UkrIronwoman

One day of my life in famous Ukrainian treatment resort, Truskavets (post season recovery and an injury treatment).

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:25:00 +0000

Monday morning. Sunrise 7.30 a.m., the view from my window.

The way to "beuvet" - a place,

were people drink magic :) water. (1 ml)

The water in "beuvet".

Ihave to go there 3 times a day to drink the "Naftusia" an hour before each meal (250ml).

The "beuvet" from distance.

A first treatment: a bath with mineral water.

Breakfast at 9.00 a.m. , European stile breakfast :)

Foot treatment

A little bit of exercising before a second time walking to "beuvet"

Some fun on the way to beuvet

Friend of mine, Tatiana, visited from Lvov. In Truskavets main park.

Last treatment of the day: Massage at the cabinet calls: "Center of pain and massage therapy" :) After that last walk for water and following dinner.

Rest and good night sleep.

Ironman Florida and post season recovery time.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:06:00 +0000

I am kind of late with race report. I'll try to make a long story short. Last few weeks were very busy with travel and hard acclimatization. Now I finally settled for several days in some phenomenal and beautiful place in Ukraine, calls Truskavets http://www.traveltoukraine.org/truskavets.htm

But before that was Ironman Florida, which was one of the best races for me this year. After I got injury in July I couldn't get well from it for a couple months. That was a reason why I missed most of my running intervals last summer and also that's why I didn't finish in Kona. After Hawaii Ironman I took 1 week off from running. I also switched to a different running shoes. I got a pair of K-swiss and all three weeks before Ironman Florida I was tasting the same pair of shoes, trying to get use to them fast. I really didn't know what to expect from the marathon run in Panama City. But also because of that I didn't have pressure on myself, all my Ironman race usually depends on my run.

Friend of mine gave me a very good advice for my race and I stick to it. He reminded me that Ironman is a very long race and it can be a critical mistake to race it hard from the beginning. He also helped me to understand how to control the power on the bike: " power is nothing without control :)))"

I felt actually better at the end of bike course and still had an energy to run, although I didn't try to chase the girls ahead of me, by killing myself on the first miles of marathon, I just kept doing my race.

I was already happy about my Ironman when I was running on third position, when I herd that Bella Baylis is 1.5 min ahead, then 1 min. 10 sec., then 50 sec and still more than 5 ml. to go. And finally I saw her back and realized, that I have a chance to be on second place. But it wasn't easy at all. I caught her and tried to run away a few times, but it was hard to drop her and we ran together until last 2 km. I've decided to give it all, all what had left... I did and I herd that she is one step behind, two steps,

more, I didn't look back until the finish line. I still didn't win the Ironman, but I was happy about second place very much. And it was a good way to finish season 2009.

It was a long season and I was glad to have some rest and to do something different back home. Now it's time to take care of my health, recover from the long year of racing and refill an energy for the next season.

DNF in Hawaii Ironman Worldchampionship.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:42:00 +0000

Yep, that was my first DNF, dropped out of Ironman race in 10 years. How do I feel about it ???, not so good. Although a decision I've made was right.

I got this injury on the bottom of my foot, which going on already for more than 3 months. It doesn't feel like it a bad one, but it doesn't let me run without pain, it's just there all the time. I can't get any diagnose right now, because I am in US at the moment and I can't afford it and I don't want to finish the season earlier. I thought I can do a few more races and I did. After Ironman 70.3 in Augusta I treated my foot as well as I could: massages, icing, acupuncture.... it felt much better. At the race day I felt good. And everything else was fine, like the time when you feel that everything fits together, like in puzzles. I was calm, of course I had a small butterfly in my stomach a day before the race (it's very normal before such a big event).

Race day. We get into water about 10-15 min. before start. And it felt a little bit chill, but I though: "it's probably a last time today when I feel cold". I was right it was one of the hottest days in Kona. I swam with plenty of people around me all swim course and it felt fast, but my swim time was the same like in 2007 (hope water was flatter back then :)) But I came out of the water with bunch if people and I was in the right spot. So on the bike I wasn't alone, I had 3-5 girls I could keep eye on. It was a god pace to be in and I felt pretty confident on the bike. After Hy Wee turn around it was windy, not crazy windy, but normal Hawaii wind. At the end of bike course I still had a power to pass a few people. And I was ready to start a marathon. 1 mile mark behind, 2 miles mark behind, 3...., I started feel it, the pain in my foot and I already knew how I'll feel in 1 or 2 hours. Should I damage myself now and make it last race of the season (I also knew that with this kind of pain no way I can make it to top 10 and maybe even walking at the end of the marathon) or try to heal during another 4 weeks and do Ironman Florida, which I planed to do anyway. After 5 ml mark I made a decision I stopped running and started to walk to make it back to transition aria. On the way back I walked by the hotel, where we stayed, and I needed something to drink, so I went to the hotel took a shower, got plenty of water and wend back to the transition to see how Ironman people finish this day.

I thought I can handle it, but then people kept asking me how did I do and there was too many times saying: "I didn't finish" and to many times hearing "Oh, I am sorry". But there is nothing to be sorry about. It just an injury, which I'll take care of after Ironman Florida. Yes, I'll give it another try and I am doing Ironman Florida.

Hard training in high altitude payed back.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:33:00 +0000

Last couple weeks of preparation for Hawaii Ironman I've decided to train in high altitude in my favorite place in US, Los Alamos, NM. It not just about beautiful aria and awesome nature, it also about Los Alamos people, my friends and very quiet atmosphere of this town. I already know what to expect from the training in high altitude and how hard it is, but I like how preparation in high altitude pays me back later.

I stayed in Los Alamos for full 4 weeks, first week is the hardest one: I feel always sleepy, second and third day pass usually with heavy headache; during the bike rides I feel no power, even jogging puts my heard rate too high. Then comes 5th day of acclimatization when I barely can move and feel extremely lazy, but after that day I usually start feel better, although still not that powerful like when I train at the sea level.

Each weekend I did either a race or long training with my friend Clay Moseley (pro cyclist in past). I've done Salida triathlon in Colorado and a sprint Patriot triathlon near Albuquerque. My time were passing very fast in New Mexico, somehow it's never boring, thanks my friends Dina and Clay.

After I came back from New Mexico I planed to do one more race, Ironman 70.3, Augusta, before Ironman World championship in Kona. This event took part yesterday in Augusta, Georgia.

About the race: I was very lucky, like most people who doesn't conceder themselves as a strong swimmer, with the swim course. The swim course was set in a river , it was one way swim with the same direction of a current . The bike segment was a part of the course what I was most proud of. I still felt good on the run, but it was hard to keep up with such a strong runners like Laura Bennet, Kelly Williamson, Desiree Fiker, plus the foot injury made me miss most of my running intervals. At the finish line I was very happy with my result, so far it is the fastest Half Ironman for me: 4h. 22 min. 36" and 4th place overall. I guess high altitude training is paying back.

Ironman 70.3 results; pictures

Ironman Lake Placid.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:45:00 +0000

I guess number 4 is my favorite number. That's the place in Ironman where I finished most. Let see: Ironman Arizona 2005 and 2008, Ironman Austria 2008, Ironman Florida 2006 and now Ironman Lake Placid 2009 again 4th place. But in my case I am pretty happy with my results. I wasn't sure if will able to go through marathon. The problem was, that I got injured 10 days before the Ironman. It was a foot injury, which caused a knee pain. I've tried to get well before the race, but there was not enough time. Thanks Trigger point and Cassidy, who took care of my injured leg two days before the Ironman, it really helped a lot.

The swim and bike passe very well, I felt very confident on the bike, although I didn't expect such a hilly course. Finally I learned how to use a Power Tap and download to my computer. I had 178 W. average and 86 cadence and 50.33 ml/h on the dissent hill :)

I still wasn't sure about my run, but the first loop felt surprisingly good. I guess it was adrenalin I got from running behind the mountain bike with a sign on it "3d woman". By the time Caitlin Snow passed me I was a bit broken. Then I got some other problems except keeling pain from knee and the foot, like diarrhea and dehydration at the end. So, I spent a few hours in the medical tent after my finish. In spite my troubles during a marathon run, 4th place is good, right??? :) I want to say spacial thank you to Cassidy (Trigger Point Therapy), to Tristan (team Timex manager), to Larry ( photographer) to the guys, who helped me out at the medical tent for all your help and support.

Ukrainian and Europian races.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:21:00 +0000

It took me a while to recover from Strongman triathlon. Mostly I was tired from too much traveling last month. In two weeks after Japan I had Ukrainian team relay championship and Ukrainian cup on a sprint distance. It was still cold in our east Europian countries and we had to swim in the swimming pool at first day of the race. The competitions were divided in 3 days: next day after swimming race we had to do sprint distance (bike+run) and the last day of the event we did team relay super sprint (bike+run). During the swim meet I started feel tooth pain, I just fixed one a few days before the race. I could handle the pain during the day, but at night..... I think it was worst night in my life so far. Next morning my coach drove me to a hospital where I had a surgery in my mouth . I started feel better after that, although I couldn't compete in that same day. But next day I did a super sprint and did it pretty well, as a team we got second place. After I came home I finaly had a time to train without traveling and racing for a next, at least, 3 weeks. But my health wasn't good on 100 % after taking antibiotics for the mouth healing.

I got well before my next triathlon race, which was in Senec, Slovakia.

I had a crazy idea (as usualy:)) I wanted to do 2 races in one weekend. It's okay if it 2 sprints, or sprint and Olympic distance race, but I figured out it's not that good when you do one sprint triathlon in one country, then drive 200 km to another country, then sleep in a tent and when do Half Ironman next morning..... Not the best idea. Anyway I did good at sprint distance and I actually felt okay next day during the swim and run, but on the bike I found out that my saddle is too low and the shifter doesn't work well (after trasporting the bike in a car). I still finished though and it was Ironman 70.3 in St. Polten.

For some reason I started loosing a motivation to train, I guess I just were tired and I still had two more races ahead of me before I could take a small brake: Olympic and super sprint triathlon in Ukraine and half distance race in Poland. Didn't feel good during Ukrainian races, but triathlon in Poland came out very well in spite of unlucky trip to this east Euripian country ( We had some troubles crossing a border in minivan with a stranger driver. It's a long story and not very funny). But even with all not very nice moments it was a good journey , we had Ukrainian team in Poland, included Viktor Zyemtsev, two new in Long course triathlon athletes: Anton Blohin and Galina Makedon and one more guy from west of Ukraine. So, it was fun and all of us had a good race: 1st and 2d female overal; 1st, 2d and 10th overal male.(results)

And right now I am back to US, training and preparing for the second part of my season and Ironman races.

All Japan triathlon, Strongman.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Tue, 05 May 2009 18:50:00 +0000

Finally,one of my dreams came true, I went to Japan. After Ironman Florida last year I was invited to Japan to do the race, Strongman. I heard about this event from our team mate in past, Andrey Yastrebov several years ago and since when I wanted to do this race one year. So, I was really excited about this coming opurtunity. A first race of the season always makes me nervous. 3 months of winter preparation are back and I went to Japan, still couldn't beleive in it. But I was there and I've done the first race of my 2009 season. It was a wonderful week on a beautiful Island, Miyako, which reminded me a bit of Kona with it's green plants and tropical climate. Even with a rainy and windy, most of the time, weather I've got just warm memories about nice and welcome people, unbeleivably tasty Japanese food and of course about an atmosphere of the this, very importent for Miyako people event. I think Strongman triathlon is in my Top 5 best organised triathlons. That just describes one more time how well Japanese people work. The weather at the race morning was windy and worm with some clouds, but the water was flat. It was one loop swim course, one and a half loop bike course around Miyako (Miyako is a small Island) and one loop for marathon run, not really a loop, just the way out and back. The swim came out as I planed, time wise, I plan to do it around 45 min (it's 3 km), I felt pretty good on the bike, espacially first 40 km with a tail wind;) But at the beginning of marathon I felt that wind took some energy from me on the bike. I was confused in bike-run transition area about my place, so I thought I have to catch girls ahead of me: 5 and 10 min (it's a big gap). But I was ready to chase them. I didn't know that I am already leading after 70th km on the bike and I have a gap on them 5 and 10 min. I have to learn some Japanese words if I want to come back again :) All way out on the run was a head wind and first 10 km I thought that I am not going to make it, but I started feel better after turn around and I save my lead till the finish line. Even with all attention to me and inteviews after finish I still wasn't sure that I won, so I kept asking a translator: What place am I? They thought it's a joke. :) It was a good beginning of 2009 season. Hope to continue as I started.

The Travels

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:22:00 +0000

One of my dreams will come true very soon, I'll see a wonderful country, Japan. After Ironman Florida I got an invitation from a race director to participate in Stronman triathlon. As qualified fro Ironman World Championship in Kona, I didn't plan to start my season very early, but because of this event and I really wanted to see Japan and the competition is the only opportunity for me to see the other countries I changed my plans a little bit. But before this long journe

y I had to make another trip to United States to get my bike and gears for a season 2009. I couldn't leave Ukraine before April 4th and couldn't come back later than at April 13th, because of the plight to Japan. Not too much time to fly over the ocean. But I made it, although the trip to US wasn't smooth: missing flight, delayed flight, bad traffic. I had all of that. I had a 3 days of rest in my friends apartment in Kiev. And now I am on my way to Japan, which I am very excited about no matter what.

Crimea, training camp.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 09:54:00 +0000

When people ask me where is my home, usually I can't answer right away on this question. I was born on east side of Ukraine in a small town calls Pervomaysk. Already when I was a kid I started travel with my grandmother and back then I new I am not going to stay for a rest of life in my small town. A first step was when I moved to Donetsk (regional center on east side of Ukraine, one of biggest cities) to start studding in University. I'd lived in Donetsk for 8 years, that when I started to do triathlon and I began to travel to Europe for competitions and mostly we did by car (to safe money). But to get to Europe by car at first I had to cross all Ukraine from east to west, which is almost 2 000 km. So, here was my second step: I moved to Lvov (of course there were some other reasons to move). I still live in Lvov for about another 8 years and, no, I don't go anywhere else right now, but I started to travel to US and spend from 4 to 8 months in America. But all the time I moved somewhere it wasn't that easy,

because everywhere I had friends and it always hard to leave them. Since I do triathlon most of my friends are triathlete and they travel as well and we meet all the time at the training camps or during triathlon races. So back to my answer. Home is the place where you feel comfortable, welcome and where somebody waits for you. I guess my home is where my friends are. And this time of the year most of my Ukrainian friend were in Crimea.

After I came to Lvov, I spent 10 days in the city and after went to Crimea to see my friends and of course to train (that the only place in Ukraine where we can train in winter time). Almost two months I spend in Yalta, but it felt like home, my friends were there. The wether wasn't very nice this year I would say we had 50% of raining day, but even then to train with young and fast short course triathletes were a lot of fun and hard work.

After Clermont training I already had about 2000 km of biking in my legs but even though bike rides in Crimea were not easy once. It's never been easy to train in this aria. I am not sure what makes it hard hills or climate, probably both. I still decided to do a few bike races just for some hard workouts. I did two group bike races, I did pretty good, but it's really hard to win a cycling race when you don't have a team. Was very nice to see how Ukrainian level of cycling is growing in Ukraine although a few races were canceled because of krises situation in Ukraine.

At the end of the training camp we had two competitions: one was a team stafet and the other one was Olympic distance race, but both of them didn't look like real triathlon at all (it's a winter time). All three distances: swim, bike and run were splited and we swam in a swimming pool. I got second place at both races, even second place we got with my team. Of course it's better than a 4th place, but I think I already did 5 or 6 races in row finishing second :) I hope to brake this magic number very soon and I hope not back tot the number 4 ;) Two Ukrainian races are done and everybody were leaving back to a home town to meet each other again very soon for a next event and I have a few trips ahead of me..............

Coming back home from long 5 months in United States.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:48:00 +0000

It always surprises me how much different are our countries. It not that easy to get use to so many people out here on streets, walking (not exercising) for them businesses, to crowd in city transport, to people with an expression of troubles on faces and, of course, to the weather: cold, damp and cloudy. I am talking about Ukraine.

But not everything is so dark, I am happy to see my friends, who, I guess, missed me. And I am glad to meet my coach Anatoliy again. It is nice to walk along the streets and see beauty of old Lvov covered with white, fluffy snow. People aren’t smiling to everybody (if they did, they would have sore face muscles till the end of day J), but as soon as you start talking to someone you’ll see how opened and kind are Ukrainians. And I am enjoing to speak my own language.

But as usually I caught cold after one week spending home. It seams so hard to pass acclimatization without being sick, especially when you switch from +70 degrees F to +30 degrees. But I am not going to stay too long on one place, I am going to train in Crimea, south of Ukraine for next 2 or something months. It's not like in Florida, but still warmer than everywhere else in Ukraine.

Training in Clermont at the beginning of preparation for 2009 season.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 19:36:00 +0000

That was a good block of

training for last couple months down in Clermont: swimming with Alec Rukasue

v (I never swam more and

harder than I did with him); biking with Nina Kraft at least

two days a week (learning from her how to be more professional)

; bike rides every Sunday with Epic group (fun+ great training). I met so many nice people and good friends. I started feel very comfortable in Clermont, like it’s my home town.

At the end of first training block I ran a marathon in Tallahassee. It was mostly a training run, but I still planed to do well enough to make some money :). I won that race last year with time 3.03 and this year I wanted to brake 3 hours and I did, 2h. 55min. I think it’s not too bad for a beginning of February and without special workouts. I felt like my fitness was good enough, but my muscles wasn't strong enough (lack of interval running). And I've got a bad muscles sore, which actually took a while to get rid of.

Time off passed so fast. Back to training.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:11:00 +0000

After a last race at November 1st I took one month off. For the first time I've decided to stay in US for couple months in staid of going home to a cold Ukrainian winter straight after an end of a season. I use to stay in Clermont, Florida, a great place for winter training, but nothing else to do there except of training. And an idea to travel for a little bit wasn't the bad one. A first trip I took was the trip to Atlanta, GA to see my Ukrainian friends. For four days I have so much fun with a girl friend (I miss girls company sometime), we'd done so much: we took two classes of Bikram Yoga, that was new for me and I really liked it, although not every pose came out well during my first class; next thing we did was a shopping, you can't find as good person as my friend Roksolana for a girl's shopping; then we went to visit other friends and went to a park with them kids.

After that I spent another week in Clermont, before I’ve planned my next trip. I went to Arizona to watch a last Ironman race in 2008 and to visit my home stay family-friends from 2007 year. Next flight I took was the flight to Las Vegas, I never been there before. I don't think I would go to Vegas by myself, I don't think it would be fun. But my friend, Oliver from Germany stayed in Vegas for couple days. It's hard to imaging better time than I had for those 3 days in Las Vegas: a helicopter flight, a Great Canyon trip, driving around city and walking around old down town.

After those trips it was time to start training again, get my fitness back at, then build some running and swimming mileage. And to my opinion a good place to start doing it is Los Alamos, NM, one of my top places in US. And now I am almost one week of training, still feel crappy, but I keep it easy I have time.

Coming back to the podium.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:39:00 +0000

It was such a long season, started at the beginning of April and finished at the beginning of November. But I am really happy with my results during all season. Of course there was couple not very satisfied races and maybe sometimes a bad luck, but overall it wasn't bad at all :)

About last event in Florida, where I finished with 2d place and with 9.14. I am pretty happy with my results and with my place. And it was very nice to know how many people supported me inside and outside the race; inside and outside the state; and even inside and outside of country. I hope I didn't disappoint them.

I feel very good at the race day, although I still had made a few mistakes. I picked the wrong socks for a marathon and I got bad blisters on the both feet and lost the toe nail again, which slowed me down at the last part of run. Everything else worked really well for me that day. At the end of run I thought: "Thanks God I don't need to do any other Ironman next season to qualify for the World Championship". I guess that's how much I was tired to get thoughts like these.

Anyway it was a great time in Panama City, it's one of my favorite places: I love sunsets, a flat ocean water, friends around and "it's a good weather for november", like for a person from Ukraine.

Results; Pictures.

Few more races in 2008 season.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:33:00 +0000

My 2008 season almost done. I planed to do two more races:

1. Longhorn Ironman 70.3, Austin Texas (October 5th)

2. Ironman Florida, Panama City (November 1st)

And then I am going home to see some snow back in Ukraine.

Vacation in Crimea (south of Ukraine).

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 13:57:00 +0000

After all preparation I'd done (training camp in Bulgaria, organizing a trip and an accommodation, phone calls and e-mails) for the ITU Long Distance World Championship in Almere, Holand I went to the beautiful place in south of Ukraine, calls Crimea. I went there just to spend one week of resting, enjoying the last sunny days of this year and warm water of Black Sea. Why did I go for vacation in spite of going to compete in World championship? The answer is simple: I didn't get a visa in time. The situation with visa drove me crazy all summer long.

But anyway I needed some rest and everything in our lives happened for a reason.

That, what I'v missed ..... and this what I'v got

More pictures from Crimea see here

The trips and races in few last weeks.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 10:56:00 +0000

For the last couple weeks after I came back from Switzerland I had done quiet few races and several trips. Back in Swiss, straight after high altitude camp I did Olympic triathlon. I finished 3d on that one after Nicola Spirig and Sibile Matter. I had pretty long warm up before the competition, I couldn’t find location of the race site, it took me 25 km around the lake, so I didn’t have enough time to be nervous: just got my number, checked in the bike and swim had started.
My next race was the Ironman Austria, I was preparing for this race really hard and I expect a good result, which I think I got. But few not very nice situations had happened to me one week before, like I twisted the ankle at Sunday during an easy run and next day the official from Kiev called me and told that I have some problems with visa, which means I don’t have a visa (usual situation for me this yearJ). After several conversations on the phone with Ironman Austria organizers and some of kind magic I finally got a visa and I even bought another ticket on the train. From that moment everything else went very well: my trip to Klagenfurt, a home stay up there, good rest few days before the race and new personal record for me 9 hours 6 minutes. I even ran few km on the 3d position, but I guess I started run too fast, so I paid back for that on a second half of marathon. It’s really amazing how fast girls are now in Ironman; three first girls broke 9 hours and 9.06 was just 4th place. But I am happy with my result.
Unfortunately I had leave right after banquet, of course because my visa. I had to cross border next night (at midnight, like CinderellaJ).
I also had few more small races during next week back in Ukraine: super sprint team relay and Olympic distance triathlon at Sunday, a week after the Ironman. I felt pretty good, but an immunity system wasn’t that strong and I caught cold and I had rested all next week.
Right now I am in Bulgaria for another training camp with part of Ukrainian national team, with youngest part of the teamJ and my training partner and good friend, Viktor Zyemtsev.

Last training days in Switzerland

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:41:00 +0000

Few more days of training in high altitude and I go down to the sea level. I completed last bike ride with Swen today, we climbed two passes: one of them was 8km (Julia pass) and another one 30km long (Albula pass)(whew).It wasn't easy, but at least I am not scare of hills any more. Annett went home yesterday morning and she missed another 10-13 hours of "main workouts" :p

Anyway it was great time here, good training, cool company, beautiful weather, even to train with rainy weather was fine.

Switzerlan, training camp. " Higher than mountains can be only the mountains, which you nether climbed before"

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 11:08:00 +0000

My dream came true. I am here in Switzerland in Pontresina, 7 km from St. Moritz, 1800 m high altitude. Three of us: Annett, Swen ( my friends I met in Clermont, Florida, while I was training there) and me train together in this beautiful aria, surrounded by white tops of giant mountains.

We are here for more then 10 days already and the hardest acclimatization days left behind, it's easier to breath now in the swimming pool and I am able to talk while I am running or biking. But I still have troubles going long, 13-20 km, uphills. Last Sunday I've done my hardest bike ride aver. We climbed over 4000 m during 170 km, which included 4, 13-15 km long, passes. At the end of that training I couldn't go straight any more on the bike, I was going zigzag and I was "almost" crying. But I guess in several days I would say, that it wasn't that hard compare today bike ride.

It's also a very good aria for the run, a lot of nice trails in the wood with wild animals :) , like squirrels and marmots. And right now I am going to look for some new trails, as I go for the long run.

Pictures

Two Half Ironmans in two weekends.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:27:00 +0000

I had done first two Half Ironman races in Europe this season after I had come back from States. I completed those races during two weekends in row. That wasn't an easy experiment. The first triathlon took part in a beautiful city Linz in nice old Austria. I was happy to visit that country, especially after all troubles I have had with a visa,which I need to get for a visit to any country in Europe, as a Ukrainian person. I got the visa one day before the race and somehow I should to get to Linz from Lvov, Ukraine during 24 hours. I wouldn't be able to do it without my Slovakian friend, Marek and with his help I had very comfortable and rested trip to Austria and back. The race came out very well for me, I felt confident and strong . Unusually for me I was leading from the first part of the bike course and I save my lead till the finish line. After the event when I got back home at Tuesday I realized that I have just 2 days to prepare for the next trip to Switzerland and as usually my visa wasn't ready yet :) Even I knew I can't do anything about it, I already done everything to prepare all documents, the situation still stresses me out. Maybe that's why I also couldn't recover very well between competition, or maybe it's just an excuse ;) I got my passport with visa two hours before my flight to Zurich and after I got to my final destination I felt exhausted. Although I slept next nights a lot and very well it's still wasn't enough time to recover and at the race day I felt still tired. I suffered from the second loop on the bike and all the time during the run course. I am really angry with myself that I let two girls behind me pass me right before the finish, but honestly, nothing I could do about it, I had no power left. Anyway I completed two half Iron distances in two weekends with a pretty good time: 4h.29'......; 4h.33'...... And now I am looking forward to the training camp with my friends in St. Moritz; no races for the next six weeks before the big one: Ironman Austria.

Pictures:Linz triathlon

Results:Linz triathlon; Switzerland 70.3

Beauty of old Lvov

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Sat, 17 May 2008 17:37:00 +0000

The summer is slowly coming to Ukraine and in to my city, Lvov, which makes an old town very beautiful. And as usually there is no time to see this beauty. But one friend of mine took some pictures for me and for you, who look at my blog sometimes. Enjoy a nice view. Lvov pictures.

Truskavets, the world famous resort.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 17:46:00 +0000

I am back to Ukraine, but still not at home. Just 2 days spending in Lvov and I went to a beautiful place, named Truskavets. It's the world famous place on the west side of Ukraine, very close to Carpaty mountains. I came here for few reasons: to have a good recovery after few hard races in US, to get rid of the stress I got from a long trip and from an acclimatization and the main reason is to clean my body with a special water.

More information

Ironman Arizona, again 4th.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:05:00 +0000

One week already passed after Ironman Arizona and it was very busy week for me: few days of rest in Phoenix, a beautiful trip to Grand Canyon and a long, very long journey back home to Ukraine. So, back to the Ironman last weekend: I think it was toughest condition of the weather during an Ironman race in my triathlon experience. Till last Sunday I thought I am good with the hot weather,but I was a bit wrong. A strong wind on the bike course was slowing me down sometimes to 23 km/h and after turn around it pushed me so hard and fast. It looked like I did a fartlek: 3 times 30 km. Even more than usually I looked forward to start to run. But with +93+97 degrees and almost no shadow ( just under the bridges) it wasn’t that easy and enjoyable at all. And honestly, on the each loop there was a spot when I just wanted to give up. But I am really glad I didn’t. And with a sprinting for 400m at the end of an Ironman, thanks Lensey Corbin who gave me this chance. I finished 4th at the Ironman Arizona 2008 behind Erika Csomor, Micheille Jones and Heither Gollnick. Now I am looking forward to the next races in Europe of cause after several days of recovery in my rainy but still beautiful city Lvov.

Results

2.4 Mile Open Water Swim - Tempe Town Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 15:32:00 +0000

The Ironman Arizona is in less than one week from today. We went yesterday for the open water swim in Tampe Town Lake. Almost 400 people were participating in that event. It was organized as a race, but most of the people who swam that day wanted just to try the Ironman swim course week before the Ironman, as well as me. I was worry at the beginning about swimming with 300 something people around ( didn't do it for a long time). But it wasn't that scary. The way out seemed to be so long to me, although I was really glad with my result at the end. I wish to have same swim time next Sunday.

We'll see ;)

Results

California 70.3 and team Timex meet.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Wed, 02 Apr 2008 20:33:00 +0000

The first big race of this season is done. The women field this year and the previous years as well was really strong. All big girls came to California at the beginning of a triathlon year to compete. It was great for me to be a part of that mix of the champions. After good training camp with my new family down in Clermont, Florida I felt pretty good, although I didn't taper yet and I was still a little tired. The weather was nice and we were lucky that it wasn't raining on race morning. I was kind of ready for the cold water, I had some experience a several weeks before at the Great Escape triathlon in Clermont. But I still decided to wear a Blue seventy warm cam and, honestly, even with 15 degrees water temperature it felt hot. Thanks Blue seventy for saving our brains:) The Bike course was fast and flat, kidding, just few first miles were like that and then it turned out to the hilly routs with the strong head wind. I didn't feel very powerful at the end of the bike course and I was looking forward to start my favorite part of the race, a run. I thought before the event: " Even if I'll have a good race in California with this field it doesn't mean I'll be able to make top 8, but the small goal I had motivated me a little bit too: a new laptop, as a present from the prize money, if I would make some". I guess without my new "baby" you wouldn't read this blog.

The other nice gift after the hard race was a team Timex camp and meetings with new and old (not by age) family members. Unfortunately for me and possibly for somebody else ;) I wasn't able to join the guys and girls from the team for a party and a fun part of the camp. I hope I'll do better next time :) But I was very happy to see my team all together and happy.

Results

Pictures

My new "Trek" bike.

noreply@blogger.com (Aniluzok) — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 12:22:00 +0000

Looks cute in orange .... ;)