RACE PLANNING 2011

Amigos,

Como ya muchos sabéis, a finales de Noviembre, estamos de regreso a Barcelona, después de 4 años expatriados en Puerto Rico y Hong Kong...resultado...debo aplazar mi segundo challenge, again, ya que no estaré más por la Región!

Así pues, a continuación adjunto mi planning provisional para la temporada 2011...por favor, necesito consejos y comentarios sobre cómo véis este plan para alguién como yo que tan sólo ha realizado 3 triatlones Olímpicas y 2 medias maratones desde que me inicié hace 16 meses...

1. Cursa dels Nassos,  31/12/2010, supongo que la haré junto a Elaine...su primera 10 K...pero no la última! http://www.bcn.cat/cursanassos/

2. Mitja Granollers, 06/02/2011, a ver si se puede mejorar la marca de Asia... http://www.lamitja.cat/

3. Marató Barcelona, 06/03/2011, mi primera maratón, espero poder hacerla por debajo de 4 horas...mmm, bueno, quizás objetivo demasiado ambicioso...pero por pedir que no quede! jaja http://www.barcelonamarato.es/

4. Cursa Nike-Bombers, 17/04/2011, mi cuarta participación en la misma, pero, hace 5 años que no la hago debido a mis expatriaciones! http://www.cursabombersadmin.com/

5. Triatlón Banyoles B, 24/04/2011, mi primer triatlón distancia B...http://www.triatlo.org/competicions/

6. Half Challenge Barcelona-Mareseme, 29/05/2011, mi primera 70.3 y segundo desafío de larga distancia en triatlón. http://www.challenge-barcelona.es/index_evento.php?lang=EN

7. Marnatón Cap de Creus, 04/09/2011, travesía a nado de 6.5 Kms...me gusta disfrutar de este tipo de travesías, aunque, será la distancia más larga que he nadado nunca, ya que, la más larga ha sido de 5.2 Kms de Repulse Bay hasta Stanley Bay en Hong Kong. http://www.marnaton.com/2009/

8. Cavalls del Vent, 01&02/10/2011, travesía de montaña de 84.5Kms y desnivel acumulado de 12.2Kms...no estoy convencido que pueda hacerla, pero, dependerá de cómo llegue a la cita...http://www.naturetrails.es/2010/index.html
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8. Challenge Barcelona-Maresme, 02/10/2011, todavía no lo tengo decidido y ya veremos cómo va la temporada...http://www.challenge-barcelona.es/index_evento.php?lang=EN

9. Garmin Triatlón Barcelona, 16/10/2011, triatlón olímpico a ver si puedo mejorar la marca de Hong Kong...sin T-1 de 1.5 Kms y 8´15´´, debería estar por debajo de 2h30´  http://www.garminbarcelonatriathlon.com/

En principio, estos son los eventos que me gustaría participar pero dependerá de mi estado de forma y que las lesiones no me perjudiquen la planificación...cómo ha ocurrido durante el 2010!

Un abrazo y espero veros pronto!

¨XTB¨Xavi.

WHERE IS THE BIKE?

Friends,
Am I too big (6.4"/1.93 and 213lbs/97Kgs) or is it the bike too small? Feel free to comment those pics...

Talk to you very soon!

"XTB" Xavi.

BARCELONA DRAGONS TRIATHLON CLUB...COMING SOON!

Friends!
Yeap, please, read carefully...you might be interested:

Values:
1.No Stress,
2.Mens Sana, in Corpore sano,
3. Carpe Diem,
4. Friendhsip,
5. Social Responsibility.

Goals:
1. Friendship, sportmanhsip and "group of friends" approach,
2. Any kind of Triathlon or Adventure Sport version, especially,Nature related!
3. Auto-competing, but, learning and training for free with best specialist from the Club,
4. International: Hong Kong would be as main holding group and supporting us during our first years. Australia ones is also being in the starting process. Any expatriate in Barcelona will be more than welcome to join our Club.
5. Social Reponsibility would be one of our Top Priorities, collaborating and  volunteering with any organization looking for our help, but, especially, related to kids sickness (Cancer Childhood Organizations).
6. Dragons Kids,open for kids above 6 years old, as we will organize some, "Splash' n' Dash" events during the year for our little kids or any kid who would like to join...of course, we will be looking for future promises and triathlon champions in early stages.
7. Not exclusivity: you will be able to be member of our Club and any other Club, but, we would like you to race at least once or twice per year using our colours and BARCELONA DRAGONS TRISUIT!!

If interested of becoming a member of this new Triathlon Club, please, feel free to leave a comment below and your e-mail address to contact you asap.

Talk to you very soon,

"XTB" Xavi.

Spanish translation:

Valores:
1.No Stress,
2.Mens Sana, in Corpore sano,
3. Carpe Diem,
4. Amistad,
5. Responsabilidad Social.
Objetivos:
1. Amistad, "juego limpio" y "grupo de amigos",
2. Cualquier tipo de Triatlón o Deportes de Aventura, especialmente, relacionados con la Naturaleza!
3. Auto-competición, pero aprendiendo y entrenando  gratis con los mejores especialistas del Club,
4. Internacional: Hong Kong sería la sede y mayor soporte del grupo durante los primeros años. Australia también esta creando otra filial de Hong Kong Dragons.Cualquier expatriado que quiera unirse al Club será má sque bienvenido!
5. Responsabilidad Social será una de las primeras prioridades, colaborando y actuando como voluntarios con cualquier Organización No Gubernamental que busque la nuestra ayuda, pero en especial, relacionada con niños enfermos (Organizaciones de Ayuda al Cáncer Infantil).
6. Dragons Kids,abierto a niños a partir de los 6 años, ya que organizaremos algunas actividades, tipo ¨Splash´n´Dash¨ durante el año para nuestros pequeños y cualquiera otro que esté interesado en participar...por supuesto, iremos cazando nuevos talentos y futuros campeones de triatlón!
7. No exclusividad: podrás ser miembre de nuestro Club y cualquier otro, pero, lo único que pedimos es que al menos durante una o un par de veces por año uses nuestros colores usando BARCELONA DRAGONS TRISUIT!

Si estás iteresado en comvertirte en miembre de este Nuevo Triatlón Club, por favor, deja un comentairo debajo con tu e-mail paa que podamos contactarte lo antes posible para darte más detalles.

Hasta pronto,

"XTB" Xavi.

FOURTHATLON...?!?!

Dear Friends!

Let's start by The End!!!

Yeap, you are reading correctly, yesterday,K-Swiss 2010 HK ITU Triathlon Asian Cup became instead of a triathlon a fourthatlon!!

Swim-run-bike-run...correct, T1 was 1.6 Kms running and wearing running shoes from swim finish to our bike transition area.

Before the start setting-up transition area...

                              ...everything ready...almost everything...

                                                  ...as I was still sleepy!!

                                                ...and after the race!!
What I have learned on my 3rd Olympic Triathlon race?
1- Don't train 3 days before new running drills, especially, high skipping  and butt kick running drills...result extreme hip pain and calf pain inflamated on day race!! Which affected me on last 5 Kms running...then, I moved to rin-walk-run for last 3 Kms... :-(

2- Becareful with uncontrolled "power-boat marshalls" during your swim...yeap, I have been hit twice during my swim, as I was one of the first swimmer and my swim strategy was doing a little curve to get positive tide factor on my left side to get faster to the first turning buoy...pum hitted by the f------- a------!!, second loop, I thought, let's go straight to avoid this boat over my back...but, again...I could not believe!! Anyway, of course, I am going to write an e-mail to HK Triathlon Association to inform about that fact and let's see the outcome!

3- Inspired by some "Kona running backwards finishers"...yeap, some people might thought, what an idiot...but, I just did, I finish my race running backwards and level of applauses increased!! as my triathlon time was not supposed to be too good, after so looong T1!! Anyway, I liked ...and might repeat more times in the future!! (at least I did not fall!! lol)

OK, let's go for a quick race report and comparison to LY same race, I attach my Garmin 310 XT Multisport report:
Official results:http://www.itu.sportsoho.com/result/Olympic_Results.pdf

HKITU 2010 (Result: 20th out of 118th AG-35-39)          HKITU 2009

Swim: 27'11'' (4th) (including 2 swim interruptions!!)         27'47''
T1:       7'20'' (1.6 Kms running!!)                                  3'06''
Bike:1h05'26''(10th) (strong bike...)                                        1h08'18''
T2:      2'55''                                                                      2'11''
Run:   51'12'' (72th)(injured...run-walk-run last 3Kms)                             53'26''

Total:2h34'03'' (Official time)                           2h34'47''

Friends, overall, I am satisfied with my result...if you deduct at least 5' of extra running session for T1, my ending result might have been 2h29'00'' which would mean 7th overall result, instead of 20th...bid difference...target achieved under 2h30', with a walk-run-walk time for my last 3 Kms !! yuju!!

Finally, about my CKP Global Triathlon Team results in Barcelona Garmin Olympic Triathlon,  last weekend triathlon, they did very well for their first time,as members of that new created team!

Olympic distance (bike 33 Kms instead of 40 Kms) 1,804 participants
807 Sergio Soriano 2h29´10´´
1,710 Steve Giafaglione 3h01´48´´
1,786 Patrik Stalberg 3h19´44´´
Ricard Sola DNS
Rafael Alegre DNS

Sprint Team: 79/82 total
79 Paulo Borges/Lidia Niculai/ 1h39´38´´

Last but not least, thanks to Checkpoint to offer that nice CKP Global Triatlhlon Team Elite Trisuit that we wear during our races!

Talk to you very soon on my next post!

"XTB" Xavi.

CKP GLOBAL TRIATHLON TEAM...GOOD LUCK!!! GO,GO,GO!!

Friends, tomorrow, Steve, Ricard, Sergio, Rafa, Paulo, Patrik and Lidia all 7 colleagues from Checkpoint Systems will experience their first experience of an Olympic Triathlon distance in Barcelona...and I wish you all the best on that great experience! I wish best luck to all of you for tomorrow!!

Talk to you soon to comment final results from this new CKP Global Triathlon beginners team!

"XTB" Xavi.

HOME SWEET HOME & BARCELONA DRAGONS TRIATHLON TEAM

Friends,

Three news for all of you...

First, I want to share with all of you that after close to 4 years expatriate in Puerto Rico 1.5 years and Hong Kong 2.5 years, we will come back to Barcelona by end of this year...and we are very happy about this new challenge starting in January 2011!

Second, I will start a new local triathlon team, together with some of my friends,colleagues and mates and, anyone, looking to start this passionate sport, as a beginner, from Sprint distance to Ironman, as a member of ¨BARCELONA DRAGONS TRIATHLON TEAM¨, together, with the help and support, from my first triathlon team: Hong Kong Dragons Triathlon Club (http://www.hktriclub.com/)... I will start accepting new members from Januarry 2011 to join our team...and one of our main tagline will be: ¨Whatever you do, do it with all your heart!¨ followed by ¨Mens sana in corpore sano¨...I will inform you much more on my next posts.

Third, next ¨1st Half Marathon Personal Best Challenge: Carretera de les Aigues¨ November 19th, 6.00 pm tentative date...Pau (http://www.ironpanic.com/) i Ferran, Toni (http://www.sedentaris.cat/) ... i com no Steve G., (company new running shoes, ok? ;-))

Finally, I some update, about my very active weekend, as I participated in 3 events...

1. Friday Oct. 1st (China National Holiday):10K Run VTP 2010 Challenge: unofficial result close to 1h02´ (3´better than 2009 result) http://www.clubbalance.org/doc/VTP2010_Overall_Result.pdf

(Background...looking down to focus just before the start

with very fashinable orange race t-shirt....!!)

2. Saturday Oct. 2nd: 48K Dragons Bike TTT: (the ¨Misfits¨ team....really misfit and lost during the race trying to empower one of the members very tired...second lap, I did my fastest lap ever, as ITT, lol) http://www.hktriclub.com/team-announcements/dragonsttt

3. Sunday Oct. 3rd : 3.5K OWS: (including left shoulder injury after 1.5K)http://www.hkasa.org.hk/images/OpenWater2/12th_3.10.2010/Results_12thOW_(Men3.5km)_3.10.2010.pdf

Talk to you very soon!!

¨XTB¨Xavi.

IMPORTANCE OF TIDE AND STRAIGHT SWIM...OWS EXPERIENCE!

Dear Friends!!

So long without a post, (wow it looks like ages) but I would like to share that important experience about the importance of tide and straight swim in theory same OWS distance with a totally different time result for aprox. 5 Kms, close to 11'30''...

OWS was from Repulse Bay to Stanley pier in Hong Kong Island aprox. 5 Kms.

First time result 4,850 meters and 1h19'51'' on July 31st:

http://connect.garmin.com/activity/42537999

Second time result: 5,210 meters and 1h31'21'' on September 25th, 360 meters more swam and 11'30'' slower than first one mainly due to very strong tide coming out of Stanley bay...it looked like when I was looking to the coast that I was literally not moving, 13'24'' slower than first time on the last 1,710 meters!!!




Btw, just quick update, I am trying to train for my 3rd OD triathlon in Hong Kong HKITU on October 24th,
 and hopefully to finish under 2h30'...let's see!!

K-Swiss 2010 Hong Kong ITU Asia Pacific

Finally, my next challenge to finish first 70.3 have been delayed till December 5th Asia Pacific one in Phuket...let's see if my third 70.3 will work, first one Singapore, ITBS injury, second one Phillipines, too long summer vacation in Spain with excellent food and wine and not trained enough...let's cross-fingers for 3rd tentative! ("A la tercera va la vencida?" they say in Spanish)

Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship

Talk to you after HKITU to share result and experience one year later of my first OD triathlon!

"XTB" Xavi.

PB HIM UNICEF CHARITY RUN DISNEY HONG KONG

Friends,

My next PB running target...any donation to UNICEF will be more than welcome!

http://run.unicef.org.hk/en_enrollment2.php?pfpid=2010072900052

Cheers!

"XTB" Xavi.

GREAT EXPERIENCE...HASTA PRONTO!

Friends,

During one year, I have really enjoyed my blogging experience and learned a lot about this fantastic "other world" to learn a lot about the "real world" and mainly "triathlon/running world"!

I have reviewed my first post (July 14th, 2009) and objectives set on that time:

Goals:
1st. To get fit and healthy (I am getting close to 40´s...) and try to get under 100 kgs. by end of year 2009:  ACHIEVED,as right now I am 99 Kgs (lost 16 Kgs during last 12 months)...and  feel much more fit than one year ago but less than next year...(I hope so!)


2nd. To support and sponsor a good cause: ¨Caico Foundation¨ (www.fundacioncaico.org) colaborating internationnaly with Manuel Clavel and his ¨Ironmancaico¨ oddissey! (http://www.ironmancaico.com/): ACHIEVED,as I sold all Kms of my first Olympic triathlon distance last Ocotber raising close to 4,000 Euros, thanks to all who believed in me and I finalized that triathlon under my 3 hours goal, 2h34'...not bad for my first one! 


3rd. The most important one, to remember and honor my mom, who suddenly passed away (09.07.07) already two years ago who was a sports lover and practised gymnastic and aquagym very frequently.ACHIEVED AND WILL ALWAYS ACHIEVE,time flies, already 3 years that my mom left us...and will always follow her lessons and push to help anyone interested to quit smoking, as is one of the worst "killer phantom" that exist!
 
Unfortunately, one days is just 24 hours...and time flies! and as per my last quote " "WHEREVER YOU GO, GO WITH ALL YOUR HEART" Confucius...
 
Finally, to all of you THANK YOU VERY MUCH to read and follow my blog during last year...and I don't know, if this will be my last post on this blog or not, but, I need a break for a while...HASTA PRONTO AMIGOS!

SPECIAL THANKS, to my lovely family: Elaine, Mar and Lucas, you deserve all my time...
 
"XTB" Xavi.
 
P.S: Btw, THANK YOU Pau (and your wife Bea to join and support us during this event)  (http://www.ironpanic.com/) who helped me to beat my 10 KMS PB  (46'00'')  together with other runners, as Xavi, and bloggers from Sedentaris.cat (http://www.sedentaris.cat/) as Ferran, Toni and my CKP colleague Steve Giafaglione...may be we could do it again but next time for HM PB?...Ferran, I believe you can lead this initiative from your running blog once every 6 months...just some ideas!! THANKS AGAIN!! I really enjoyed that dusty day!

10K BLOGGER MEETING RUN...& WHY NOT PB?

Friends!

As if you have read my blog, I am going for vacation to Spain during several weeks tomorrow and want to invite you to join me for a 10 K run trying to beat my PB, as of today 46´30´´!

What, Where, When, Why, and Who?

What? 10 K run

Where? Carretera de les Aigües (Barcelona) (my preferred place to run in Barcelona...)

When? June 30th, 7.00 P.M.

Why?  I would like to meet, as much as many bloggers, but, this time ¨face to face¨to hsare with you one training and, if you help and support to try to achieve my PB in 10K, achieved in Hong Kong " 46´30´´.

Who? Everyone who wants to join!!!

Por favor, todos aquellos que os queráis apuntar a la misma....pues, colocar un comentario abajo para saber más o menos cuantos seremos...y no colapsar el parking de la Carretera de les Aigües!! (jaja es broma)

Btw, about the logo on the top, I was looking for a 10K logo and I found this one...I did this race in 2008 and was impressive, 11,449 finishers! it really remembered me Cursa de Bombers 2005, 2006...

http://wb10k.allsportcentral.com/results/results.cfm?EventID=16927

I hope to see some bloggers on that date! Thanks in advance!

¨XTB¨ Xavi.

P.D: Per cert, no em vull oblidar de felicitar als meus nebots: MOLTES FELICITATS! Ariana  i Xavi....fan 15 anys avui! Per cert, excel.lents jugadors de basket...el Xavi Assalit, és el actual base del DKV Joventut Cadet B (per mi un futur ¨Ricky¨però evidentment que ha de dir el seu tiet!!!) i la Ari millor base del St. Adrià, on juga la meva fillola i germana gran d´ells, la Blanca de 3 al equip Senior Copa del St. Adrià!...i per cert, els seus papis fan avui també 21 anys de casats! Felicitats per tots!