Lavaman 1st Place

So after swallowing up the bitter pill of not racing Ironman Louisville, I kind of started feeling a little better  just a couple of days before IMLO, but as I stated in my previous post, there was no way I could endure 9+ hours of racing Ironman.

But then.........there it was........... LAVAMAN right here in KONA, hey! right in my street!

So even that I knew that I was going to get myself into the Hurtbox, It was just impossible I didn't do this one. I thought "I will just enjoy racing a good race in my town"  Gee Like I didn't knew myself.
The swim was in the Keauhou bay where Alii Drive ends to the south.

It was so cool to be there with all of our friends, people who we see everyday, everywhere, the atmosphere at this race was definitely the most friendly ever, to the point that when we were just about to start, I had to repeat to myself that this was not a friendly training session, so I placed where I knew the fast swimmers where, and after the gun I tried to keep up the pace, but I wasn't successful in getting some fast feet, and after 300 yards I found myself swimming alone. I came out of the water in 23 minutes, about 90 seconds behind the leaders.

The Bike start was Uphill right away, up in the K3 road where I do my Hill Workouts, so I knew perfectly what to spect, the problem was when I arrived to the top and saw that I was a whole MINUTE slower than in my training sessions, it was a bad surprise at the beginning, but then I remembered that "I was in bed 5 days before, and that I was there to enjoy the race" ha ha! That idea lasted like 20 seconds, I was replaced for "Just Go HARD and don't mind the numbers" After the climb of the K3 road it was Kuakini Hwy that after 2 miles turns into The Queen K, the turnaround was right in-front of the Energy Lab or NELHA, and there I was able to see that I was well placed, and that gave me back some of the lost confidence in the uphill, in the way back to town I felt like flying, but when I got to Alii Drive where I thought I was going to have a power boost just for being racing in that street which I go up and down many many times every day, where I eat, have some coffees, and see the sunsets ha ha!! Was that too much? =)

Well..... in Alii Drive my legs started to fail keeping up the pace, I thought I was going to ride in less then 1 hour, I was off by a couple of minutes, I had hopes to get my legs back when I started the Run, there's always a relief when you start to run because you are changing your body position, and I usually start the run feeling great, but that feeling usually goes away once you leave the craziness of Transition #2, and this time was no exception.
The run started with a very steep hill, that made me remember once again that I was sick 5 days before, so the cycle of thoughts repeated again. I got some miles under 6:40 and some in 7 minutes and I was quiet happy with this.... (Obviously) But with 2 miles to go the Heavy Truth of my Reality went down on me, and it came really bad, I felt like walking for a second, but I knew that it will be harder to start running again than just keep going, and I did....... My run time was nothing I could be proud of, but it was enough for taking the win in my Age Group and 7th Overall.

At the end, the result couldn't have been better, doing this race and obtaining this result was perfect to shake off the DNS of Louisville.
But the best part of Lavaman was definitely our friends, the awards ceremony and the swag! Maybe the live music was a little loud, but also maybe it was just because we wanted to just hang around and chat with our friends!

A simple cup of Kona Coffee!

One of the pleasures of Life

I'm spending my recovery time learning how to make designs in the frothed milk of the lattes or cappuccinos. It's very fun.  By The Way!  Try Tiare Lani Coffee, is 100% Kona Coffee and is the best I've tried so far in Kona. www.tlckonacoffee.com

Plan B (Same as Plan A)

If a problem is fixable, if a situation is such that you can do something about it, then there is no need to worry. If it’s not fixable, then there is no help in worrying. There is no benefit in worrying whatsoever.

Dalai Lama. 

I Love this quote! I've been using it almost everyday since I read it for the first time. 

Today is one of those days. 

I went to the Doctor and I have a Strep Throat Bacteria,and doing an Ironman in less than a week is out of the question. So I had to cancel my trip to Kentucky, It's a little sad because I was starting to feel very good with my Ironman training, but it's not like the end of the world. There will be many many more races, and like I always say "It's all about the Journey, not the destination"  

So no worries... Time for plan B: 1-Get well. 2-Back to training. 3-Continue to have a good time. It's actually the same plan as plan A.

The half full glass point of view here, is that I have more time to train properly for the next race. So it's time to relax and watch a little tv.

No Drama! Just Keep Training.........

Louisville is getting closer and right now I have a mild case of food poisoning, I'm trying not to freak out, and make no drama, but it's a little nerve wrecking anyway........

Today is Wednesday, and next week on Tuesday I will be on the plane to Kentucky, I hope that by that time, I will no longer be thinking of the Microscopic Bug that put me out of training for a couple of days....

Since I came back from Tin Man in Honolulu, I started to train with Justin Granger, I always thought that I was un-coach-able, but after spending almost 2 months getting nowhere, and trying to figure out my own training method for the Ironman distance, I finally realized that I needed help. I was lucky enough to have met the Grangers just a few weeks ago.

First of all, Ironman Distance is "not" just 2 times a Half Ironman, is not as simple as: 1.9+1.9=3.8, 90+90=180 or 21+21=42

This is not like an add equation, In the last few weeks I've learned that 70.3+70.3 is NOT 113.6 And that means I have a lot of respect for the Ironman Distance.

So far...... I managed to get away with very little running, and more or less perform, in shorter distance Triathlons, but there's no way I was going to get away with it in Louisville.

I wish I would have met Justin before, but hey......I believe that everything happens for a reason, and trying to see this with the "Half Full" point of view, makes me think that I still have a long way to go, and instead of being stuck with a non effective training method, now I'm starting to get into a new phase of "Learning & Performance" I wasn't running not even the distance required for Olympic Distance, but my knees are also not worn out and I have no issues with important injuries, and that's good.

The truth is that comparing what I used to do, and my current training is like night and day.

Maybe I was so reluctant to have a Coach because of what I've seen in the past with some coaches, they just don't care, and this is not the case....

Training with Justin has been like an Eye Opener and I can say I'm very excited for the things to come. I'm not to worried about qualifying for Kona anymore (at least this year) I just want to do things right, and for Ironman it takes more than just some weeks, so I will try to have fun and enjoy IM Louisville. I'm so glad that I'm one of the guys who really enjoy training, because I have plenty in my future.....

And now I can be sure that with Paola as my sane part of my mind, with Justin as my Coach and Belinda around I'm on the right track.

It's all about the Journey, not the Destination.

Tin Man, Honolulu. 2nd Place

I have to love HONOLULU! is the second time that I come back to Kona with a better result than I expected, last time I was fried from overtraining and came back with a 1st place, and this time.....

Well........This time, the same (no first place but Overtrained ha ha! )

No seriously! I've been doing the same mistake since I got to Kona 3 months ago, overtraining and at the same time, not running enough! How I managed to do this? Well first of all, I've been trying to take my Half Ironman Training and by just adding more here and there, convert it into an Ironman Training, the result is that every single week, before the long and important runs, I'm already fried in the Legs. And that's how I was feeling Friday before Tin Man. Saturday I went for an easy ride and came back to the hotel really scared, If I wasgoing to feel like that in the Race, a long and painful day was waiting for me.

Race day came and I simply forgot about it, I was leading the swim for the first 300 meters, then Gregory Price passed me, I came out of the water 2nd in 10:51 just 25 seconds behind him, after a 1:41 transition I managed to pass him (he did 2:04) But around 10k into the Bike he passed me again. I didn't even tried to speed it up, I was feeling OK but it was like I didn't have another gear, I wanted to go faster, but that was my pace, my legs refused to make any changes, it seemed that even if I tried to go faster for a moment, or even a little easier, the pace didn't change a bit, that day my legs had their own mind and there was nothing I could do about it. It was a little windy and we had to take on 2 times the climb to Diamond Head, and feeling not at 100% is was not a ride in the park.I got to T2 after a 1:02 Bike split, not bad for the course, I knew that I was in 2nd place, and that gave me the incentive to start as fast a possible, I didn't want to be passed and loose that place, so I went strong from the beginning. Paola was there cheering, and started to run behind me, Out of T2 we had to go around Kapiolani Park, and I could hear her shouting, but what took me by surprise is that after a couple of minutes I could still hear her, so I was like "I must be going too slow" Then my brain started to work a little better and I saw that she just cut the corner and then crossed the park in the middle, ha ha! I wasn't going that slow, but not that fast either, but after the first climb, I kind of found what seemed to be sub 7 minute mile pace, there were no km or mile marks ( I hate that ) so I never knew if that was correct until the finish line, I gave it all in the run, enough for a 40 minutes 10k.I was 2nd in my Age Group and 7th Overall with a total time of 1:56 It was a good result, but at the same time this race opened my eyes, I know I can't continue with this type of erratic training.
Louisville is only 5 weeks away, and I still haven't found my training formula, maybe is time for a big change.

A Beautiful Day

The Aloha Way

kama'aina Means A native-born or longtime Island resident in Hawaiian, I know that we might not be there yet, but Paola and I surely feel that we belong here. It's been almost two months, and it just keeps getting better and better, it's not about updating my blog in the Lanai with a beautiful Ocean View, it's not about the Kona coffee that I drink in Industrial quantities, and it's not even the Dolphins we get to see every other day at the ocean swims or at the Paddleboard.
It's the air of happiness, the air of easy going that you breath in here. I know that every place in the world have a little of everything, good and bad, pros and cons. Who else might now more about that, than us? that in last few years, we've been very tempted to move to 4 different cities in the USA and Europe, we finally ended up choosing Kona, and I'm glad we did.

We've found here the perfect mix between all of the things we like, the sports culture is impressive, everyone is into some kind of sport, no matter the age, don't get me wrong dear Konians (I have no idea if this name is right) but it look like no one works here, and what I mean is that it looks like everyone is having so much fun all the time, even if they are at work, they simply enjoy life (there are some exceptions of course) But for the most, every day of the week seems like a weekend.
This is why it's the right place for us =)

Our days are simple, I could write for hours of deep thoughts and feelings, that you might discover when you find your peace or your ZEN....... but without entering philosophical waters........The equation for us...... is very easy:
Sun, Sea Breeze, Wind, Stars, Coffee, Swims at the Ocean, Paddleboard, Coffee, Great Food, Swims at Kona Aquatics, Naps, Lava Java, Sushi, Beaches, Great Bike Rides, Runs, Coffee again =) Sunsets and Sunrises, this is the Aloha way.
And with all this good vibe comes good people, we've always thought that we were meant to be us against the rest of the world, but now we feel more alike, less lonely and not at war, and that's a great feeling.

About triathlon training, it's been 20 months already since I started training seriously (not just 3 or 4 times a week) and if someone have told me before that I would be here after 20 months I might have never believed, but now I do, I'm feeling great and I'm sure I have room to improve, and in the way have the time of my life.

Even now that I can't run because I hurt my knee while falling in the Paddleboard, I'm still enjoying my life, the moment, and I know that my knee will eventually heal, just like other things in life, it's a life flow, it's Karma, and the only thing we can do to change the future is the present. "oops again philosophical" Sorry...... This heart beat is for my son Jonatan ( I can't wait for you to come to Hawaii, Son)

So this week, I took it easy just as recommended, Monday was rest day with Massage, and the rest of the week just swimming and ez on the bike, so I did 4 times the Ironman swim course, the masters at Kona Aquatics and some time chasing dolphins that ended up being 23km or 14 miles of swimming, Plus 350km or 217 miles of biking, including one of the best rides I've ever done, Kona to Hawi by the Queen K, then up (really up) to Waimea and returning back to Kona, via The Belt Road, 6 hours of endless and drastic changes of the riding conditions, just plain beautiful!

Ironman 70.3 Hawaii ( Video )

Rhoto Ironman 70.3 Honu 6th AG 39th Overall

I prefer 100 times a mass start than different wave starts, this is one of the best things about the Honu 70.3 race, the only downside is that by far, this is the most violent swim start of all the races that I've done in the past, last year it was like a battlefield and I got punched right in the face a couple of times, luckily this time was different, it was still pretty rough but I was out of the craziness after the first buoy, I tried to remember coach Steve the whole time and what he has told me for the last weeks.

I knew I was going faster than last year so it was a little disappointing to see my swim time at 30:49 but at least now I see that compared to last year this year was almost a minute slower (with some exceptions of course) 

After the swim I was ready to put on a good time in the Bike (my specialty) and I felt good for the first 20 kilometers, but as soon as the road started to go up to Hawii  I knew I had done a terrible mistake, I realized that I didn't trained "Hills" I've spent a month going back and forth in the Queen K but I simply never trained from Kawaiihae to Hawi (the hilly part) I know that It may sound very stupid and it is, but with everyday of the month going that fast this is the BIG Mistake I did, simply as that. 

So all the way up to Hawi I felt really slow and I wasn't able to get into a rhythm. So when I got to the turnaround I saw that I have plenty of work in the way back to Mauna Lani (T2) I knew I could make up some lost time, and even with the wind that was blowing hard, I started to get back my legs, and started to get into a good and fast pace, everything was OK, but then I lost my 2 fluid bottles in a bump near Kawaiihae, and that must have affected because with only 10k to go my legs left me again, I just tried to keep up with the same pace in that flat section, and maybe recover enough for the run, at the end my bike split was not near what I expected to be, it was 2:33. 

I knew that the conditions were not favorable so I tried to keep up the positive frame of mind by thinking that way, and trying to focus in the Run that was waiting for me in that Golf course, that is very pretty but also very very hard, it's simply impossible to get any kind of rhythm, if it's not a steep climb, it's a hard downhill, of it's not grass it's asphalt and then back to grass.

  

I started the run as I always do, fast but controlled so I don't blow up my race with the excitement of that first mile where I can always hear my Paola Screaming, Corre Pelucas!!!

Knowing what was waiting for me in the next 13 miles, I just kept my pace, the first mile was under 7 minutes, and so the next few miles, after mile 6 or 7 I knew I was going to be able to come out with a decent run in this hard course, I even felt good in the mile from hell, the mile number 9! and when I came out of that stretch of lonely road I just pushed as hard as I could for the remaining miles, I saw the ocean and that was a great feeling, I enjoyed those last few meters as much as possible, my run split was 1:33 for a Total Time of 4:41:47

Enough for a 6th place in the AG and 39th Overall, but not enough for a podium, here in Honu you get to be in the podium up to 5th place, I guess that must be a sign that the competition here is Fierce, and it was also not enough for an Ironman Slot I was 5 minutes from that only International spot, but I'm happy, I know that I gave it all that day, and that's what matters.

I now have time to reflect and pull my things together and slow down a little at least, It's time to get back on track and focus in Ironman Louisville, that's where I need to get my slot for the Ironman World Championship in October, I really don't want to be seeing the race from the sidewalk.

I don't know how to train for an Ironman but I will try to do my best, I know that I have to work a lot in my run an log much more miles, until now I've been able to get away with a low mileage, but I know that an Ironman won't let me do that. My swimming is getting better and I know what kind of work I need to do on the bike, the MIX of everything is what gets a little tricky, but I will try to do my best, one of the first things I have to do, is less facebook and more Running that's for sure ha ha! This Blog has always helped me to re-focus, to keep me on track, and it's also kind of therapeutic, and I can't say the same when I spent more than 20 minutes on FB it just leaves me with a not so nice feeling.

So I will start to work in a training plan for Louisville right now

Race Preview and landing feet in Kona. Becoming Kamaaina!

It's been 5 days since Race Day and just until now I'm letting myself to start analyzing the Honu 70.3 There are just too many things to think about and understand. Last year when Paola and I came to do this race we decided to move to Kona for good. And now I can say that I raced in my town. It hasn't been easy and we had to do a lot of stuff to finally get here.

I can't believe that just two months ago we were in New York a couple of weeks after The Abu Dhabi Triathlon, we were very happy with the outcome of the Race and the trip, but at the same time we were starting to get worried because we had tons of things to do for the final "Move" to Kona.

This was supposed to be the race recap and now it will be like the race Preview ha ha! So I will just say that a lot!!!  happened since we got back from New York at the Beginning of April.

In one month only, we did what you have to do when you leave your home country and move to another, and let me tell you that only someone who has done this, will understand what I'm talking about, so April was already a crazy month, I barely was able to put on some decent training because of the "other" stuff that needed my attention.

Then we arrived to Kona in May 1st, I thought I that everything was going to slow down, but I was wrong, and since the very first day it was just CRAZY!

We did hundred of things! learned how to paddlebord, get into the swim team, visited many many homes, I had to fight a mild case of shin splints because of the effort I had to do in my first attempt to paddleboard, it looks so easy, and it's NOT! Then there's meeting so many people! Everyone here is very friendly and we wanted to learn every one's name, it may sound silly but it's kind of hard.

 And then there's our  "normal" behavior, ha ha! Paola and Me every time we are in a new place, we try to know every inch of the town in just a few days, go here, go there, etc etc, and that can wear you out, and it did..........And then.... went to Honolulu ha ha!
I raced there and I got a first place in an Olympic Distance Triathlon, this was pretty good and encouraging, but I returned to Kona very very tired and with some nasty cuts in my feet, since I made the mistake of running without socks in my 70.3 race shoes, the ones I only use with socks. And in the top of it, the pre-race week we had a friend visiting us, so the taper week was more like a Tour Guide Week.

After saying all this, I was feeling very good for the race, I managed to put some decent miles on the Bike, and swim much more than I have used in the past, So I was almost sure to come with a decent run on the race day, and a positive result, using all the positive energy of Kona.

Now........Lets go write the race report......

Honolulu International Triathlon 1st Place!!

Let me start saying that after the first two weeks we had in Kona, I'm very surprised with the result in Honolulu, I was almost sure I was in for a bad day.

Paola and I have waited for almost a year to finally made it to Kona, and the excitement led me to do almost every possible mistake in my training, but how can you turn back in the Queen K when you feel so happy just to be there? So the first week was all about riding, the written plan was a balanced hard week, but it all started to go wrong when I went paddle boarding, I had so much fun, but the next day my shoulders were done, also my calves and shins were pretty sore due to the effort I had to do, just to stay standing in the board, so my running and my swimming training were affected.
Another thing that got me in that negative frame of mind, is that changing the swim stroke is not an easy thing to do, even if you know that you are in the right path there's a lack of confidence due to the lack of results.
So there I was, the day before the race with a bad attitude, fortunately after the alarm went off I knew I was in the right frame of mind. The swim was pretty intense at the start, but after a while I was swimming with plenty of space, that went on for just a while when I had to start passing the first 3 waves that started 3, 6 and 9 minutes before mine. So I had to swerve a lot the rest of the swim, which I finished in 23 minutes, I was hoping a better time, but as soon as I was on my bike I started passing the rest of the previous waves.
After the first turnaround I knew I was in a good position and almost sure I was in first place, that's when I was passed by two guys that were clearly drafting, they had the same uniform and that got me very mad,  I only hoped that they were not in my age group. The last 10kms were under a light rain and we also had a little wind, but nothing to important.
My bike split for the 40k was 59 minutes, a race PR split in an Olympic Triathlon and that helped me get trough the first mile of the run, I felt my legs very heavy, I was afraid I over did it in the bike, but after a while my legs came back and I was able to keep up with the pace, the heavy feeling came back at the end but knowing I was doing fine helped my to finish strong in 39 minutes, also a PR.
I was 1st place in my Age Group and 9th Overall.

The actual race was excellent, the run course in the Ala Moana Park is Beautiful, but the organization of the race I think is not so good. There was no control of the wave starts, it would have been very easy that someone started in the wrong wave on purpose, that could have been avoided with the color of the swim caps, that by the way......... they were handed right before the start along with the timing chips, both should have been in the race bag, luckily the cheating didn't happened at least in my age group or in front of me.

Another thing to mention is the attitude of the race Director someone called JJ, I had the bad luck to catch him in a bad moment I think............ The previous day there was this misunderstanding when I asked him about the next race briefing, I had just arrived when he was finishing the first race brief of the day, so I think he thought I was in the briefing, so the first thing he told, well............ he pretty much yelled at me, was that I had to have the bracelet on before I pick up my number, but when I arrived there was this lady who asked me of I was doing the Olympic, I said yes and she handed me an Orange bracelet, and told me to pick up my number, and that's what I did, so when I came to ask JJ about the next meeting he saw me with the bracelet in one hand and the race number in another, and it was supposed to be mandatory to have the bracelet on, to be handed the number, so he got mad, I just said it wasn't my fault that I received my number without having the bracelet on, that I thought that was his staff responsibility, not mine, and wow! He just exploded, I really thought he was going to hit me in the face, I tried not to explode also by just keeping my mouth shut, and waiting for him to end his show, so after he screamed that this was his race that this were his rules and bla bla bla, I just kept looking at him with a neutral face, and after some awkward seconds of silence, he just shake my hand and said he was cool......... What a freak moment, and what a freak dude! 

That was the bad of the race, but everything else was really good, Honolulu is a great city, it's very cool that everything is so close, the perfect beach of Waikiki with all of it's Restaurant's, Shops and Hotels just steps apart.

The day after the race we went to Kailua Beach, they say it's the number one Beach in the US, Ít's really great but I bet I've heard this same thing about some other beaches ha ha!

Another Highlight of this excellent trip is that Paola raced a 10k race and she also got a PR! She's been running a lot of miles every week! and I mean a Lot!
More than me by far........ There's no doubt that in Kona, she will turn into a runner, I better start coaching her, because she's really strong and I think it's about time to put some sense into her running...... I think she's a power runner, lets see. She was so happy after the race, and got 4th in her age group,  she is very excited to start a formal training program, I Love Her!

Kona. Our First Week.

We finally made it to Kona, since last year it was just a dream, now it's real. We arrived Sunday night after a day with our friend Lalo in L.A. We both were pretty tired of the trip, but monday morning it was like we had new batteries, I was supposed to ride 50k at moderate pace in the Queen K and I ended up riding 120k at almost race pace.

I know it's not the smartest thing to do, specially one week before a race, but I kept doing it the whole week, and to make ir a little worst I took my first shot at Paddlebording, It was really fun, and before I knew I had more than one hour standing in the paddleboard, I won't say it's easy or difficult, because the point is not only stand up and paddle, the point is to go where you wanna go and do it swiftly, and that's when you fall. I had a blast but next day I could feel wich muscles I used to stay upright, the calves and the shins, so my run sessions for the week were in pure pain.

I also put myself in the hands of Coach Steve, I meet him last year and I knew he was the one to trust to change my stroke and help me take my swim to the next step, I do have a long way to go, but here's the place to do it. What I didn't knew about Coach Steve is that he was the assistant coach for Mark Spitz, Amazing!!!

Our place is very close to the pier and to the pool, so we are in the heart of Kona, Paola is running all the time, and of course taking all the sun possible.

Saturday Morning we went to Waikoloa Beach to spend the day, we had Spicy Ahi Poke and Sushi and the day was perfect, we just can't believe that we have already a week here.

Friday we are going to Honolulu, I will race at the Honolulu International Triathlon, it's an Olympic distance Triathlon, it might be not so important in my racing schedule but still I want to do good, so i will try to take it easy this week and get there rested, It's also my first Olympic Triathlon in almost two years, and there's no worst feeling than race with heavy legs.

The people in Kona is very very friendly, it's like a big family and everyone is ready to help in any way you need, so we already feel locals.

Abu Dhabi, Dubai & New York City. What a Trip!

Finally I had the time to Upload to the pictures from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, & New York.

It was pretty hard because Paola shoot more than 3,000 pictures.
I just love to say this...... "THIS WAS THE BEST TRIP OF MY LIFE" and I keep saying that at least once a year, that means we are going to the right places, or least to "our" Right places.

Abu Dhabi is unreal............ Everything is perfect and beautyful, & The Hotel Shangri-La just made it seem even more perfect.

Since the moment you enter the lobby you know you are in a Special Hotel, I've never seen anything like it, the service and disposition of everyone is above normal, they make you feel like a Sheik, the view of the Zayed Mosque is amazing, you can see it from every place in the Hotel, and at night the Ilumination of the pool with the Purple Mosque in the Background seems unreal.

The race as I said in my previous Blog, was almost perfect, I know that the organizers want this to be one of the most important Triathlon races in the world, and I think they achieved that in the very first attempt.
After the race, we went to a Safari in the desert, an expert driver took us on a Toyota 4 Runner along with other 7 or 8 Toyotas, and going up and down 60 meters high Dunes is an experience I wont forget, ever.

After about and hour, we stop to see the Sunset, and that's something you want to see in the Desert, then we arrived to the Camp Site where we had Libanese food, Shi Sha, Camel Riding and a Belly Dancer Show.

Dubai was also pretty amazing, the Burj Khalifa Tower is the tallest in the World, with 800 meters you kind of loose the perspective of things, the Tall Buildings at it's side are pretty tall, but they seem tiny, and then you think about the sorrounding thing, like the Fountains and the Mall in the explanade below, even that the Fountains are twice bigger than the Fountains of the Bellagio in Las Vegas.

Then.......... New York. It was a long time since I visited NYC, and I didn't remember that I liked it so much, even that this kind of life has nothing to do with Triathlon, I kind of like it, It has a "something" about it that's pretty cool and adictive. We went for a run in Central Park almost everyday, then have breakfast in a random place in the Strees, we just looked for a different "cafe" So there we were, next to the usual kind of New Yorkers, ha ha! Very Very different one from the other, this is where you get to find so many different people.
We went to a Knicks Game, and to the Liberty Statue, we were also turning experts in the Subway, and we also walked and walked and walked a little more.
One of the best things about triathlon, is that you get to travel and meet interesting people and places, and like this trip, places that if it wasn't because of a race, we might have never visited, and now we can't wait to come back.

Abu Dhabi International Triathlon, Race Recap. 3rd Place.

Yesterday was the day that I've been waiting, and training for more than 120 days. It was a long wait, and with it came a lot of expectation from this race, so to tell you the truth the previous days I was a little nervous, the long long trip to Abu Dhabi and all the waiting made difficult to take it as "just another race"

This time there was my family here to watch me race, so my thinking was
"I took them all across the Globe to watch me race, I just can't let them down"
So the simple idea of having a flat tubular, gave me nightmares.
There were also other things to worry about, even I didn't wanted to think to much about it, but they were always in the back of my mind.

One of them was the approach that I took with my training for this new distance for me, my longest race before this was Half Ironman distance races, so 90kms at race pace was the longest distance I ever done. And my approach to training for a 200kms bike ride, was the opposite as almost everyone does it, instead of doing various Long & Slow Rides, I took it with mid distance (90-120k) At slightly below race pace, so my longest ride in the year was just one, of 120kms. So even that I knew I had it in me, there was this fear of the 200kms that I have never, ever ride in my life.

There was the Heat factor also. I like the hot races, and I tend to handle the heat ok, but the previous days here in Abu Dhabi were just too much, I was starting to doubt of my affinity with the mercury.

And the last one, was the field.........it was like a Kona Week, everyone was very fit, so I knew it was going to be "Hard" in every aspect.

4am.......... and I was already up and ready to go, after a Good Breakfast, we went to the Emirates Palace, a Hotel that really deserves a couple of lines, it's simply AMAZING!
It's the most expensive Hotel ever built, 3,000 Million Dollars, it has 850,000 m2 of floor space, an underground parking for 2,500 cars, and the exterior has 114 domes of 60 meters high. so being on it's beach front at T1 was a privilege.

So there I was preparing my stuff in T1 with a surreal view of this amazing changing color hotel in the background.
The swim was 2 laps of 1500 meters and a 100 meter dash in the sand in between. My first lap was right on time, 23 minutes, and my second I think I didn't swim straight, because I lost a minute, coming out of the water in 47 minutes.

Already in the bike I knew it was going to be a hard & hot day, much more than the previous days, because I had been training at that time, and it wasn't as hot as this day at the same time.
The bike course was in the Corniche that is along the beach front of Abu Dhabi, where all this super hyper modern buildings are, so the first 7kms of the course are extremely beautiful. but then you cross the first out of many bridges, and enter the real Desert, at the moment you start seeing the sand dunes you feel the temperature rising, the view was fantastic, and I was feeling also fantastic, the first 40k split came in 1:04, the second 40k in 1:05:50, the 90kms split was 2:27 and the 180kms split was 4:57 for a Total of 5:30 pretty much what I expected in the right conditions, the only "problem" was that this were no right conditions by any means.....

The heat was just like being in a barbecue, just like Bjorn Andersson later said it. I was pushing like there was no run after the 200kms bike ride, I knew I was taking a risk of blowing up, but since biking is my strongest leg, it was also my best bet, so there I was hammering through a hotter than hell heat, some winds, and hot water & gatorade at the aid stations.

It was a real hard bike, but it also had something that no Triathlon race in the world has.......
You get to enter and ride the incredible "ABU DHABI YAS MARINA FORMULA 1 CIRCUIT" this was a rest for your mind and body the 2 times we rode the 4 kilometers of the circuit. The surface of the Abu Dhabi roads is very smooth, but as I entered the Yas Marina Circuit was like there was someone pushing me, the pain in my legs was gone and the mind was to busy enjoying the surreal view of the buildings like the Ferrari Building, or the Yachts parked inside the Marina that's inside of the circuit, it was like being inside an X-BOX game of car racing.
(I can't wait for the pictures)

After 150kms I started to feel cramps in my thighs every time I was out of the saddle, so for the next bridges I was forced to stay in the saddle.

Arriving a T2, there was a smile in my face when I saw my bike split of 5:30, but that smile turned into a scream of pain when I took my first stride, my left thigh was cramping bad, and the floor was like a frying pan, after a couple of steps the cramp started to fade away, so I knew I was ok for that 20kms run that was in front of me, and that I was pretending it didn't existed for the previous 6 hours, now it was about time to start thinking they were as real as the 3k of swiming plus the 200kms bike ride.

The run was ok, I never felt like I was suffering, I just didn't have another gear, the first lap I did it, in 40 minutes, and the second in 46 minutes, for a total of 7:48 enough for a podiumo 3rd place in the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon.

p.s. as soon as I have time, I will upload some pictures in the Gallery @ http://www.janosoto.com/

My better Half.

Today I'm feeling good because is hard for me to even climb the steps in my house. That's a good sign in your day off with just some days to go, till the next race.

It's been a long wait and lots of hard work since my last Half Ironman at the Worlds in Clearwater last November, but I have this nice feeling that I did my job.

And is in this time off that I've been thinking a lot in my other half, the best one, my better Half... Paola.

I really know how lucky I am to have someone like Paola by my side, in this last few months I know I've been like a maniac, full of energy in the morning and depleted in the afternoon, I know the bipolar mood changes we triathletes have while training, and it's amazing to realize how easy she changes to good, something that for other couples can be hard.

I have to give her credit for pushing me to train when I needed to train, and holding me back when I needed to rest, I've always relied a lot in listening to my body, but I think she might have a super coach soul inside, she can actually read me better than I do, she's been taking care of my nutrition and even my hours of sleep.

So this last few months the correct way to say it, is "We've done the work, now lets RACE"

I know that this nice feeling won't last long, and it will turn into butterflies in the stomach, I know it's going to feel like that because of the same long waiting, also because it will be, by far..........my longest race ever.

This year "we" decided that my goal was Kona, and this is the first step, I know that the whole road is going be tough, but I'm enjoying every minute of it. I'm starting to think that I like pain ( maybe just like every triathlete, ha ha)

In this last few months I discovered that I really like the long distance, maybe it's too soon to say that, but at least I like training for it, lets hope I can say that after I cross the finish line.

After Abu Dhabi, a new chapter in my life will begin, and it has the M-dot written all over.

I might never have the M-dot tattoo, but with the new training surely it is already stamped under my skin.

It's not only the Ironman race that made Hawaii so special for me and for Paola, there's something about the Island and it's Ohana, that makes you never want to leave that place, Paola felt the same, so in May, we will be arriving with plenty of time to make a good training camp for the Honu 70.3 (that's the next step) So the 2010 year ride starts now..........

This month there will be a Kiwami advertise in the French Triathlete Magazine, where I will be using the new Konami Trisuit, Super comfortable, by the way!

Check it out:

www.kiwami.co.uk/shop/konami-trisuit_1-60.html Or http://www.kiwamitri.com/ for the U.S.

I love what they wrote in the Ad, I just can't get it out of my head. And I don't want to, I love it!

I hope I can buy the magazine in the Zurich Airport.

.

Birthday Set! Swim: 40x100mt Bike: 40k TT Run: 40x400mt

Today, February 10th was my Birthday.
And Finally I can write about a crazy idea I had a couple of weeks ago when Paola asked me what did I wanted to do in my birthday. The Usual stuff would be a party right? But I really didn't wanted to be forced to eat cake and have a drink just 30 days before Abu Dhabi, and just when my training should be at it's highest intensity. So I remembered bits and pieces of birthday sets that I've heard in the past, like the 100x100mt swim set, or beer miles, but since I was like I said, just 30 days away from The Abu Dhabi Triathlon, the best thing to do, would be a race, but there are no races in Wednesdays, so I thought about doing something more race like it.
I didn't wanted to write about it "before" because I really didn't knew if I was going to be able to finish the day within the parameters that I established before I started. I wanted it to be really challenging, so it will be rewarding as well. The idea was to swim 40x100 every 2 minutes if I did every 100 in 1:30 it will be Great, then a 40km Bike Time Trial, and then to finish up the day, a run set of 40x400mt every 2 minutes, this one was what I knew it was going to be hard, I was hoping to make every 400 at 1:36, that's a 4 minute per km Pace.

So here we go.
6:45am: Breakfast # 1.
7:45am: Swim Set: 400mt easy, and 40x100mt every 2 minutes. Average per 100mt= 1:26, and the last 100mt @ 1:21
9:30am: Breakfast #2 with my friends, they were at the pool making sure I go out every 2 min.
Rest & Hydration.
11:30am: While getting my bike gear ready, and making a little seat height adjustment I broke the seat clamp screw, so we had to hurry up to find a new one.
12:30: After a 15min Run and a 10km bike warm up, with race gear & my Kiwami new Suit. 40km Time Trail in a hilly and windy road, similar to the last 20kms up to Hawii. Time 1:05 @ 143 bpm & 153 max, 10km cool down.
3:00pm When we got home there they were, my family waiting with my favorite food, presents, cake, and good coffee (Paola told them about my day plans)
5:30pm: I was already frightened about my idea of doing 40 times 400 meters going out every 2 minutes, the plan was to do them at a 4 minute/km pace, that's 1:36 every 400 meters, the previous days seemed possible, but I was having a little of doubt, So I started easy, thinking that I might take it easy at least on the first 4.
The Park is called "The Art Park" ( I had no idea why, since there's not even a sculpture ) and it has a flat trail of 1 mile, marked every 100 meters, so I pretty know my rhythm in that particular place.
So I started easy, and the first 400 came out at 1:34, that gave me 26 seconds to erase every bit of doubt and go for all or nothing, so the second 400 came out at 1:29, so in the next 31 seconds and now with no trace of doubt in my mind, I decided to keep the pace, It was fairly easy until the 12th 400 when I did it in 1:34, in that moment I was feeling a little funny in the stomach, so I decided to stop in the middle and rest for 5 minutes. But suddenly my mate Robert Oliver appeared, I was just finishing the lap # 5 and about to rest, So seeing him was like a big energy rush, in the morning he told me that he wanted to run some of my 400's with me, to help me keep the pace, so how could I stop to rest just when he was arriving?
I was very grateful and soon, I forgot about that 5 minute rest that would have ruined my perfect day.
At the end, the 40X 400 time splits were like this:
1:34, 1:29, 1:30, 1:30, 1:29, 1:29, 1:30, 1:30, 1:31, 1:29,
1:31, 1:34, 1:32, 1:31, 1:34, 1:34, 1:32, 1:32, 1:34, 1:33,
1:34, 1:36, 1:37, 1:37, 1:34, 1:32, 1:34, 1:35, 1:35, 1:35,
1:35, 1:39, 1:36, 1:34, 1:40, 1:40, 1:36, 1:34, 1:32, 1:26. @ 150 bpm average 159 bpm max

I can't describe how happy I was, since at the middle of the set I was already thinking about cutting the set with a 5 minute rest, I know that, doing that would have been a reason to be mad the rest of my day.
It was already 7:00pm and I had to take a well deserved (needed) shower because we had planned a birthday dinner with friends at 8:30pm in very cool french restaurant where they have a delicious fondue.
So after a big recovery Shake we were on our way to the restaurant when Paola told me that there was a slightly change of plans, I really believed her and just followed her directions to the supposed new dinner location.
The place looked very nice, and when we entered "Surprise" my first ever surprise party!
There they were............. my really good friends all together waiting to surprise me.
The place is called MiTra, and the garden was adorned with fire torches, and had 3 little lounge huts, it was very very cool!
It was my "Perfect Day" and nobody had to force me to eat cake or have a few beers........
I did it on my own..........
p.s. after analyzing my birthday set, I guess that you guys know my age, right?