Javier Serrano will fulfill the dream of every triathlete on October 6: to compete in the Ironman in Hawaii. A resident of Almería for 12 years, he will be the third from Talavera to attend this mythical test after his coach, Pablo Cabeza in 1998, who was also the first Castilian-La Mancha native, and José Antonio González Gordillo in 1999. Therefore, they have It took 23 years to see another athlete from the city face such a feat.
His classification came “unexpectedly”, as he explains to this newspaper. Three years ago, “in the last pre-pandemic iroman, I stayed at the gates.” In 2021 he competed in the Ironman of Lanzarote «I got the classification, when I was not looking for it; I found the prize and, obviously, I did not hesitate in the least to embark on the adventure ».
Indeed, Lanzarote is another iroman of great national and international prestige. He confesses about the Canarian triathlon that “I had a lot of respect for it and I did not see myself in a position to face Lanzarote.”
The Hawaiian test is held in the Kona area where Serrano will compete in the Age Group from 50 to 54 years old and the test consists of a total of 226 kilometers divided into 3.8 kilometers of swimming, 180 of cycling and a marathon, 42,195 , running race.
Regarding its preparation, he explains that “it is a process that is year by year.” In addition, his coach, Pablo Cabeza, lived the Hawaiian adventure: “For me it is a guarantee”; to which is added “the great professional he is and the experience he treasures”. Therefore, “I am in his hands.” He carries out the training program made by his technician.
However, he acknowledges that it has been a summer season complicated by heat waves and, furthermore, in Almería “with the humidity, which was very hard until it began to be a more normal summer at the end of August.”
Precisely, humidity is what you will also find in Hawaii, which also facilitates your acclimatization. The triathlete and his wife will travel on September 30 ». Although he usually organizes the trips himself, in this case, he has arranged the trip and accommodation through a German agency.
It would have been his turn to compete last year on Hawaiian land, but it was not held due to the pandemic, as in 2020. Therefore, the Talavera triathlete attends the first post-pandemic Ironman in Hawaii. Therefore, it is not surprising that he admits that “I am very excited because when you do this distance, you see it as something utopian.” But it is clear that “with perseverance and doing things well, the opportunity came to me.”
Regarding his career, «I started late in the triathlon; I was cycling and, with the background that cycling gives you, I had always been attracted to triathlon ». It was ten years ago “when I did a test in Almería, I liked it and the following year I signed up for an ironman”.
And this year culminates a journey that takes him to the zenith of the iroman: “There are times when you ask yourself: do you do Hawaii and then what?”
Although Javier Serrano has new challenges next season that “is on track.” And it is that he is classified for the Ironman 70.3 World Cup that is held in August 2023 in Finland where he will go with Pablo Cabeza, who also has his classification: “Two Talaveras in another World Cup,” he points out.
And of course he is proud of his city: “I have Talavera as my flag and I also have family and friends there”