I Do Sometimes Ask How Long I Can Go On Admits Gustav Iden

Gustav Iden says he blocks out the doubt as to whether the sacrifices he and Kristin Blummenfelt make to be the best in the world are worth it, but admits he has doubts over whether it is a sustainable lifestyle.

Iden and Blummenfelt are part of the stellar Norwegian camp that are redefining the sport, but their total dedication to triathlon at the expense of what other people would see as the normal joys in life is an incredible sacrifice.

Iden admits he does question whether it is all worth it sometimes, but insists the quiet life escape route he has in the back of his mind relieves that pressure when it gets too intense.

He said: “It’s worth it. Of course you have doubt sometimes. Like finishing almost last in Abu Dhabi and you’re putting in the work. You know, it’s not easy. And I do feel like I sacrifice something for this job, but on the other hand I really love what I’m doing, and no one is forcing me to do this.

“It’s so different to work a job that you hate but you have to do it because you need the money. I have such a good support system around me, and I’m lucky for being from Norway. I can pull out of the sport at any minute, just go back to school and find a job and live like a normal life.

Arena Games Triathlon, Grand Final, London, Uk, 2023,

“So it’s kind of refreshing to have an exit. I’m not trapped in this situation. I choose to be this way every single day, and I choose to just do the training because I know if I one day don’t want to do it anymore, it’s easy to do something else.”

He added: “It’s addictive, but it’s also like it is sustainable. Kinda. It’s not 100% sustainable. It’s not something you can do forever. You know, you have to piece it up a little bit. So now we have this Paris project, you know, going all in for Paris.

“But I know that straight out of Paris, it’s going to be cool and it’s going to be all of those things, but I try not to think about Kona 2035. I try to think about Paris 2024 and piece it up a little bit because if I think that I’m going to do exactly what I’m doing for the next 15 years, it’s going to be, yeah, overwhelming, and I don’t think I would handle it. So, sustainable? Not really, but fun at the moment.”