this is to thank all followers - my blog has just reached over 1000 views since its creation in April 2012 :)
Thanks for your support
Anatoly
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Blog Pageviews
Hi,
this is to thank all followers - my blog has just reached over 1000 views since its creation in April 2012 :)
this is to thank all followers - my blog has just reached over 1000 views since its creation in April 2012 :)
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Season Start
Hi,
after finishing the National Triathlon Championships on the 6th of October, I took 4 weeks of total rest. The last few months of training were very tough especially mentally and I could not keep motivated as much as I wished. Training resumed on the 4th of November - I had the goals set out and the annual training plan ready; all that was left was to start training in preparation for the new challenges ahead.
The most important races I will be taking part in are the Half Marathon on the 23rd of February, the National Aquathlon Championships on the 2nd August and the last race of the season: the National Triathlon Championships on the 12th of October. In between, there will be loads of other races of varying importance to test myself.
The first race I just took part in is the traditional Christmas race from Mdina to Spinola with a distance of 17km. I am completely new to running races especially for such distances and had never raced longer than 10km. Since this is part of the preparation for the Half Marathon (21km), my base training and early build phases were focused on building up the necessary mileage with speed sessions in between. Unfortunately, training has been inconsistent almost from the beginning as I have been sick twice already - the last time was last week just few days before the race.
On race day I felt completely relaxed - something I always need to race well. I set a target of 1hr 30 for this race but wanted to run by feel rather than basing my pace on the watch. The first few kilometres were very easy as with regards breathing but tough on the legs due to the heavy impacts of downhill running especially getting down from Saqqajja, Rabat to Mriehel. As for the rest it was more or less level and I was keeping a constant pace. Things got hard at Sliema - going up Triq it-Torri and along the coast I started feeling tired but kept telling myself I wanted to finish strong. The race finish was at Spinola Bay and on the 16th kilometre I made the mistake of increasing the pace as I thought I was very close. In truth the bay I was seeing was Balluta Bay but I somehow managed to keep strong without slowing much until the proper finish.
 | |
| Photo thanks to Wally Galea |
I am very satisfied with my result - 1hr 29mins - without any doubt a Personal Best. I finished in 292nd place out of 607 athletes and 84th place out of 136 athletes in my category (age 23-34). Now off to 2014 for a year with a variety of new and exciting races.
Anatoly
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
National Triathlon Championships
Hi,
on the 6th October I took part in the most important race of the season - the National Triathlon Championships. This was the key race in my training year since I started training in November. Two distances were available, Sprint (750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run) and Olympic (1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run). I took part in the sprint. Although I made my utmost to peak for this race, I had been feeling very tired and somehow lost motivation to train at very intensive levels. Moreover, during the week leading to the race, I had to change bike shoes as I had trouble with the mechanism that clips the shoe to the pedal. The new one I bought is much better - with an improved system to remove the velcro.
Weather was cloudy during the early hours of the morning but not as windy. I was particularly relieved that the water was not cold. I had been able to swim during training at a very good pace and was aiming to finish in less than 13:30. However, the swim course buoys were different than usual. It was going to be my first beach start (shown in video below @0:43) as opposed to the usual deep water start. I felt really strong in the swim but finished in 14:59. Data from my watch shows that I have been going fast and when I compared times with other athletes, most athletes slowed down in this new course as well.
By the time I came out of the water it had started to rain. I had a very good transition and decided to get well underway before putting my feet in the shoe. Being a new shoe, the cleats (the parts that connect the shoe to the pedal) were a bit stiff and when setting them up I did not manage to clip them properly and in the process of putting my feet in, the shoe fell. I had to stop and turn around with the bike. I lost nearly 40sec before starting again. The course was extremely slippery and I was seeing a large number of athletes slipping in different parts. I had ridden my bike in similar weather conditions but never in a race so I was a bit unsure about braking procedures. I quickly learned that braking needs to be much longer at the turnaround points as the water reduced the friction on the rims. I finished the bike course in 35.01. I felt it was a good time considering the conditions and the time lost to stop and put in my bike shoes.
I registered the best transition (T2) from all the sprint and olympic athletes.Soaking wet, I set out determined to set a personal best at least in the run. I did not use the watch to guide me as I wanted to go by feel. I was looking behind me all the time to see if competitors were closing in on me. In fact, in the last kilometre I was seeing someone getting closer and closer. Even though I had made a good run so far, I had to push harder than ever before to avoid being overtaken.
During the last few weeks I noticed some improvements in my running and although I did not have time to measure than improvement in training, I knew I had to do the utmost. I kept telling myself "it's the last few metres and you can rest after all the work done this season". This kept me going on - to the point that I increased the average pace from 4:31min/km to 4:16min/km. I finished the run in 22:19 - a personal best by 12sec.
The total race time was 1hr 13mins 16sec. Although my personal best was almost 3mins less, the wet road conditions did not allow for such times. It has been a very good season for me - starting out last November with a time of 1hr 19mins 30sec and slashing times in all three disciplines, thus improving by 9mins overall. Now it's time to rest for at least 3 weeks before starting again on a new journey and new targets to improve my times especially in running. I will be preparing to take part in 2 distinct races in the athletics calendar: the Mdina to Spinola on the 22nd December and the Malta Half Marathon on the 23rd February 2014.
For this season I wanted to thank my wife Maria for her constant support and my child Elena. I also want to thank all those who have helped me out during my training and those who came to support me during the races.
Cu
Anatoly
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Birkirkara St. Joseph Sprint Triathlon Race 4
Hi,
on the 22nd September I took part in the final race of the Birkirkara St. Joseph Sprint Triathlon Series organised at the Salina Coast road in less than ideal conditions. Weather forecast was windy with rain showers and although it rained in other parts of Malta the course was dry. Of course the wind plays a very important role and it affected the first part of the swim and bike segments.
I felt the water cold and although I had been warming up for a whole hour before the race, the few minutes in the water before the start felt to me as if I had not done anything. The water was choppy and it was difficult to breathe as waves were very irregular. In some swim strokes my hands were hitting directly the oncoming waves and the same happened with the oncoming waves when putting my face to the side to breathe. This slowed me down considerably, finishing the swim in 14:15.
The bike segment, although windy for the first part did not prove extremely difficult as I had been training the whole week before the race in stronger winds. Moreover, coming back towards transition area was easier as the wind was from behind. I still didn't manage to get a personal best, slowing by around 2mins as I was afraid my legs would be too tired for the run; entering again transition area to prepare for the run in 35:34.
As usual, the first part of the run is the hardest: slightly uphill and cramping legs. I counter the feeling by immediately taking my last energy gel. It took me the first 2km to feel comfortable to push a bit more, always taking into account what the other athletes were doing and changing my pace accordingly. In fact in the last 200m I was seeing an athlete behind me catching up and he managed to get exactly behind me. With less than 50m to the finish gantry we set out into an all out sprint finish to get in both at exactly the same time. The run took me 22:51.
I finished the race in 1hr 13mins 47sec, having slowed down in all 3 disciplines and slightly disappointed. However, upon receiving the general classification of the whole race series (adding up the sum of all 4 races), I was extremely pleased as I have finished 12th out of 92 athletes (Full classification details). I am now more determined than ever to beat my personal best of 1hr 10mins 35sec in the most important race of the season: The National Triathlon Championships on the 6th of October.
Thanks for all those who supported me, especially my wife Maria, my child Elena and uncle Victor, who were there to support me all the way.
Cu
Anatoly
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Birkirkara St. Joseph Sprint Triathlon Race 3
Hi,
first of all I have updated the look and feel of the blog. Thanks go to John Mallia, my father-in-law, for the creation of the banner photo.
On Sunday the 25th of August I took part in Race 3 of 4 organised by my club Birkirkara St. Joseph. The distances for this race were 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run in that order. I had 6 weeks to prepare for this race - having finished my previous race with a Personal Best of 1hr 11mins 05sec.
I was aiming to improve by 1min and although these 6 weeks have had lots of ups and downs when trying to balance family, work, summer rest and training, I was determined to succeed in my intent. Moreover, the extreme heat made it very hard to find adequate time to train and early mornings are also a difficult option with my sleeping patterns and limiting in the sense that before 6am it would be dark and as such dangerous to ride a bike.
On the day I was early at the venue to have ample time for warm up. I was feeling prepared and tried to relax as much as I could - positive thinking helps me a lot. The swim was really tough - not because of the water conditions but rather because I faced tough competition and was hit many times which hindered my rhythm and stroke. This intensified at the first buoy where my goggles were almost knocked off. I turned to breaststroke for a bit to reset them properly and continued. I was out of the water after 13mins 26sec placing 16th out of 62 athletes. This was a personal best for me by 1min 3sec and was extremely happy with the improvement as I worked on my swimming technique and speed really hard during those past weeks.
Probably due to the effort I put in the swim, I felt slightly tired on the bike. I wasn't as powerful as I wanted to be. I also did not want to push harder as I was afraid of slowing down in the run. I finished the bike in 33mins 32sec - 33sec slower than my Personal Best.
By working out an estimate of the time I needed to complete the run, I was still confident I would set a new Personal Best time on the course. I started out slowly as I frequently feel like cramping in the first 200m of the run. I had to step up my gear very soon as I was seeing people going past me and most of all looking much stronger and confident in their running. I tried to look for someone to draft behind and went all the way to the second kilometre behind another athlete until I felt I needed to increase a bit more. It was very tough and painful but I knew everyone was suffering and I wanted to finish in a good time. My run was over in 22:31 which is exactly the same as my best time obtained in the previous race.
Having had two very good transitions of 32sec and 34sec, the total time was 1hr 10mins 35sec; a Personal Best by 30 sec. This was due to the improvement in my swim which cancelled out the 30sec I lost on the bike. I am still very happy with the result, considering I have improved by almost 9minutes from last season.
Thanks go to all those who frequently help me out in my training, those who came to came to see me especially my uncle Victor and last but not least to my wife Maria and my child Elena.
Anatoly
Anatoly
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Sprint Triathlon Series Race 2
Hi,
last Sunday was a very important day for me as I had to take part in the Birkirkara St. Joseph Sprint Triathlon Series Race 2 of 4 and wanted to check if I have improved over the last 5 weeks. The venue was changed to the usual Coast Road just opposite the Coast Line Hotel. A friend of mine, Keith Galea gave me some important tips on how to tackle all the things one has to do on race day so I gave it a shot.
I was there earlier than usual. This made me relax and prepare one thing a time without rushing through transition preparations and warm up. In fact I was intent to warm up properly for the swim as well; something which I had never done before.
The race had some delays to start - it was the only time I was getting nervous. At the start there was the usual chaos of hitting people and getting hit but today it was much worse - I could tell there were much more competitors as I could not get past some athletes till the first buoy. However, I was relaxed drafting behind some swimmer's legs to keep fresh for the remaining part. I was also trying to keep as straight as possible as I had noticed I have some difficulty in going straight during this past week of frequently training in open sea. I was very happy when I finished as apart from not being tired, my watch showed 14:29: a Personal Best by 11sec.
 |
| Large Number of Participants in this Race |
Transition was quite smooth and quick and on the bike I felt strong. I was not sure about speed or cadence; I just went by feel. Looking back at the data now it was a very good feel - great bike finish time of 32:59, very good average speed and an average cadence of 94RPM. By finishing the bike in such a time I beat my previous Personal Best of 37:16 by an astounding 4mins 17sec.
Transition 2 had only one hiccup - I could not get my right running shoe in properly but on the whole it was still less than one minute total. I was close to feeling some cramps as soon as out of transition but the last gel I had helped a lot. Still my first kilometre was difficult after pushing so much on the bike but I knew I was trained to overcome that feeling. Beginning the second kilometre I had an athlete dashing past me and I knew I had to step up a gear. I increased the pace as much as I could sustain. I could not plan ahead till the last kilometre as I was out of breath in no time with the increase. I was finishing each kilometre in an average of 4:30/km - much better than my usual race average of 4:40-4:45 and somehow I was sustaining that pace even though I had found it difficult to keep during training. The last kilometre was very difficult - my form broke down to manage that kind of pace and when close to the finish gantry I looked back and saw someone trying to run past me. That was the kick I needed to sprint the last few metres and finish the run in 22:31.
I was extremely happy because I knew I had made a great time of 1hr 11mins 5sec. I threw myself on the nearby pavement breathless but proud of my improvement of 6mins 31sec over my Personal Best of 1hr 17mins 36sec obtained in the previous race at Kalkara 5 weeks ago. However, upon comparing my best time on the Coast Road course (which was of 1hr 19mins 20sec), the improvement is 8mins 15 sec.
I finished 20th out of 59 triathletes and placed 14th in my category and very happy with the result obtained today. I want to continue improving as much as I can - now I have 6 weeks of hard work to prepare for the next one. I also wish to thank all those who helped me in my training and those who supported me during the race especially my wife Maria and baby Elena.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Sprint Triathlon Series Race 1
Hi,
On the 9th of June I took part in the Birkirkara St. Joseph sprint Triathlon Series Race 1 of 4. Contrary to the previous 2 races I have done this year, this was one of my 'A Races' for this year; meaning that my training since last December was geared for this race.
This race was a very particular one for all the Triathlon community as a sudden change in venue was announced two weeks before from Salina Coast Road to Kalkara close to Rinella bay. On one hand I was worried as I did not know anything about the new place and wanted to train there (Kalkara) as much as I could to familiarise myself. On the other hand I saw an opportunity as being a beginner I would always be at a disadvantage when it came to confidence on the route. Adding to that were different opinions from fellow triathletes about the actual transition place, swimming buoys and turnaround points; together with colder than usual weather and sea temperature. These doubts were not helping me at all.
On the day I was a bit later than usual so I had to manage my time much more to allow myself time for registration, setting up of transition area and warm up. I managed everything just in time to hear the race briefing so that any doubts about the course would be cleared. It was a bit more confusing than I had anticipated but I could notice that it was a common feeling as the number of questions were endless so we did not start at 7 as planned. I went in the cold water trying to clear out the initial shivers and also clear my mind to concentrate. I was telling myself that I was prepared no matter what.
I had a good start in the water. I had plenty of space to move although I could not find anyone to draft behind. Close to first buoy I had some trouble with goggle and had to switch to breaststroke for a couple of seconds to adjust and help to lower a bit my heart rate as it was skyrocketing due to the excitement and cold. However, after the fist buoy I lost my orientation and could not see the next buoy. Thankfully a friend of mine called my attention to adjust my course. At that point I decided to make up for all that lost time so I pushed on. I knew I could do it as swimming is my strongest area. I finished my swim in 14:40 - a Personal Best by 19sec.
Transition was much longer compared to Salina Coast Road. I was a bit slow as I feared slipping but when I took the bike I managed to insert my feet in the shoes pretty fast. Now the biggest hurdle of the race was a slope which separated the bay from the bike and run courses.
Once I went up the slope I tried to settle in the bike by taking a gel but for the first kilometre the course was slightly uphill and I struggled. At the first turn, however, I settled and began finding opportunities to push as much as I could. I was particularly effective especially in the turns. I felt quite good as I practiced the route and knew what needed to be taken care of especially gearing choices. Speed and cadence were exactly as anticipated although heart rate was high. I finished the bike course in 38:02.
I had to descend the hard slope to get back to transition. I slowed down as I had already managed to take out my feet from the shoes before descending. T2 was much faster. My feet were aching a bit from pushing so much on the bike. I kept telling myself that I had to push on. It was really hard getting up the slope again and settling at the pace of 4:40min/km and for the first kilometre (being all uphill) I was close to 5:00min/km. However, the last 4 kilometres were pretty good and I finished the run in 23:14 - a Personal Best by a whooping 2:20 over last year's Sprint Races.
Run Course
I finished the total race in 1hr 17mins 36sec (Full Results here) with a good placing and an improvement of almost 2mins over last year's best time of 1:19:20 in Race 4 of the Sprint Series. I am also very happy that I got a Personal Best in both the Swim and Run. Considering the course is new and less fast than last year, I noticed that everyone slowed their time by an average of 4minutes; thus making my improvements much more meaningful. I am determined to get better and improve on my time for this course - now it's just 5 weeks for the next race.
I wish to thank my wife Maria and baby Elena for coming to support me :)
Thanks
Anatoly
I had a good start in the water. I had plenty of space to move although I could not find anyone to draft behind. Close to first buoy I had some trouble with goggle and had to switch to breaststroke for a couple of seconds to adjust and help to lower a bit my heart rate as it was skyrocketing due to the excitement and cold. However, after the fist buoy I lost my orientation and could not see the next buoy. Thankfully a friend of mine called my attention to adjust my course. At that point I decided to make up for all that lost time so I pushed on. I knew I could do it as swimming is my strongest area. I finished my swim in 14:40 - a Personal Best by 19sec.
Transition was much longer compared to Salina Coast Road. I was a bit slow as I feared slipping but when I took the bike I managed to insert my feet in the shoes pretty fast. Now the biggest hurdle of the race was a slope which separated the bay from the bike and run courses.
Once I went up the slope I tried to settle in the bike by taking a gel but for the first kilometre the course was slightly uphill and I struggled. At the first turn, however, I settled and began finding opportunities to push as much as I could. I was particularly effective especially in the turns. I felt quite good as I practiced the route and knew what needed to be taken care of especially gearing choices. Speed and cadence were exactly as anticipated although heart rate was high. I finished the bike course in 38:02.
I had to descend the hard slope to get back to transition. I slowed down as I had already managed to take out my feet from the shoes before descending. T2 was much faster. My feet were aching a bit from pushing so much on the bike. I kept telling myself that I had to push on. It was really hard getting up the slope again and settling at the pace of 4:40min/km and for the first kilometre (being all uphill) I was close to 5:00min/km. However, the last 4 kilometres were pretty good and I finished the run in 23:14 - a Personal Best by a whooping 2:20 over last year's Sprint Races.
Run Course
I finished the total race in 1hr 17mins 36sec (Full Results here) with a good placing and an improvement of almost 2mins over last year's best time of 1:19:20 in Race 4 of the Sprint Series. I am also very happy that I got a Personal Best in both the Swim and Run. Considering the course is new and less fast than last year, I noticed that everyone slowed their time by an average of 4minutes; thus making my improvements much more meaningful. I am determined to get better and improve on my time for this course - now it's just 5 weeks for the next race.
Thanks
Anatoly
Saturday, June 8, 2013
National Duathlon Championships
Hi,
on the 18th of May I took part in the Malta National Duathlon Championships held for the first time at the Zebbug Bypass.
Although I had never done a full Duathlon and actually never trained for it, I wanted to do the best I could in the splits, especially the first run and bike segment. My weakness has always been the run and today I had to do it twice. On the start line I was feeling a bit nervous - not something normal for me. Since I have only done Triathlons with deep water starts I do not usually look at other people's faces as they are waiting for the signal to start and seeing that made the difference.
on the 18th of May I took part in the Malta National Duathlon Championships held for the first time at the Zebbug Bypass.
 | ||
| Bike Setup for 3athletes doing the full distance |
Although the weather in the morning was fine, dark clouds and quite strong winds characterized the afternoon. However, the atmosphere among the participants and the excellent setup from the Malta Triathlon Association made it very encouraging to race.
Although I had never done a full Duathlon and actually never trained for it, I wanted to do the best I could in the splits, especially the first run and bike segment. My weakness has always been the run and today I had to do it twice. On the start line I was feeling a bit nervous - not something normal for me. Since I have only done Triathlons with deep water starts I do not usually look at other people's faces as they are waiting for the signal to start and seeing that made the difference.
My target for the first run was 4:50min/km-5:00min/km and was determined to stick to it. At the start everybody rushes out at a higher pace than usual due to euphoria or nerves getting to them but then settle in their natural pace. When settled, I could see that the pace I had targeted was a bit slow compared to the rest and decided to increase even though I had been telling myself to stick to the plan as the race was the longest I have ever done and did not know how my body would respond to that increase. I finished the 8.5km in 42.02 - a very good time for my standards.
Entering in transition area was a very different feeling as this was the biggest area I have ever been in but I spotted the bike immediately. Transition to bike was the smoothest ever (probably because it was on a descent). However, after the first 3K of pedaling I felt the first cramp - not the usual one that locks your muscle until you stretch, but one which enables you to continue but not push harder. The bike segment, which should have been my strong area was agonising - constant cramping, winds picking up, numbness in whole hip area and I almost gave up at a certain point. The bike seat was extremely uncomfortable and I had to get up from the aero bars and from the seat a couple of times to alleviate the pain. I finished the bike split of 38km in 1:13 - not the best but still close to my target.
At the end of the bike, I made the mistake of forgetting to take out my foot from the shoes and ended up losing a couple of seconds at the dismount area before entering transition. My morale was very low as I was seeing a lot of athletes who had finished. This transition was not as smooth as the previous one. I was also afraid to push I felt my legs really tired and had been cramping all along. However, in retrospect, I am happy with the second run as although I had to stop for a few seconds due to heavy cramping, I managed to gain a good pace and increase throughout every 1K split. I finished the 4.5km in 21.20, just 20sec away from my previous competitor.
My target for the whole completion time was 2:20 and I managed to finish in 2:16:42. My placing was not that good but considering that it's my first Duathlon I am quite confident that I'll get back stronger next time. Now back to training to successfully compete in the Birkirkara St. Joseph Sprint Triathlon Series Race 1 on the 9th of June - just 3 weeks apart from this race.
I wish to thank my wife Maria and baby Elena for being there to support me and all others who encouraged me on the day.
Anatoly
Monday, April 8, 2013
Back to Racing
After a long period of lack of training due to my hip injury, I started slowly everything from scratch in November. I have had the experience of 4 Triathlons so that I know what to expect this year. Competition is tough but it was tougher as I had been racing with very limited knowledge and no training. My personal best of 1:19:20 was a complete surprise.
After 17 weeks of training I did the first race of the season - Mellieha A.C. Half Duathlon. I knew it would be tough especially because it has 2 running parts. It has been only 2 weeks since I've started seeing some progress in my running; thus I knew that I had to make up for it with a good bike split. The race venue was at Dingli cliffs where I frequently go as part of my training. I was mostly concerned with the winds up there especially because the road is very narrow in most parts and the race would not permit drafting.
I have recently done a bike fit and installed a pair of aero bars. Although I have been practicing a lot on them I knew that it is a bit difficult to be stable especially because I frequently have to reach for the shifters to change gears. However, I had my first experience racing with them and I must say that I have a lot to learn and boost my confidence in such situations.
The race venue was well equipped and everything was in place and on time. A very big well done to the organisers Mellieha A.C.
I wanted to get over the running part as fast as possible. I had targeted to race at 4:30min:sec/km-5:15min:sec/km as this has yet been my best time during training. However, I was managing a better pace in the first 2km. The reasons were that I was still fresh and the course had some parts with downhill or level roads. I also availed myself of some drafting as it is permissible when running.
However I had to settle for my prescheduled pacing for the last 3km as fatigue was setting in and somehow I could not reach any other competitors. Only later that day would I know that I finished my run split in the 32nd place out of 48 with a time of 23:49.
Next was the bike split. I felt confident as I managed to catch up to other athletes. Fatigue was only setting in when arriving at a particular point which was both windy and uphill. However, I managed to keep a high cadence throughout. By the end of the split I had ended up in the 23rd place with a time of 45.19.
After 17 weeks of training I did the first race of the season - Mellieha A.C. Half Duathlon. I knew it would be tough especially because it has 2 running parts. It has been only 2 weeks since I've started seeing some progress in my running; thus I knew that I had to make up for it with a good bike split. The race venue was at Dingli cliffs where I frequently go as part of my training. I was mostly concerned with the winds up there especially because the road is very narrow in most parts and the race would not permit drafting.
I have recently done a bike fit and installed a pair of aero bars. Although I have been practicing a lot on them I knew that it is a bit difficult to be stable especially because I frequently have to reach for the shifters to change gears. However, I had my first experience racing with them and I must say that I have a lot to learn and boost my confidence in such situations.
The race venue was well equipped and everything was in place and on time. A very big well done to the organisers Mellieha A.C.
I wanted to get over the running part as fast as possible. I had targeted to race at 4:30min:sec/km-5:15min:sec/km as this has yet been my best time during training. However, I was managing a better pace in the first 2km. The reasons were that I was still fresh and the course had some parts with downhill or level roads. I also availed myself of some drafting as it is permissible when running.
However I had to settle for my prescheduled pacing for the last 3km as fatigue was setting in and somehow I could not reach any other competitors. Only later that day would I know that I finished my run split in the 32nd place out of 48 with a time of 23:49.
Next was the bike split. I felt confident as I managed to catch up to other athletes. Fatigue was only setting in when arriving at a particular point which was both windy and uphill. However, I managed to keep a high cadence throughout. By the end of the split I had ended up in the 23rd place with a time of 45.19.
During the second run is where things went wrong - a few seconds after transitioning I cramped in both my right quad and hamstring. I had to stop immediately to stretch but every time I tried to continue I felt the cramps again. I had no gels to help me out but fortunately a bystander came to see what had happened and offered to properly stretch my leg. It worked but I wasted 2 minutes of my time and after that I was a bit afraid to push harder. I finished the last run in 14:27 - not a very good time but at least I managed a similar pace to my first run.
Overall I am still happy with my result - a finishing time of 1:23:35 when I was aiming for a 1:20. At face value a placing of 29 out of 48 is not good. However, I am confident I will get better for sure. This was my first ever Duathlon and in a completely different setting from the usual Coast Road route. I also am still refining especially on my running training.
Still, a Personal Best :)
Anatoly
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)