BSJ Series Race 4 & National Triathlon Championships

The season is coming to a closure with the last race of the Triathlon series organised by Birkirkara St. Joseph covering the distances of 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run and the National Triathlon Championship having double the distance to cover.

Birkirkara St. Joseph Sprint Triathlon Series Race 4

 After the stoppage due to being ill and on holiday just before the previous 2 races, I was intent on making up for the less than ideal results obtained. I had been training quite regularly and at higher intensities to try and finish off the series and the season in a good place. Conditions were quite good so I aimed to have a fast swim especially at the start to steer clear of the initial rush of athletes hitting each other randomly. However I frequently end up losing a few precious seconds coming in from the second to the third buoy as I lost sight of it due to some boats. I went up to Transition 1 after 13mins 44sec (personal best by 10sec) and noticed I was slightly behind some athletes but made up for it with a very fast transition.

Race Details

I wanted to start the bike riding easier than usual and trying to finish strong to keep my legs fresh for the run. This is because I noticed that I usually push hard at the beginning and start to fade later on in the bike due to fatigue especially since the start is all uphill. I felt I managed in my attempt as I managed to keep focused on key competitors and responding to their actions without compromising on performance. I finished the bike in 37mins 32sec - a personal best by almost a minute.

I kept focused to start the run as relaxed as I could. I tried to look at my watch the least possible and somehow managed to keep the upper body relaxed and keep a steady run. Although I know I can do slightly better I finished the run in 21mins 58sec for a total of 1hr 14mins 24sec - a personal best  by 37sec on this course.

I am very pleased with the result - a personal best in both the swim, bike and overall time. This shows I am ready for the toughest race of this season - the National Triathlon Championships.

National Triathlon Championships

On the 12th of October my Triathlon season came officially to an end with the most important race. Last year I took part in the Sprint version of the race (750m swim-20km bike-5km run) but this year I have been preparing to tackle double the distances. It was also held on a new course at Marfa near the Riviera Hotel.

Swim Portion - 2 laps

Bike Portion - Uphill + 7 laps

Run Portion - 4 laps

I was very anxious on race day. Although I had been working hard to compete at this distance, I did not have any times to compare with (other than one I did in March on a different course) so I was unsure especially about the bike and run.

Race Data 

It wasn't helpful at all that the swim was delayed a bit due to some logistical problems - it increased my anxiety even more. However, once we started, it all faded away and I felt strong and relaxed. The sea at Marfa was very nice and clear. I could see fish and other objects that made it interesting and helped me relax even more. We had to complete two laps around the bay - the only tricky part was coming back since the sun was directly in our eyes and we had to go around a few boats to get to the flag. In fact during lap one I went slightly off course. I came up from the water after 27mins 42 (Personal Best by 2mins 13sec) and ran up the long ramp to Transition 1.

After mounting the bike we had approximately 1km uphill with the bike and although I wanted to take it easy for the first part, I was seeing other athletes and tried to gain ground on them immediately.The bike was technical so smart gearing was required to keep spinning without tiring my legs. It wasn't so easy but I felt strong. I was trying not to overthink about the run - I was trying to keep concentrated on going fast and safe (some parts of the route were a bit dangerous or narrow). The bike split took me 1hr 11mins 25sec.

Next for the toughest part: the run. My legs were a bit tired after the bike but I tried to run relaxed as much as I could. After the first 3km it was very difficult and lost my running form. I was waiting badly to pass by water stations and was drinking a lot apart from pouring water on me to keep fresh. I also had to stop at one point around the 7th kilometre as I cramped and stretched a bit. I was so glad to finally reach the finish line. I was thinking about all the hard work I had been doing for a whole year just for this race. I finished the run in a good time of  48mins 16sec. Never before had I broken the 50minute barrier on a 10km run.

 

It was extremely satisfying to finish the race in 2hrs 30mins 20sec (a Personal Best time of 20mins over the previous Olympic Distance although on a different course). I placed 20th out of 44 athletes - not bad for a first-timer. I have also managed to increase in my overall ranking from 16th place last year to 11th this year (I had managed to stay in the top 10 right until the last 2 races).

I am extremely pleased with what I have achieved this year. I want to thank my coach Keith Galea for being my mentor - guiding me in every step of the way. I also want to thank his family for helping me with spares during the race. My family have always been supportive of me and I want to thank them also. Last but not least thanks to my wife Maria and daughter Elena for their constant support.

Now off for some well deserved rest...next race is Mdina to Spinola 17km run on the 21st December.

Anatoly

National Aquathlon Championships & BSJ Series Race 3

National Aquathlon Championships

Hi,

it's been a long time since my last post. Two key races which were scheduled for August have been moved to September. The first one was the National Aquathlon Championships organised for the first time on the 17th September. I had no idea how I would perform on the day as I had been on holiday the week before and sick for the 3 days before the race. I had been off from swimming for almost two weeks and was still on antibiotics. Moreover, it was extremely hot so the conditions were far from being ideal.

I was tired from the first minute of the race. Other athletes were running past me and I could not respond. I just tried to maintain my pace so that I could maybe do better during the swim. I finished the first 2.5km in 10mins 17sec; better than the St. Patrick's previous Aquathlon by more than a minute.

 

Details of First Run

Heading into the swim, we had 2 laps of 500m each. I was slightly out of breath and had to relax my stroke a bit more than usual  until I got into my rhythm. I was completely clueless about what my performance would be in the swim as apart from my lack of training the waters were quite rough, I managed to finish in 20mins 47sec.

Swim Details

At that point I was only hoping that I could keep running - many thoughts crossed my mind to stop at some point or another during the last 2.5k but I tried to keep my form and finish in 11mins 30sec for a total time of 43mins 56sec. Definitely not one of my best performances. However, at the moment I am in 10th place overall and will fight to finish the season better with 3 races to go.

Details of Second Run 

Birkirkara St. Joseph Sprint Triathlon Series Race 3

Just 4 days after the Aquathlon Championships I had another important race organised by my club Birkirkara St. Joseph having 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run at Birzebbugia. Weather was still very hot and humid and I knew it would be tough - also due to my lack of preparation. However, I was excited to do my first race with my new time trial bike - the Cannondale Slice RS. I have trained very frequently to be able to feel comfortable in the new position.

I tried to start in a good position for the swim. I thought I managed to find one where I couldn't be hindered but during the countdown some athletes walked in front of me and blocked my way and even though I was a stronger swimmer I got stuck behind them. I thought of moving sideways and go past them but that usually takes a bit of extra energy to do and I usually leave this to when squeezed by others; not when behind them. I waited for the confusion of hitting athletes at the first buoy to find a spot to move to and then continued at my regular pace. I finished my swim after 14mins 13sec - slower than what I'm used to.

As soon as I hopped on to the bike, I noticed I forgot to take my gel and did not tape it to the bike. I simply had to do without it. The weather was not helping me perform any better but I tried to keep my pace - the descents felt a bit faster on the new bike at least. On the third lap (out of 4) along the road from Birzebbugia to Hal Far the chain skipped from both the front and rear sprockets during a gear change and lost around 30-40sec to get off and fix it. I finished in 38mins 25sec - a Personal Best by just 1sec (given I had to stop to fix the bike).

One of my fastest transitions - just 15sec

Next came the hardest part - I felt it very hard to keep my usual pace - in fact I was slowing down by a couple of seconds every kilometre. I also tried to make up for it by sprint finishing the race against another athlete but failed in that as well. The run took me 22mins 47sec at the end of which I had to lie down until I got my breath back.

Race Data

I finished the race in 1hr 16mins 23sec and although I am still pleased that I managed to at least complete it, I noticed my performances are slowly declining. I will use the last few weeks to train harder and smarter to finish the season well. I want to thank my coach Keith Galea for his encouragement and tips to improve. I also want to thank all those who support me including my family. Last but not least I need to thank my wife Maria and daughter Elena for being always there for me and their constant support is of utmost importance to me.

Anatoly

(thanks Charlot Scicluna and Capture me Photography for the awesome photos)

St. Patrick's Aquathlon and Birkirkara Sprint Triathlon Race 2

St. Patrick's AC Aquathlon

Hi,

on the 29th of June I was on the starting line of the first Aquathlon in Malta organised by St. Patrick's Athletics Club. I had laid eyes on this race since last October and wanted to have a good performance to follow on the good results obtained so far. I am currently ranked 16th in the Triathlete of the Year Award and I felt this was a good chance to improve my placing.

The distances for this race were a 2.5km run, a 1km swim and a final 2.5km run. The runs started out uphill and I knew this would be where I would struggle. The location was very nice; on the outskirts of Marsaxlokk going up near Torri San Lucjan.

The competition was tough and although I prepared specifically for this race I knew there would be a lot of good runners. With the help of my coach I have established a good base in running but this is a pure speed run and I knew I might be lagging a bit behind especially in the first part. I kept a good pace throughout, maintaining my current average of 4mins20sec/km and going for the swim after 11mins 20sec. At that point I was a bit behind in 36th place out of 49 athletes but I wanted to make up for it in the swim (Run 1 Details)

                    Things did not go exactly as planned during the swim as I was feeling my legs tired and couldn't kick well especially in the first 500m loop. They recovered well for the second loop and I could push better, exiting the water after 20mins 29sec. Not my best swim but still happy as this was a new challenge to swim after a hard run. Both my transitions were blazing fast but going up the hill I pushed a bit more than I could handle but I tried to keep focusing on the pace and manged a better run than the first one - in 10mins 58sec and placing 20th overall. (Run 2 Details).

The total time for the race was 43:34. I am sure I can do better and will work hard to get better for the National Aquathlon Championships now scheduled for the 17th of September.

Photos courtesy of Wally Galea

Birkirkara St. Joseph Sprint Triathlon Series Race 2

On the 13th July I was part of the 2nd race of 4 Triathlon races organised by my club Birkirkara St. Joseph. The venue was the Birzebbugia promenade close to the freeport area covering distances of 750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run.I was intent to give a good performance.

The water and wind conditions were good so I started out fast to get away from the initial rush of athletes before settling on my own pace. During the first race of the series, the water was still cold so I chose to race with the wetsuit and since it gives an advantage I managed to get down to 13mins. I had managed to stay just of the leading group but this time I was in a big bunch going into Transition 1 after 13:54.

I tried to make up for it in the bike section but although I pushed to my limits I was slightly slower than predicted due to the wind conditions. I wanted to push so badly that I risked starting the run on tired legs but I did not care - at that moment all I could think about was getting some Personal Best in at least on discipline. I finished in 39:47.

All the hard work on the bike made it harder to push on the run and although I felt more tired than during race one, I was keeping a slightly better pace. I want to thank my coach Keith Galea for supporting me all the way in the last lap as his tips and encouragement gained me a Personal Best time by 40sec finishing the run in 21:17 and the race in 1hr 16mins 4sec.

As always, I am going to work hard to improve my times. I wish to thank my family who came to support me: my Mum, brother Duncan, uncle Charles and aunt Josephine. Last but not least I want to thank my wife Maria and daughter Elena for their constant support especially during this season.

Thanks

Anatoly

Sprint Triathlon Series Race 1 and the National Duathlon Championships

Birkirkara St. Joseph Sprint Triathlon Series Race 1

Hi,

On the 8th of June, I was on the starting line of one of my most awaited races of the year: the first race of a series of 4 Sprint Triathlons (750m Swim - 20km Bike - 5km Run)organised by my club Birkirkara St. Joseph. I was eager as this was going to be the first triathlon of the season - all the other races before had been either running only or duathlons which I am not particularly good at. This year the venue was changed from the usual Coast Road route to a new one in Birzebbugia. Since it is close to home, I was quite familiar with the route although like all other athletes I had tons of questions about turnaround points and laps. Having also trained during the week in the sea rather than pool sessions, I knew the water was still cold. The only wetsuit race I had in March had not gone so well and I was a bit afraid that I might be underperforming because the wetsuit although it should always give you an advantage due to its buoyancy.

I was early at the venue to warm up well as I was eager to see if and by how much I would have improved especially in the swim and run (the bike course, being hillier does not count for a comparison). The race started a bit late but I was very relaxed and chatted with others to keep pressure low. I was up front for the swim and as soon as the horn blew I tried to gain a good place. We had to go around 3 buoys and I noticed I was exactly behind the leading group till the second buoy. I struggled only from the second to the third buoy as there were some smaller buoys present and I had to sight more frequently to check I was swimming straight. In fact I noticed I was at a disadvantage as some swimmers had reached me and could not keep up with them. I still managed an unprecedented 8th place out of the water in 13mins 1sec (Personal Best by 25sec and very close to my target this year to make it in less than 13mins) and wanted to be as fast as possible in transition because some other triathletes were without a wetsuit and could gain an advantage in getting on the bike quicker. Transition was quite smooth although my glasses fell off and had to pick them up.

 Pretty Bay Swim Details 

The bike segment was a bit tougher than expected - my usual training on the course would not be with race conditions and I had to fight hard so as not to let other athletes go past me. There were a number of good bikers and I kept a bit back from pushing harder as I did not want to run on very tired feet. The road leading from Birzebbugia to Hal Far should have been closed to traffic but it was very crammed with the competitors, some commuters, cars and even a horse! Not what I usually expect in a race like this. I managed to finish in 38:26 and strangely felt stronger and fresh to run.

Birzebbugia-Hal Far Cycle Details 

This year I have done a minimal number of brick workouts so far but I must say I still feel very strong when switching from bike to run. Even though I had gained a good advantage especially in the swim, stronger runners quickly caught up during the 3 laps around pretty bay promenade. This was the first race I have been where the atmosphere was very special as there were a number of bypassers, commuters, joggers and people sitting on the various benches who were constantly talking about the race. I also saw some people cheering at athletes from house balconies which is very nice and unusual in a Maltese race. I was keeping a very good pace - my best yet of 4mins20sec/km and although I badly wanted to increase to keep up with some better runners I held to that pace as I knew this was the  most I could sustain for 5km. Considering that many feel running is their strongest part in triathlon, I managed a very good time of 21:57. This is a personal best by 22sec.

Pretty Bay Promenade Run Details 

I finished the race in 1hr 15mins 1sec placing well in 17th place out of 53 and extremely satisfied with my performance and my improvement. All this could not have been possible without the constant support of my wife Maria and daughter Elena together with the all the help I have been receiving since March from my coach Keith Galea.

National Duathlon Championships

On the 1st of May I took part in the National Duathlon Championships, organised by the Malta Triathlon Federation on the Zebbug Bypass with race distances of 8.5km run - 38km bike and 4.25km run. I have not been preparing specifically for this race but it's an important one and I wanted to try and improve on last year's time of 2hrs 16mins 42sec. The race conditions were surprisingly hot. I ran my first run at a very good pace - averaging 4:22/km. The bike course started after a 37:59 run.

First Run Details 

The bike course consisted of 9 laps which took me 1:10:48. The effort to cycle as best I could and crouched for that time in a Time Trial position did not do good for my hamstrings as during the moment I stepped in transition I cramped and could barely walk. For a second I thought of stopping as the pain was considerable. My coach was encouraging me to stop and stretch before continuing. I had to do so; otherwise there was no way I could continue with the final run. It took me a while to pick up the pace but once I did I had a good run.

 Bike Details 

and Second Run Details

The race was over in 2:10:46 - almost 6mins of improvement over last year. I could feel strong throughout. It is a good sign that shows how much I have worked especially on Endurance.

Thanks for all those who support me in one way or another and thanks for Captureme Photography for the amazing shots.
Anatoly

First Olympic Triathlon & Mellieha AC Sprint Duathlon

My First Olympic Triathlon

Hi all,

lately I took part in two important races. The first one was the Olympic Triathlon (1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run) on a difficult course from Rinella Bay to Smart City organised by the Malta Triathlon Federation with the aim of assessing the fitness level of national team athletes. For me it was simply a very tough training session and a new challenge as I had never competed on those distances. My only aim was to finish it.

The challenges for such a race were various, including finding a fitting wetsuit (thanks goes to Keith Galea my coach for lending me one) and training enough to be able to finish this race as I have been getting sick frequently. It was still dark when I arrived and the wind was strong and cold. I had to set up 2 different transitions and it was a bit confusing for me. Mentally I was quite relaxed - something that really helps me in these situations. The thing I wanted to get over with quickly was getting used to the cold water. Luckily I managed a bit of warm up in the water as well.

We had to swim two laps around Rinella Bay at Kalkara. I struggled a bit in the water as I did not have any training except in the pool. It was only in the second lap that I got the hand of it properly especially as the water was quite choppy when swimming outwards. I was out of the water in 29mins 55sec.

Swim Laps

I exited the water quite late compared to others. I think it is probably because I was the only one with no experience of wetsuit swimming and never raced this long. I also struggled with the transition but was determined to make up for it with the bike. Little did I know that the task would be so hard as the bike course was very difficult and hilly. We had to cycle from Kalkara to Smart city and back 8 times. For the first time since I started triathlon I was looking forward to start running as the bike drained my energies completely. I had only tried the course during training once and it was very windy. I had also missed some key bike workouts especially the long rides so it's no wonder it was difficult. The bike took me 1hr 23sec.

Bike Laps 

The run portion was 3 laps from Smart City along the Xghajra (Zabbar) promenade. This part was also hilly and soon I was suffering from a stitch on both sides. Every time I tried to go run at my usual pace the pain re-emerged and I had to slow back down again. However, I managed to keep my form and simply went on telling myself to keep going until the end. The final 10km took me 54mins 18sec.

Run Laps 

I managed to finish in 2hrs 49 mins. Although I know I have a lot to improve, I am still satisfied with this result as the course was very difficult and I am still early on with my training and so far away from peaking.

 

 

Mellieha A.C Sprint Duathlon

On the 19th April, Easter Saturday, I took part in an important race organised by Mellieha A.C. on Dingli Cliffs. The distances were those of a Sprint Duathlon (5km run, 20km bike and 2.5km run). The importance of this race was the chance to get the first set of points for the Triathlete of the Year Award (last year I finished 16th from a total of 80 athletes) and this would be my first test of the season to see if and by how much I had improved.

The weather was absolutely perfect and I was also familiar with the course as I frequently visit the area during training. I also took part in the same race last year, finishing in 1hr 23mins. I was confident and relaxed, setting myself the target to finish under 1hr 20mins. After the usual initial rush of the beginning, everyone settled in their own pace going for two laps around Dingli. I was managing a new pace ranging from 4:15min/km to 4:30mins/km. I was a bit hesitant to keep going at this pace as it was only the beginning but I was feeling strong so I kept that way. I finished the first run in 22:20, improving by 1:30 over last year.

First Run Details 

The bike course has certain points where it's dangerous to overtake but on whole is still quite fast and I soon got comfortable with certain bends during the 4 laps. Hills were hard to recover from as I had to get up from the seat a number of times but I still managed a good time of 39mins, an improvement of 6mins over last year (last year the wind was also stronger).

Bike Details 

I honestly did not know how I would feel during the last run. I had always slowed down and could not endure well the last part of any race I have had so far but not during this one. I finished it in 10mins with roughly the same pace as the first one. Was very pleased with my form and how I was feeling strong throughout. This also meant that I improved by almost 4 and a half minutes over the same course last year.

Second Run Details 

I am extremely pleased with my performance; finishing the race in 1hr 11mins 22sec, a massive Personal Best of 12mins. I placed 34 out of 60athletes. I want to thank my coach Keith Galea for preparing my sessions and guiding me throughout. I also want to thank all those who supported me during the race including the marshals who always have words of encouragement. Last but not least I want to thank my wife Maria and child Elena for their constant support.

Regards

Anatoly

Malta Half Marathon

On the 23rd February I took part in the Vodafone Malta Half Marathon for the first time. To prepare myself for this race I took part in a similar race last December - the Mdina to Spinola (17K). After that, I was trying to increase the mileage slowly so as to improve my time and also finish strong. In the week preceding the race, I managed to fit in 30Km spread throughout the week.

This race was 21Km long and much harder for two reasons: it was longer and had some hills. I was also not completely aware of the exact route especially since it was changed.

The atmosphere both at the start and along the route was overwhelming. With over 3600 participants, the area in front of Mdina was overcrowded with people warming up and chatting. Those participating in the Full Marathon had already left and our start was scheduled for 9:20am. Unfortunately, I couldn't fit somewhere in the front and since those doing the walk started with us, I had to get past loads of people walking or going very slow for the first 2Km.

It was nice having many people cheer all along the way. There was also music from a number of different bands and musicians. It helped reduce the pain later on in the race which for me started after the 10th km (at my pace of 5mins/km it started after 50mins). I was probably going a bit beyond the pace I could handle and the route was also starting to have some uphills - worst of all the new Dicembru 13 in Marsa to Floriana which slowed me down and went off pace.

It took me a bit to get back to my pace but by that time the pain at the knees and hips due to impact was significant. I was really tired but tried to increase the pace in the last km. the nice and warm atmosphere helped in this. I finished in 1hr 46mins 31sec - very slightly off target by 1min 30sec. I am very pleased with my result since it shows that I improved a lot both by doing distances I never thought I am capable of as well as in the pacing - improved by 8sec/km since December.

Half Marathon Details 

My training has been focused a lot on improving running these months, biking slightly put aside for the time being. There will be a shift from now on to the normal Triathlon routine, upgraded by the fact that I am now under the guidance of my friend and coach Keith Galea. Keith has been there guiding me from before the start of my choice to do Triathlon but is now officially my coach. I want to thank my family and all those who supported me with comments of encouragement and especially my wife Maria and child Elena.

My next scheduled race is going to be the toughest so far on the 30th March - an Olympic Distance Triathlon of 1.5km swim with a wetsuit (sure it's going to be very cold @7:30am), 40km bike and 10km run.

Anatoly

Agones Triathlon Series Race 1 - Half Duathlon

Hi,

on the 19th of January I took part in the first multisport race of the season in Hal Safi organised by Agones as part of a 4-race series. This one was a Half Duathlon (5km Run-20km Bike-2.5km Run). To be honest I was expecting a completely different scenario than the one I found. I thought it was a race for complete beginners or others relatively new to the sport but I found stiff competition from some of the best Maltese athletes with plenty of training and experience.

 

I tried to keep calm as I know it works well for me. Lately I slightly injured the left IT band (as shown on the right). Fortunately I only felt slight pain during warm up which faded away while racing. The pace for the first run was extremely fast for me - I had an average of 4min36sec per km and I was almost the last one at that point. I knew I couldn't push harder than that because it is still early in the off season and that pace is similar to my race pace during last season. I also knew that other athletes are very strong in the run and some others simply start out too fast and may fade later on. The first run was over in 20.56.

First Run Details 

I was determined  to make for lost ground once on the bike. Transition was very smooth and although I did not bring my cycling racing shoe nor did I clip the shoe to the pedal (thinking it was a race for beginners) I was quite quick. This was the first drafting race I ever took part in - meaning I could shield myself behind other cyclists in order to avoid pushing against the wind. This meant that aero bars had to be removed. The cycling part was much easier for me although there was part of the course with very strong wind gusts exactly in front of Medavia.

 We had to go in a loop for 8 times. Finishing almost half, I noticed that the handlebar was a bit loose. It got much worse and I had to decide to stop in transition area to tighten the bolts. It took me about a minute and a half and I almost lost some time in the previous part as I had to hold the stem with one of my hands as I feared bolts were so loose that the handlebar would detach from the frame. I kept calm and after exiting transition area I pushed much more to gain back the lost time. I finished the bike in 37.43 - gaining 5 places in the process.

Bike Details 

The last run was only a single loop around the course. I felt some cramping in both calves at the beginning but I could push soon after. The pace was a bit slower - something I definitely have to work on to be consistent. I finished the second run in 11.34 and the total race in 1hr 10mins 13sec.

Run 2 Details

The placing was not that great - I was the 18th out of 24 athletes. However, when comparing data with the previous season, the pacing is very close to race pacing during main events. I am confident that I will improve without neglecting my current strengths and become better and stronger. After all, it is still off season and a long way to go for the main races.

Anatoly