The 30-34 smackdown

Rodrigo Baltazar AKA fininho and some times teh flying sardine

The closest thing along with Pedro Gomes to the training partner concept. like i said, all of the group except the Compression Family are part of my training group.



Kinda new to the sport, he caught the IM desease in a visit to watch hawaii in 2008, my dreadfull year of crashes and flats...

ever since he has been doing Halfs and won his AG in the european Long distance Champs in vitoria, spain.

Swim Instructor for the kids and of course another portuguese in the 30-34 AG. 

Good swimer, decent biker and runner, he has no goal other than finishing the First Ironman but i think there a lot more to be added ;)

SEDI

Sergio Dias AKA SEDI has 2 IM hawaii in the pocket and wants more next year.

Works for Ericson but after 5-6 years i know him i still not sure what he does there, honestely ;)

good times in Kona 2005, my first time there and where Sedi god the Ironman Desease

Sedi looks big on the bike photos but thats because the bike looks like a tricicle

3 IM finisher witch includes the 2 IM hawaii and will race in the very (portuguese) competitive 30-34 AG

Besides having a shot at the Kona Slot he wants to run the marathon without stoping in the portapotty (sp?) and get close to the 3h mark, we will see about that at least the stoping thing as i believe he is pretty capable of doing it time wise

Serginho

There are 3 sergios competing, Me, Sergio Dias (sedi) and Sergio Costa (serginho),

Serginho started doing ironman this year in Roth, with an impressive 9:45, before that, just a Half, he obviously started with the big ones, no sprints or olimpics for the AMG guy.

He is known in the weekend rides to hammer hard when he smells home and feels the workout is already done ;)

Working in the renewables energy buziness, he rides the most impressive bike of the bunch. when we exclude my own bike of course

He is in contention for the 30-34 crown among the portuguese, i love to put pressure on them ;) besides the 30-34 AG he is also competing for the faster midget in the group against SEDI

Mrs Quintela

Sonia Quintela, AG 40-44...

Former National champion in swimming, i would say she will be the first out of the water at least in the AG if not the whole AG Women field, from there she will need to hang on ;)

Im pretty sure she wants the Slot for hawaii like her husband. Will be the first Ironman also although she has already quite a few middle distance races in spain and portugal.

She is competitive!!!

the Compression family ;)

Starting off with Pedro Quintela, He lives with the family around 100km from me and him and his wife are the compression family for reasons that i think are obvious ;)

He is doing his first ironman, and had quite a few problems early in the year in his coxis (sp?),  this from lets say...too much internet reading and a very poor bike fit. He almost gave up of racing and actually got a quote from a doctor that he would never be able to workout again without pain but fortunately i made his way out and seems to be well prepared for the race.

The quintela's dont train with my group like the rest of the gang but we are very good friends.

Not sure what's his goal though, he is racing in the 40-44 AG so i would say, watch out for this skinny tall guy...bib number 1108

9

no updates lately and actually will race Ironman Florida in a few days.

There is a planed invasion to what portuguese athletes is concerned. nine in total, all with diferent stories, i find it fun to present them in my blog since they are all my friends and in a single case more than that ;)

as for me, ever since i came back to portugal after wisconsin i have severall low and highs. my general feeling is that i cant wait to have some time off without being forced to it.

story coming soon ;)

what!!??

that would make my ironman swims very fast ;)

:D

they come in pairs

Well i was certanly not expecting this for sure....

the day seemed to be perfect, and actually the forecast was very good with the winds picking up at the time the field should be going home and as a tail wind, temperature was really nice for racing, not hot not cold, perfect. Even the run course was easier since the big hill, the observatory hill had construction so it was eliminated.

Swim was way off what i could do, i didnt have that initial kick and geezz i never had to swim the whole course alone in front, that was what happened. i really didnt felt alright in the water but when i got out i kinda felt relieved that Steffan riesen was on my feet as well as desiree ficker and going through the maze in Monona terrace transition area i had a glimpse of Max longree that was still to go into the indoor area while i was already getting my bike. considering how i felt that was not too bad.

Down the helix and away we go, i was under the impression that riesen was just not a good guy to follow knowing that he is a very good cyclist. I het him go and had my own pace. Getting into the first hills i was feeling great and already with nutrition at 100%. in fact before i got to verona, around 20 km into the bike i could still see Riesen a few undred meters ahead. Hmmm, that was nice of course, then i got into the 2 loop course and while doing some of those 90 degree turns i got a flat. S%$^$&

pulled to the side of the road and did whatever i needed to do i saw some good names going through, Max was one of them and actually he took more time to pass me than i would expect witch probably meant that i actually incresed my lead in that 25km. as i was about to use the co2, the adapter just fell apart, the o ring seals just melted, they probably where sitting there for to long, i dont know but it just didnt work. i was kinda fortunate because the bike tech support didnt take too long to show up, changed the wheel and i was out of there. i had been passed by a few AG but knowing that people do tend to get excited ealry on the bike i didnt really care.

at this time i just wanted to know what was my gap to the lead and how that would feel as a decent, considering a flat, or managable with so many miles to go.

i was feeling good and was pushing really good power. that information only came with 70km into the ride and from a reliable source :D 20 min!!!
Oh, thats not too bad at all!! already knowing the course well i was around 4:50 time for the ride and, excluding, of course, the flat that would put me somewhere closer to 5 than 4:50 but that gap really didnt felt too bad.

then at 80km the tire on the borrowed front wheel just came out of the rim (that wheel was clincher) and the tube blew loud and clear!!! noooooo!!

I had the trek van behind me 1 2 minutes afterwards, Mark from trek came out of it to see what happened and actually offered me a replacement and the tech support van got there too but actually had no whhels. Feeling miserable i just took my chip out and call it a day. Damn

Im disapointed of course, very, but what can i do! now its time to pack up and get back home. Unfortunately the Tech guy that replaced my wheel doesnt know where my wheel is so now i dont have wheel and have to find it somewhere today, i could use some better luck this weekend, i hope i get it or Vince will be mad at me :(

Another note to how i enjoy this racing venue, a transition area inside the monona terrace is just insane, i dont think there is something like it at least with 2500 athletes in it, the city of madison is awesome with very friedly people and students, just great.

IMMOO