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)