UkrIronWoman

Finishing season 2011 without the final event.... Vacation

2011-12-06T07:38:00.000-08:00

I was looking forward so much to do the final event of the season: Ironman Arizona. My mind was set on Ironman race even though it was a last competition of the very long season, started in San Juan with Ironman 70.3 in March. The training was going very well and I had a few more long days ahead of me before I start tapering when my body said: "Sorry, it's a little too much" and it gave up and hit me at my weak spot, the feet, to be more correct: the achilles. So I stopped running just a few weeks before the race, thinking that I can rest my feet for a little bit and still be able to show up at the race in a good shape. But that didn't happened and I had to call it the end of the season 2011. It took me a few days to set my mind to the rest mood. I still went out and did the "Horrible 70m" (the bike ride in Clermont) same weekend as Ironman Arizona. It wasn't easy to start the vacation just like that: after so many days of training without any complete brake and without the proper finish, but the time was right...

It was time to get out of Clermont (a very sport oriented town) and have a great vacation even though I didn't feel like I deserved it. And the best way to have a vacation (that I know now for sure) is to go for the cruise. And that what we did with my boyfriend, who definitely deserved to have some good rest. It was a 7 days cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line to Western Caribbean: Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Mexico. It was the best vacation I've had in many years. So much to tell..., I just add the small photo album with pictures, which I took during the first two days of the cruise before my camera got wet and broke :( https://picasaweb.google.com/Aniluzok/NCLCruiseToWesternCaribbean

And we had much more fun as a volleyball, rock climbing, ping pong, bowling, different entertaining show every night, dancing and a great food.

But all vacations come to the end sooner or later and it time to get back to reality and stop looking through the pictures over and over again :)))

The season 2011 coming to the end.

2011-10-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

The last couple months passed very fast. I've managed to complete 4 big races in seven weeks, have been racing almost every second weekend. The first one was Ironman 70.3 Timberman which was a good race for me even with my first ever 4min. penalty :((( and with my "good luck" charm in the front wheel. Finished 4th with a good bike splits and a dissent run.
The REV3 full distance triathlon race was the next one, three weeks later. It wasn't my best long triathlon event, I really broke down after mile 15th- 16th. Still didn't gave up and finished in top 6. Two weeks down the road I was already going to Augusta, to do one of my favorite Ironman 70.3 races (why?... swim with a current, love it :) ) Another 4th place and sprinting at the finish line second year in row. Another two weeks after Augusta we are heading the road almost the same direction again, a little more north-east this time. It was a final race of Revolution3 series in Anderson, SC. I was already pretty tired (no surprise there). But I wanted to do that race and I wanted just to go out there and enjoy the day. The goal for the day was to stay in my comfortable race zone, don't brake down through the whole race and try to progress towards the finish. And I accomplished that. I don't think I was able to do all that travel and racing without my boyfriend, he is my best support. We became so officiant with packing and traveling. I finally stopped to freak out before my trips and actually started to enjoy it. So, the race in Anderson was the final triathlon of the series, as I mentioned before. I qualified for the series points overall and finished in top 3. REV3 team have done a great job through the year and it's very nice to see that they are growing, they are going to add 3 more races to the REV3 Triathlon series next year.

I have one more race before I can enjoy a little vacation. And it's going to be Ironman Arizona, which I've done 2 times in past, but I never did it in November. Looking forward to have 5-6 weeks of just training and staying on one place. And then, Arizona, I coming :)))

The training camp in high altitude. Posture alignment therapy.

2011-04-22T16:20:00.000-07:00

Almost every year I have a post with similar name "... high altitude training..." and most of the times I mention the same place, Los Alamos, a small town in high mountains in New Mexico, one of my favorite towns in North America. Beautiful nature, nice friendly people and very sports oriented town. I really enjoy to train here: hundreds of trails, different variety of roads for biking and 50 miters indoor swimming pool, a dream town of a triathlete, who doesn't like crowd and ready for the hard training, because Los Alamos is at an elevation of 7.200 ft and there is no easy course for the bike ride except maybe a spin on a bike trainer. I am training here for the first Ironman this season, Ironman St. George, which is coming up in less then 3 weeks.

My biggest goal this year was to stay injury free. Since the middle of year 2009 I wasn't 100% free of injuries and most of the time there is something's going on in my feet: planter fasciitis, achilles tendonitis, heel bursitis, stress fracture. I do, massage the calf muscles and stretch , I do ice the feet after training, I stay hydrated, but I still have some issues in that area. When I got to Los Alamos my friend told me about a method, called The Egoscue Method and that there is a girl in town who can help, using the same method, to get better with my injuries. At the beginning it sounded like some kind of magic, but listening to my friend it actually was making seance. I wont describe the whole method, there is enough information online, here is what I am doing, Aligned Play, with coach Jessica. I just want to share my experience. First of all we found out that my body is all twisted, one hip is higher and same with shoulders. It's not surprise that right and left sides of the body are not symmetrical. But sometimes when you are training hard through so many years this can cause injury related problems. And when you can find the right exercises to make the body more even it can also help to relies those problems. And that what we were doing. I got the list of 10 drills, which I need to do every morning (takes about 30 min). After a few days I could tell that my body motions have changed: I noticed on the bike ride, that my paddle stroke is more straight; I stay tall through my runs and I can maintain to run long runs without pain in my feet. This is life long commitment to the 30-40 min of exercises every day, but if it helps to stay injury free I'll stick to it :-)

Early season races.

2011-04-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

The changes in my schedule didn't happened. And the first race of 2011 season was meant to be Ironman 70.3 San Juan. I was into two weeks of running (jogging) and my goal for that race was to finish the race..... Let just say it was a bad day: I finished the race, but I suffered from the start to the last steps of the race, which leaded me straight to the Medical tent, where I got two IV(s) and an oxygen mask. Not the best race to start a new season.

The second event in my competition plan was Ironman 70.3 Oceanside, California. It's always a very competitive race and this year wasn't an exception. I felt much better this time although I finished out of top 10 (11th place), but I didn't drop to far from the girls in front of me and I mostly lost my time on the swim. "Andy Potts and Mirinda Carfrae each earned their third Rohto Ironman 70.3 California titles, winning tight races over Rasmus Henning and Heather Jackson, respectively."

Originally from: http://ironman.com/events/ironman70.3/california70.3/brad-culp-recaps-todays-exciting-race-in-oceanside#ixzz1KIgyrDis

Ironman 70.3 California race results

2011, winter training.

2011-04-22T14:50:00.000-07:00

It's already the end of April and I haven't updated my blog for several months, no excuse here. I'll just try to catch up on news like I usually do :-)

The time off and recovery past very well in my home town, Lvov. Lot's of fun, lot's of Holidays (in Ukraine it's kind of Holidays season from the end of December till the end of January) and a little bit of exercising: I took a few dance and a few fitness classes just to do something different and maintain not to lose my shape :-), which didn't really happened. The off season didn't last forever and at the beginning of January I already left Ukraine for much warmer and outdoor training more welcome place, Clermont, Florida. Trying to get in shape faster and lose those "few" pounds of winter weight I pushed myself very hard, probably too hard, because in 6 weeks into my training I got an injury (a stress fracture in left calcaneus). Here I want to say thank you very much to Meadowlands Hospital in New Jersey, which provide me with MRI for my left foot and doctors, who found a couple injuries there and also thanks for the correct and fast diagnosis. And huge thanks to Ronnie Barnes, Vice President of Medical Services of New York Giants who found a minute in his busy schedule and made a recovery plan for my foot. How I got to meet him??? Timex is one of the biggest sponsors for New York Giants and at the end of February we had Team Timex every year camp at Giants facility:

Great 4 days at the camp, everyone, the new members and the old crew were Happy to meet and Celebrate 10th Anniversary of The Team Timex.

Coming back to Clermont from New Jersey I knew that it was time to slow down a little bit with my training. I still was able to ride the bike and swim and aquajog (thanks Team Timex for the present,

Apple Ipod shuffle. Aquajogging can be fun). It's took 4 weeks of no running till the bone healed. I've tried to run after 3 weeks, it's never happened. Believe me, I am experienced person in this area: 4 broken toys, one broken leg and a few fractures. 4 weeks is minimum. It also meant that I might change my race schedule....

Season 2010 completed.

2010-11-09T05:12:00.001-08:00

5 years in row I keep coming to this race, Ironman Florida, the only race I am doing over and over again. And I don't really know what it is: is it the race or the place or the good time I always have in Panama City...., probably all together. This year was a little bit different. First of all I never was there while it's raining and it rained so heavily that we couldn't enjoy the sunsets. Second of all I didn't have my support crew :(, who came with me to Panama City for the last 4 years. After rain stopped showering, the weather temperature dropped to 36-40 degrees, but sun came out and the town started to get it's color back.

The race day weather wasn't very different, maybe a few degrees less and no strong wind like the day before. I thought if I manage to stay warm on the bike I'll do well at this race. Two second places previous years gave me a confidence.

Swim: the water was choppy but nice and warm and I thought during the swim that it probably last time when I feel warm today and it was true. I came out of the water with Erika, which was a good sign for me... I could keep an eye on her on the bike. She is strong cyclist and very strong runner. But I spent so much time it T1 when I absolutely lost her.

Bike: It was cold and windy. The course was different than previous years, more highway rides. I managed to stay more or less warm and finished the bike on 6th position, which is not bad for me as I usually catch girls on the run. Not this time though.

Run: I started to run and I felt like I am running fast. I guess I had a high cadence, but I didn't move very fast. I have a good explanation why my run wasn't strong in november, but who is interested in excuses? I'll just say that there is a lot to work on for the next year.

Another top 5 Ironman finish. And in spite of a fact that it was a long season and I am pretty tired right now I am all fired up and looking forward for the next season. But first of all I have to rest well. Good vacation is a first step for the good season.

Kona 2010

2010-10-14T10:19:00.000-07:00

High altitude training, Cochiti Lake Triathlon.

2010-07-16T01:36:00.000-07:00

It was a right decision to go train in my favorite place, Los Alamos, NM. Even though I couldn't run for a while, but I was able to ride the bike and swim and just enjoy my time in this beautiful little town with my friends, I've met through past couple years. There are a few places in the world, which make me calm and help me to get rid of any negative emotions and Los Alamos is one of them. Thanks a lot to Kim and Susie for letting me stay in your houses, it helps us, people who travel a lot, to feel home far away from home.

At the beginning of the camp I felt like I kind of lost my shape, going through all those injuries past couple months. But it never feels great coming to 7 and something thousand feat from the sea level. It took about two weeks to start slowly getting used to the elevation. Last couple years I find myself liking to train with people, it was very helpful to swim with the Masters class 3 times a week in the highest 50 miters swimming pool in North America (Aquatic center). I've had a few Epic workouts ( everything feels Epic on this elevation, by the way): 5 hours bike ride, climbing the mountains, going through scenic view mountain nature and some historical places; I've done also 3 hours 45 min hike-run with My friends Kim and Paul (my longest time spending on my feet before was 3h. 30 min at the Ironman race), we started from 8 something thousand feat and finished somewhere around 12.000 feat. But the most painful always was and is the Time Trial bike ride, organized every week in summer time by Clay: it's just 8 km, but it hurts like hell :) (the dry air, the hit, t

he elevation, and a climb about 4 km long).

As I mentioned before I wasn't running for a last couple months, but I started running last week in Los Alamos and I really wanted to do the race at the end of the camp and I was lucky that Sport Systems was setting the race near Santa Fe and Albuquerque at the Cochiti Lake. I've been at this place before, it's a great aria for training, open water swim and especially for the triathlon race. Thanks to organizers they set me for the race and provided with everything I needed. We arrived to the race site the day before the race, the weather was beautiful. It's a great place for a fishing, kayaking, sailing, hiking and for many other activities.

Swim: The bike course was one loop as a triangle swim. The water was pretty warm, but as long as the swim is wetsuit legal I'll am not going to swim without one. I was lucky enough to get out of the water with my friend Clay and the other guy (the guys I was swimming with the entire course).

Bike: Bike course is taking part partly on the dam, which is pretty much flat and with kind of long uphill close to the end of the bike segment plus one km steep downhill to the transition, which you have to climb going out of transition at the beginning. The whole course feels mostly flat, but not the very fast one, as you are riding at 1700m altitude.

Run: The run course is not complicated, but not the easy one as well. Maybe because I wasn't running much passed few months or it's an altitude or a hit or maybe all together. But I felt like I am not moving anywhere. It's out and back run with one km steep uphill going out of T2 and of course on the way back it's a downhill. And rest of the run course is taking part on the dam.

I think it's could be a great place for a half Ironman distance. This course would be a very challenging, spectacular and enjoyable in the same time.

I would like to thank again the race organizers and especially Angy, the race director and Jason, the race volunteer, who made my trip back home much easier.

Listening to the signs.

2010-06-16T13:01:00.000-07:00

I would love to write another exciting race report and share with my team mates and friends my success, but last couple months injuries were holding me back from full running and competing. After training in Florida in a winter time and a very good race in Japan I was pretty tired with my body and mind, but I still planned to do a few more Ironman 70.3 triathlons before I take a short brake. Already back then my body started to send me signals, which I didn't want to listen to. After Strongman Japan I got a heel pain and I thought it happened after slightly moving a cleat on the cycling shoe. But such a small change usually doesn't cause any major pain unless your muscles are too tied and tired from over using them. I should've listened to it, but I kept going thinking that it's nothing serious and ache will go away very soon and I still have enough time till my next race. But 4 weeks wasn't enough to get rid of the pain without taking a good care of that injury. I went through the race and quit after 5th km on the run (swimming and biking didn't hurt).

Other than injuries the sign of overtraining is a lost of motivation. I couldn't believe myself, I was like a different person. So inspired and motivated 3-4 months ago, I had a hard time to go through my favorite training routings now. After the race in Florida, which I mentioned before I've decided to take a full 3 days off and put my leg in the orthopedic boot to avoid any movement of the injured heel. It helped and I went back to training ....., of course...., I had another race in a few weeks, Ironman 70.3, Mooseman. I didn't have any high expectations from that one, just wanted to go through run and see if the heel can handle it. And yes, it could, I socked on the bike and finished 6th not very happy with my results, but I could go through half marathon without pain.

By the plan I made before this season I had to have a week of the rest, but because I haven't trained seriously in May I've decided to keep going. And, yes, it was wrong again. Just a few days after Mooseman I slipped on the stairs and heat one of the toes very badly and got a small fracture in one of the 4th toe bones and another couple weeks with no running :(. What the accident? But maybe it's just another sign? It took me a whole week to put myself together and become with a new plan for training and racing. But I finally had that one week of rest. And let hope I'll be fine from now on.

The title has been defended.

2010-04-26T07:22:00.000-07:00

Now I can say that the season 2010 had officially started. The first big race took place in Japan passed weekend, it's All Japan Triathlon, Strongman. One of my favorite courses. It is a really huge event for such a small Island like Miyakojima with population just 55.000 people. 26 years old race has it all: the sun, the wind and the sea. Although this year one component was missing, we didn't see much of the sun. It was raining a few days before the race with a strong windy condition of the weather. I was double excited to go to Japan this year: for me and for my new coach, Wolfgang Guembel, who is a professional triathlete as well and who got an invitation to compete in the race too. It always nice to have somebody, meeting you at the finish line and share a good or not so good race day with you, like I usually have a Timex crew or Team mates at the races in North America. After a long trip I had 5 days to adjust to the time difference, which is 12 hours with East time zone. Not everything went smooth before the race: I was getting excited to try my new Orbea Ordu bike on the long course, but I couldn't put it together, something was wrong with a headset. I gave up on trying to fix it and it was time to find a mechanic. I was very lucky that the mechanic, who supports the Japanese Olympic team was there with all his tools. My advice to the athletes who travels with bikes and take them apart by themselves: if you need to replace the handlebar or an aerobar do it from the side of a stem where it connects to the bar, not to the headset tube. I don't remember the mechanic name, but he fixed the problem and really save me. The weather on the race day wasn't different from the previous couple days: 20% of rain and 30-40 km/h wind. Glad I was training in Florida this winter, no kidding the weather in Florida this year was the same. Swim: I got a front spot at the start. It's a mass start (1500 people is a limit for this race). Actually it wasn't too bad until after the last buy, suddenly I was surrounded by big pack of people trying to heat me and crawling on the top of my legs. Actually someone did get to the target and heat me in the head so badly that I heard a bell ring. When I exited the water I was pleased with the time splits on my watch, I swam 30-40 second faster when last year. Bike: I was listening to my coach and I've tried to hold back a little bit during the first our on the bike and control my Power Wats and I thought I did. But the middle part of the bike course didn't feel like I was going with a good afford. Or maybe it just was in my mind after I saw a leading girl drafting behind two guys. It took me a while to catch her, 120 km. At the last part of the bike course I felt better. Run: It's a hard course and the marathon run is not an exception (it's out and back with rowling hills). I didn't want to get excited and get cared away because I was leading the race. I needed a strong, steady run to hold my position and when it comes to the run I usually know what to do and how to control my pace. After turn around I saw Emi, second girl and it looks like she was very close, so I've tried to run a bit faster on the way home. Miyakojima people are very supportive, it looks like at list half of the Island population were out there on the course. 3-4 km to the finish line we ran through downtown and hundreds of people were screaming "Gumbate" , "Vydo". I was talking to myself: "don't get excited, don't get excited, you still have more than 3 km to go".

Finish: It's a great feelings to win the race and to defend your title. But even better feelings are when someone is waiting for you at the finish line. It was my coach and a good friend, Wolfgang Guembel, who also had a great day and won the race.
I think had one of those races when you don't make any mistakes and your plan has completed on 100%. I got two fastest time splits (bike and run) and went faster in all three disciplines compare to the last year. Although I screwed in T1 a bit, went to the men's changing tent. My friend called me back 3 times and I couldn't understand what he wants from me until I looked around :). I wish that was a worst mistake during the race I ever have made.

That was a really great and fun trip. First of all I didn't feel like a stranger any more in Miyakojima, I saw some familiar faces, some people remembered me from the last year and I wasn't alone. Then I've met new people and made the new friends, most of them are Australians (several athletes from this country did the Strongman race too). I think Australians are really cool people and they are a lot of fun ;). Spending last day of the trip in Tokyo, walking with an umbrella during a rainy day was something to remember too. During the race I thought that I don't really want to do the race again (it's a tough course), but now just writing this post and bringing up still fresh memories I am already thinking: I really want to go there again.
Race results

Some missing news.

2010-03-26T09:12:00.000-07:00

It's already a third or fourth time when I am trying to update my blog. I missed a couple last months and now I don't know where I should start or should I skip all my last news and start from the last one. No, I'll just go through it slightly reviewing them without dip details, but with some pictures:

1. I left Ukraine at the end of January after the last Ukrainian winter Holiday. And I went to Canada for a first time in my life to meet my friend, Wolf and drive to Clermont with him for a few months of winter training and to see my best friend, Oksana. It was a nice 4-5 days in Montreal and a fun time at Niagara Falls, in St. Catharines.

2. Then we went to Florida by car, it took us around 19 hours to get to Jacksonville from St. Catharines. It could be a nice big story for one separate post. A road trip, one day long made its own fun story, but I'll cut on this one.

3. More fun in Jacksonville. One day (that was Wolf's birthday) we had a beautiful day, playing golf (just shooting golf balls actually), trying to take pictures with an alligator in a small lake (first one I've seen so far in Florida) and with a great Birthday Party at the end of the day.

4. I miss that time now, but a few months back I started to feel like I've had enough of rest and fun time and I started to feel hungry for some serious training. And at the very beginning of February we arrived to Clermont to prepare for a season 2010. And this year is going to be different than my last few years when I was training on my own. Now I have a coach, Wolfgang Guembel, the Canadian Pro triathlete and one of NRG performance training coaches, who agreed to work with me and so far, I think, it's coming out pretty well. I thought I was working hard through all my years in triathlon, but only now I am realizing what does hard work really means (I still love it though :) )

5. I am missin

g something here again: I am a Timex girl for the year 2010 again. And into three weeks of my training I had to leave Clermont for a weekend and join my team maits for the Team Timex camp in New Jersey. Either my English is getting better or in four years we got closer and made a really good friends in the team or maybe it's the cold weather held us indoor and we didn't spread out and we had enough time to get to know each other or maybe it's my room mate, but anyway I really had a great time in New Jersey, during the Team Timex camp at New York Giants facility.

6. After the camp I had a first few short course races back in Florida: one of them was USAT Development race here in Clermont and the other one was MIT race in Miami of course. The Miami race would be another good story to tell in my blog, but, sorry I am skipping this one too. I'll just mention that I travel to south of Florida with Wolf, Max and Viktor and it's always fun to hang out with them. I was very happy about my bike and run splits and a little bit upset to lose 3 seconds to the 6th girl.

USAT Development race results; MIT results.

7. I didn't have much time to rest after those two races. I've been invited to do All Japan Triathlon, Strongman, this year again. I am as excited about it as last year, maybe even more. I really like this race and the atmosphere and just an opportunity to go to Japan again. But I had three hard weeks of training blocks ahead of me. And now I can proudly say, I survived it without too much whining and complaining. Although my coach might think differently :).

Now I have one more week before I go to Japan and I am looking forward to the long trip itself too. After staying at one place for more than a month it time for me to travel.

The project.

2010-03-20T15:04:00.000-07:00

After such a great and relaxing time in Truskavets I was well charged and almost 100% healed from my foot injury. I finally came home for a few months of settled life, which I was looking forward to. But it's usually not a fun time back home during the winter, when it is snowing one day then raining a next day then temperature drops down below 0 and nothing you can do, training wise, outside. But the worst part about the weather in my city, Lvov, that during this time of the year you don't see the sun very often. Actually you don't see it at all. So, I needed to find something to motivate myself to keep moving myself. And I came up with an idea to do the renovation of my apartment in 30 days. To go from that

through all that:

to make it lok like this:

The idea was great and it really kept me busy (I was leaving my flat when workers arrived, trying to train for several hours, while they were working. Then I was running around city, buying some stuff that the workers were needed. I was coming home after 6 p.m. cleaning for an hour at list and on and on and on) till the last day of year 2009. Then Ukrainian holidays started, also one month long. I had a great week, spent with my mom, who came to visit me from Moscow. After she left back home I had one more week of my "settled" life, enjoying the time in my cozy flat. Two and a half months at home passed so fast and time to start prepare for the season 2010 was just around the corner.

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

2009-11-23T06:25:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-11-19T11:06:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-10-15T06:42:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-09-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-08-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-07-02T08:21:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-05-05T11:50:00.001-07:00

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

2009-04-14T03:22:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-04-14T02:54:00.000-07:00

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.

2009-02-14T11:48:00.000-08:00

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.

2009-02-14T11:36:00.000-08:00

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.

2008-12-05T14:11:00.000-08:00

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.

2008-11-05T19:39:00.000-08:00

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.

2008-09-29T08:33:00.000-07:00

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).

2008-09-29T06:57:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-08-05T03:56:00.001-07:00

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

2008-06-26T07:41:00.000-07:00

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"

2008-06-14T04:08:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-06-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

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

2008-05-17T10:37:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-04-28T10:46:00.001-07:00

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.

2008-04-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

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

2008-04-07T08:32:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-04-02T13:33:00.000-07:00

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.

2008-03-23T05:22:00.000-07:00

Looks cute in orange .... ;)

MIT, early Olympic triathlon this season

2008-03-17T07:44:00.000-07:00

It's the beginning of March and I have already completed my first triathlon without a wetsuit - yesterday in Miami, the Miami International Triathlon. It's a beautiful place and a beautiful race course. The weather was very nice and warm on race morning. I felt really well during the swim, even though I had some difficulties: Although the water was calm I couldn't see anything, because the race had started at 7 a.m. and we just have changed the time one week ago, so it was still dark. I had to stop a few times to see where I am going. The bike and run course were totally flat, except for one spot during the bike segment, when we had to cross the bridge (it is the highest hill in all of Miami). I moved two places up on the bike, and stayed in that position during the run, so I finished 6th. Not many Pro girls showed up at the race, but it was a competitive and fast race.

Pictures
Results

Clermont sport camp

2008-03-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

Working hard building shelves (me and Matt)

(Annett, me and Kattie)

Training and....... rest

2008-03-09T15:54:00.000-07:00

Today I did my first race of this season - The Great Escape from Florida. Even though it is Florida, the weather was not very nice this morning. The water temperature was 59 Fahrenheit, and the air even chillier with 41 Fahrenheit. It still was warmer than some races I have done in Europe.

In addition to the cold temperature the water was also very choppy, so I didn't feel great at the swim. I was sure happy to get out of the water, and little later left the transition area as woman no. 3 (to my surprise). It took me the first loop to get my breathing under control. Second loop on the bike I felt really comfi, as well as on the run...despite my cold feet. My fingers were numb, too. But it was still wonderful to race, and earn some money for my next massage appointment, my homestay, and some antioxidants (as in wine) ;-)!

Results