometre bicycle ride and 42.195 kilometre run.
“It’s actually the first competition I have entered that I have not completed. But I wanted to spend some time with my father and sister and have a little holiday in the region. They worked so hard to feed me and prepare my clothing.”
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Henriksen is a former national youth champion in athletics and currently teaches outdoor sports and activities at the sports college Vejle Idrætshøjskole.
She has participated in a number of international competitions, such as the 2010 World Championships in Adventure Racing and in 2011 she successfully trekked across Greenland’s ice cap.
