Racing Qatar - Sharq Village Charity 15k run

          For several reasons I was really looking forward to this race, rather than MTB on Friday. It was on Saturday at 2pm so I could sleep enough, have a good and long breakfast and slowly drive to the start having plenty of time to warm up, stretch and put my head together. It was a run and a long one, and I knew that I’m much better in running. I was eager to try if I can push my limits and finish within one hour and I knew that I can fight for the victory. And although I didn’t know if there were any prizes, I had a feeling that it might be something like last year at The Torch staircase run since a hotel resort was organizing it J

          It was a nice sunny and warm day, perfect for running. The route got changed last minute to the airport cycle path instead of Corniche because of construction which was bad for the attractiveness of the venue, but was better from the running point of view, because there was more space. We walked across the street to the start and along with other around 40 runners I lined up at the start. And off we went!

          he leading group shot ahead quite fast and I had to follow them, because I didn’t want to lose contact with the front. It was a long race, but it is always to be in front and put pressure J 3:45 min/km was just 15 seconds faster than my intended pace, so I rather easily ran 30m behind and was waiting what this pace will do to the others. 3:45 is fast running and not everyone can do this for 15k! I felt that I might and wanted to try.

          The pace was stable for 2k and then everyone started to slow down. Everyone except me and one guy and soon we were running together far ahead of the rest. There was quite strong headwind and maintain even my 4 min/km was difficult, but not that much that my heart rate or me would go out of the comfort zone. Breathing easy, running lightly, doing long steps and hearing Victor’s heavy breath and short stride on my shoulder was the first half of the race.

          There was a bit surprise waiting for us, because the halfway mark and turning point was on the kilometer 8.5 and not 7.5! This meant 2k more of running and it brought a tiny worry into my mind! “No problem! Now it is downwind…let’s take advantage of it, speed up and be there sooner!” I said, spun around the half way cone, prolonged my pace and started to open the gap.

          It was an amazing feeling. Flying 3:45 min/km on the tenth kilometer and not being much tired. I again wondered where all this came from. But who cares…it was there so I used it and finish those 17k in 1:06:35! I was running a bit out of energy and slowing down the last three or four kilometers, but there was still a bit left for a push or sprint if needed. But Victor was far behind, so there was no stress J I think this was probably my the best run I’ve ever done and I don’t think I ever felt that powerful!

          And guess what was the first prize? One night stay with breakfast in the Sharq Village and Spa resort J Couple more of races like this and I will know all the best Doha hotels for free! Now let’s catch up with biking and get the same empowering and invincible feeling on two wheels!

Racing Qatar – Ambassador’s XC MTB race

         At the beginning of the season sometime in October there have been rumors that the Filipinos are organizing a huge MTB racing championship of 6 races of different styles and disciplines, with huge prize money, hundreds of racers from all around Middle East, brand new dedicated bike track with hills and amazing support.

          First tentative schedules were presented and people started to get really excited. Including me of course! But as is always here where local authorities are involved, in this case Qatar Cycling Federation, some local sponsor from Wakrah and Lusail city development, it started slowly to drag. December 13 became December 27 and then January 10. Although they say it is fixed now, there is still not much relevant information posted and carved in stone!

          Well…for me it was actually much better like this, because slowly all the pieces were coming together as I got more time to train properly, because I’m out of cycling shape and I got time to bring a new more race like bike! So this race under patronage of the Filipino ambassador to Doha was their kind of rehearsal for the real championship and my examination how much I will have to do to be competitive.

          The race itself was almost the same as our well known Duhail track only with few new twists. 34k of fast biking in the most technical terrain available in Qatar!

          And for me the race started and finished already on Thursday evening when I kind of mentally conceded and prepared just to ride and try to have fun. I was more looking forward to go to see the new Hobbit movie and almost preferred to sleep a bit extra than to go fight in the wasteland! No motivation, no hunger, no drive…and when you are thinking like this, you can’t do anything…and I knew that.

          I had to borrow bike from Denrei, because mine was sold within 10 minutes I put the advertisement on Facebook. It was a nice full suspension 29er, but one size smaller and with a very short handlebar and a bit out of alignment shifting. I pumped the tires too much because I didn’t know the bike was tubeless, so for all the above reasons the ride was a bit cramped and bumpy.

          I lost a way twice, because I was not familiar with the new track layout. I fell down twice while I got cornered when overtaking and once my shoe got caught under the rear bracket. I tried to push on the flats and sometimes I even thought I was going fast, I was not! My hopes to see Ondrej ahead of me sometimes other than the start went null and I finished 5 minutes behind on second place!

          The only difference so far between the small hobby QCR races in Duhail organized by Davy and 100k dollar professional MTB project was a big tent, couches, music and bigger trophies. But let’s hope that all the promises will come true, UMBC will become one of the biggest bike events in Middle East and we will all be part of it!

Racing Qatar – Al Khor community sprint triathlon

          Events organized by Al Khor community are always very popular, because they are held in their beautiful compound with pool and they always have a nice after race lunch J And of course that they are very well run.

          I did their annual triathlon twice in the past. The first time I went badly wrong way and the second time I was just too new to triathlon and finished somewhere around 10^th place if I remember correctly. This year everything was different! I had the right gear, experience, skills and I was much stronger that last time. And with strength comes confidence which was boosted by fact that none of the strongest guys I knew were on the start line J

          Anyway…the day started with a strange feeling that I don’t remember experiencing for a long time. When the alarm rang I immediately sat up on the bed, my eyes open and I could just feel energy running through my body. I was not tired or sleepy and I felt like I could start running right now! “It’s gonna be a good today” I thought with a smile J I had also a professional race photographer with me, because my beautiful Jitka was doing me a company, so I had one more reason to push to the limits. Everything was set and I was ready. But since I jumped to the pool many small small things started coming, were distracting me and I had to fight a tough mental battle not to lose concentration and keep going.

          First were the 30 lengths of a 22.5m pool. I learned before how to do a flip turn to speed up my swim, but I was afraid to use it here, because we were swimming in circle with two others and I was not confident that I wouldn’t cause some collision, so I was turning as always. Then my goggle got fogged and I had a hard time to see forward and not to hit the end of the pool. But I refused to clear them and was swimming the last laps almost blind! Obviously my style and speed were affected and my swim was slow. How slow I can’t say, because I forgot to push the button…again!

          Transition was good and it was really pity that I couldn’t try my new triathlon specific shoes, because there was manufacture fault and I couldn’t use them! Instead I used my normal shoes, but since I learned how to put them on the bike directly and had a trisuit, I was quite fast there. Run in, put sunglasses, put helmet, grab bike and run out.

          It took me a while to slip into the shoes while on the bike, but still much faster than putting them in the transition area. Then I could enjoy my second strongest discipline, so I grabbed the aerobars and pushed forward over some roundabouts and humps. Unfortunately the last of the hums was so big that I lost my only water bottle! I briefly though to stop and recover it, maybe I should have, but at the end I said: “It’s just half an hour in the bike. I can manage without water!” and I continued.

          Of course I can ride 24k without water, but how fast? Being there and knowing that I’m closing to 45 minutes of maximum exercise without any water I was deep inside afraid to go full speed. I was afraid that I might get too thirsty and then run out of energy that I was just not pushing as hard I could. And in a sprint triathlon giving all you got is the way to go.

          So I overtook a few people and was going around 36km/h average seeing only Iain 100m behind me. This was the fact that made me just cruise like that, because here was not getting closer and I had a feeling that I was the first in the race! It was just a wrong attitude, because what if I wasn’t!

          But it could probably be even worse if I didn’t read the race report from DC Rainmaker the previous day. It was about how he mentally blew up the race, because one thing was not as he expected! I was thinking about it the whole time and it definitely helped me not to slow don’t even more and keep fighting. Nothing is lost until you are in the finish and anything can happen!

          Seeing the end and water in the transition area I speeded up in the last lap. And it was quite easy to increase the speed for 2km/h. Iain did the same and we arrived to the transition almost side by side and in the lead of the race.

          I grabbed a spare bottle from my bag losing some time in the process of course and run out trying to drink and recover. I also took one Turbo snack for the finish, but obviously I got a light side stitch from not keeping the breathing rhythm. So I had to slow down to 4 min/km, try to get rid of the pain and recover. Fortunately Iain is not the fastest runner, so he was at his maximum when I was running easy and recovering J

          Luckily after 2k the pain went away and I got back to normal. Normal meant that I could just gear up and go 3:30 pace for the remaining 3k just like nothing. I just don’t know where all this speed is coming from. I have never been able to run this fast and I don’t remember doing much running training. I think I’m a bit weaker on the bike than before, but the run speeds I can do now are just strange! But it feels great, that’s for sure J

          So my miracle run saved me again and won me another great finish time and trophy. 1:06:21 is fair time, but there is still plenty of room for improvement. But every such experience is valuable and is taking me forward. So maybe one day I will be completely happy with my performance J

Racing Qatar – Aspire aquathlon 2

          Although I gave everything in the MTB duathlon on Friday, I didn’t feel especially tired and didn’t hesitate to race the second Aspire aquathlon on Saturday morning. This is such a short and well run event that you just go there even if it should be just a nice warm up to a new day! But it is never a complete warm up for me and this time was same as always…try race 100% and get below that damn 30min mark J

          Pool layout was a bit different and we were starting from the other side, but I didn’t matter at all. I started the swim rather cautiously trying to lengthen my strokes and save breath, because from my training I know that my speed is always the same no matter how hard and fast I try to swim. “Let’s save energy. My time will be the same anyway” I was calming myself down during the swim. Garmin later confirmed that although my stroke count was rising during the swim, my speed was decreasing J Swimming mystery!!

          I got a super quick transition, one of the fastest of all racers, and started the run with 10:15 on the clock. “So I just have to run in 19 minutes and it is mine J” I smiled and confidence started to crawl up my spine. With that information in mind I didn’t start 100% and was catching up my breath during the first 2 kilometers at 3:45 min/km pace, my goal pace. I felt my legs a bit and didn’t want to rush into having side stitches. So I cruised at 3:45 and around the 3^rd kilometer I felt confident enough to speed up to the final 3:30 sprint! I just couldn’t not to push for better time than the goal.

          So I did it J And I was actually way better than I would ever have expected! 28:58 was time from a dreamland which became reality! “Wow…I better wait for the prize ceremony. Maybe there would be a place on the podium for me” I hoped knowing that in the last race this time would be enough for the bronze.

          Unfortunately some new guys came and I ended up fourth, 2 minutes behind. That was a bit disappointing and immediately my joy from my great result was a bit smaller. “What I have to do to be another minute faster next time?” I started to ask myself when going home empty handed. One is never happy enough J

Racing Qatar – Duhail duathlon

          New week, new challenge! And this time my favorite one…MTB duathlon in Duhail! Not many people showed up, it didn’t matter. I wanted to go as fast as possible and get back my lost winning mind I lost in Mesaieed!

          I wanted to start the first run lap at 4 min/km, but as lately very often, I’m pushed by circumstances to go much faster and surprisingly often it is because I just feel like running faster.  And for some reason I just can run faster than I’ve been ever able to!! Where did this strength come from? No idea! It is just there J

          This time it was combination of fast legs and Ondrej who really wanted to give me hard time! When we run our training runs, he refuses to run faster than 5 min/km so didn’t consider him a thread. But it was probably his strategy, because now he started chasing me at sub-4 min pace!! “What? The garmin has be wrong!” I wondered when flying over the stones and dirt at 3:30. It was not wrong J

          In the transition I had around 2 minutes lead so I started the bike fast, but not crazy fast. I completed the first lap just below 14 minutes and was happy that I was going faster than at the last endurance race here.

           I got a bit too confident and I completely forgot to look back. So to my great surprise when I check the situation behind my shoulders at the beginning of the second lap I saw Ondrej and Les few meters behind me! “What? This is impossible!!” I screamed and started pedaling like a madman. It was to no help, because in no time Les caught me and passed me like I was standing. “What? This cannot be” I wondered in disbelief that I can do absolutely nothing to keep up with him at least for a few meters! So he disappeared and Ondrej was next. He took a bit more time, but passed my also in the middle of the second lap. “He is here one lap too early” a thought blazed through my mind. I knew that I would probably have to chase back on the second run what I lose on the bike, but I was planning to chase one lap gap…not two!

          Although Ondrej in few places suddenly gained 30 meters advantage out of nothing, I was able to gain it back every time and keep a pace with him. I was pedaling with bigger effort, but the speed was good and I was happy that I’m capable of such speed. I thought that I somehow lost all my MTB shape, but I think I’ll still be a tough opponent J

          We finished four laps of biking practically in the same time, but it was clear from the first meters that Ondrej was quite tired. I passed him just at the beginning and continued at decent pace forward feeling good. And then there was the end…

          Les was a lap behind, because he was doing a relay and I passed his runner at the end of my first bike lap, so I finished first of everyone! Got a trophy, but most importantly I enjoyed the race and gained back some confidence to future events! And I started seriously thinking about duathlon being my type of race J

Racing Qatar – Wet and Dry in Mesaieed

          If the race in UAE was an example how it looks like if everything is perfect, this race was complete opposite! Nothing was as it should be L

          Mesaieed based group of Filipino mountain bikers organized their first race on their race track which they promised to be very diverse. Hard ground, soft sand, straight bits, sharp curves, bumps, mud and finally water crossings…everything was there on the 3k loop. And especially the 50m long water channel became something crazy, because it was heavily raining just few days before the race!

          This race showed me the dark side and I really realized how the mental part of the race is important. I experienced in the Desert Stinker race how you are able to push your body if you really want. Here I realized that you cannot push yourself if you actually don’t really want to, because already from Thursday evening I had a mindset that was putting this race more like a training ride and not giving it much importance. There was no hunger for victory. Over-racing maybe! Additionally when getting up after 5 hours of sleep I felt very tired. And it was not only from the lack of sleep. I was not fully recovered from the Desert race. Midweek short ride should have warned me. I felt weak like never!

          And more disturbances were coming. Wind forecast was looking great and after a long time not kiting I was really looking forward to fly again. Jitka was waiting for me at home to pick her up and she was eager also. Basically put, my mind was everywhere else just at the race!

          I was trying out my new bike shoes, but unfortunately they were feeling a bit too big, making them loose and harder to unclip from pedals. This actually resulted that I almost felt down with the bike when stopping. I didn’t, but I hit my knee cap super painfully when jerking the shoe loose! This was two minutes before my starting time and I was pissed! I was pissed also about my bike, which was getting heavy, old, rusty and just not going well. I was blaming it since the training ride and was almost determined to sell it and buy new over Christmas. Nothing was in place. My mind, my body nor my equipment! The race was doomed to failure.

          This was obvious right at the end of the first lap when Jonathan caught me from behind and passed me. It was time trial race and he was starting 30 second behind. I couldn’t keep up and was feeling heavy and sluggish. I saw him in front for another lap and then he was gone! And gone was the last bit of my mood. I was cruising, heart rate low, legs from stone and just looking forward to finish those ten laps and go home. Nothing could change it!

          In lap three I started to feel pain in my toes again signaling that buying new bigger shoes was no help! In lap five my cleat got loose and I spent two minutes tightening it. Then Ondrej passed me like I was just standing by! This was his race J The sudden end of my misery came just at the beginning of seventh lap when I hit a rock so hard that my rear spoke broke! I knew that sound from the last MTB race when this happened to Jonathan just in front of me, so I stopped and briefly thought about just continuing, hoping that no more spokes give away. But that defeatist voice inside me commanded clearly: “Give up man! You cannot go like this. You can go home now. You have a reason to DNF!” It was just too strong and I walked to the finish to retire from the race.

          It was like a kind of mercy and I was grateful for it. Immediately when I started to drive back when everyone else was still on the track, I felt relieved and was throwing this unpleasant experience behind feeling the wind on the beach already.

          But although this experience was unpleasant, it taught me a lot and made me certain about what I finally realized in the UAE desert. Racing is just more than fitness and it is more complex than I thought. I see how the simple fact that you are looking forward to a race can make things different. And when you are looking forward to a race? When you are strong, recovered, confident, happy, hungry and you want to have fun! If you think about a race like a job, obligation or something you just should do, it is a highway to failure and disappointment.

          So I just have to be more careful what I sign up for and there will not have to be another story like this J

Racing Qatar – Urban Ultra Desert Stinker

          This is a story about how it looks like if everything works out perfectly and how it should and has to look like if you want to have a good race and succeed!

           As always I had to go to UAE to arrange something and as always I planned also a race in the same time to fill the weekend and make spending 1000 riyals for visa and flight more worth it. This time it was Desert Strinker 20+20 trail and desert running race. I took a comfortable 8am Friday morning flight, rented a car, did some shopping and mostly because everything was closed I drove early the race location. It was around 50km outside Dubai in a piece of desert I have never been, despite living in Dubai for a year and half! And I missed a really beautiful place. Small yellow dunes, covered with many bushes a grassy spots contrasting with flat and empty salt plains between. Everything clean, colorful, silent and peaceful. Great place for running J

          I was first competitor on site, so I without any stress picked one of the free tents and took a nice hour and half power nap! When I woke up many other racers were setting up their camps around, but this rush went around me. In lazy tempo I prepared everything for the night 20k run around the salt flat and with still plenty of time I went for a short warm up jog. “Wow…I feel so light and quick!!” nice feeling flooded my body. I was ready to rumble!!

          What do you need for a good and strong race? Everyone would immediately say that training, fitness, power, equipment…these are all true. You need them, but that’s just 50% of the success! I would bet that the most of us doesn’t even think about the other half, which is rest, recovery, motivation and mental comfort and strength! And on that day I had everything J

          Doing a lot of racing started to pay off as training, but I was nicely recovered since my last activity four days ago, including that lazy Friday. I was quite motivated and looking forward to this race, because I like trail running and 20k in the desert would be exactly where I knew I’d be strong. I had good shoes, good headlamp, sand gaiters. I was comfortable and confident with my hydration, nutrition and race strategy. And I was calm and in good mood ready to enjoy the race and eager to fight for a good place J

          BANG!! The race started and I went off as per my plan, to go 4:30 min/km and see what happens. My plant shattered into pieces in a second, because one African guy shot forward like he was doing only 1k. “No chance to follow him! He’s too fast” and I pushed him out of my mind. He didn’t have a strong headlamp so he disappeared in the night anyway. But who I couldn’t ignore were two other guys running at around 4 min/km. I had to try to keep up with them.

          Good equipment came into my advantage after two kilometers, where the African and one other runner missed a marker and went a wrong way. My headlamp could shine 100m far, so was easily spotting the markers and showed them the way. I let them catch me, overtake me and show me the way forward, just following and checking. Obviously they got lost soon again and the whole scenario repeated J “Stupid markers! You can’t see them” the African guy was complaining and getting desperate. “It’s not the markers man! It’s the headlamp J” I commented making him probably even more angry and out of focus.

          They god lost once more, but at that time I ran wrong way with them. Fortunately I looked back soon enough to see the trail making a wide u-turn and without warning them I took advantage of the situation. I turned back and before they realized where the trail was going, I was 200m ahead and leading the race.

           From there the race was a pure joy. Running fast across small dunes and dirt roads in a bright night under shining moon. Running between bushes, seeing herds of oryxes crossing your way. Breathing fresh desert air and seeing the lights of the other runners slowly disappear behind you. I was running often without the light on to confuse the others so this wonderful experience was even stronger!

          I was running 100% with heart rate at 180, but the place and environment consumed me so I was not feeling tired and even speed up for the last 5k! 1:25:21 is a decent time for a trail 20k and it was better than I expected. I gained 4 minutes advantage to the second stage and I was looking so happy in the finish that people were joking “You look like you could run another 20 now” They were not far from truth J

          In a good mood we made a barbecue with Jaro, who joined me for the event from Abu Dhabi so we had couple of beers before heading to sleep among the last ones! Real champs J

          The next morning? What can I say! Beautiful clear day with yellow dunes with few green trees among them and fresh crispy air was just screaming for you go running…and that’s what we did J This time I knew who is running only 10k so could control the race better and could let the African dude to kill himself in the soft sand!

          We started all more or less together and as a bunch were struggling to find the markers blown from the top of the dunes by the wind. But after around 3k we changed direction and everything was clear. I was running the desert pace, making short steps, using footprints of others and following everybody comfortably from behind just keeping them at sight. Even with this easy and seemingly effortless pace I was closing on the leaders and passing some others and when the two 10k leaders spit from the 20k course I was second, just 100 meters behind the first one and with no one in sight behind me.

          Here I got into a running spree! I felt like flowing stream between the dunes changing directions, reading the terrain, finding and following the best trail of harder sand to run smoothly and easily in that endless dune field. I think I was making the leader desperate, because he just couldn’t shave me off and when he missed one obvious marker and got a bit off the track, he gave up and I passed him leaving his complains behind J

          Another great and fun run continued in my solitude, but that how I like it anyway and in the race when you are the leader you really don’t mind to be alone J I got finally a bit tired at the last 3k, but it was too close to the finish and everyone was too far behind that slowing down a little made no difference! So I won both stages and won the whole event. And not only that, I enjoyed so much it the whole time.

          I wish all races would be like this, but I think I found the recipe how you can make it. Just pick a race you really like and get prepared not compromising any of the things required for a successful race. Unforgettable experience guaranteed!

Racing Qatar – Fun in Aspire

          Since last two years the Aspire Sports Academy organizes a series of five short aquathlon races. 500m swim in the pool and 5k run always has been that nice quick morning race which just wakes you up and kick starts your weekend. This year was no difference, so the day after Dukhan triathlon I was ready with around 200 of other sport lovers to enjoy 30 minutes of morning exercise J

          Start is staggered with two swimmers starting every 30 second in one lane and progressing by switching lanes every lap to the other side of the pool 10 lengths away. I did this race around 5 times previously and because it is always the same, I knew exactly what to do to get ready.

          3-2-1-GO! I started swimming as fast as I could, paddling hard with the hands again. I got tired obviously after few laps and had to slow down. Slowly overtaking few other swimmers and complicated lane changing was always putting me off my rhythm, so with all this together I was same slow as always once out of the pool!

          I ran out, put my shoes and t-shirt while running and sprinted towards the 5k circle around Aspire. Usually I get a stomach cramp or pain after swim, but this time nothing was stopping me from running a decent 3:50 min/km pace recovering some time I lost on the swim.

          It was working well all the way and I still finished in 30:15 total time putting me on 7^th place overall and which was 15 second short of my eternal goal to finish below half an hour! But I felt strong and if my inner sole doesn’t get stuck when putting on my shoes, if I don’t have to put any shirt on, if I learn more efficient turn in the pool and swim a bit faster…I feel that I can shave off those few seconds and make it next time J

          This as on Saturday and after Friday off the next weekend I was at the same place for Tri Club Doha Super Sprint triathlon! This new group organized a similar race as the aquathlon only with a bike leg included. And distances 250 swim, 10k bike and 3k run were promising another quick race.

I read somewhere that swimming warm up is very important, so I swam 3 laps before, which might have been too much, because even on 5 pool swim I couldn’t go full speed all the way. But maybe not! I’m probably just a weak swimmer and I’m wasting energy on my bad technique J

          This time I bought a trisuit so I didn’t have to waste time changing, but I still had to waste time putting my shoes on! Anyway once I got onto the bike track I tried to go 100%, but it was difficult, because it was not an ordinary bike leg! I was around some parking lots and on interlocking pavement, which was pretty bumpy! So going 2 loops making many sharp corners, roundabouts and rattling on the bricks like on Paris-Roubaix was not very pleasant and fast triathlon ride. But I did fourth fastest time with around 34km/h average and started moving up the field!

          On the run I wanted to climb even more and started almost sprinting with 3:30 min/km. And it was surprisingly possible almost all the way. I only got short of breath for the last 500 meters and that was probably why I didn’t sprint to the finish line. That missed sprint cost me third place overall, because with the fastest run time 10:40 and 34:43 total time I was fourth overall  only 5 seconds behind the third! I was first man in my 30-39 age category, but the overall standings are what I usually look at. So I have to be two minutes faster next time to claim number one…probably not, but from the second place was not that far J We’ll see…