A short description of my first Triathlon

I started with the road bike some years ago, and I enjoyed. I remember the first time I went out with the bike I crash 2 times because I couldn't un-clip my shoes. I just made 24 km in more than an hour an I was sore for a week, thought... But time make you improve, us I discover last week when I made my first triathlon in Hoi An, Vietnam.
I started with the idea of the triathlon around 2 months ago. I was, like usually before, making around 250 km per month with the bike and some workouts in the gym. I had the chance to start going to the swimming pool 3 or 4 times per week during the lunch hour and I decided to train for a triathlon. I choose the Olympic distance because I felt was accessible, even being an untrained guy like me. I almost never swam before crawl style; I mean I knew how to swim it but almost never use it so I start swimming around 30 min those days. In little more than a month I felt my style was better, more natural position when swimming and after 2 months I can swim the 1.5km without any problem (just not very fast, ha ha ha). For the cycling, I just made more km and faster, trying to get a better profile in the bike. This month I made near 800km. The worst for me was the running. Last time i was seriously running was 12 years ago, in high school. First time I run, my pace was between 9 to 10 km per hour, and no more than 5km. And I get very sore legs, for days... But slowly, working in the correct cardio ranges I was able to improve my running. Nowadays I use to run 3 times per week the 10k in around 51 min the most of the times. The most of the days I swim and run or swim and ride, I use to rest 1 or 2 days per week and I made this because I like it, for fun. Nobody ask me to do it and I don't expect anything from it. It's egotism? maybe, but is so satisfying to be able to do something that before you can't...

So I get in contact with Kristian Page.I was checking about triathlon in Shanghai and joined their group. But I didn't say anything because I found they were quite good, winning races all around Asia, so what can I do here... But at the end, they happen to be a bunch of very nice and welcoming people that offer me all the advices and encouraging of their experiences. So I run confident and happy.

I arrive soon to the transition, set up the things with common sense, like Kristian told me, go for an easy run 10 min so slow than even the flies overtake me. The day was in its hottest moment... I was cover with sun block and sweat, but feeling good. I swam a little and go to the start line 5 min before the race. A few seconds before the start, I had 136 bpm... First lap swimming was nice, I tried to drag behind some faster swimmers, get some kicks gave some too... nice... but when have to run 50m to the start of the 2nd lap... there I felt a pang in my ribs... I was panting! I went to the water VERY slowly, walking until I could swim. I lost a minute there, but I need it I focus there in the second lap, in keep the nearest possible to the buoys and make the less meters necesary, keep an eye in the flags and just end it...

I arrive to my first transition ever very tired but with a very clear idea of what I have to do (thanks again to Freddy and Kristian). Clean my feets of the sand with a bottle of water, put the race belt, the helmet, glasses, gloves and shoes, take a deep breath and go running to the start line. Not a fast transition but secure. In the bike I didn't had to think, just push. A glucose in the start (the swim was hard on me), another half the ride (20km). drink plenty and keep an eye on the bpm, relax, enjoy my pace, say hello to all the people I overtake, being carefull on the corners, looking for bumps, pothiles, etc... I arrive to the transition area very relax and comfortable. Until I had to start running, jejeje There I felt I was tired. The first lap was hard, in a mental way. I was having doubts "can I make it?", until I realize that I can make it, maybe not as fast as I will like, but of course I can finish... The 2nd lap was better more fluid runnid, not so rigid, and the last one was even good, the last 500meters I increased the pace and in the last 150 meters I had to sprint with a guy that I left behind in the red carpet :)... So happy feeling when I stopped. I had set up my goal in finishing under 3h and that what I did...

And now I'm looking forward to the next one, next week in WeiHai...

Some pictures from the race last weekend

Hi!

I got some pictures from the race; I'm in one! But so ugly.... Well, as usual, jejeje

I put here some of them and the ink to another web where they put some of the best

Bye bye (today so so so so tired, I awake at 5:50 am and go bicycle for 111.74km in a little more than 3 hours...)
the link is Champion System Cup 2008

My new sexy girl.........

I put the pictures in the spanish blog, sorry I'm lazy and tired

one more test

last one I didn't like....

I couln't see the picture, so so bad!!!

Testing

Play slideshow Save all photos Want to save all these photos at once? Learn how

Online pictures are available for 30 days

 

 

A little XXVII century town. That's the way China used to be. Now the changes are so fast that in the big cities you don't feel you are in another culture at all... I'm quite lucky that the neighborhood around my house is still quite autentique...

This post it's an experiment. I'm trying to use an automatic mail-to-blog posting.

Get Windows Live Mail to create your own photo e-mails

A video from Camboya....

I meet a guy Paco, when I was traveling in Cambodia with Antonio Y Alberto.
We went to a "Full Moon Party" Cambodian-countryside style,,,, quite an experience, jejeje Locals guys drunk, wife's looking mad at them and the Cambodian version of the dance hits from the 90's. Watch the video, jejeje

First days of Igna in Shanghai

WOOEEEE!!!! So good to welcome a friend, specially if you didn't see him for long time...

SO now is here, but he is quite weak tourist, he have feet pain, blisters, tired legs and when go dinner almost sleep over the food everyday!!!! Jeje, maybe is not exactly what happen, but almost...

I think is because we are much more near the 30's than before... Old men!!!

Just arrive!! He look so lost! This is the Mag-Lev, so fast train!!!! 30 km in less than 6 minutes...

I will post some others of the first walk that first day, but in the spanish blog...

So good song...

Check this out, and also more in their web...

Maximo Park

Race at TianMa (Sky Horse?)

Today I run in a race for the first time in my life!!!

I awake at 4:15 am. and ride the bike 10km. to the pick-up point, where they load the bikes in a truck and take us with bus to the racing circuit(the one you have in the picturo above). There was also today motrbikes, karting and car racing, not only the cycling. But we were a lot of people! Almost 300!

I join the CAT B, that is the one for non professionals, men and with road bikes. But there where some people, very very good. Others not so good. I was the 158 to join the category. But only around 70 run today. The circuit is 2.2km. long and we have to make 12 laps (totaling 26.4 km.) I keep the pace of the head of the run all the time, even when I thought I was going to die!

The 9th lap I lead the pack, running alone for all the lap. But I'm not good at sprint. At the end I finished 16, 6 seconds after the winner!!! And very very happy, really. Later I ride to home, 50 km. So today I'm so so so tired. I think I'm going to sleep at 6 pm.!!!

Kisses...

Pudong

This weekend I was quite sick, I got cold and my throat was very sore. But the weather was quite good. So I take one afternoon my new fat and slow bike for a ride in Pudong... And today I edit this video. I know is not good, give me a chance, it's my first!!!