Powerman Austria – Weyer – Aug 22 2010

The plan was not to overcook the first run, to stay within the second group and save the legs for the bike. Big groups didn’t form as the heat seemed to take it toll but I kept pace with Jochen Nedrinck (who ran away with the Powerman Belgium title three weeks ago) for most of the run and came into T1 in 6th which was a well controlled start.

Straight up the mountain on the bike and I was feeling pretty good reeling in the men ahead on the steep gradient. Then 8k in suddenly bang, I was roaring and felt immense pain as my left calf cramped up completely. I tried to rub it out but it was spasming and had swelled up like a golf ball under my skin. I jumped off the bike and stretched it out quickly which seemed to do the trick so I was back on and motoring again maybe losing 30 seconds which was good damage limitation but I had to repass the place I had just lost. I soon finished my energy drink and was already feeling a little woosy so I knew I had to drink a hell of a lot more. I even took a wrong turn going over the summit but a local cop set me right and the time loss was minimal but the heat/dehydration was clearly messing with my mind.

On the second lap of the bike the gaps between athletes were huge so concentration was all important as it became a lonely battle as about a quarter of the field DNF’ed in the stiffling heat. Then half way up the second ascent of the mountain I could see I was catching somebody. To my shock it was current world no. 1 Anthony Le Duey FRA and I caught and passed him easily so the poor guy was obviously in trouble. Then over the top Jonas Baumann SUI flew past me so I was back to 7th but it was becoming a race of survival which I knew was now the key to a good result. I was very worried about the cramp reoccuring on my dismount and having a one man pile up in front of the spectators but I could still get the leg over after 3 hours of racing!

The death march. If a horse was seen to be running like I felt on that second run they’d have shot it on sight. Everybody was dying on their feet as the temperature at the finish hit 40C. I’ve never wanted to walk in a race before but I can now understand how somebody could. Incredibly I ran the third quickest (or least slow!) split and picked off another place to come home in 6th place in time to see the five guys who had beaten me bathing in the town fountain getting interviewed on TV.

Big thanks to the old man for coming out to support me at what is a fantastic event on every level. I got quite a bit of TV time from the moto c TV ameras so hopefully I’ll be able to see myself on Austrian television and there is something really special about being tracked by a TV helicopter while racing! I’ve been getting a lot of love for being the lone Paddylete on the circuit but it would be great to see a few more Irish involved in the Powerman Duathlon series. There are a lot of very strong run-bikers in Ireland who would really suit these races.

I even took my first bit of IPA prizemoney which I can hopefully make a habit of. Money makes the wheels go round after all“.

You can keep up to date with all of David’s racing on his website http://www.davidvaughanduathlon.blogspot.com/

“4.20am. awake in my customary pre Gael Force accomodation – the back of Paul Mahon’s van.

5am. Onto the bus after bolting some meusli and jamming the contact lenses in. A bit a chat to a rower from Limerick and a bit of a snooze and we deposited on the beach. I Miss Siobhan’s briefing with a final purge in the portaloos.

6.36am and we’re off, as per usual I’m feckin miles back in about 30th position as we pass the waiting wave 2. A young fella, Antony Murray, has taken off and is miles clear which doesn’t worry me but when Gary Bailey, Eoin Keith and Padraig Marrey disappear into the middle distance with about 10 others I do start to wonder about my whole slow start. Nothing I can do about it and I always hate these first couple of kilometres on the road – every year the same little voice says what’s the point of all this running when you should be asleep and sure you’re miles back anyway. It always takes me about 30 minutes to get going and sure enough in the last 4k of the run the lads come back and I hit the kayaks in 4th with Eoin and another lad close by. Diarmuid Collins and Gary Bailey are suffering on the water (always take the longest kayak you can see) so I get to the far side in 2nd behind the fast young fella and quickly Diarmuid and him open a gap, Eoin is running well too and the 4 of us soon come together on the bike stage but we’re all crap and can’t get any momentum going. On the climb and descent I find myself on my own in the lead which is a bonus at this stage in the race but sure enough Padraig Marrey comes up to me, sits in for a minute and then he jumps. I hold his wheel on the first jump which seems to perplex him for a minute and then he goes with plan A again and jumps and this time he gets away. Two triathletes catch me a few km later and the 3 of us stay together across the new offroad section to the bottom of Croagh Patrick.

I’m happy enough at this stage, predicted finish time of 3.40 so had taken one gel on 2.10, took another on 2.40 and dry swallowed a dioralyte. The plan was a final gel at 3.10 but never got round to eating that. Ate one small homemade (thanks Orla) meusli bar on the cycle.

Padraig isn’t too far ahead on the Reek and I catch and pass him on the cone, I think I got about a minute of a lead at the top and I was possibly too happy with things at this point as I had a very average descent off Croagh Patrick and crucially Padraig was catching me all the way down. I don’t think I could have gone too much quicker as I had buried myself catching him on the climb. I never look back so I didn’t realise how close he was till he passed on the rough skelp section and then we had some fun tearing down the skelp at a ridiculous pace only held up by 6 horses on the track in front. Padraig got away then on the tarmac and I started worrying about the other lads behind and really put everything I had left into the cycle to the finish. The finish however held a sting in the tail and I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw Padraig dismount and start running. The race head is a funny thing, looking back now I can see he was too far ahead but at the time I KNEW I could catch him. Unfortunately for me I ran out of race and crossed the line in 2nd.

In the end I was beaten by a man with a huge heart who wanted it more then me on the day. We both knew the strengths of the other and in the final analysis he won with his descent of the Reek – a section I should have been quicker on. His strong cycle was cancelled out by my strong reek climb so Well done Padraig and also to Tom O’Dowd in third, it’s never easy to beat Eoin Keith so holding him to 4th was a great result. Apart from not being 10 seconds quicker I think I ran a well paced and judged race and am as fit as I’ve ever been so as far as I’m concerned chapeau Padraig!“

Colm Turner winning the Beast of the East last weekend.

The bunch pile in the cycle race has up left Colm with a broken collar bone and a double break to the elbow.  Lets hope he bounces back even better in 2011, as he did from a previous collar bone break in 2007, when he came back to finish 2nd in the national championships.

At the lucky end of the field was Art MacManusa (Belpark), who took the overall Cat3 victory.

“Antwerp is a fast course and if you want a pb this is the spot. If you also want to put on a few extra kilos & increase the waistline then this is definitely the place to be. I can now add Belgian waffles and chocolate pancakes to my list of weaknesses.

Antwerp was a race I have been looking forward to for a while now. I don’t know what I was expecting but there was a bit of an initial let down. There was little or no atmosphere at registration, the lack of course information and the distances between race office, swim start, t1 & t2 left it difficult to get around. That said I was here to race.

The swim was a basic 1 lap of the galweelan lake, water temperature was 22 degrees and I felt it. I’ve never felt hot in a wetsuit before and this was a new experience. There were a few lefts, a few rights & and a couple of elbows thrown before the 300 mark.

There were waves starts and the pros went 5 minutes before the first group of age groupers. Then it was 3 minutes between waves. I was in the 2 nd wave. There were a few names I recognised and felt even with the 5 minute deficit and maybe loss of a few minutes in the swim I could possibly catch them come the end of the bike. If anyone logged onto the results, no I didn’t take a short cut in the swim and I too am just as suprised!!26:29.. Maybe it’s the new Blue Seventy Helix I got a few weeks ago. I didnt wear a watch because I didn’t want to disappoint myself on the swim exit but I found good feet and felt fast in the water. I’d be lying if I said it’s with all the hours I’ve done in the pool.

Bryan McCrystal winning gold at the euro age-groups in Athlone.

All I wanted to do was the bike. I figured get through the swim, drill the bike and hang on for the run I’d be in for a decent time. The bike course isn’t totally flat but a little draggy which I don’t mind. I found it difficult to get into a rythm but I stayed patient and at about 30k my legs were starting to feel like my own. There was a big head wind on the way out so I had a feeling straight away that maybe my time mightn’t be as fast as I thought.

I’ve been feeling good on the bike this season. All thanks to Tommy the Bike in earl street Dundalk. My Giant Trinity is putting out good times this year..

I know you shouldn’t try anything new on race day but I tweeked the saddle a bit and moved my aero bars. I road for the couple of days before the race on that position and it seemed to solve me slipping forward on the saddle when I put the power on. Also I just went on feel, no gadgets.. I usually have the gadgets but they never rule me. I just put the head down and tried to catch as many as possible. I was told to watch out for the tram tracks but noticed that they were all covered by carpet. Good call from the race organisers as it was threating to rain. They didn’t stop me losing my rear bottle. I had to go back as it’s a long day with only 1 bottle. It didn’t hold me back too much. I posted a 2:11. The plan was a 2:05/7 but the wind played a factor and I was very pleased with my bike split.

On the 2nd lap I was starting to catch the pros. I knew they were pros by the colour of their tanned skin and lack of body mass. The more I caught the skinnier they got and they just kept hopping on the train!!! No marshalls in sight at all and it really annoyed me. I’d usually put an effort in to lose them but I just figured they were going to catch me on the run anyway. I had my own race and that was against the clock. There were 6/8 guys in a line behind me and I noticed the front 2 were working together coming round eachother. Very disappointing, I personnally couldn’t do that and one of them put his hand out after the race to complement me on a fantastic bike ride. I put my hand out for the coke and didn’t acknowledge. I came into t2 in 13th spot.

The run course is 3 laps around the city centre and it is lined with people. You can get carried away early on and feel faster than you actually are by the sheer volume of people watching.

Bryan in yellow after winning the Newry 3-day cycle race.

Pacing on the run has been a bone of contention with me. The plan was to wear the garmin and to go out a 4min per k.. Lack of concentration gave me a to quick 3:45 and I just stayed at the pace and slightly quicker and midway died but I resurrected myself and dug in to not to waste all my hard work. I’d be letting my family and friends down had I let it get the better of me. It is the support from them that drives me on to achieve. My wife and 1 year old son were there for support. ‘go go go dada’ was the call I heard with every lap!..

I was hoping for a 1:20/21 but I had to settle for 1:26. I wish I had enjoyed the run more but sometimes you need little reminders that you’re not as fast as you think. Maybe I left my running legs on the training field. Not too many come out to watch you training!!

On reflection I’m happy how I raced. My plan was a 4:05 so I wasn’t far off with 4:07. To sum it up I thought I’d swim slower, bike faster and run faster.. And eat less chocolate..

I finished 23rd overall and got a spot for Clearwater.

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In Zurich my sister Eve McCrystal was doubling up on my distance and giving Ironman Switerland a go.She posted a great time of 10:27. She was also joined by 3 Setanta club mates Sheena Dullaghan- 11:20, Jolene Mellon-13:38 and Niall Ivory-10:37.

Eve is a Garda stationed in Ballybay Co Monaghan and is to compete in the Police games in Austria this August. Eve had the honour of meeting the Garda Comissioner after her fantastic performance.She will captain the Ladies team.

Bryan McCrystal.

“Racing Ironman Hawaii takes it out of you, it’s not just the physical effort but emotionally and mentally you are also shattered. Don’t get me wrong, I have loved every minute of my Kona trips. In our sport, there is probably no greater privilege for a little 43 year old baldy fella than to be allowed to enter out into the tropical waters of Kailua Harbour with many of the legends of this sport and race. But each time when it was over, I was shattered.

Austria 2010 Finish line.

Outside of triathlon the lead up to Kona last year had also been a busy time for me. We moved house the day before flying out and with a three month old baby around the place, we were still only getting used to the logistics of parenthood. On returning home the thoughts of doing another Ironman were put very much to the back of my mind. I needed a little time away from swimming, biking and running.

Yet last Sunday morning I somehow found myself on the start line of Karnten Ironman Austria. The organisers had released a few extra slots in February and I just couldn’t help myself. I did my first Ironman in Austria in 2005. It’s a beautiful part of the world and the race organisation is one of the best.

This would be my ninth Ironman and luckily I have managed to finish them all, and all in less than ten hours. I was keen to keep the sub ten hour thing going. Lurking at the back of my mind is the possibility of ten sub ten Ironman’s down the road. Ordinarily being a good fast course Austria should be kind to me. However I have never been as worried about a race as I was about Austria this year. I knew with the late start to my training, my fitness would be marginal going into it. Life also just seemed to keep getting in the way this time. Some distractions were wonderful. To watch my little fella grow and learn to walk was something special, other distractions weren’t so welcome. I did my best to integrate what training I could into Ryan family life but with the limited time available there were more short intense sessions than the long ones of previous Ironman build-ups. Some very very late night turbo sessions featured strongly.

I had not sat on my time trial bike since dismounting in T2 in Hawaii until a short training spin the day before Tri-Athy this year – and it showed. Alarmed by how bad I felt in Athy I embarked in a last month of cram training (leaving cert. like) which even included some swimming, something I had not done all winter. A late entry into the Skerries Sprint race and a good result the Sunday before my Ironman provided a well needed lift. I had been feeling particularly under the weather beforehand and whatever about cycling and swimming at least I felt my running legs were coming back.

Alan Ryan was Ireland's fastest finisher in Kona 2009, despite a flat tyre on the cycle

I took a very timid line in the swim in Austria. For the first time I intentionally avoided most of the mayhem at the start and despite the lack of swim training I felt I didn’t swim too badly. I decided I wouldn’t look at the clock as I exited the lake, a bad time would only upset my concentration. I kept my head down as I ran past. “Ah feck it” I turned around, 1:09, eight minutes slower than my best, I wasn’t impressed. But what did I expect!

The bike started OK; with a little cloud cover the morning had not been as hot as previous mornings. I was settling into a decent rhythm I felt; abusing a few cheaters as I passed always cheers me up. But all the time the skies were clearing and the temperature was rising. Very quickly I began to feel bad. My nutrition was coming back up. I tried not to let it disturb my rhythm but it’s a little disconcerting puking ones ring up at 70kmph. Visually it’s quite spectacular though and at least no one was sucking my wheel. I am normally OK in the heat; it may not have been the cause of the problem. Obviously there was the little matter of lack of fitness and also an old GI issue had flared in recent months that hadn’t fully cleared up – either way, due to some combination of all of these factors I was feeling miserable. For the first time ever I was beginning to doubt whether I would finish. Towards the end of the first lap I dropped a chain on a hill. I got off the bike, put the chain back on and took a bit of time out to calm down and try and get some water back in. The thoughts of another lap of this on the bike did not appeal and then the small matter of the marathon.

But I wanted the finish line experience, I wanted my medal and if I had to walk all the way I would. I have never quit a race and I wasn’t going to today. The second lap of the bike continued much the same way as the first. Thankfully a shower of rain near the end served to clean me up a bit before the run.

I took a bit of time out in transition to prepare mentally for the run. There were moments again when I thought of not starting it, but I would have always regretted that. I knew I needed to get some food to stay down very quickly on the marathon or I would run out of calories and be in real trouble. I tentatively left the tent sucking on a gel and began to jog. That didn’t feel too bad, so I began to run. Norbert Langbrandtner, an Austrian professional athlete who came second here in 2005 when I did my first race was just ahead. He was retiring after today. Obviously not at his best but still a fine athlete. If I could tuck in behind him for a while I would be doing OK. Very quickly my whole demeanour changed. I began to feel good. It was heating up again but food and drink were staying down. Norbert was running too slow so I left him behind. I was enjoying the run, my turnover was good and I was relaxed. I got into a comfortable rhythm and made it to the finish line and got my medal. The excitement of finishing never diminishes; it is the same for everybody no matter what time they achieve. The finishing chute pulls you in from a few kilometres out and all the pain disappears, for a while anyway. Nine Ironman races completed and much to my amazement nine sub 10 hour times.

Despite all the pain and shenanigans I actually managed my second fastest time so far. It just goes to show that a long distance triathlon really is a three act play with many sub plots and twists before the story is resolved. There will be low points but they can be overcome. You can be down an out at the end of act two and still come back and win the girl.

Obviously travelling with a small boisterous child there was little opportunity to socialise and meet up with some of the other Irish competitors in Austria this year. Looking at the results thought there were some great Irish performances – most notably Joyce Wolfe who got so close to the Irish record and a very high overall position. Up the road in Frankfurt the Irish were flying the flag with distinction as well. It must be said that in recent years there have been some great Irish results all over the world with age group podium finishes in UK, Nice, Australia, Spain, Austria, and my own podium finish in Kona. In Desi McHenry we have a 70.3 World Champion. From such a small athlete base we really are punching well above our weight at this age group long distance stuff.

I am particularly proud of the fact that out of a team of five Irish age group athletes in Kona last year two of us finished ahead of all the GB age group team of nearly 100. Bar one injury the others were all very much towards the very top of the British team too. With more World Champions at the different distances than any other nation the UK are undoubtedly one of the strongest triathlon nations. Encouragingly there appears to be already quite a few Irish qualified for Kona this year. I wish them all well. I am going to pass this time. I made a decision on the bike that if I somehow did get the offer of a slot I would not accept it. I am nowhere near fit enough and I would not be able to put in the hours that such a brutal course demands. In the end I was chuffed to get the offer but have no regrets declining it. If I am ever lucky enough to go back to Kona again I will be fit and hopefully a much improved swimmer”.

For someone who only started Triathlon last year Bryan McCrystal has certainly made an impact.  While the highlight maybe his 2009 National Series overall victory, there have also been many notable individual performances, like out-splitting Bryan Keane on the bike in TriAthy and out-splitting national level runners on the Beast of the East run.  What the National Series title really shows is consistency, something that is often very difficult for an amateur athlete to active.

Basic stats

What’s your sporting background?

BMcC:   Football, I played with Leads United for four years, reserve team mostly.  Then I came back to Dundalk where I played League of Ireland football.

What are your plans for 2010?

BMcC:   My plans for 2010 are both racing myself and organising a series of Duathlons in Dundalk.

Racing: I’m looking to step up to ½ ironman distance.  Antwerp 70.3 will be a major goal in August.  Domestically, I’ll be chasing the National Series again.

Race organisation: I’ve got a series of Duathlons, called the Sportsman Duathlon to organise in Dundalk.  We’re using part of the old N1 (Dublin to Belfast road), so the surface and road width are great.  The first three duathlons will outside Dundalk, but we’re planning a town center duathlon next August.  The cycle club closed down Dundalk for a cycle crit this summer and it was great.  What to do something similar.

What’s your typical training week?  This is an area where lots of people will be interested.  When I told people that I was doing this interview, I was told “find out what he does on the bike?”, “find out how he got so fast on the bike so quickly?”.

BMcC:   You may be disappointed with my answer, as I don’t actually do much above 8-10 hours.  During the season I try to get in nine session, three of each discipline.

Time for training is difficult for me.  My newborn son effected the time I had to train this year.  I do most of my training on my own for time reasons.  I know for 2010 and particularly with Antwerp 70.3 I’m going to have to do more training.

I use the testing centre in Trinity for my VO₂ and power tests, which feed into my training plans.

The question I’m most interested in is what do you put down your run speed to?  You remind me of a very promising triathlete Colm Cassidy, who now specialises cycling time trials.  He was close to 85kg but regularly pulled out very fast run splits, much faster than you would expect from a big guy.

BMcC:   I suppose the years playing football have a lot to do with it.  You’re always on the go during a game.  After all the years, I suppose it just comes naturally.

End

To see the course for the Sportsman Duathlon, follow this link.

Few people are more prolific on the Irish Triathlon scene than Elena Maslova.  She pulls out over 10 race wins a year and I can’t remember here not making the podium in the last three year.  Domestically she has won the National Series for the last three years, but is now looking towards ironman events internationally, as well as working as an triathlon coach.  So we let Elena tell us in her own words where she’s come from, what’s she’s achieved and where’s she’s going.

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What have you been up to recently? Enjoying the off season?

EM:        I’ve just finished a Cycling Ireland coaching course and I’m setting myself up as a Triathlon coach.  It will be done through www.coachelena.com which should go live in the next few weeks.

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That’s a new step for you.

EM:        Yes, I’m planning to race Ironman as a professional next year, so coaching work should allow me to do this.  As I see it, I’ve got 5 years left, where I can still race at a high level, so I need to start racing Ironman now, if I’m to get some good placing before I ease back.

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Wow, that’s a very focused view at your athletic career.  Maybe it’s worth telling people where you’ve come from, athletically.

EM:        I’ve been racing competitively for 24 years now.  It all started back in Russia when I was 9.  I raced Biathlon (cross-country skiing and shooting).  No, I didn’t have a gun, when I was 9!!!  We started skiing, then got the guns when we were teenagers.  I raced on the Russian team for a few years, but that stopped when I moved to Ireland in 2000.  Most of 2001 was out with injury, but I got into marathon running in 2002.  Did three marathons.  It wasn’t until 2004 that I started Triathlon.

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I remember you really came to prominence in 2005 in the battle for the National series with Tara Nolan.

EM:        Yes, it went down to the wire that year and was decided at the Dublin City Tri.  The next year (2006), I was again 2^nd, this time to Trudy Browne.  Since then it has been easier, so I’m lucky to have topped the National series for the last three years.

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The national series has changed quite a bit over those years.  I remember the last time I raced it, back in 2005, it was all about doing well in all the tier 1 races, as there were only 4 that year.  Now it’s more about trying to get into races.

EM:        Yes, and for women it’s a bit strange, as you’re points are determined by the men’s results.  You can be the first woman, but get 20 points less than the top man!!!

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So will you be back to defend your title in 2010?

EM:        I would like to.  With the Ironman and 70.3 races, I won’t be racing as much domestically, but I would like to win it again.  Maybe I won’t be doing a repeat of TriAthy, with 2 races in one day!!!

I’m looking to get my own sponsors next year, to help pay for racing Ironman, so I’ll need to race domestically for domestic sponsors.

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So what international races will you be doing?

EM:      Ironman Zürich and Barcelona Ironman Challenge are the two main goals.  My aim is to be in the position to finish top 5 in the next few years.  I know that I’ll have to do a time similar or better than Tara Nolan 9h50min to finish top 5, so it may not happen in Zürich, but soon hopefully.

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Tell us a bit more about your coaching and website.

EM:        First thing is the website name www.coachelena.com I’ve a bachelors in sports education as well as a cycling Ireland coaching qualification, so I’ll be doing a mixture of

• Club coaching session
• Head coach for Triathlon Clubs
• Group sessions
• One to one strength and conditioning coaching

The website should go live in mid December.

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Can you give a feel for your typical training?

EM:     I’m starting a 20 week programme at the moment, with 25-30hours per week.  Now, you have to remember that I’ve 24 years in competitive sport, so I won’t be recommending other people do this amount unless they have a very strong background.  For example, I’ll be giving a athletes I coach programme like

Sprint distance Tri:           6-8hours

Olympic distance Tri:      8-12hours

Half-Ironman:                    10-15hours

Ironman:                             up to 25 hours

One thing that I’m finding really important, now that I’ve stepped up to Ironman is diet during training.  You’re eating during a cycle session, not for that session, but to allow you to do the swim session that evening.

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End of interview

We’ll update this post when Elena’s website goes live at www.coachelena.com