Ironman
Lucy Charles-Barclay has secured her return to Kona this October, racing to victory at Ironman Lanzarote.
As she shared post-race: “3* @ironmanlanzarote winner, Kona validation, new swim course record, 16 weeks post plantaris tendon removal surgery, 1 dream team, memories to last a lifetime, a special day in so many ways.”
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We sat down with Charles-Barclay to discuss her return from surgery, her approach to the early stages of racing again, and what lies ahead as she builds toward championship racing in Nice and Kona.
The Decision to Undergo Surgery – and to Take On a Swim Challenge
It all began back in January. After struggling with persistent pain that was limiting her running, Lucy Charles-Barclay made the decision to undergo surgery to remove her plantaris tendon, addressing the problem head-on rather than trying to manage it through the season.
As her husband Reece Barclay shared: “Back in January, we flew to Club La Santa full of hope that rest had settled the niggle troubling Lucy. Five days later, we were sat on the athletics pitch with Lucy in serious pain, plans cancelled, races scrapped, and surgery suddenly a very real possibility.”
The decision was made with the long term in mind, knowing that if the issue lingered into her Kona build, it would limit the training she needed to do.
When we asked how her mindset has been through rehab and recovery, she responded: “My mindset [has been] quite different this time compared to previous setbacks because this surgery was actually a calculated decision rather than something forced on me by sudden injury… That changes your perspective…because you go into it understanding the process and believing in the long-term outcome.”
In typical LCB fashion, rather than letting the setback define this phase, she looked for ways to stay engaged in training and competition.
This took the form of an ambitious goal: qualifying for the Commonwealth Games in the 1500m freestyle.
For context, the scale of that challenge is significant. The qualifying standard of 16:24 sits deep in elite swimming territory, and while Charles-Barclay’s background places her closer to that level than most triathletes, returning to it a decade later, and in the middle of post-surgical rehab, adds another layer entirely.
But as she put it: “[Taking this on] gave me something to focus on every day, [a new goal] to work towards, and an opportunity to really invest in one of my strengths even further.”
Reece echoed the sentiment: “Swimming kept belief alive. It gave Lucy a way to keep progressing, keep working, and still feel like herself while everything else had to change.”
During this period, Charles-Barclay built her swim volume to an impressive 40km per week – well beyond typical triathlon training, but consistent with her background as a high-level swimmer, where she previously handled 70-80km per week. She noted that the second pool session of the day was sometimes tough, but she is not one to ever shy away from a challenge.
While she ultimately fell short of the qualification standard, swimming 17:03 (an impressive 1:08 per 100m), she shared in her post-competition YouTube video that the experience still gave her what she needed at that point in her recovery.
The pursuit also reflects a larger question for Charles-Barclay: what an even stronger swim might be able to unlock over the 3.8km opening leg in Kona. She has shared how, in 2021, a swim focus helped propel her to her first tape-to-tape Ironman 70.3 World Championship victory, and she is curious to see the impact a similar push could have this October.
In her words: “In elite sport, periods of injury or rehab can sometimes become opportunities if you approach them the right way.” She added that this was precisely how she and her team approached this phase – both as a challenge in its own right and as a deliberate part of her return.
Returning to Start Lines in Lanzarote
While the plan was always to race again – that was the purpose of the surgery, to set up a stronger championship season – no return is without its doubts.
As Reece put it: “Post-surgery, the goal was simple: get back to a start line. Any start line.”
Charles-Barclay began her return to racing on April 26th at the Volcano Triathlon, based out of Club La Santa in Lanzarote, Spain, the training location she and Reece consider their second home.
One of the oldest Olympic-distance races in Spain, it offered an opportunity to reintroduce swim, bike, and run just 12 weeks post-op.
While her coach Dan Lorang capped her effort, she described the biggest confidence boost as being able to complete a solid two-hour effort without soreness or setbacks, taking the win in the process.
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Next came the step that would confirm her return: an Ironman build aimed at validating her slot for Kona. While Charles-Barclay spoke in a recent YouTube video about experiencing some FOMO watching the Pro Series unfold, including the depth of racing at events like Hamburg, she has remained disciplined in her approach, prioritizing long-term health and performance.
For an athlete who knows Lanzarote well, this Ironman represented the right race at the right time, aligned with the demands of the bigger picture.
To then take victory made the outcome all the more meaningful. As Reece said: “Getting to this start line already meant so much. Delivering after all of that made it even more special… Proud doesn’t really cover it.”
Building Toward Nice and Kona
With her validation complete, Lucy Charles-Barclay’s focus will now shift to the championship races that will ultimately define her season. There may be additional races along the way, but they will serve the bigger picture, used to sharpen performance in ways that training alone cannot.
As she put it: “Sometimes after time away from racing you can only replicate so much [in training], so getting back into that competitive environment again is important.”
In terms of key races, Charles-Barclay is set to return to the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Nice mid-September as the defending champion. From there, her attention will turn to Kona, the race that continues to move her most.
When asked if she feels she has enough time to be as fit as she wants for October, she said: “Four months is still a really significant amount of time in our sport, especially when things are progressing well, and right now everything is going to plan.”
“Experience also helps a lot,” she added. “I know what level I need to get to for Kona, I know what type of preparation works best for me, and I know that you don’t need to be at your absolute peak four months out.”
When asked about her goals for the Big Island: “Of course, the goal is always to win… Whenever you line up at Kona, you want to be fighting for that top spot,” she said with a smile. “But ultimately I judge my performances by whether I delivered the best race I was capable of on the day… For me, it’s always about crossing that finish line knowing I truly left everything out there. That’s honestly the biggest thing.”
In a previous interview, Charles-Barclay spoke to a belief that continues to underpin her return – that even after her 2023 victory and course record of 8:24:31, she has not yet reached her ceiling. That there is still a better performance to be found on the Big Island.
Win or no win, what continues to drive her most is the opportunity to find it – to fully express what she believes is still possible.
More to Come
As one of the greats of the sport, Mark Allen, has said: “Every so often, a triathlete doesn’t just raise the bar – they reset it.”
He was speaking of Lucy Charles-Barclay.
“From the moment [Lucy] burst onto the scene,” he continued, “her presence was electric…a masterclass in resilience, progression, and fearless ambition.”
And 2026 is no different. It is not a departure from what has defined her, but a continuation of it.
The same traits are there: the willingness to step back in order to move forward, and the belief that what has already been achieved is not the limit.
As coach Dan Lorang said post-Ironman Lanzarote: “This is the result of dedication, perseverance, teamwork, a winning mentality, and an incredible ability to get back up every time you’re knocked down… Let’s savour this moment and pause to take it in, before we get back to chasing the dream.”
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