About

So, I swim, I ride, I run and I blog. That’s correct, Jens Dahlman has a blog! Wouldn’t ever have thought so myself only a few months back. This triathlon thing has, however, evolved to be such a big part of my life that I want to share it. I’d like to thank you for coming here and reading! Hope you’ll enjoy.

JD Quick Facts

Height: 190cm
Weight: ∼80kg
Age: 37
Triathlete since: 2008
Club: SKB Racing Triathlon Team
Coach: Myself
Lives in: Espoo, Finland
Family: Wife and twin daughters
Job: Airline Pilot
Education: 

• Airline Pilot, Finnish Aviation Academy

• Bachelor of Science in Economics, Aalto University, School of Economics

Athletic background

As a kid I was always on the move playing with the boys from my neighbourhood in Espoo, Finland. I wasn't, however, particularly talented in any sports. Tried soccer but that didn't last. Hockey, not my thing really. Then I started doing Taekwondo when I was 12 and had a bit of an on-off relationship with it for the next ten years or so. Nothing too serious in the end. But it taught me discipline, perseverance and respect.

In 2006 I decided to have a go with a marathon. I was coming down from this, now that I think of it, slightly awkward "gym phase" and weighed around 92kg packed with lean muscle. With a couple of months of preparation, I ran a 3:48 of which I was quite satisfied. It lighted up in me an interest towards endurance sports but I wanted to try something different. Something more challenging.

First Tri

I can't recall where did I get the idea from but I signed up for my first Olympic distance (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run) triathlon for the next summer and started training. I bought a fixed gear track bike to train and race with because they looked cool and I didn't want to get my hands dirty servicing the gears. Not that I would have known how to do it anyways. I didn't have a clue of what I was doing but it was fun!

The race was a small town local race in Kisko, southern Finland, with a couple hundred participants. I ended up finishing ninth and was hooked instantly. I wanted more of this and since there weren't any other Olympic distance races around I decided to take part in the Finnish Championships in Kuopio in two months time.

In the Champs they wouldn't let me to race with my fixed gear bike since it didn't have any brakes, so I had to borrow a bike from a colleague. I finished ninth again and thought this could really be my thing. I had got the triathlon bug.

The next couple of seasons I did mostly Olympic distance and half ironman races. I raced abroad the first time in the Garmin Barcelona triathlon in 2009. Since I had done such a good job in Finnish races, I signed into the elite start. Oh boy did I get my ass handed over to me there! I think I was penultimate and trailing the winner some 20 minutes. Quite embarrassing honestly. But I wasn't done with this triathlon thing.

Family Affairs

Triathlon is a very time consuming sport and therefore the whole family gets involved, in good and in bad. The bad part is, everybody has to adapt to the weekly routine of long bike rides and runs, countless hours in the pool and early morning wake-ups  There are many iron-widows out there and making things work in the relationship is probably one of the hardest parts of the sport. I believe this is true especially for us amateurs who have to juggle between day jobs, family responsibilities and being weekend warriors.

On the other hand, traveling to races around the world often double as a vacation for the whole family in these amazing locations. I’d also like to think that hopefully the kids will pick up some ideas for a healthy lifestyle while growing up in a very active atmosphere, although, I guess it remains debatable if iron-life really is that healthy for you :)

So it’s not just me doing all the hard work swimming, biking and running in our household. Faithfully traveling by my side on this path are my wife Mira and our twin daughters, Isa and Saga, born in 2010. I am very grateful to have you guys in my corner!