Last week Dutch triathlete Els Visser shared a first-hand account of what happened when the small boat she was travelling in during a trip to Indonesia sank in the middle of the night and how, after she survived, her ‘life’s too short’ philosophy led her to take up triathlon.

In today’s Q&A, I put some questions to the HOKA ONE ONE athlete (who has just qualified for Kona after coming 5^th at IRONMAN Cairns!) about her training, the after-effects of her shipwreck experience and her goals for the future.

Els Visser was 24-years-old and backpacking solo around Indonesia after finishing a medical internship in Bali when the small boat she was travelling on sank in the middle of the night with no signal, GPS or means to raise the alarm. After an eight-hour swim to the closest island Els and another passenger were eventually rescued.

The experience changed Els’ life and ultimately led her to take up triathlon. Below, the Dutch HOKA ONE ONE athlete shares a first-hand account of her shipwreck experience and reveals how her new-found resilience and approach to life helped her become an Ironman champion with a win in Maastricht last year.