Marc Ben Fatma Reflects on Completing Half-Ironman

Marc Ben Fatma, a French national IT specialist based in Luxembourg for 20+ years, recently completed an Ironman event on the Belgian coast.

The event took place in Knokke-Heist in Belgium on Saturday 7 September 2024; the IRONMAN 70.5 comprised a 1.9 km swim, a 90 km bike ride and a half-marathon run at the end. Marc completed the event in 7 hours, 28 minutes and 59 seconds (1:00 swimming, 3:45 cycling and 2:22 running).

Chronicle.lu caught up with Marc after the event to find out more about his experience.

Marc Be Fatma explained "I am a big asthmatic and so when I was young, doctors told me to avoid sport so I was not really a "sportif". Even if I walk a lot. Around my 45s and getting old I began to do running as sport to develop my cardiovascular ability and improve my health. So, I came from far away starting by small runs. And for my 50, I did my first marathon with a not really good training, but I finished it. And after I also did the marathon of Paris. I was always impressed by triathlete and Ironman events and I dreamed to do it someday feeling like it is impossible. And I feel so proud of myself. I did it in 7:28 within the time limit."

Chronicle.lu: When did you decide to take part in this specific event?   

Marc Be Fatma: I do my competitions with a good friend who is really good for marathons, bike and triathlons and always impress me. So, I told him that I was interested to try to an IRONMAN but not the full one, but the half one that is already a big challenge. And he proposed in January to subscribe to the IRONMAN 70.5 Knokke-Heist as it is a flat competition (my cardio is very bad for climbing) and the date is good for a training in the summer. So, I said "yes, let’s do it". 

Chronicle.lu: And what training regime did you undertake to prepare for the event?   

Marc Ben Fatma: After I subscribed to the event, it was time for training and as I am just a runner, very bad at swimming and not cycling for years, it was complex to start somewhere. I didn’t take a coach; I just tried to get advice from around. For eating, I did not do something special, just eating well with home cooked food. The other big challenge is to have good sleep. I decided to a certain routine every week, training six days a week with twice in swimming pools for one hour, running three times a week and, for the bike, two to three time a week. I just got my race bike before summer, so it do not let me so much time to practice endurance on long distance. I bought a Garmin watch to help me watch my health, energy and progression. In July I got the information that my front crawl swimming was not good at all, so I tried to improve it, but I am still a very bad swimmer. 

Chronicle.lu: Is this your first such Ironman event? And have you participated in other such events, e.g. full or half marathons before?   

Marc Ben Fatma: This was my first Ironman race, a dream come true. Before I did two marathons (ING Night Run, and Paris), some half-marathons and some trails. All of these courses helped me to improve my health and cardiovascular abilities as I have a reduced respiratory capacity. 

Chronicle.lu: What are your strongest and weakest of the disciplines?   

Marc Ben Fatma: As I run quite regularly and as it necessitates some investment, I felt very comfortable running. But for the swimming I felt very stressed as I swim like a brick with bad technique. I learned to swim quite late and by myself. The training in the lake in Remerschen helped me to manage it to try to do it in one hour. For the bike, I know to ride a bicycle but it was also difficult but manageable (not as quick as I could, but not catastrophic). 

Chronicle.lu: And did you feel at any point that your body may not be able to get you to the end? 

Marc Ben Fatma: During my training time I get confident I could do it by managing my energy, not push at the beginning but thinking it as endurance. I was just worried about my swimming as I wanted to stay on the limit time. But during the race, for the bike, when it turned out that there was a big head wind and gusts of wind from the side, wahoo! I felt like I would surrender or I would be going too slow, get totally tired and stop. But my will was strong to continue until the end and my body was prepared to do it. I succeed also to run all the semi-marathon. 

Chronicle.lu: Would you participate in such an event again? Or is once enough? 

Marc Ben Fatma: Yes, I will continue, the next big target is the full IRONMAN but it will take some years. I will continue on some IRONMAN 70.3 with more training for swimming and biking. And in December I have the marathon of Valencia. The sky is the limit...