Missing the good old 2:40's :)

Another IM another finish another awesome result. IM louisville, I am having a great time here!!!

I will exclude the pre race stuff, everything went like it should happen so no writing about that

The swim was HOT, felt like soup or tea :), right at the begining i got a really har punch of the face, Ouch, black eye was the result (only saw that o the finish) i felt a good fast stroke till the turn around buoy where i was on someones feet with the feeling that i was going alright but surely couldnt get away from there, so that was what ive done, now in the turn around buoy i was in the inside and got some problems to go through it. i lost my beloved feet and tried to get there for i would say 700 800 meters, it seemed that it was just there but never made it, crap i issed what would eventually be the 56 min group with quite a few good names on it. i then got passed and did prett much the rest of the swim in another pair of feet, it was really a good ride absolutely affortless although i knew i was loosing time with that. 57:30 was the time out of the water.

Bike time, it has been 2 year since i was here racing and i surely forgoten how tough this course is, after that small connection to the loops its just insane the ammount of short steep hills in the course, constant up and down all the time, melts your legs. I was in the save energy for the run zone again and maybe go a little faster in the second loop. i was feeling well especially after the first hour of riding, i passed all the girls earlier tha usual so i tought i didnt have a bad swim. lots of lonelly riding going through the hills untill i got to the second loop where we all mix with the age group in the first loop. i passed a few atheletes, and at 125km mark Max caught me, we changed some words about fast running to get closer to the lead i rode with him in sight until T2 around 45 seconds. my second lap was indeed faster. i was feeling confident that the effonrt of the bike would produce a fast run to get in the top spots, the nutrition was flawless and hidration too.

The fact is that again just like in Utah, as soon i got my feet on the floor i didnt felt the speedy legs, it was hot, i didnt really feel that, i started drinking and eating right away and that was enough to forget how hot and humid it was, i just didnt have running legs, i was 10th and the coments where that there was a ton of guys that where just melted, like i would guess, i was in 6th place in no time so the question was if i could get to the top5. i was running slow i sure miss the super fast runs but this year in ironman they seem to stay home. The good thing was that i got into 5th at the end of the first lap and at that time seeing where the competition was and how many just pulled out of the race, i really just want to stay in 5th, and i was safe there, 4th was to far away and 6th too. i just cruised to the finsh line, dont get me wrong i was hurting.

Yes for the ones that know me, i am unhappy because the run that got me into so many podiums isnt here but im really happy to grab another grab another great performance, i love this sport, i stayed at the finish area with Nikki up untill Kevin got home at around 9pm, his first IM and looked good :) great people, great race venue, i had a great day yesterday!!!!

take look at my finishing video, thanks byk :P

climbing

I love it, Serra da estrela is by far the best place in portugal to do the big 20+km climbs all very steep. It was very sad to see that a very big area of protected area has burned recently, quite a sight as i was going through areas still smoking. bad bad bad

its almost flight time, monday, i have been feeling good because i have been resting a lot for the past week despite all the hard workouts so now that the tough days are gone i expect to feel even better....duuuh ;)

the gang is doing alright

everyone is at "casa del marques" :)

the ride "up" here was tough with 5h of head wind with a short visit to the dam, yesterday a long brick and a 4000 swim at the pool and today a longish run and will leave soon for  another open water swim.

nedless to say i like how this is flowing. after the swim ill go to serra da estrela where tomorrow ill thrown plenty of climbs in the training pack im having ;)

photos to come as the web connection gets ..faster

DSC00194

Private joke :)

changing address for a week...

tomorow ill leave lisbon and go to Tomar witch is a lot more quieter than here. a week of meditation ;)

its been a while since i spent some days over there actually so it will be good to go back and log some final miles before heading to US.

the tour of portugal is under way, just as good as the Tour...ok not so but we have our cycling reality. as the distance from my home to tomar is quite doable ill have my own stage of 170km to get there and definitely a good workout, just hope that the wind is not blowing from north or i will have some problems making the 5h cut witch is my scheduled workout.





training is going pretty well and most of the key workouts are getting in from loooong track workouts at noon with 38º (like today) to long bricks , some more easily than others for sure but are all in the bag, still a few to go, the heat that has been consuming the portuguese forest unfortunately is more than enough to deal with the kentucky area. I honestely dont think my swim is as good as a couple months ago before going to that nightmare in altitude but i would say i will be fine in louisville ;) i hope

ill be checking in tomorrow if i can log in

Enjoying. The last night of 5 recovery d

Enjoying. The last night of 5 recovery days :)

Reenc.:: Happy birthday present. :)

Happy birthday present. :)