IRONMAN ITALY was held at the weekend, where we were represented by
David Štíbr and Michal Houška.
While David raced here last year, for Michal it was the premiere IRONMAN!
Here we bring you their feelings about the race:
Michal Houška:
A year ago I decided that I wanted to move on in the triathlon. I set a clear target for 2019 to successfully complete the long Ironman. I'm quite new to the triathlon. I passed the first half IM in 2016. To get ready for the race I found a coach. I approached my friend from the youth Honza Strangmüller from the training group Road2kona.
The goal was clear to finish the race in under 11 am. Even before that, in early September, I tried the half-track form in Zell am See, where I drove a passenger and began to suspect that it would be good.
And now to the race itself.
I arrived in Italy with my family on Wednesday evening to get acclimated to Saturday when it was the start.
On Thursday I was cycling the dreaded ascent in Bertinoro, so I wasn't surprised at the exit and exit.
Before the race, I still did part of the track from the depot to underestimate anything and I drove part of the track with my partner David Štíbr. There was also a little shattering that day, when there were still quite big waves at sea, and a slight hatch awaited me.
The day of the wake-up call was at 4:30. Depot was open until 7 am so I arrived there in time to get everything ready and had no nerves. The morning was relatively cold around 10 ° C so it was not very pleasant, but it was slowly coming out of the sun so it was such a nice romantic morning. Before the start we met a trainer, asked for some important information about how I have to go in what beats and also the last few tips for eating. For swimming I stood in the corridor with less than 1 hour. And everything started. The first about 100 m ran the sea, then finally began to swim.
For me, swimming was relatively easy, and especially the fast sea had a pleasant 22 ° C and everything went away very quickly.
With orientation I had no problems was enough fighting at sea so I was not lost anywhere. I got out of the water at 1:02, so total satisfaction and almost 8 min. above planem. At rest I run to the first depot, change with neoprene bite into a baguette with ham, which I had prepared, I find a bike and go to 180 kilometers.
Each racer had to start a few roundabouts before he left town. The track was fast and we were blowing a bit against it. At each refreshment station I took a banana and later also a drink. The atmosphere during the race was amazing everywhere a lot of fans have to say I enjoyed it.
From the 150th kilometer I was looking forward to sitting on the bike, but fortunately it wasn't any trouble. After leaving the main track we had 20 kilometers to the finish and I was in euphoria how good I am and how well I am doing.
I go to the depot and I am excited to have done the lap in 5:02. I was completely calm in the depot and I would like to change my shoes and go to the marathon.
The plan was to run it around 5:10 and run it to 4:50. I ran well from the start until I was surprised how fast I was running. Fortunately, I had no medical complications in my stomach or muscle. It was very important for me to adjust my head so I could finish everything perfectly.
The whole family was cheering on the track including a coach. It was very pleasant and encouraging. When I ran into the 3rd round I started to realize that I will have a good target time but I still refrained from a clear plan, especially to finish it without a problem.
At the 38th kilometer came a minor crisis but rather in the form of muscles and joints but I already knew that it is really close to the finish.
As I ran to the finish line, emotions flowed.
Everyone was cheering for me and I knew my premiere would be very, really very successful. Target time 9:47 !!!!!
I would like to thank the whole family and the coach for supporting me and making me perfectly prepared for this peak of the season!
David Štíbr:
Race day Italy 2019
I sleep quite well and because I live right at the start, I order the alarm at 5.00 am Everything is ready for the evening and so no further delay. Markéta is also coming up with me and since we are on holiday without children for the first time in 7 years, we have a great grandmother to do so, she can spend a long day with me. For breakfast I give eggs, bread, ham, cheese. We are preparing 4 mini toasts of ham and cheese. After bad experience with the stomach, I forbid to take more than 3 gels internally. . I go to an extremely long depot, check the bike, give the bidons and half-eat food in the peg, check the bags on the hanger. We have a meeting at 7 in front of the hotel, respectively. u startu. Michal and Martin are exactly here. Honza arrives with his family, who prepared us for 10 months with Michal. The mood is good, Michal is a lot of grip, my friend Martin, more nervous. We're sitting in the lobby of the hotel, because it's 10 degrees outside in the morning, a few quirks, and John tells me to go for a swim - inflate and adjust the neoprene ... and go forward.
The temperature of the water is about 21 degrees .... and so it can be in the winter:) .... We stand in the front corridor, the girls are always in contact, I'm glad they are there, I see Honza. It's nice we're there 3 and we're talking. The last time I think I just keep what he said, keep it on AEP. I say to myself: "don't fuck it" (as a rehearsal I went 2 weeks ago 2-day Gighatlon and I went in the first day significantly over the recommendation to go to AEP and after 6 hours I was dead) I will not make the same mistake. I say to myself what Honza said to me again, and as we set it up, I believe it. Plan: swim 1:10 hrs, lap: hold 35 km / h ie 5:08 hrs and run it under 5, saying: "you can hold it in half and then it starts to fall, but under 5:30 it won't fall. 10:30 "... you'll see - even if the depots are long.
Start:
It will give us a break, but we start in 12 seconds. I see Michal running as far away as I can and I don't know about him after 100 meters. The first is after 400 m and 1100 m straight. I was instructed to set the timmer on the 500m watch to see how I was swimming, but nothing was visible at all. I'll look up at the 1500-meter fighter and be there in 25 minutes. This corresponds to my performance in half, because in calm salt water with rubber I can swim half for 32, here again ran quite a lot, I do not make any conclusions. I am not a good swimmer and after 2 km I have a problem to hold the direction and there is no swimming power, after the last turn I have a problem with orientation and the biggest direction and I add classic meters extra. Out of the water at 1:11 and I run a long depot and first hear Marketa with Honza, here, here, come back, screaming from behind the fence. I hear good, it is good according to plan be still and I still perceive Misa, who is waiting for Martin. I'm in the depot just over 6 minutes.
Bike :
I know it is a plain, 2 times with a hill of 2.1 km, which must be driven a bit carefully, but I know it. The track is flat and the biggest problem can be the wind. Also, yes and the first km lead directly against. Paradoxically, it reassures me, because it sits according to the forecast and as the track turns, it should be the alternation of wind from the side. For 30 minutes I get to the desired diameter of 35 km, I think, so you stay here until the end. I check my heartbeats, my clothes, and I feel quite detained, no, I just don't go, stay exactly on AEP, and I feel like I'm hanging out. I watch drinks and buffets, which are after 30 km always take bidon isa and water. Every 40 minutes I want to bite something and rotate sticks, cupolas and I still have our toasts from breakfast. With them I swallow even a portion of the napkin that remained there from one side, but certainly better than aluminum foil. Before the first ascent I drive an average of 35.6, up to 34 km / h on top, but after the descent it is back again. I still hold it in lap 2 and suddenly I hear Davk come on, come on, it's a good hold. Marketa with Misa on the track, it was very pleasing. Markéta still screams at me that Michal is about 7 minutes ahead and Martin is about 4 minutes behind. So I think they're going great. Honza is coming to me under the hill, he makes some photos and videos on his bike and tells me again about the boys and that Michal is doing great. He repeats again to keep the plan exactly. The end of the wheel is against the wind, but the past few kilometers are not quite clean. I am not the only one to play Mirek Dušín and I do not quite hold 12 meters either. Goal round 5:08 exactly on schedule. Second depot for 4:08
Running:
Hold it in half and then it starts to fall, ringing in my ears. The first km and the watch 4:37 / km. Good feet, they go, I think. The run has 4 laps of 10, 5 km and everybody is cheering everywhere, plus everybody is cheering directly to me. Thanks to the tracker, everyone can see exactly where everyone is and how he is doing with time. Excellent, great I hear right from the girls, Honza and his family stand in front of the bridge, how are you? Good answer and just hear, so hold it. On the track I also meet Renata and Petr at the finish of the last lap, as they are cheering for. Market and Míša girls are watching us, I need salt tablets. Míša has a reserve for Martin, but gives Marketa, I often see that Market overtakes me and shouts: you give me like a high five but I am waiting for the screw ampoules, which I had them and yet I have a plastic bag in my hand and it falls to the ground. Shit ... I hear Margaret. I let it out of my head and in 15 seconds I watch and Markéta overtakes me, which scared me a lot because I started to doubt that the watch was showing up well. She ran over and got my bag. Then I check my watch and laugh for the first time on the run. I run 4:50 per kilometer and she overtakes me again, she doesn't run. On a long plain along the sea I see Peter and Maria, banners above my head and I hear Davko put it under 10 great…. It surprised me a lot, because I honestly did not think about it at all and for a while there is a worm in my head, if not to switch the watch for the total time and I know it's 30 to the finish. No, I don't look there, I keep the plan as I should, and I will slow down, after 2 km I'm back at Honza and he asks for the pulse. I'm reporting 130, that's it, you're running under 4:50 km, keep it on. In my head I have what he said, before the race, in half you will slow down, but I do not know how much. It already hurts, the first time I go refreshment somewhere around 17 km, so to drink more, I take iso, ajjj it is ugly, I can no longer, it does not feel good on my stomach. I am at the half marathon exactly 5:00 / km, I am well here, talking aloud, the war is starting ... I continue to change only cola and water, but I know that I need something, I have to give something, but it cooks in me. I give a marigold of orange and that's good, the pace is falling, but not too much. The pace then flies up according to how much I refresh, the stomach problem is escalating, but nothing tragic, I give safety toik where nothing happens, but I am still able to return even after a stop from 5:50 km to about 5:30 per km and I know that it will be good and I will fulfill the plan 39-40 km I have already "stitched", there is a buffet, it is full and I go through it and still calmly drink a lot of Coke + water, before the goal, everywhere clouds of people. I hear the spectator talking people, it goes to 2 rounds, the guy to 3 ... I hear my name and speakra I run into the carpet, I hear Czech, Renata with Petr Simanek, superrrrrrr, I hear Mischa and in the distance of the Market yelling, but I can't see her, I pass the second speakar and yell from my lungs jooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. Total time 10: 11,12 s (run at 3:40) I get a badge and sit right behind the target on the bench, the body is turning off and total, ... how many fingers do you see Halloo, how many fingers do you see? He asks a medic. David, David, my partner, Michael, is sitting a bit, pushing the food inside, and he's completely fresh. He's very happy and it's very visible on him, I'm very happy too, but I guess it's not like seeing me. I walk out of the tent, there is Market, Honza with his family, Míša, Market embraces me and after him Honza: "well put it".
I have a fever like a pig, and I walk with Market to the hotel. She's still checking Martin, he's here somewhere. We'll wait for them, cheering him. In a moment, it was beeping that it was already in the finish. So I missed him. I get together in my room, fall asleep for an hour. In 2.5 hours we all meet in the pizzeria. Everyone enthusiastic, Michal Para 9:47, Me 10:11 and my friend Martin 10: 42… all well under schedule. And I think our girls were proud of us too.
At the start I wanted to go under 10:30 and 10:11 am very satisfied. After 10 months of training under the leadership of Honza Strangmuller I went a long way and I want to go after her, I want to move it again in all 3 disciplines and I Honza not only thank you as a coach, but also for your personal approach, which suits me very much!
Lukáš Drbohlav and his partner Petra Krčmářová also took part in the race. But they rode the middle and olympic triathlon. After the race, however, they were thrilled and are already planning to stretch the distance to full IM and half next year! Congratulations !!!
