TAZ: Mr. Lange, how is your physical form doing?
Patrick Lange: I am very glad that I recovered on time. Until two weeks ago, there was a discussion whether I could start at all. Inflammation in addictors did not allow proper training. I was glad that I recently completed the full week of training with a longer run of more than an hour and a half. I feel suitable, but I have no fitness level, like in Hawaii. Therefore, I have to bake small rolls in the starting field. There are 15 candidates for podium. Christian Blamenfelt won every race this season, Magnus Ditlev is really a car – and my horror from the company.
TAZ: So, you no longer go out for the speech for victory?
Patrick Lange: Frankfurt is the only race in the world whose code I have not yet hacked, but my expectations have been crushed. If I fight for the podium, that would be a surprise. My most important race is the Ironman World Cup on September 14 in Nice. I will not risk any injury in Frankfurt to get to the finish line.
Patrick Lange
38, triathlet and winner Ironman Hawaii (2017, 2018, 2024). Over time, 7:52:39, for the first time in 2018 he broke an eight -hour brand in Hawaii.
TAZ: Are there any reasons for the curse of Frankfurt?
Patrick Lange: Of course, you can analyze this: I was injured in 2017, in 2018 I was on the catwalk, but I made mistakes in the diet. 2019 was a story with my mother (died in 2020 from cancer; editor note). In 2024, it was a cold cold, so not my conditions at all. Thus, for many years it was a chain of unsuccessful circumstances. I have often proved enough to do it better. I try to cope with this very easily.
TAZ: Do you do it a little differently?
Patrick Lange: We thought that we were changing in Frankfurt. I was there three weeks ago and looked at everything in the world again. This begins in Langener Waldsee: I set myself in the middle of the previous year, and I was full of larger at the start as a smaller athlete. I have already lost the race at the first 20 meters. Now I know where I am and how I swim in the first buoy. This time I will not be at the Athlete Hotel in Frankfurt, but rented an apartment in Langen.
TAZ: After its third title of the World Cup there was a lot of things. How did you process this?
Patrick Lange: After my second victory in Hawaii, I really got into the mental hole in 2018/2019, this time I coped with this much better. There was an incredible number of requests. We tried to cover many people outside the triathlon. I want sport to become more. A quiet endurance training in December was absent on many PR subunits this time. I probably also provoked injury, but I do not regret anything.
TAZ: What are your plans for the future?
Patrick Lange: I am glad that Ironman returns to his roots in Hawaii at the World Cup. With women and men. It has always been a race that triathletes, such as Jan Frodeno or I, took me away. I definitely want to start there in 2026. But when I finish my career at some moment, it should be in Germany. But until then there are a few more years (laughs).
TAZ: In Frankfurt, some newcomers from Germany at the beginning: Jonas Shomburg took third place with South African Ironman. Is there a successor to grow there?
Patrick Lange: He, of course, is the most interesting triathlet that comes there. This brings a huge initial speed. This is cool, since he is concerned about the races with an open visor. It will be exciting. It’s nice to see that we do not need to worry about the next generation of strong German large distances. While I’m in good shape, I try to make life as difficult as possible to you.
