My Triathlon Story
I had no idea about triathlon until I was 24 when a University classmate introduced me the sport.
I tried two short distance triathlon races the same year and my placings were not too bad due to my previous mountain bike racing. So I decided to train for this sport because of its diversity.
A year later on in the spring of 2011, I had left my employement in the Czech Army after 5 years as an Administrator of Communication and Information Systems and flew to Spain - to the island of Mallorca to experience more of the world and for better weather conditions, more suitable for training.
I hadn't raced much because of a heavy work schedule in the kitchen. I was able to train before my work shift and "to fiesta" occasionaly with friends after the restaurant closed. After the summer season ended in fall I flew back to the Czech Republic, and jumped on caravan board with a few friends headed to France to our first marathon. The Tyrolean Alps in Austria became my next working destination in December 2011. I worked again in a kitchen 6 days a week and at the same time I trained in a hotel fitness centre but with no access to a swimming pool.
Winter season in Alps finished for me in March, went back to my home town of Prostějov just to swap winter clothes for summer ones. Three days later I was already sitting on an aeroplane to Spain to start my full preparation for my first middle distance triathlon held in May, the 70.3 Ironman Mallorca. I came back to the Czech Republic straight after the race to get a new job back in the IT field in the town of Brno which happened straight after I landed home. After two months working in Brno I met a classmate seven years after we had graduated from a comprehensive school who was about to fly the next month to New Zealand - my dream destination. The decision took me just a few days and I was holder of a New Zealand one year Working Holiday visa soon.
I flew to the opposite side of the globe in the November to improve my English language skills, race a little bit, but most importantly, to enjoy good training and make the most of another summer season. However, the training conditions in the town of Taupo are so good that I decided to stay the full validity of my visa. Plus, I registered in March 2013 for the following year's Ironman race. Working part-time as a sales advisor in a store selling outdoor equipment ensured just enough income and free time to train.
Had to leave NZ on fall 2013 just before my NZ visa expiry date so I flew to the Australian Gold Coast for 11 weeks. I worked there on the HelpX basis in exchange for food and accommodation. The deficit of cycling training from NZ I offset in Australia, but the running training was possible only on asphalt and concrete which took its toll in the form of a light knee injury.
Finally in mid January 2014 I returned to Taupo, town of the Ironman race, to complete year-long preparation for this event. With three weeks stop in Australia and two weeks travel across Asia I returned back to the Czech Republic in late May 2014. The goal here is to race some of those races I did in 2012 and compare results plus race one or two bigger ones to see what's my fitness level like in comparison with elite sportsmen.
But first of all I must find an IT job and purchase a bike because the mine stayed in New Zealand..
