After one week spent at home after Gandia race, which was furious with administration stuff, getting new passport, geting Chinese visa, geting Canadian visa because of transit CHN – MEX… But all went well and smooth and after short stay at home, on tuesday I flew to China for ITU Asian Cup in Fuzhou, via Frankfurt and via Beijing. I arrived wednesday noon.

To put it simple, it was most craziest and dirtiest race I ever done, from organisation “tricks” to anti fair play of dozen of Chinese “athletes” (I am refusing to call them athletes). In the water I was smashed, litteraly. Maybe 5 athletes went over me during both laps and I was just droping. Every time I catch one athlete and swimming comfortably on the feets of him, some of the chinese guys appeared and just punch me and I am hopeless and must lose that postition…

Water was really cold, they said it was 20.4 (less than 20 neopren wet suits are allowed). I think it was under 20 for sure. It was freezing… By the way, day after they said it was 24 C. And its river, so not possible for that change which is indication they are playing with numbers.

So in T1 I found myself far back, 40 sec behind first group. Day was over there… I started actually as 3rd group and till the end we became big second group and in the front was big first group of 20 athletes…

From the begining of run I felt amazing but I was fighting for handful of points. I catch few guys and 2 guys from my group ran under 31 min! (I dont want to speak about clear indication on doping topic, because this is triathlon, and its not possible that 15 unknown chinese guys came, and smash the bike, and then run under 32 mins, plus doping control was poorly organised and only top 5 were tested)…

And those guys who ran 30 – 31 min did their first ITU race! There are even one guy which is less than 20 years old… So, lets forget it as soon as possible.

Course was little bit shorter, to put it clear, but not more than 30 second. I ran around 33 flat (in results 32 30), which is oke considering I was in second pack. I am sure scenario would be totatlly diferent if I arrived with leaders… At the end my about 100 ITU points went into air thanks to few chinese guys who played dirty during swim. In the Olympic year…

Some of them cut bike course, and werent disqualified. Officials also did dirty stuff in transition with changing flags so international athlete cant find her spot, there are also contravesry about penalty for Mateja Simic and etc. Really shame, nothing more and nothing less. They even had one briefing for Chinese, and one for internationl. I never see that in my life. I am just happy ITU reacted very well and they will send proper ITU official for next race which is another week, aslo in China. No surprise, I am not going there again.

Results from the ITU offical site

After the race on saturday, on Sunday I took early flight to Beijing and then to Mexico City via Vancouver. As I arrived in Mexico City late I slept one night at the bigest city in the World by area and most highest (2400 m altitude) capital in World. Altitude camp .

On monday (I “get” one day as I crossed “International day line”) I was already in humid and hot hot hot Huatulco. So I had full week for final trainings and to prepare body for that specific conditions.

Trainings was really good, altogether with rest and recovery so I arrived on the start line confident and ready, most of all thanks to ITU Sport Development team which assured that because of our team stayed in beauftiful resort with good food, with daily massages with physio, mechanic and team coach. My coach, Sergio was also there with Brazilian team which always great for me as he put aditional confidence in my performance. All that support really change aproach of entering the race for us who are traveling alone and who are spending aditional energy on administration stuff and many other things.

Swimming was really good and efortles for me. I catch Grajales and comfortably swam behind him all the way and was in the first pack whole time, conserving energy for late stages of race.

After T1 we hit maybe most hardest bike course in the World with 8 grueling laps with 20 – 24 % hill in each lap. I felt really amazing on the bike, and was always top 3 on the top of the hill. I have small regret with not going away with 4 guys who escaped, but I thought it was too early in 2nd lap as on that course its all about saving energy and be economic. But at the end because of not good organised group, they had 1 min into T2 and even worse, 2nd grout catch us, and not surprisingly that group consisted many good runners.

I had fast T2 and started run on first positions, but I had not good legs first few kilometers. Later I found rhytm and in the second 5 km gained few positions and finish on solid 21st place which is so far my best World Cup finish.

Results ITU World Cup Huatulco (MEX)

Photo gallery and video  from ITU here

After nice dinner with all athletes on the beach, which is tradition in Huatulco, and not long night, on monday noon I had short local flight from Huatulco to Mexico City and then straight from there to Europe, Frankfurt of course. So it was exactly two weeks since I departed from Frankfurt on the “right side of the World” and then came from the “left side of the World”.

Didnt seem so tough, even considering fact that I changed 3 time zones. First 6 h ahead in China, then 13 h back in Mexico and then 7 h ahead in Europe. I think so . I have smart body so I am adapting immidiately and never stugling with jet leg. With some tricks during travel and discpline of course. But Sun and Moon playing big part for me, so no matter in which time zone is my body clock, if its night I can sleep and oposite. And if I arrive during day and felt sleepy and I am intentioanly staying awake till night. If there are many hours till that, I am taking really really short nap so I can sleep without problems when its time to sleep during night.

From Frankfurt I had flight to Barcelona, where I took train to Valencia, slept one night in Valencia and took train to Alicante. So it was full circle in less than month… From Spain to Serbia, from Serbia to China, from China to Mexico, from Mexico to Spain. 5 weekends, 4 races, 2 olympic triathlons. And I am here in Spain again, with smile on the face, and with a new optimism and new will for more hard training!

Road to London officialy finished when Madrid start list was anounced. Bad races in Chile, circumstances in China was key in not securing enought points to fight for European new flag. There are sour taste in the mouth for sure as I know I am capable for that spot as just for example (which not necesary need to represent anything) in Huatlco I was fast than bronze medalist from China just week before and for also bronze medalist fron ITU World Cup in Ishigaki 2 weeks before, but I simply need to dig diper and sort few more thing to be capable of TOP result. This is hard and tricky sport and many things are involved, not just leg speed, and everybody is fighting hard, so its not end of the World, who get that spot will be best guy and he will deserve it for sure. I primarly had very big desire to get on start line in London because of Serbian triathlon, not because I need to prove something to someone. I dont care about that stuff.

Next goals are clear, September: European U23 Championships, October: World U23 Championships.

Huatulco proved I had a lot of expericence after almost 60 ITU races. Because that race is really for “veterans” and really strong guys, so I am in right direction to arrive on another tough course in Auckland in October, where I will finish season, with little bit of luck, with champagne.

Wish you to enjoy every bit of training and process, thats most important, Ogy

So last Sunday was held very nice sprint triathlon in turistic town Gandia, near Valencia. It is first triathlon race from Spanish National calendar and because it counts as a qualification race for Nationals (Spanish Championships) there were a lot of level for in terms sprint distance.

Some 70+ guys started the race, including 3 of my Triatlon Universidad Alicante team mates, Esteban, Java and Amancio.

Rough start but I went fast and find myself in good position after 100 m but soon one guy cut my way. Also my googles, for some strange reason got really foged so I couldnt see anything, really anything! So till the end I just stick to the legs of one guy. Overall fine swim but I lost some positions as I couldnt swim properly because of googles. Really uncomfortable situation, to not have clear view, and to not be able to see postitioned buoys and other comeptitors, as that is the key during the race. At the end I was still with first group, not counting two guys who were in front and who are cleary pure swimmers.

We swam in the wet suits and during T1 my zipper got stocked and I really sturgled to unzip wet suit. I lost at least 10 seconds. I dont know what happened that day, but some strange situations with googles and zipper. And because my shoulders are really unstreched I was suffering while trying to catch end of zipper… Anyway I somehow managed to pull it down, “get rid” of wet suit, grab my Trek Madonne and start chasing first group which I lost because of wet suit.

I catch 2 guys and try to organise chasing but they were simply week. In that situations I am trying to brigde the gap but not to drop them, as in the case when somebody can work but dont wont, I am trying to escape and not to give them free train to group. So I really worked hard and I had very good legs. They are giving changes just few seconds so I can take a short break and then I would come back and smashing 40 km/h on the very very strong headwind. After 3 km we catch them.

Group didnt worked so good, just few of us were in the front, and some Spanish guys were rude to me saying something “C’mon Serbian, go on front”, I dont know why as I’ve already been there, but just to satisify that ego I again went on front, was there 30 seconds and come on 4 or 5th position. I hope that make him happy! After few times leading the pack and seeing nobody wants to organise, except there were few breaks, we really slowed down and second group catch us in the last lap.

That made situation that 30 or so guys came to T2 togehter. Its farse as somebody who swam more than minut slower than us on 750 m came into contention, but that triathlon and thats racing. I was always positioned in the front and worked good at the closing km, but there are always some kamikazi who power their way to the front in the closing meters, after riding dead last whole way…

I started hard, as I had 7 or 8 guys to catch. After few mins I catch 3 or 4 guys and coming into second loop I saw my number on penalty board! I didnt know why but didnt have other option but to stop and wait…. There were many other guys with penalties I would say. So I lose some postitons, again chased and felt better actually in the second loop than on the first loop and on the turn in 2nd lap I saw 5 guys in front. I tried but couldnt manage to catch 5th guy.

I had penalty because I didnt put my things in transitions in the area beetwen bike racks which they consider to be box! I didnt have clue. I saw they dont have normal boxes so I thought they dont have it at all. So now I learned one more thing in Spanish racing. 2 races in Spain so far, 2 penalties. Third will be lucky! Thanks to Jorge Garcia who explained me my mistake. He is ITU referee and have been on the “duty” for many of my international races since I started doing them.

Overally I am happy with fast racing and dynamic race, a lot of speedwork done as a training for upcoming big races. Also my running is picking up, I am again at decent level after rough injury period.

First place was Jesus Gomar who is maybe in life shape, and who just came from second place from ETU European Cup in Larache in Moroco, just week before, and 7th place from ETU cup in Portugal 2 weeks before race in Gandia. He really deserved win as he exited water in the front, was in the front on the bike also and run fast.

40 second diference beetween him and me on the 6th place so you are getting image that it was really close racing.

Well done for our woman team Ana, Nuria and Mar which captured win! (3 athletes and their finishing places counts). Coach Roberto is certainly happy with how the day went.

Results here (running distance must be longer than 5 km, there are no doubt about that and bike course was 22 km)

Video of swim exit and finish of the race

P.S. I am apologizing to Serbian and Spanish readers. I updated version of WordPress so my language plug -in doesnt work as its not yet compatible with this version, so hopefully my next articles will be again on three languages! I can solve that now, but it will stole me 1 h which is luxury for me in this moment

So on the same place like in January, when I did both 5.6 km running race and open water swim race, was held second edition. This time distances were longer.

I was competing in 2.4 km sea swimming along with 170 other swimmers.

I dont need to note that it was training race for me. Start was at noon. In the morning I did short swimming in the swimming pool just to get better feel for water and it worked for me as immidiately when I hit the sea I had very powerful stroke and good buoyancy and feeling.

There weere 2 loops of about 1200 m. From the begining I was in lead with 2 other guys. I was comfortable, I mean really comfortable, siting on the feets of one guy so when we was turning into second lap I attacked with sprint and get small gap. Till the finish I swam alone, and it was way too harder than the first loop. I am sure that guy who was leading first loop was conservative, as my pace in the second loop drasticly increased but he was keeping small distance behind me, he was not droping as I expected.

Anyway, without slowing down and with beleif that they cant catch me I cross the finish gate as a first. During exit on the beach I took it easy so they shave 5 or 10 seconds but still I was ahed 5 seconds or more.

So I am happy with outcome, not just because of win but because of good training and feeling with great 19 (nineteen) wet suits which is only one in my carries which gave me buoyancy plus shoulder comfort!

Next race should be Gandia triathlon, near Valencia, which will be pretty strong field I beleive. And then I am hittin’ ITU circuit again!

Results on the official event page

Pictures should be here hopefully

Video of finish here (be sure you choose first line in drop-menu 28:27 to 29:27 and then press small icon)

Happy holidays to those who are celebrating Easter, Ogy

I stayed in Santiago till thursday with Christoper Pons, friend who I mention already and from thursday till the saturday evening after the race I stayed with another great friend – Gaspar Riveros, who is also long time friend from ITU camps. Those friendships and help they gave me while I was staying in Chile is just another confirmation of how valuable ITU Sport Development program is. It is ran by enthusiastic and visionary Libby Burrell with help of other great coaches around the World. Camps always provide great mix of athletes around from all continents and we all became one big family every single time.

I had good week of training and certanly great recovery as I did not gave 100% on previous race! Everything have been going according to plan. On wednesday on my last interval bike session I had slight problem with my seat post. Just before hitting short hills intervals I decided to adjust the height and in that moment screw broke… I finished training unseated, it was like 30 or 40 mins just “on the legs”! Ah, that was painful… for the arms!

So we fix it tommorow in bike shop and guy change the screw so everything seems to be fine. I checked it of course on the bike training on friday on the course where the race is going to be held, and everything was fine.

You have sense what will happen… during race …

So I was in good state of mind before the start, ready, and with great desire to race… Ocean swim was really nasty, big waves, so it was hard to see not enough big buoys. I followed the guys in the group. I am not pleased with my swim but I exit water in the end of group of 5,6 guys. 2 guys was in front with advance of like 10 or 15 seconds. I had bad start and made bad decision on the start line. I should choose spot on the right instead of left as current was going to the left. Sometimes I need to beleive to my intuition, and not to look where the others guys place themselves… So another lesson learned.

I had terrible T1. Its like the pattern, when I need to have good T1 with wet suits, I mess up. On the training I need 5 seconds to put it off, but sometimes during race it get stocked on the legs, even with baby oil or vaseline around the joints. So I missed the group but was soon on the lower bars pushing pedals as hardest as I could. And after only few minutes while riding across the short section of coblestones, my seat post started going down. “Ou-ou, you’re in trouble Ogy” I thought. And I was… I rode 1.5 laps like that, in uncofortable position with very low seat height, and while passing transition I yelled “I need tools for seat” and thanks to Christoper who heard me, next time after decending the hill another guy waited for me with it and I picked up the tool, stoped and fixed the seat. Since the second group was behind me, 30 seconds or something like that I had limited time to adjust and catch them. So it was all in rush and I fixed it approximately where it should be, little bit lower (I saw that later), but not centred, seat was “going” right. But didnt have problems with that. I missed the group but soon I catch them and rode till the end with them.

Pace was easy for me, I tried to organise but it was hopeless as first group and 2 leading guys have been few minutes ahead. So immidiately in the first lap when I had seat problem I know my day is finished. At lease podium shot is finished. So unfortunate…

I attacked on the hill in the last lap and escaped easily just to allow myself some time in T2. Running pace and feeling was much better than previous weekend. Fast session and few other sessions during the week certainly helped in regaining running form. So I had “good” 2 weeks of running before the race day. It sounds funny but better 2 weeks of running, then 6 weeks of not running.

I felt good and catch 3 or 4 guys and finished 7th. Running times are not appropriate I am sure, as no way I ran 32 mins on hilly and really windy course! But let say if it was flat, and no winds that time translating into 33 and half to 34 mins on 10 k. Which is really good time in this moment with so little km’s in my legs and without specific work. My longest ran was 45 minutes…

So for second consecutive time Valparaiso is bad luck race for me with mechanical problems… I think I will not race it third time, I am sure! But you never know, as organisers planning World Cup to be held in 2013!

I am really sorry I couldnt make podium as I felt good. I had some mistakes on the swim, in the T1 and had bad luck. And most of all I am sorry as I promised I will race for Desa and would able to produce great result. At least I tried. And I am sure some of next races will be dedicated to her. With medal around the neck.

After the race in the afternoon after the lunch I did great 1:50 h ride to calm my emotions and forget about the race. I must say riding along the ocean cost have more than calming effect. Really great scenery in the wonderful country of Chile. I cant imagine how cool are National parks, lakes and resorts on the south…

Results on ITU page

Pictures on my flickr account

Enjoy your training, Ogy

My swimming form was solid, I felt good in the water, poweful, with good stroke feeling. Nothing special or extraordinary but now I have feeling when I am able to be at front pack and when not, and certanly I was sure I will be on front.

On the bike I had even better feeling. A lot of kilometeres resulted in better endurance and some faster sessions should prepare me for race pace so overall, heading into the race I didnt worry at all.

Maybe that was problem. I went into the race too relaxed.

Field was small with some good guys including brasilian Pan American Games gold medalist Colucci. The race was also South American Championships.

After the siren I started fine but after 50 m I got smashed by few guys and I lose valuable position. First mistake was not fighting enoguh so I kept losing front. After few hundred meters I found myself in the middle. Bad position. And at the end of first lap in the decising moments when group split I tried to brigde the gap but another brasilian didnt allow me to come into the line when trying to catch the feet of the last guy of first group.

That situation killed me. Killed me in the head. That was “boom” to my brain. I was sure I will be in front and at that moments group has gone. It was really disapointing, I simply gave up and that was bigest mistake that day. I had swim for first group, thats fact as I was swiming easy tempo behing the guy when I gave up (this sound so bad!), but I simply didnt suffer as required in the times when it was important to fight for position. I knew, since my running is poor at the moment because of missed training, that first pack is must but I was stupid, unresponsable and soft. Thats all I have to say.

After bad T1 I found myself time triatling to brigde second pack (and I get from water second in the 2nd pack!). It was all out effort for about 2 mins, I was dead when I catch the guys. That anaerobic effort took a lot from me and was full of lactic probably so I even felt bad on the bike. On the discipline which I trained so much in the last period…

To put it simple – it was not my day, and it was my mistake…

And just for the record – another mistake: I didnt respond to break of 3 guys from my group. If you ask me why, I am not able to tell you. I was soft in the head, that all. In the past I always fight to end and so many times scenario changed and I fought my way from bad start to solid finish, but obviously saturday race was exception…

So that 3 guys catched first group! We (4 of us, working not so good…) came 1:30 after lead pack. Running was as expected. I started too slow, which cost me points at the end as I just missed cut off time… Finished disapointing 13th with feeling of guilt. I came so long way from Europe and didnt fight as required. Big, important, life changing lesson.

I am curently with great friend Christoper Pons who was with me in the ITU camp on Gold Coast in 2009. He invited me to his house this week before next race on weekend which I am really grateful him for that! To train here is much more quiet, or to put it clear, its posible to ride as in the Santiago or Val is crazy busy.

Pictures from the race (trichile.cl) are on my flickr

Results on itu web site (please dont look at them)

Second part of January and whole February was strugle with so many lows. So many unwanted things happen related to my preparation period that at the moments I was smiling when I supposed to cry. I went to many doctors, physios, treatments but immidiately after first problem gone new apeared. Many mornings you could find me starting running session with faith that I will not have pain for 30 mins, and after 5 mins I was siting at the edge of road holding my knee or feet and staring at skies wondering why this things happen. And those situations was usually after few days of no running and resting. So there was no point lying in the bed. I was immidiately heading back to my room, I got change, put something in the mouth and heading for 3 hours of bike. And many times I would go to pool in the afternoon, do 5 or 6 km and gym. Those were long days, not long training days, simply long days. But I didnt stoped training and puting winter kilometers. Because of all that I’ll be sure nobody will get easy win on the weekend. I was thru sad period for a long time that for me it will be luxury to have bad race.

Whats gonna be my motivation on the weekend, beside last paragraph is for sure this bad race in Santiago, bad luck in Valparaiso last year when my tubular gone from the wheel in the moments before T2 while I heading into it at the front and most importantly I will race in honour for our dear friend Desa who died in January from lung cancer. She ran mountain house on the National Park Fruska Gora when my club had Sundays long running sessions which was my favourite trainings. She was always there to host us with smile and give us hot tea after 1 h, 1.5 h or even 2 h of running thru the freezing rain, snow or fog. Last time I saw her in November. After long run at the forest of course. She was joking with me and smiling. I can promise you, I will leave my heart on the tough course in Valparaiso, even thats last thing I’ll do.

Thanks for your support even during hard times, Ognjen

Hope you will like my story.

A lot more to come, as I have feeling that I have a lot more inside me to give for this wonderful sport.

Same day I felt no pain at my ITB (after 2 -3 weeks of dealing with it and missing running sessions) I developed pain in my feets. First in right one, than on left one. I am supposing problem is length of shoes. I ran in Adidas of which I needed 0.5 – 1 number more…

So during last 3 weeks it is the main reason which keeps me off the track. In the meantime I did one duathlon race in Aguilas which went bad, but actually not so bad considering missing running training. First 5 km I run 16:25 and 2.5 km I ran 8:15 min. Poor but as I wrote, without running, and on the really windy course satisfying.

On the other hand I felt strong on the bike. Maybe it was not so smart to race with pain in feets but pain didnt get worse, but not better either!

And if you thought thing cant be worse, yesterday after buying new shoes I started running and some third problem apeared in the knee. Nothing significant but enough to terminate my running… Ah, its really hard to deal with all this stuff, time is passing, but as you (triathletes) can see, Ali and Frodo are injuried also, so its all part of the game.

I still didnt loose confidence and tommorow is new day!

Today and next week are supposed to be my first ITU races but of course I cancel them because of issues and should race in March.

Its not everything so black, this week I managed to put 450+ km in the legs on bike. Last week was also big one. That will hopefully make big base from which I will be able to bear fruits later. Swimming and gym are on “the schedule” as per usual.

Remember that health is No. 1 thing in this sport!

Ogy

I am pleased to announce, beside that triogy have a new look and design, that I will be writing on English (and translating on Spanish ) along with continuing to write on Serbian.

Since 2007 triogy blog is alive and day by day it gets wider and larger following group, so it was natural step to make english version. I know I should do this much earlier, but maybe I was lazy, or I just waited for the “right moment”. And right moment was version and design update this time.

At the begining, Nikola Tosic many times suggested me english bloging but I was not confident in my english knowlegde, even I know thats not important. Bloging does not have any conection with grammar and to make grammar mistakes or writing mistakes simply gives signature and uniqueness to personal blog. But “already” in 2008 or 2009 my english improved a lot, including writing, so to be honest I should already have like a 2 years of english bloging, but doesnt matter. Its never late to start.

So that day has come and I hope you will like to get updates on how my carrier progressing, to read my race reports, training experiences and much more. At the end, bloging must have some intersting side as that is what public likes to read, something not so ussual. I know what I like to read about other triathletes, so that sense will help me for sure.

So stay updated, a lot more to come!

Have a safe training.

Ogy

Ove sezone ću trenirati i takmičiti se sa Trek bikeom i Bontrager opremom koja proizodi sve delove za Trek (koji praktično samo proizvodi ramove), sprinterice, kacige i opremu za vožnju. Nedavno je dogovrena saradnja sa lokalnim biciklističkim šopom u San Vicenteu, univerzitetskom mestu pored Alicantea gde trenutno treniram. U pitanju je oficijleni Trek Concept Store, i radi se o eksluzivnom distributeru brenda.

Voziću Trek series 6 model rama - Project One koja predstavlja kompletnu personalizaciju bicikla; biranje tipa rama (Trek ramovi dolaze u tri verzije H1, H2, H3 koje se razlikuju po geometriji) kao i boje i dizajna, sa željenom grupom i svim delovima (lula, korman, šticna, sic, boje bužira, boje guma, model i boje točkova pa sve do boje “kape” za lulu tj viljušku) sa Sram Red black grupom.

Bike je naručen, identičan je kao na slici. Trebao bi da stigne u roku od mesec do dva. Serija 6 se sklapa samo po narudžbini tj. ne može se naći u radnjama prethodno spreman za kupovinu, stoga je potrebno tako puno vremena jer je custom made u Americi pa se nakon sklapanja šalje u Evropu, tj Nemačku prvo potom u Španiju. Do tada ću verovatno dobiti drugi bike za trening i prve trke.

Kaciga i sprinterice su takođe kao na slici. Sprinetrice su Bontrager RXXXL limited edition i imaju samo 199 grama! Kad sam ih stavio i probao na vožnji osećaj je kao da vozite bosi, i svakim stiskom na njih se dobija osećaj da se ni J (džul) energije ne gubi. Stvarno sam iznenađen, jer sam do sada vozio par modela takođe veoma dobrih sprinterica ali ni jedne nisu ni približne ovima.

Za više informacija o prodavnici posetite fan page na facebooku.

Prošlu Nedelju sam učestvovao na dve trke u mestu El Campello, koji je par kilometara od Alicantea, tačnije plažama je spojen sa Alicanteom. Od Alicantea do El Campella se proteže najpoznatija i najlepša plaža “Playa San Juan”. Prvo je na “meniju” bila ulična trka 5.7 km po imenu “I Carrera de Reyes El Campello” a potom plivačka 1.2 km trka “I Travesia a Nado reyes El Campello”.

U 10 h je startovalo trčanje. Zbgo prijavljivanja sam dosta kasnio sa startom zagrevanja tako da se moje “zagrevanje” svelo na 10 minuta, što je katastrofa. Mislim da je bolje “iz kreveta” startovati trku nego se kao zagrejati uključujući i par vežbica i nazovi ubrzanja u svega 10 minuta. Ali šta je tu je, ionako je samo trening bio u pitanju.

Dan pred trku, tj. u subotu sam imao teži trening od 1:20 h i koji minut trčanja sa 8×2 min jači tempo uzbrdo, a ujutru sam imao jako plivanje sa 6×100 anaerobno, tj. na petoj sam bio toliko pun mlečne kiseline i laktata da mislim da mi je krv bila zelena, a to je bilo pred ako se dobro sećam bar 2 km “pull” plivanja sa lopaticama.

Međutim odmor uveče, nutritijenti, glutamin, compex, večera bogata kompleksnim ugljenim hidratima su “spasili” situaciju tj. omogućili da dođem na trku sa ok osećajem i svežijim nogama i rukama.

Napravio sam grešku odmah na startu jer sam krenuo jače sa par trkača, nedovoljno zagrejan. Ta greška me je koštala da do kraja trčim na pragu. Da sam samo malo slabije krenuo bio bi u mogućnosti da pojačam i napravim negativan prolaz, ali nema veze, još jedan dobar trening laktatne otpornosti.

Jedan se izdvojio odmah i trčao je sam do nekih 1 km do finiša kada je prestignut, a nas 4-5 je trčalo u grupi svo vreme. Ja sam u drugom krugu na okretu, znači na nekih 4-4.5 km pustio jer nisam hteo baš da se preforsiram jer ipak je ispred mene bila još jedna plivačka trka plus 3 h brdovitog bikea posle podne… Tako da sam do kraja spustio puls za par otkucaja i otrčao pristojan tempo.

Završio sam kao 5-i ukupno i kao drugi senior. Staza je ravna sa jednim brdašcem po krugu i par krivina i okreta. Garminom su merili da je 5.7 km. Mada i dalje mi tempo po km od 3:14 deluje sporo, imao sam osećaj da idemo brže.

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Lepo istrčavanje za de-kiselizaciju, potom glutamin/bcaa, proteinska čokoladica, banana, “pola kile” odlične Benidormske torte/pite (koja sam inače dobio na pokon posle plivačke trke kao prvi senior! juhu. ali stoji netaknuta, sutra ću je načeti posle plivanja ili ručka i podeliti sa ostalima jer mi je rođendan…), voda, izotonik, kao i pola limenke cole zero sa kofeinom. Prvi put posle jaaakao puno vremena da sam popio i gutljaj kole, ali pošto ne pijem kafu kada sam ugledao kafein na limenci znao sam da će pomoći jer mi je trebao mali kick pošto jako lako reagujem na kafein.

U 12 h je bio start plivanja. Opet zagrevanje par minuta zbog proglašenja sa trčanja… mada nije bilo potrebno zagrevanje, nego rasplivavanje nakon trčanja…

Opet loš start ali sam posle 100 m jačeg plivanja bio iza timskog drugara Estebana koji je završio kao drugi iza mene prošlog meseca na trci na plaži Postiguet. Ubrzo nam se pridružio triatlonac veteran koji je završio trčanje kao treći. Napravio sam grešku što sam nakon prve bove plivao u nogama Estebana koji je plivao iza veterana Matea jer je samo jednog trenutka Mateo otišao tj Esteban je, ne znam kako niti zbog čega, izgubio draft i pustio ga da se odvojio.

Kada sam to uočio odmah sam reagovao i zaobišao Estebana (do tada sam zaista komforno plivao, opet tempo tipa ruka-ruku-čeka), međutim on mi nije dao da ga pređem već me je stalno gurao u stranu i najmanje 3 minuta smo potrošili u međusobnoj borbi jer nikako nisam mogao da nađem način da uhvatim Matea jer mi je Esteban konstatno ulazio u pravac nebitno da li sam ubrzavao ili ne. Stoga mi je pukao film, prešao sam preko njega i otišao u drugu stranu i pojačao tempo i stigao sam Matea na poslednjoj bovi ali bilo je kasno jer odmah pri okretu je imao prednost jer sam mu bio u nogama, tj nemoguće je bilo da oko bove dva takmičara prođu istovremeno, morao sam ja iza njega.

Odmah tu je bio plićak i istrčao je prvi i prošao kroz cilj kao pobednik. Ja sam 3 sekunde kasnije ušao kao drugi, odmah nakon bove sam uvideo da nema šanse da ga stignem, a iza mene Esteban koji nas je koštao verovatno prve i druge pozicije da je bio pametniji pošto smo potrošili tonu energije ni za šta, umesto da smo istu upotrebili u dostizanju prvoplasiranog. Međutim jedini krivac za poraz toga danas sam ja. Super lekcija, dobro je da se desilo na trening trci, a ne na pravoj trci. Moja taktička greška je bila što nisam plivao u nogama Matea jer u tom slučaju ni u snu ne bi uspeo da se odvoji na pola trke.

Isprašio mi je guzu veteran , ali ako ništa gledam sa pozitivnije strane, imam još 20 godina trkanja na visokom nivou jer očigledno godine ne moraju da budu limit.

Telo je vikalo “horizontala” nakon završenih trka, ali poslepodnevna programirana vožnja je ipak bila šlag na tortu, posebno poslednjih pola sata. Zar to nije jedini način u ovom sportu?

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Nakon završetka prethodne sezone trkom na Novom Zelandu napisao sam u članku da ću uskoro objaviti rekapitulaciju/pregled cele sezone međutim taj članak bi verovatno bio veličine 10-ak A4 stranica i oduzeo bi mi nedelju dana pisanja, stoga sam napravio ovaj filmić koji velikim delom prenosi atmosferu i stečeno iskustvo tokom sezone. Ne kažu za džabe da slika vredi hiljadu reči…

Nakon dve nedelje solidnog treninga u Alicanteu boravio sam na visinskim pripremama/kampu na 2300 m u sportskom centru na Sierra Nevadi.

“C.A.R.” trenažni centar poseduje sve potrebne uslove za nesmetan trening ne samo triatlonaca, već plivača svakako, atletičara, veslača kao i zimskih/alpskih/nordijskih disciplina.

Sierra je idealna jer je na 4 h vožnje od Alicantea. Zaista je neverovatno da samo 2 časa autom deli plažu na Sredozemnom moru i planinski centar koji je na preko 2000 m.

Nakon Font Romea i Davosa koji su redom 1800 i 1600 m, boravak na 2300 m je zahtevao novu adaptaciju i svakako da je trening dodatno otežan. Odmah sam se uverio u to kada sam na prvom jednočasovnom trkačkom treningu krenuo lagano uzbrdo a puls je skočio kad radim intervalni trening!

Nevezano za tu činjenicu odradio sam odličan blok treninga iako 2 nedelje i nije baš idealno, međutim ovo je više bio test  i adaptacioni kamp nego striktne pripreme. Trenirao sam nešto više nego što je to bilo predviđeno Sergiovim treningom jer sam se većinom boravka osećao dobro sem jednog dana kada je bio potpuni shut down i kada su mi laktati pred prvi dnevni trening bili čak 2.5 mmol (normalno je do 1.0 mmol, a anaerobni prag je u proseku na oko 4 mmol)!

Ponekad se šalim da ja praktično spavam na aerobnom pragu, a ponekad i na anaerobnom . Svakako da sam odmah “precrtao” trening, odradio 1.5 km jako laganog plivanja ne bi li “izbacio” junk iz tela međutim laktati su bili praktično isti, samo 0.1 niži tj 2.4 mmol nakon tog ispliva, tako da je to bio jasan znak za rest dugme i odmah sam se teleportovao u krevet u horizontalan položaj.

01.01.2012. sam odradio biciklistički trening sa Andreu-om (inače bilo nas je 8 sa U.A. u kampu na čelu sa trenerom Robertom) u Granadi koja je “dole” na par stotina metara visine i nalazi se na 1 h vožnje autom. Osećaj je zaista odličan kada siđete dole jer praktično dobijete “treće plućno krilo”. Nakon par bagova mog Garmina trening se odužio i nakon smrkavanja, tako da smo završili avanturu nakon 3.5 h. Odličan način za započinjanje Nove 2012 Godine!

Bazen je 50 metarski i poseduje kompletnu podvodnu tehnologiju za snimanje jer ima nekoliko staklenih prozora i prostorija za podvodno praćenje. To je poslužilo kao odličan način za vizuelnu komunikaciju Roberta i Sergia i malo analize tehnike.

Takođe, odmah pored bazena je i tartan staza za trčanje, mada nisam baš siguran kakav se intervalni trening može raditi na 2330 metara! Verujem da bi hiljadarke bile minimum 15 sekundi sporije nego na nivou mora, a zahtevana pauza odnosno oporavak dosta duži. Iskustvo iz Font Romea mi to govori jer sam na 500 m nižoj nadmorskoj trčao 10 sekundi sporije u proseku nego što obično trčim ponavljanja od 1 km.

U centru postoji i par zatvorenih 100 – 150 m tartan staza za atletske dvoranske potrebe, kao i nekoliko teratana, spa centar sa saunom, jacuzzijem, ice bath-om i td. Hrana je takođe prilagođena sportistima.

Što se tiče ruta za bike, pretpostavljate, u pitanju su samo dugačke nizbrdice tj. uzbrdice. Praktično se trening svodio na 20 min spuštanja a potom 40 min do preko 1 h konstanog uspona. Na poslednjoj Vuelti je vožena etapa sa finišom u selu u Sierri, koja je na 2200+ metara (2-3 km od centra).

Tempo trčanja ili ona sa aerobnim ponavljanjima sam radio na 1600 m gde se nalazi lepa brdovita trail staza u dužini od nekih 5 km. Društvo mi je uglavnom pravio David “Davinchi” kojeg Roberto trenira i koji je mašina za brda jer ima 50-ak kilograma. Lični na polumaratonu mi je nekih 1:13 mislim stoga me je pomučio nekoliko puta i par puta naterao da krvarim ! Krv iz nosa je uobičajena pojava jer je to znak da se proizvode crvena krvna zrnca i da se u telu pojavljuje višak krvi. Mislim da mi je čak 3 puta curila u toku aerobnih treninga kada smo silazili na 1600 metara.

Vreme je neverovatno za planinu i tu nadmorsku visinu, jer je u toku dana uglavnom 15 C, a snega nisam video sem na vrhovima. Na stazama za skijanje je veštački sneg.

Pred odlazak na pripreme i prvog dana nakon dolazka u Alicante uradili smo kompletno krvno testiranje sa krvnom slikom, analizom urina uključujući i dnevnu analizu urina (mokri se 24 h u flašu tj u mom slučaju flašE).

Rezultati nisu pokazali skoro nikakvo poboljšanje u novu hematokrita i gvožđa i feritina što je samo dokaz da se glavne fiziolške promene na visinskim pripremama dešavaju u trećoj nedelji.

Svim čitaocima bloga/sajta bih poželeo dobro zdravlje u Novoj 2012-oj Godini, srećne Božićne praznike i u isto vreme bih se svima zahvalio za ogromnu podršku!

…A lot more to come in this 2012!!!

Kao što sam naveo u prethodnom članku, prošlu Nedelju sam učestvovao na prvoj trci za Univerzitet Alicante. “Copa de Navidad” je tradicionalna trka dužine 1.5 km koja se održava na centralnoj plaži u Alicanteu – Playa del Postiguet.

Svakako da sam trci pristupio kao najobičnijem treningu, ali itekako sam imao želju da pobedim jer pre svega skroz neočekivano mi je Roberto spomenuo trku kada sam došao u Španiju.

Treninzi, čak ni u subotu nisu bili ni 1% podređeni trci, jedina stvar koja se razlikovala od normalne trenažne rutine je što sam se natrpao testenine te večeri što nije slučaj osim pred trku.

Start je bio u 11h. Sunce je sijalo u punoj snazi ali je duvao vetar stoga je bilo prohladno, a voda je bila ledena, ipak je u pitanju Mediteran i “otvoreno” more. Cenim da je bilo oko 16, 17 C.

Zagrejao sam se dobro i na suvom i u vodi tako da nakon starta uopšte nisam imao osećaj da se smrzavam, dok kada sam ušao u vodu prvi put na zagrevanju vilica mi se sledila.

122 takmičara je trkom krenulo nakon sirene, jer je start bio sa plaže. Ja sam katastrofalno startovao, ne znam zbog čega, suviše sam opušten bio. Loše sam trčao i nezgodno sam nagazio par koraka i kada sam uskočio u vodu nogavice su mi se zasukale i odelo mi se malo napunilo vodom. Tako da sam prvih 50 do 100 metara proveo sa zastajkivanjem zbog izbacivanja vode i vraćanja nogavica “na mesto”.

Za to vreme je 5, 6 takmičara steklo minimalnu prednost tako da sam morao pošteno da “zapnem” da bi ih uhvatio da mi ne bi pobegli. A drug iz tima je baš prejako krenuo tako da kada sam video koliko je ispred situacija je postala alarmantna stoga sam uključio sve propelere i na prvoj bovi sam ga dostigao i potom uključio cruise mode plivajući skoro vežbu “ruka ruku čeka” iza dvoje vodećih. Zaista opušteno, i odmah nakon te prve bove mi je bilo jasno da sam pobednik trke.

Na okretu tj na trećoj bovi koja je negde na 800 metara sam ubacio u “petu”, skrenuo ulevo i trka je bila rešena, odmah sam napravio zavidnu prednost i potom do cilja plivao u “četvrtoj”. (ne znam da li se sećate, ali imam 6 brzina…).

Držao sam pristojno rastojanje, ali sam opet prilikom trčanja u plićaku izgubio nekih 10-ak sekundi, ali kontrolisano sam držao prednost koja se smanjivala u tim poslednjim metrima stoga to nije igralo nikakvu ulogu jer sam svakako prošao kao prvi kroz cilj.

Odličan trening, a potom i topla (vruća!) čokolada nakon trke i kraćeg rasplivavanja da ogreje promrzle kosti. Poslepodne sam otkrio odlično brdo i par od milion španskih sela na 2.5 h bikea.

Kao nagradu sam dobio xx litara konzervisanog sportskog pića, energetskog pića, i ponešto alkoholnog pića. Cimeri su u toj situaciji najviše profitirali jer sam im sve poklonio.

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