My IRONMAN: As I did the same in Italy ¹/₂

Well, that's what happened, what It began in November :) last year I was able to complete the distance "half" and became a half-iron, just like Tony Stark! It has already passed the day after the finish line and I can say that nothing like I expected. Yes, the result of my not very much - the 100th in the age-sex group, but these were the main causes and - panic and my dope in the last stage of training. But first things first.

Dostartovaya week

10 days before the start, I managed to do something wrong and earned re-injury - inflammation of the periosteum. At this time on the right foot. Somehow, it seemed a good idea to run through the mountains, and forgetting completely experience Samuyskih slidesI came again on the same rake. The only problem is, the Samui was 4 months before the start, then - 10 days :( To treat such injuries need only one thing - complete peace of legs and a lot of drugs.

But what peace can be found, if not a lot of things on the bike, broken brakes and workshops play football their visitors bulge his eyes and saying, "Oh no, I'm your waged even afraid to touch!" Lack of professionalism and idiocy popular with us and become a way of life too of many people. Thank big boys of "

industries"Obolon Kiev, which not only repaired something that I complained, but did this prelaunch preparation. They cool triathletes. And wisdom and poured a full head. THANKS!

And of course I did not start the suit, wetsuit, gels. All this I have collected all week running around town between sleep and work. In general, in spite of compresses and Dimexidum Novocain and other treatment, nifiga I am not cured, and was in full depression. Do not add optimism and road Kiev → Munich → Rome → Pescara with a 21-pound box in bicycle and other junk on the hump.

Ah yes, the wetsuit I had the day before departure and the first heat it was just in Pescara - on the day of the stratum.

And what I had in mind? Swimming - what if something goes wrong with gidrikom (and so it was :) and all of a sudden climb in the Velay in 1100m excessively hamper me, and suddenly I just can not run and can not finish the distance? So with his doubts away, I decided that I should just have time to cut-off time 8:00 to complete the whole distance and do not care about the time, ambition and regret - think it is necessary at the time of preparation! Now it was too late.

By the way, I want to send rays of adoration of Lufthansa, which not only broke the bike in the four transit stages, but moved it both ways for free. German business model steers!

The day before the start of

It prelaunch day became my first full day in Pescara. I met Sasha Shchedrov (Who wrote in our blog their stories about training for a triathlon) and his brother Valentin, who started with me. As I was the only representative of Ukraine, because they - the only Latvian.

With regard to the registration of the organization, it was all very Italian - slipshod, unsystematic. I searched for about an hour, walking in the Expo, where the registration. Very annoying reluctance of Italians to speak English. Saved me experienced athlete from Canada who just dragged me through all stages Chekina.

Then it was necessary to put all on the transit zones - things for the bike, things for a run, all sorts of subtleties with meals, accommodation and so on. In general, it took me about two hours - I went from T1 to T2 and always something forgotten and reported or shifted :) The mood in the transit cell was all wonderful, cheerful ant hill and strained thinking - is not forgotten, it is put, it with myself. Leaving everything in transit zones, we went to bed, who could do it of course.

Sleep is not very. I lay down and slept in 22.00 to 8.00, but three times to wake up with a clear head, who could not shut down properly throwing thoughts such as: "the chain oiled, and suddenly no", "to put velotranzite Analgesic for his feet, forgot, yes?" and all in the same key. Since the start for some reason, was planned as much as 12.00, the special tension caused Forecast - + 30ºC and the hot scorching sun. But looking ahead, I will say that everything turned out all wrong. Not only in the weather forecasts with crap.

Race

At the start I came in half an hour. Checked the gels, great, I gave the street and things changed. Before the start put gidrik and smeared all that it was necessary to smear cream and Vaseline. Nothing rubbed 6 hours race.

Swim

Our group was the largest, and therefore, wearing a black cap of his starting group issued by the organizer, I went to the start. Cold water, a crowd of healthy men 30-34 years added anxiety, but she disappeared somewhere after we swam to the starting gate. By the way, this year starting in Pescara was water, and I enjoyed it very much. I took up a position behind and slightly to the left, so that in the starting mash was not involved. Well, almost, because of me floated more than once, but not killed, as the mammoth, as they say some. It sailed well and cool. Sadness only boat to the organizers, which seem designed to make waves, which everyone then said wistfully. Useful advice I experienced - get strong legs and swim in them. I found these a few times and just stroking the foot was persecuted in the discharged water. Very nice work. When we crossed the 800 m, happened to me a funny incident. I heard a dog barking 700 meters from the shore (it could not see the people and houses were small) and began to worry about their head - the scorching sun, black hat and a black suit. Nifiga itself glitches, I thought. Then I saw the dogs-rescuers on boats and in the water with the rescuers and became calmer. Beautiful dogs! But the question in my head very amused me.

Then something happened that scared me very much. Some pepper whether by accident, or specifically (which is unlikely) pulled my lace on the clasp and wetsuit completely unbuttoned at the back. He is a very strange and fastens from top to bottom, and begins buttoning in jacket in a "dog" hit. On land, I could not fasten it in any way whatsoever. But in the water on hysteria did it very quickly and continued the voyage. It is said that the hardest part of these heats is that no one really sees at the nose, and every now and then, someone will for you swims, you are someone to perch and will swim. If you have a fear of open water, it is worth to train and it is.

We sailed on the triangle and on the second turn feet tactic let me down - my feet, guides swam not much there and I'm with them. I think we gave lishachku 200-300 meters.

We went out on the shelf and, having got to the shore, I realized that I was reeling robust design. Maybe because of that I spent in transit cell as much as 8 minutes! Tupil so long and it was - probably more than a kilometer. For it had to flee from the great barefoot. And for a long time I put on compression socks, which gave me Sasha. They really helped me on the run!

Bike

When we looked at the record of our DVR route, preparing for the worst. The road was broken-down - Ukrainian worse! But it was not so bad - it patched, and it was nice to roll. I had had a problem with the clock that is constantly made a stop in the recording track by pressing on the glove. Then I pinned them on the big and wrote down 81 km of the route. The track - a picturesque Italian village, fields of olives, lavender, grape and three mountains.

Here the mountains were wearing very tight, and some even go on the track of their walking. I did not go, and very happy about it. But there was no heavy lifting - and then we waited for the descent, and it was cool to drive. However, once I nearly went off the road on a sharp bend. The nerves blocked the wheel and stepped hard drift. Almost, but not fly away - saved 10 cm curb. One has to be careful.

On the track I ate gels, drinking water, which I missed. In general, for the whole race I drank five liters of water and did not go to the toilet. Clearly, much has become of all :)

As I have said, we were lucky with the weather and the wind was blowing, the sky was gray with clouds and light rain came. Ehalos great!

Special mention deserve the cyclists and their bikes on the road. Since Italians are born with the bike between his legs, and Pescara is full of road bikes, then they go into the mass better than us. Run bad :)

Before the start, I met a Canadian who told me that his Cervelo P5 is $ 15,700. As was also nice to overtake on its a cheap "Kayotike" pepelats this and more did not see :) smile deserve special "pots," as we called them. These are bikes with a hollow rear wheel. Going to such itself, and behind that sound "vzhiu-vzhiu" like the sound of rolling on the floor pan. Ridiculous this whole high-speed tuning. I turned out to overtake and "aeroshlemy" and "pan", and Cervelo :) Although I overtook more what is there to hide.

Run

On the run I went out with a very bad feeling about. No, no vatnost in the legs, which many say, it was not. But my periosteum immediately gave me to understand that we will have a lot of pain and internal meetings and compromises. I tried a bit of work overload on the left leg, but that at the 6th km of ill hamstring. I returned to the load on the right, and it was very sick and there. Thus, the three pressure points and running, resembling torture.

But do not go well :) come and go, and stop. But everything turned out. I finished :)

We ran 4 laps in the center of Pescara and at the end of each we wore fluffy colorful bracelets. I collected 4? Run to the finish line. When I ran a half-marathon on, then I was upset that decent people were already three bracelets. When I was 4, were those who had 1-2. So everything is relative.

Supporters of Italy! They are wonderful! Forza, go-go! Kids and their outstretched pens, which limping cripple found special pleasure to clap for recharging. It was cool. Very painful, but very cool!

If you will run such a race, it does not take a run. Rivers flowing water, Cola, Red Bull, gels, isotonic and other beverages. Of food were energy bars, bananas, apples, oranges and salt for those who strongly strongly it lost due to sweat. I ate a lot, and it was the most wine. At the finish was very well fed :)

Finishing, I drank half a liter of water in one gulp, despite the fact that the constantly drunk.

And given a medal, as without it, then ?!

What's next?

What was I thinking all the time? The fact that the full IRONMAN - it's so unreal cool that swoop like this, it does not take. I plan to jump on the full distance? Not. I will chase halves? Yes, this is a very cool activity and incentive to engage in sports. But there is one thing ...

Machinery, appliances and equipment once again!

Only at such a distance, I realized how important technique in everything! You must be able to swim properly. You must be able to quickly take transit cell, you need to know how to behave on the road and where to push and where to slow down, you need to be able to proper and efficient running. And most importantly, you need to stop chasing distances and learn to run properly and without injury. Nothing is more demoralizing as pain at the start of that with you all the day of the race.

The race itself - it is not difficult or hard. This is a real concentrated pure thrill! But he was so only for those who have been reasonable in training and went to prepare wisely. I was such a kind, for which he punished himself. But also rewarded.

Such history.