The year is 2024. Everything is ready to go, and we can finally get started!
The last few weeks of 2023 have dragged on a bit, especially if you're not one of the lucky few who were able to escape the dreary, rainy weather in Germany, at least for a few days.
No, the weather wasn't particularly pleasant during those much-discussed days "between the years." A time for reflection, looking back, and waiting – but ideally also a time of anticipation for everything that awaits us in 2024.
The year still holds a certain magic of beginnings, of uncertainty. Because somehow everything still feels so new and unfamiliar. Like a pair of shoes that still need to be broken in, or jeans fresh out of the wash that are still a little tight.
It's perfectly fine if we still feel a few aches and pains here and there and aren't quite sure where we stand yet. After all, the year as a whole isn't a sprint where you have to give it your all within tenths of a second. Instead, we can confidently take it easy and pace ourselves. Considering what 2024 has in store for us, that's definitely advisable. By summer, when the sports season is in full swing, one highlight will follow another. Want a sneak peek? Sure!
All eyes on Paris | Photo: Marcel Hilger
That this will be a special year, especially from a sporting perspective, is already certain. The Olympic Games in Paris are casting their long shadows, practically echoing in the very mention of the year 2024. After the postponed Tokyo Games due to the pandemic, the desire among sports fans to experience a top-class event, where everything feels like it used to, is all the greater. Because, at least in its perception, the three years since the last Games in Tokyo already seem much further in the past. Much has changed since then – politically, socially, and in sports – and not always for the better. And for that reason alone, regardless of the outcome of the competitions, what the major event in Paris has to offer will be exciting, perhaps not always in a pleasant way.
And even though the Olympics will, of course, ultimately only represent one part of the bigger picture, setting aside politics, federations, officials, and investors, it remains this venerable and legendary goal that ambitious athletes have in mind from childhood. The Olympic dream has motivated athletes for centuries, and those who have made it to the podium there not only become role models and inspiration for generations of young athletes but also enter the annals of sporting history.
Naturally, the coveted starting places are currently fiercely contested here in Germany as well – if they haven't already been allocated, as in triathlon. Marathon professionals, for example, have only a few days left to qualify for the Olympic squad with a qualifying time. Never before have the top performances been so close, and above all, so fast. The excitement of the race isn't just for the summer Games; it's an absolute must right now. Who will ultimately secure their spot? Will it be a nail-biting finish or a major upset?
Kate Waugh: a name to remember | Photo: Marcel Hilger
Olympic fever has definitely taken hold at Incylence, not least because there's a good chance of seeing some of their athletes move into the Olympic Village. Naturally, there will also be a special Paris-themed sock this year. Perfect for getting inspired by the world-class performances of the athletes during training, or even for mingling with the crowds of fans during the Games or the Paris Marathon. After all, it's not every day that the Olympics take place practically on your doorstep.
It's a given that exclusive sock specials for legendary competitions on the endurance sports calendar have been extremely popular in recent years and will therefore definitely be a must-have in 2024 as well. Naturally, there will once again be a dedicated model for the IRONMAN World Championships – both for the women competing in Nice this year and for the men, whose world champion will be crowned in Kona.
We'll be at Challenge Roth again this year with our custom socks | Photo: Marcel Hilger
Even before the first major long-distance showdown at the Challenge in Roth, Incylence's birthday celebration is just around the corner in June, which, following the huge response in recent years, will also be celebrated in 2024 with special events and a specially designed sock.
As usual, new designs, collaborations with professional athletes, and the most popular events in the scene will be added at regular intervals. In short: The Incylence calendar is already packed with highlights from the world of triathlon and endurance sports.
And then, last but not least, there are our own personal highlights that await each and every one of us. Just a few days ago, I asked in an Instagram poll what we were most looking forward to in 2024, and the answers were as diverse, varied, and exciting as the world of sports can be:
From your first triathlon as a dad, to the incredibly intense Northern Lights on a Scandinavian holiday, to the long-awaited step into self-employment as a sports videographer, the debut in the Triathlon Bundesliga, or simply the first road bike ride in warm weather wearing shorts – it was all there. And no matter what you have planned and set out to do – enjoy yourselves!
The next birthday party is planned | Photo: Andrea Heinsohn
Even when I think about 2024, I'm more excited than ever. Besides sporting highlights at world championships and real bucket-list races that I've long dreamed of, there are many trips planned where I can share my passion for triathlon with my family and friends. Because for me, the best part is enjoying the sport not only on my own, but also with others – either privately or here in the Incylence family. That's why Jannik and I will once again be taking you along on our daily lives as triathletes in the Incylence blog next year and sharing what keeps us busy.
Perhaps I was able to infect those of you who are still a little unsure about what this year might bring, or who haven't quite gotten off to the perfect start, with a bit of enthusiasm. Relax, you have more time than you've had in the last three years to make the most of it – after all, 2024 is a leap year. 😉
