Ásta Rún wins half Ironman age group after six months

Ásta Rún Ingvadóttir won the 18 to 24 age group in her first half Ironman competition, just six months after beginning triathlon training, mbl.is reports. She finished the Ironman 70.3 race in Belgrade in 4:47:05 and secured a place at next year’s world championship.

The 24 year old’s time is the second fastest recorded by an Icelandic woman in a half Ironman, just 17 seconds behind Sara Árnadóttir’s time of 4:46:48 in Warsaw earlier this summer.

Ásta completed the running section in 1:30:11. According to the Þrítíminn database, that is the fastest recorded half Ironman run by an Icelandic woman. Helen Ólafsdóttir previously held the best time, at 1:32:18.

A half Ironman consists of a 1.9 kilometre swim, a 90 kilometre bike ride and a half marathon. Ásta noted that times from different competitions are not always easy to compare because the courses and transition areas vary, while weather and wind can also have a significant effect.

Friends first suggested triathlon after following her results on the Strava running app. Before she began training for endurance events this year, Ásta had worked out at a gym, run recreationally during the summer and swum occasionally.

She did not immediately embrace the idea. “I thought it was ridiculous to practise three sports reasonably well instead of trying to do just one thing well,” she said.

Ásta had long enjoyed physical activity. She played handball as a child, practised yoga for years and trained as a yoga teacher after graduating from Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík. She also enjoys long hikes abroad and cycles frequently, partly because she does not own a car.

She began systematic endurance training this year after meeting Jakob Magnússon at an open running session at the University of Iceland. Jakob studies sports science and trains in triathlon. He began helping her with her training, and Ásta jokingly describes herself as his “guinea pig”.

They both competed successfully in the domestic cup series during the summer. Jakob then persuaded Ásta to enter the competition in Serbia. She says he is not her formal coach, but a friend and training partner who has guided her and shared his experience.

“We are simply growing and learning together,” Ásta said.

Her interest in the sport grew quickly after she began training. “I become somewhat fascinated,” she said, acknowledging that her enthusiasm has sometimes made it difficult to concentrate on her studies and work.