Dash Triathlon Bangkok

Weekend triathlon race as preparation for 70.3 Phuket, did pretty well given the situation, the organization have put me in the medium group so had no reference to anyone racing alone all the way basically, was good fun though and should to thank the organization for the good pictures :) After the race had Sunday brunch at Intercontinental, lot of food and beverage to recover!

Run to the beat half marathon!!

Great fun in London for the "Run to the beat half marathon" in London the 26th of September 2011, did my best time ever ia a half and must say I was far to be 100% fresh after very short night sleep and jet lagged. But the enthusiasm to be racing in London and the race itself made it all, excellent weather and live music bands on the course helped to keep the energy up. Manage to follow the 1.30 mark group for the first half, then had to slow down a bit due to getting few adnominal cramps cathing up again in the last km's again, it was trully great fun!!

Laem Mae Phim Triatlhon - May 2011

Laem Mae Phim beach is 200km south east Bangkok, nice place where mostly Thai families come to spend weekends and holiday, the triathlon took place in this small village organized by Thailand triathlon federation, about 200 people participated, several farangs including Stephen Eid and Richard who used to train with me on the weekends and few Thais as well as Julin and Chris.

I did a terrible Swim as usual, it's very hard to improve. The bike was drafting allowed and join Richard group so did pretty decent time, the run was hot, hot, hot but pushed by my coach Vinnie finished very hard, my heart rate was up to the roof.

It was good fun weekend, spent some time with friends and had a good race, the level in Thailand though is quit low since I was top 20 :)

HALF ASTROMAD 2010!!

This was a tough one, head up to Madrid the first week of September 2011 to participate at the Astromad, 70.3 ironman distance what the event organizers called the toughest 70.3 in the world, I kind of testify that!!

The competition had place in a small village north Madrid, Robledo de Chavela close to the Guadalajara mountain, 2.000 altitude meters, so you can start imagining how did the bike part went, but let's start from the beginning.

Me and Sandra came few days prior the race to enjoy the city, which we are both in love with, we have visited some old friends from the times we lived their, 5 years back. We stayed in hotel very close to where we used to live in Tres Cantos, we went to some of the restaurants we used to go, excellent wine, excellent food, que saudades!

At the race day, I drove to Robledo very early, think I left hotel at 4am, the start wasn't in the same point as the finish line so we took bus with only the swimming and bike gear to the starting point and left the run gear at the finish, I remember in the bus some of the guys "pros" sharing the achievements which is little bit frightening to hear for a rucky as me before the race start. Anyway, at the starting point, I prepared everything, put the wet suit on and jumped into the water with another 100 guys, we were very few, later understood why. The 1.9km swim was easy, in the dump, at 1000 meter altitude maybe, did it in 36 min, then took my bike at the transition point and the pain started, first km's was mostly up hill, and then up and down all the time, since we were few people did the biking pretty much alone, it was very warm, maybe close to 40 degree celsius (or it felt like), finally I made it in 3 hour 58 minute, I remember to get very pissed with the organization because it was maybe 5 km more than the normal 90 km that used to be. Got in the transition with ok legs and start the run, took some gels that made me sick for the first couple of km's or maybe was the hot coke organization gave us, well the run part was 2 loop of 10km and it was a lot of suffering, very hot, some down and up hills as well, very tough, but finally made it until the finish line in 6hour 40 minute.

Organization quoted this race the toughest on the planet, I've not done many to corraborate it but I can assure you one thing, I will never do it again!

Regardless the toughness of the race, organization was great and I had a lot of fun!!

Long journey ahead!

Last week I started the training plan for Kalmar triathlon in Sweden, it is a ironman distance competition, 3.8Km Swim + 180Km Bike + 42.1Km Run, that will be held the first weekend of August!

Found a coach in Bangkok, Vinnie Santana, Brazilien ex-professional triathlete, sub 9 hours at ironman, who is helping with the plan and will give me tips and advices during my preparation.

I have a long journey ahead, many hours training, in the swimming pool, on the road, at the gym and at Lumpini park, lot of sweat and suffer in front of me, but it is going to be good fun as well.

In June, as preparation will also join 300km bike race together with my good friend Henrik Wanhatalo, it is one of the longest bike races in the world around scenic lake in Sweden.

Wish me luck for the long journey ahead!!

Back on hard training!

Always a risk to make these plans public since we are having our first child and priorities can change dramatically, anyway I plan to do an Ironman in Sweden the first week of August. I’ve started training, there are few competitions would try to do until then to get better prepared, Samui triathlon, 200 km cycling race in Portugal and 300km cycling race in Sweden. We will see how does it develop, so far have the motivation is high up to train hard every day, which is already good achievement to get better balance in my life. Wish me luck!!