Triathlon season 2010 is over.  I’m glad! It was a mixed season for me. I won National Series 4th year in a row! It was not in my plan but life change your plans. New job with Triathlon Ireland didn’t give me much time for training than injuries and other distractions…

Time to move forward – set new goals and back to training.

Will I make 5 in a row?

Exciting! Exciting!!! Everybody is excited.

Irish team is getting ready for Youth Olympic Games Opening Ceremony. Girls start to sign Irish songs It’s only couple of hours left until official ceremony begins.

Tomorrow is big and important day for Laura Casey and Irish Triathlon. Laura is competing in sprint distance triathlon start at 9am (Singapore time). Her parents arrived yesterday to support her.

Good Luck Laura!

Give Laura a support. You can watch live here.

Everything is ready for tomorrow’s start.

Olympic village is huge to get around you need to take a bus. It is located Nanyang Technological University (NTU) campus.

Five of us moved to Olympic village last Tuesday before the rest of Irish team arrived.

Every day is getting busier and busier with all teams arriving. Now we have to queue to the restaurant which is open from 4am to 12am.

Today we had an official training day.

I’m sharing a room with Alice O’ Sullivan a rowing coach. As can see rooms are clean and simple.

We are going to welcome concert tonight.

Tomorrow is a big day - Opening Ceremony and Parade of Nations! You can watch live here.

Departed Dublin last Saturday evening for Youth Olympic Games. It took only 24 hours to arrived in Singapore on Sunday evening after 13 hours flight from Heathrow airport. The flight was amazing and mad at the same time so many people in a plane A-380 and everybody doing own things eating, sleeping, watching films, talking…..

Skyscapers and modern design of Singapore impressed me! 

You can buy exclusive clock or watch like above on a photo :-)

On Monday Singapore celebrated 45th Birthday or National Day. Watched Military Parade and in the evening fireworks. WOW!!! Breathtaking!

Had dinner with some members of the Irish team.

Will post update tomorrow about YOG village and triathlon venue.

Stay tuned

Ireland had a great opportunity to host Triathlon European Championship. This was the biggest Triathlon event ever happened in Ireland.  More than 300 Irish Age group athletes took part in the event plus 3 Juniors and 6 Elites. It’s great to see that triathlon getting more and more popular.

The atmosphere in Athlone town over weekend was fantastic. Crowd cheer up not only Irish athletes but everyone.

I’ve been working hard as a coach with Juniors team but had a chance to do a sneaky race in the morning before team breakfast and back with a Gold medal in my Age group

Now I have European title under my belt Pity can’t race in World Championship in Budapest.

Had a chance to take pictures with World Triathlon Elite.

Overall I had a great experience in a multinational race. Hope to have a chance to compete again next year.

Every year I do something to impress people that they talk about it for a year or so (no I’m not shy ). Last year I did two races in Athy in one day. Olympic distance in the morning and Sprint in the afternoon. This year TriAthy was organised differently Olympic on Saturday and Sprint on Sunday. Also organisers separate men and women in different waves by age groups. There was no elite start which is pity as it’s hard to compete with yourself and for spectators no fun to watch. I think the main reason for doing so was to stop drafting.  Drafting was a big issue in the previous years.

I was not in a favorite start position. My main competitor Amy Wolfe had a different start wave 20 minutes behind me.

Amy did a super swim time she swam as a speed boat not like me as a sinking boat

I tried to push on a bike and run but couldn’t leave my comfortable zone and finish comfortably second.

After the finish TV guys interviewed me while a doping officer was waiting for me. It took me more than an hour to go through doping test procedure and I missed men’s race.

While waiting for Award Ceremony got a pair of new ZOOT Tempo 3 runners from Cycle Super Store to test and review them. I cool down in them and they felt comfortable. I never try or wear something new on a race day but I decided give it to go next day.

TriAthy Sprint Distance 6th June 2010.

Next day Sprint start was schedule quite late at 5pm. I had a chance to sleep long and recharge my batteries . Sprint is not going to be an easy task with Juniors from Triathlon Ireland Development Squad racing against me.

Won Sprint race! Felt much better and faster than the previous day. Did faster splits. Think Olympic distance was as warm up for Sprint .

Happy overall with my performance over weekend just next year have to change that pattern 2nd in Olympic and 1st in Sprint two years in a row. Next year should be 1st and 1st .

Last Wednesday evening I did Runways duathlon in Phoenix park. Around 300 people turned up to take part in one of the biggest duathlon in Ireland. The race was organised by Brian Crinion, Belpark triathlon club and Runways running store.

First lap is 2.7km run went in usual scenario everybody running flat out trying to impress each other . I had to sprint to the transition after first run to get prize premium. On a bike it took me a couple of minutes to get my legs working after a sprint. After that I felt comfortable on a lead.

I cruised last run lap knowing that I’m 2-3 minutes ahead of girls. Also I didn’t want to push hard as I’m racing this weekend in Athy and use duathlon as warm up .

Looking forward to race in TriAthy on Saturday Olympic distance and Sunday Sprint distance. Last year I did two races in the same day first Olympic in the morning where I was second and Sprint which I won in the afternoon. Sprint time was better than Olympic. This year is easier task I have 24 hours rest between races.

Valentia island in County Kerry is a beautiful place. It takes only 5 hours driving to reach this place

After arriving to Valentia island I’m putting together my bike and pumping tires.

Evening before the race. I’m checking a cycling course. The weather is fabulous!

Atlantic ocean and air helmets.

Race Day: Piranha TC gang before the start on a ferry.

First race in Blueseventy Helix 2010. I’m very impress with a new design.

Finishing cycle leg on a flat tire

It was not my day…. finishing second.  Sprint distance is too short to catch up Amy Wolfe.

Lovely sunset… on a way to a fish restaurant with Piranha triathlon club.

Elena Maslova 2nd female home, Kevin Keane (big brother of Bryan Keane overall winner, Anne O’Leary age group winner.

25 euro dish…… was delicious.

Got in on a last ferry of the day. Happy triathletes

Another Day another Race! Season starts to unroll. I wasn’t late for this round of Sportsman Duathlon. Last time I didn’t know start time was changed and when I arrived everybody already  start cycling segment

This time I arrived earlier. I set up my transition one of the first only Bryan Keane was there already.  Half an hour later transition area transformed to a busy place with fancy bikes.

The weather was warm but anyway I decided to put arm warmers as forecast promise some rain on a way. I didn’t regret.

I was competing with guys. My goal was to finish 5th overall. Finish first run in top 10 than on a bike leg start to push and overtake guys. Some lads couldn’t take that female pass them and didn’t hesitate to draft.

Start last run with one guy and three other were chasing me behind. Push myself harder and encourage a guy beside me to stay with me. Than after a while run away from them.

Finished 8th overall and won female title! Felt much better than in February and did 3 minutes faster. Bryan Keane won overall by miles!

Afterwords was the most favourite part of competition soup, sandwiches and a cup of coffee plus award ceremony

After a long winter it is time to open Triathlon Season 2010! My first event is North Tipp Sprint distance. I did all preparation a night before to make sure everything ready for the race.

Woke up at 5.30 so early… Made a double espresso and hit the road. Saturday morning was beautiful.. empty road, sunny already. Day promised to be bright and warm. It took us a hour a tree quarter to reach Nenagh.

Went to registration, got a  number, timing chip and goody bag My start was the latest. I had lots of time to watch and support athletes. At the same time was hard to stay calm… as usually you are nerveous before a race. I prefer to race rather than to wait!!!

12 noon – START !!! Now every second accounts!! I was third female out of the pool, boys wouldn’t let me go ahead Flew through transition… and once I’m on the bike I’m on my world. I pushed big gear …. try to close a  gap. Didn’t  see girls for a while. After 10km I saw all my competitors. I’m not far behind.

Back to transition with Lisa Hogan shoulder to shoulder. Run – last leg ahead of us. Got a few seconds advantage after T2. Start run first and I knew Lisa chasing me. I heard breathing behind my shoulders. Now run Elena run!!! Turn my head after 3-4 km, I’m on my own only boys running beside me. Turn in to town and 300m to the finish!!! First Win in 2010!!!