END OF 2008 START OF 2009
After a successful representation of Cyprus in the Berlin Marathon 2008 the
group of athletes coached by Kypros Nicolaou have fulfilled their goals and have
marked another achievement in their endurance resume. Four athletes have made PR
in the 42.1 km distance three have run it for the first time and one has
successfully crossed the line 25 minutes faster. With that mile stone engraved
in the 2008 news the last major event of the season was the Lemesia 2008
International Olympic Distance Triathlon culminating the Triathlon season. A
successful event with a respectable number of first timers showing up, depicting
a rise of interest in the tri scene. 60 total athletes have participated in the
fully organized race course of Limasol and raising the bar even more compared to
2007.
The major news though of 2008 was the Kids Triathlon in Nicosia with a turnout
of almost 60 children crowding the Olympic Swimming pool in Nicosia in November
3rd. With the success of such an activity a new dynamic is created and the need
for a Triathlon academy for children 8 years old and above is a reality. After
the decision to inaugurate the Triathlon Academy in February 2009 actions are
taken to invite all the children as possible to join this academy and get a
taste of the Multisport Event that is gaining ground around the globe. Kids
interested to join are requested to call 99-528500, 99643686 and sign in. There
will be a monthly fee and training practices will be held 3-4 times per week
with a coach guiding the children along.
The 2009 Triathlon Calendar will be out shortly and it will guide the athlete’s
activities in their regime.
Stay Tuned!!
----------------------------------------------------
ATHLETE NEWS SEPTEMBER 2008
With the beginning of the new season the Cyprus Triathlon Federation has
proposed to veteran athlete Kypros Nicolaou the role of the TEAM MANAGER /
National Coach of the formal Triathlon Squad. Lots of actions and improvisations
have taken place since then and to name a few of the outcomes: the new and
improved triathlon calendar for 2008 which can be also found www.cytrifed.org.
The selection criteria for the national team and the organized uniformity among
the Tri Squad. So by this point Nicolaou has a dual role as an athlete /
Manager.
In May 2008 the Cyprus Triathlon Squad was represented with four men athletes in
Lisbon , PORTUGAL at the European Triathlon Cup at the spectacular Atlantic
Pavilion by the Atlantic Ocean. The team has participated in the open age group
categories with respectable and safe finishes by all 4 athletes – despite
Nicolaou’s fall on the run. What is worth mentioning is that due to hectic work
schedules by Kypros Nicolaou and the other athletes the time invested in
preparation was limited and the expected result not analogus to the training
time. With the least amount of training the maximum and best result was
achieved. Leaving Lisbon a sense of satisfaction and happiness overtook not only
Kypros Nicolaou but also the other 3 athletes Christos Christou, Orfeas Kyriakou,
Michael Alexandrakis.
In mid June the qualification race was held at hot - 31⁰ C - Cyprus with a good
turnout at the venue of St. Rafael and even though the initial selection was not
able to participate in the Small Nations Games in Luxemburg the next best squad
was rolled down to represent the island. With the added obstacle – first was the
hectic work schedules of all the athletes, none are pro and all have full time
jobs, family etc other obligation – the heat , training took place in what ever
means and shapes and forms you can imagine with goal the prep for the hilly bike
and cross country run to be held Aug 24 in Luxemburg.
Arriving in LUXEMBURG we have encountered a cool 15⁰ C and plenty of rain to
offset the dry season we have been facing in Cyprus. Cool weather is just what
is needed to race well in a triathlon but acclimatization is also important for
athletes. Not being used to the climate we were immediately at a disadvantageous
position, however between the Small Nations we were the second largest in number
– 1st being the host country of Luxemburg. For first time we had with us a nice
group of 7 athletes – 4 men , two juniors- and a woman. The results are as
follows:
Women
Julia Kanava – 4 / 8.
David Simpson – 9 / 35
Kypros Nicolaou – 19/ 35
Christos Christou – 23/ 35
Orfeas Kyriakou – 26/ 35
Juniors
Alexandros Stylianou – 3 / 6
Nikolas Stylianou – 6/6
Overall the Cyprus Team has captured the third position in the Podeum and even
though the course was a new experience for most athletes the team result speak
by it’s self. The cool lake swim with fast and furious swimmers was not enough
to disturb the athletes easy flow, so the hilly bike reminded the Tour De France
spectators scenario pushing and encouraging the athletes along the way.
Finishing with a cross country run in picturesque woods completed the hard but
nice picture. Luxemburg is a dream for triathlon with it’s scenery and
location!!!
On Sep 21st - the preceding of the October Olympic Distance event - a sprint
Triathlon was held with even more athletes showing up improving the image
Triathlon has to offer in Cyprus. Kypros Nicolaou was there with a race/train
scenario for the day and an easy finish despite the odd pouring rain that took
place during swim and bike…..A nice race with a European twist to it due to the
rainy environment which kept fast cyclists terrorized by a fall. Nicolaou has
scouted some new athletes and the work of empowering the National tri squad is
moving on.
Soon to come Nicolaou will accompany the coached by him BERLIN MARATHONERS GROUP
( 2 men and two women) in Germany to run the 2008 Marathon amongst 40000 other
runners. Since last year the team has grown to four athletes and anticipation is
building up until Sep 29 at the Brandenburg Gate. Stay tuned for the outcome of
this exciting event.
In the future the LEMESIA TRIATHLON RACE will be held with a large expected
crowd in October 12 in Limassol Boardwalk. Also be informed that the KIDS
TRIATHLON on NOVEMBER 2 will be held in Nicosia for all kids ages 7 – 14 years
old.
Stay Tuned.
----------------------------------------------------
12/11/2007
Another successful finish of a Tri / endurance world season comes to an end
with new and more interesting outcomes for 2007. With a happy face and a sign of
relief the last Tri on the 14/10/2007 – the International Triathlon
Championships – was held in the Limasol Promenade with an even more organized
event. Much credit goes to the organizing committee and the Cyprus triathlon
Federation – the heroes behind the scenes- that put a lot of effort in the
making. The 2006 was a step below and the 2005 race another one down, so every
year the bar is raised, and we foresee an even better set up for organization in
2008. As far as athletes were concerned 32 fit males and females lined up to the
shores of the calm and warm Mediterranean waters of Limasol bay. Malta, Norway,
Greece, UK, USA, Ireland, Spain and Sweden flags were apparent at the race with
out any top names due to the late happening of the season. A sprint race
(750/20/5) was simultaneously held at the same location with 30 more athletes
added to the 32 for the Olympic distance.
Tobby Radcliffe of UK has blazed through the run and has presented the fastest
split of the day, fourth along the line was Constandinos Haritos the
Greek/Cypriot Triathlete who has shown a steady improvement over the last few
years, and fifth Kypros Nicolaou with marathon legs (Berlin 2007) two weeks ago,
and a consistent finish as shown throughout the last years.
“The swim went pretty well with an easy flow however the bike was a hard task to
tackle due to the fact that bike training was very low as per the marathon prep
before hand. The last km of the run have definitely produced a spectacle that
spectators would have paid good money for a ticket to watch”, Kypros Nicolaou
said. The last 400m sprint finish between Nicolaou and Insel Ustuner was
definitely an interesting spice to the event and could almost need a photo
finish among the two. In the women Danica Spiteri showed her prowess with her
first place finish and strong biking skills. Norwegian Ingrit Syrveit followed
in the second place, and Lisa Dune from Ireland third.
This has brought 2007 to an end and happy moments showcase the year’s
highlights. A lot more endurance experiences and thrills are expected in 2008
with the calendar being structured soon. Stay tuned and in the mean time stay
fit!!
----------------------------------------------------
08/10/2007
Berlin experienced a thrilling marathon festival! That was Kypros Nicolaou
semifinal event before the major events of 2007 come into conclusion. A jammed
preparation with little time to complete a full marathon training cycle took
Nicolaou to the starting line in one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
With 40,215 other runners that took the start under optimal weather conditions
the amazing Ethiopian runner Haile Gebrselassie, a 20 times record breaker and
two times Olympics 10000 m medalist had completed a long sought-after dream. He
ran a phenomenal time of 2:04: 26 and beat the record set by Paul Tergat in
Berlin four years ago by 29 seconds. Over 70 live bands, a million spectators,
fan miles, marathon gates, and numerous other attractions provided an
unbelievable atmosphere along the course. A highlight for all of the runners was
passing through the Brandenburg Gate and down the final 400 meters past the
grandstands across the finish line. The crowning finish of the marathon weekend
was the great party with the award ceremony for the newly crowned world record
holder. “You were my tailwind and are all record-breaking runners, too!” he
cried out to all of the others whose legs had carried them over the same 42
kilometres that his had.
This amazing atmosphere has also carried Nicolaou to the finish line with a time
of 3:32 a so and so however respectable performance – due to the fact that in
Boston 2000 he had run a much faster time at a harder course however 2007 was a
Tri season with a Marathon embedded in for spice and for variety. Nicolaou had
coached another fellow runner Chris Papadopoulos in his inaugural marathon in
Berlin and both had successfully completed the task as well with 6000th and
24000th finish overall standing respectively.
With a big smile and legs sore after the run Nicolaou will take some time to
gather strength and snap and will probably race the last Tri of the season in
Limasol on the 14th of October 2007. It is going to bring an end to the 2007
race calendar and the race is expected to be of a good outcome. Keep reading up.
----------------------------------------------------
August 2007
May 26th, 2006
It is with great excitement that we announce that the 2007 triathlon season
has been supported partially by last year’s sponsor POWERADE. After a few weeks
of anticipation the cooperation has been verified and the season has moved on.
TRI ON!!
Various events have taken place since January 2007 and even though the distances
have shortened the intensity and effort has not. More news follows.
A. In a short list the season has commenced in January with a 5km warm –up race
in the Nicosia city walls and a shake-up in intensity. Few runners and a nice
temperature to mark the starting of the season locally.
B. A mid March Duathlon in Limasol was the second event of the 2007 calendar and
gave a nice turnover of triathletes and duathletes in the St. Rafael marina. A
big Russian triathlon team was in the island and gave it’s presence at the race.
It was no surprise for them to crash the field and take the first 8 positions.
Then Kazakhistan, and Austrian triathletes up to place 14 and then after
marathon runner Panikkos Stylianou , and Limasol triathlete Stavros Antoniou,
then follows Kypros Nicolaou in 18th position.
C. A Sprint Triathlon pre –Small Nations Game tune-up took place in April and
served as a gauging mechanism to reveal athlete’s limiters. Things went ok with
Russians dominating the game and a second place finish in the Cyprus triathletes
standing by Kypros Nicolaou with no major sweat. So full speed ahead for the big
race in May 20.
D. The Cyprus Triathlon Federation has taken upon the responsibility to put up
the Small Nations Games in Limasol, on the 20th of May with great success.
Athletes from Luxemburg, Monaco, Israel, Malta, Switzerland, Great Britain,
Denmark, Poland, Finland, Greece and Cyprus have spiced up the streets of
Limasol which were closed for the event and presented a fine athletic spectacle.
With Olympic level performances most of these athletes – which are claiming the
points for a spot in Beijing 2008- have demonstrated the art of tri to many
spectators along the way. Kypros Nicolaou was the second Cypriot to finish
behind Constandinos Charitos and received a race position 45th overall. The post
race analysis showed that more running and biking km were needed in order to
compete at the level of these athletes and obtain faster times.
E. In August 5 in London Kypros Nicolaou has raced in the Michelob Ultra London
Triathlon alongside 6000 other triathletes, male, female, amateur and
professionals. In the “crystal clear waters” of the Thames River the swimming
was fast and furious without many big obstacles due to the fact that swimming
has been worked well and swimming fitness was there. The flat bike course
showcased London special points and the no-car policy from the organizers was a
blast . The run felt well and the low temp – comparing to Cyprus – helped
produce a moderate but easy 2:17 Olympic time with a sweet aftertaste. Out of
430 age –group triathletes Kypros managed to finish 30. Good old friend
Constantinos Zanetos was “baptized” in his first finish in the Olympic distance
with a small help in training from Kypros. Way to go to both!!
Almost in the finish line of the season two more events await.
The 2007 Berlin marathon on the 30th of September which is expected to give more
of a run strength / fun atmosphere and soon after that the Olympic distance
triathlon in Limasol in October with some foreign and local competition.
Stay tuned folks……
----------------------------------------------------
17/10/2006 - The wrap – up
May 26th, 2006
The last race of the 2006 grueling season has arrived and the outcome was an
8th place overall. The triathlon was an Olympic distance draft legal event held
at the Limasol coastal city by the promenade with a picturesque landscape.
Athletes from Israel, Russia, Slovenia, Great Brittan, Greece and Cyprus have
added a multicultural diversity to the event and to the closing Triathlon of the
season.
Russian Igor Syssoev – young professional triathlete - was the star of the whole
event with a rapid finish at 1:48 and the first Cypriot triathlete Stavros
Antoniou finished at 1:56 recovering from his knee injury that has troubled him
for a while.
My time 3 minutes after Stavros at 1:59 was a controlled but good effort on the
swim and bike and a “no hard push / just go with the flow” run approach. Happy
with the result due to the fact that I have not invested a lot after the two big
events of the Ironman &Worlds I have put a cap on the season’s racing calendar
and willsoon start to analyze the years training regimes and outcomes.
The time to R&R ( rest and recover) is here with plenty of relaxing activities….
Soon after that the design and planning of the 2007 training and racing season
will take place after a thou rough contemplation of everything that happened in
2006.
Directions tend to lead towards the Olympic Distance triathlons and maybe a Half
Ironman will be something to analyze.
Thanks for all your support and reading and stay tuned for more news to come.
----------------------------------------------------
7/9/2006 - The Worlds results
May 26th, 2006
The outcome of the Worlds Triathlon Championships 2006 in Lausanne was as
expected after a short duration between switching modes from the Ironman to the
ITU fast style racing. The atmosphere was electric, the roads filled up with
shaved triathlon style legs and shirts with the name of every country you can
think of were the major characteristic of the world’s Triathlon city. The parade
amazing, the Olympic museum lively with all the nationalities, and coaches,
athletes, friends and family of the sport and they were crowding Lausanne and
were waiting to explode into one big event on September 2nd and 3rd.
In my age group the 30-34, 140 very fit athletes lined up on the pontoon and
waited for the exhilarating moment of the blow-horn. A fast paced swim in Lake
Leman at the foothills of the Alps and overseeing the village of Evian, which
lasted 1500 m has taken me around 22 minutes to complete ranking me 49th
overall. The notorious steep and repetitive hills in Lausanne can whip out the
legs of even the fittest athletes of the game and the highly technical course
has left me gasping for oxygen. The result was to get dropped many times and no
matter the struggling and trying to stay with some of the groups it was
impossible due to the lack of high intensity hill climbs – which I was lacking -
, and the product was a ranking of 112 place on the bike. T2 found me fairly in
ok shape and the confidence booster of passing more then 30 runners of my age
group has left me fairly happy with a strong finish and without all of my juice
depleted. Definitely the Ironman preparation had something to do with that…. So
the final ranking was around 90th in a group of the fastest triathletes in the
world in my age group.
Happy ? Definitely – you do not get the chance to race in the middle of Europe
with such flawless organization and group of athletes in beautiful Lausanne
every day.
Could I have raced better? Definitely , ITU specific preparation was not there
and with the right prerequisite things can easily improve.
The experience un-paralleled and the comments fully positive. The crowds really
make you want to race and race fast!
One last Olympic distance race in Limasol in October will wrap up the 2006
grueling in all departments season. Stay tuned for the end.
----------------------------------------------------
29/8/2006 - ITU World Triathlon Championships
May 26th, 2006
After taking in a deep breath of air with some time off, just around the corner the Olympic Distance World Triathlon Championships is the next big event of the year. With close to 3500 triathletes from different backgrounds i.e. firefighters, professional athletes, age groupers, university championship, and the general population of recreational athletes Lausanne, Switzerland will be filled up with the fittest people in Europe for a few days.
The plan of our Cyprus Triathlon Federation was to participate with three Cyprus triathletes, however an unfortunate knee injury on Stavros Antoniou forced him to stay out, and a low back problem with Soteris Nicolaou leaving only Kypros Nicolaou to represent the yellow/white flag.
Switching from the training mode of the Ironman distance to the very fast and red-zone intensity ITU style racing in Lausanne was no easy task and with a very short time frame. However the Ironman volume has given to Kypros some type of backup to be able to finish strong but not fast. With the best triathletes in the world clocking 31 and 32 min 10 km runs it will be a breathless effort to try and hang on. However the motto is to participate, gain the World Championships experience and have a respectable finish.
The bike course is as hilly as it gets and Lausanne is notorious for the steep up hills that lead to the town’s hilltop views. The swim course is a fast lake course with the fastest swimmers grinding themselves through the first part of the 1500m trying to get a competitive advantage. The run course is flat fast and with the beautiful scenery of the Beau Rivage area.
Stay tuned for more info after the race takes place on Saturday the 2nd of September.
----------------------------------------------------
20 July 2006
May 26th, 2006
The final outcome is here and the 10:56 Austria Ironman time is the achievement of 8 months of hard work. The race took place in wonderful Klagenfurt with a nice water temp. and slightly hot run environment – however due to the hot Cyprus climate systems were ready for that. Fantastic scenery with beautiful lakeshore, green as far as the eye can see and mountain bases and tops along the 180km bike course was dressing the race course perfectly. The Austrians are very athlete oriented and they have a feel of what this is all about when almost 2.5k athletes are out in the streets competing so they are adding to this wonderful atmosphere – kinda hard to say the same for the Greek – Cypriots, however this is another chapter….
The swim took a time of 56 min to exiting the lake 180th overall feeling calm and fully in control, then on the two 90 km laps the first one was overconfident and fast – which was a bad idea because the second felt the pressure a lot more and has taken a lot of juice of my system.
Oddly enough transition 2 created a nice and controlled environment to start the marathon. The effort was very nice in terms of feelings of intensity for the first 15 km with a good split. However after that point the “hitting the wall” phrase came along and the pace I was running fell dramatically to the point of walking a few aid stations to ingest calories. The isotonic drinks helped and so did the food because there was never a full stop just a slowing of pace. So reaching the last stretch of crowded runway and headed towards the arch of the finish emotions were enthusiasm, joy and the reward to reach the finish healthy and with a respectable time for my first Ironman Triathlon. 612 overall ranking out of 2300 competitors was the final count. Coach and friend Nicos Papadopoulos was at the opposite side taking pics and shouting with joy as well.
Was it worth it – ABSOLUTELY IT WAS!! Would I do it again ? Positive is the answer.
If you are reading this and think this is too much, we will talk again after you have tried a few triathlons, or even to finish a 5 km run race and know about the feeling I am talking about. In the mean time stay fit and keep reading along my news. Soon to come an Olympic Distance Triathlon in the World triathlon series in Switzerland in September after some recuperation – I need it …..
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13,07,2006
May 26th, 2006
Three days before the big event – Austria Ironman Triathlon – and spirits are high with a good dose of stress and a good dose of relaxation. The big preparations are almost complete and the trip to Austria is coming right up, in order to encounter the Ironman environment in Klagenfurt. The final weeks have went according to plan and like all of the big Ironman name’s say - there is nothing more you can do in the last 2-3 weeks that will help your fitness even more, the best thing is to gradually rest and reduce volume. My lifelong friend and help Nicos Papadopoulos is going to be a big asset with motivation and race strategies that we have discussed in advance along with coach Alexis Kyriakides.
The race plan is as follows: swim conservatively but as fluid as possible, exit and take my time to initialize the bike that will be a spinning effort with no max pushes in terms of heart rate, eat and drink as planned by my nutritionist Nikoleta Michaelidou and hope to finish with the tank half full, then proceed with caution for an easy jog for the economic marathon and continue eating and drinking the gels, bananas, powerbars and sports-drinks. That’s it…. Hope it works.
It is an opportunity for me to sincerely thank all those who have helped me mentally and physically to overcome all this training and preparation leading towards this big milestone in my athletic career. Some of you have also helped me during my non-training days, and mentally have provided a healthy environment for me to go on. As for the non-believers and obstacle creators I have nothing to say …..
Stay tuned for the outcome or go to www.iromanaustria.com results 2006.
----------------------------------------------------
22,06,2006
May 26th, 2006
Three weeks to go for the Austria Ironman Triathlon 2006 event ( Swim 3.9/ bike 180km / run 42.1) and all systems almost ready to go. Some final key workouts per discipline will take place within this week and then is taper rest and race. The initial plan was to rest for 4 weeks pre-race but after not managing to get a full volume of training due to unforeseen obstacles the decision to reduce the rest and add one more week of volume – however not too huge of a volume – took effect.
A final long 4 km straight swim with recording avg splits per 100m is one of the workouts, a 3 hour bike with 45 min run as a last brick, a tempo run workout with 2 x 15 min faster than race pace and a hill session bike workout are the last worth mentioning sessions left.
Work obligations and other activities are met and even though time constraints are limited the struggle for these final weeks goes on. A final laboratory test on the bike to reveal VO2max and energy expenditure among other things will also be a test that will either boost or lower morale. Even though 2006 has been rough with many obstacles and problems in the athletic and personal aspect adherence to the goal has remained and perseverance led the way.
The goal is still clear and unchanged – a healthy finish and a fun and enjoyable time at my first Ironman Triathlon in July 2006.
Stay tuned for the final days pre-race.
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May 26th, 2006
May 26th, 2006
Six final weeks and developments of the training preparation for the Ironman Triathlon in Austria have been kind of shaky. The hot weather of the island of Cyprus has been a major factor to keep training relatively limited in total exercise time, however some but not all planned long workouts took place. The heat started a lot earlier than expected and the toll of a few heat illnesses were there and has delayed recovery time for the next workouts. Furthermore personal problems kept training motivation and spirits low for a while however reoccurring appetite for hard training returned and full throttle ahead till race day. Support from friends and family exists and the use of it is a very strong anabolic aid.
Limiters still exist in hard effort sessions – high %MHR, repeated bouts of hill biking is an element that needs attention and the transition from long bike to long run needs refinement. In the following weeks to come two more long volume weeks are needed in the realm of 15-16 hours of training / week. A proposed plan is shown here for some of the heavy loaded weeks to follow.
More news to come very soon, stay tuned.
----------------------------------------------------
The successful
and boosting Cyprus training camp 2006 just finished this Sunday the 16th
and the Luxemborgoise triathletes kept me going motivated, interested and
focused. Four continuous days of long riding 85+ km each day mixed with open
water swims in the fresh Mediterranean waters and with beach front runs in some
days on the sand. The group turned out to be very friendly and motivating to
train with. Definitely the cold weather in Luxemburg was a factor to keep the
athletes wanting to train more and more in the 20+ C sunny Cyprus weather,
however this recipe might have lead in overtraining for me. The training week
ended for me with a Sprint Triathlon in Limasol and it was the first of the
season. The expectations were not much by any means due to the heavy weekly load
that took place the week before however the start list included a few
“competitive” names of the game. A controlled effort throughout with steady
paces reveled that the swim is in good direction, the bike needs more torque /
force and the run is ok. The results are attached in the CYTRIFED page. The
length of the distance was out of the specificity I am shooting for and the
preparation for such a short event requires high – speed- intensity short
workouts which at this point they are not there.
With 12 weeks
to go things need to be getting as Ironman triathlon specific as
possible. Expected workouts should be the 150 and 170 km bike rides with a few
hills and moderate effort – (70% MHR), the 26 & 30 km runs easy but as non-stop
as possible and with a race pace faster than Ironman marathon, and the 2 km swim
time-trials.
Biking
equipment, nutrition planning, and race suit equipment almost ready to go and
cleared for race day. The weight management goal is slowly met and finalized
with the correct race weight. However still to go are the 12 weeks of training
and many things can happen till then.
Stay tuned for
more news soon.
----------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------
Time seems to fly by in a rapid pace and
The long runs are been collected and even though they are improving fitness they are definitely
making my legs more and more tight, thus a massage therapist is the key person
for the moment. Even though we are 14 weeks to go the need for some faster
workouts has emerged in order to avoid the long and slow “syndrome”. Therefore
track sessions have also started and they add a different dimension to the whole
prep program.
Past “key workouts” include the 4 k swim with a brick 3 hour bike, the Pafos Half marathon preceded
by a 50 km bike ride and the hilly Stavrovouni hill climb reps with the help of
cyclist friend Andreas Agrotis.
The pre-planned training camp will be held next week with the very interesting group of 15
Luxembergoise triathletes visiting the island for a while. The training camp
will have as its base Limasol but it is expected that the workouts will expand
all over the island. The 8 days camp will culminate with a sprint triathlon
organized by the Cyprus triathlon federation.
As swimming coach Alexis Kyriakides ordered, more technique improving work is needed in order to
get the swimming part as painlessly as possible out of the way and with maximum
energy preserved. So it is less hard swim sets and more technique and efficiency
boosting work for the next 4 weeks. Keep reading more news soon....
----------------------------------------------------
March 1st, 2006
Time seems to fly by in a rapid pace and
the countdown is at 19 weeks before the big day. The big picture looks good
however mentally the accumulated fatigue gathered so far is running me down. The
future idea though is that after the big volume builder weeks pass, the rest
weeks will follow and they will do the trick. A body composition evaluation has
revealed that care needs to be taken for not gaining any more kg and in the
course of the 19 weeks to shed 2-3 kg.
Favorite workouts until now have
included an 85 km hilly bike ride from 140 m elevation to a gradual 960m slowly
but surely, followed by a brick session of 12 km running.
Also the many times postponed underwater
video taping analysis took place by coach Aexis Kyriakides and has also revealed
some swim errors that if fixed they are supposed to improve technique and
efficiency. In two weeks time the Pafos Half Marathon preceded by a 2 hour
brick- bike- ride will add even more aerobic fitness and confidence in the weeks
to come.
----------------------------------------------------
With
25 weeks to go the preparation continues with no major set backs. The
mechanical equipment as far as the bike department needs some fine
tuning and more km will be added in the following training weeks. The
weather has been relatively kind to us in this part of the globe. With
very few rainy and cold days the weekends have served as long volume
days and helped improve fitness. However, even more “quantity” km on the
bike are needed to get the athlete even more mentally and physically
strong while on the saddle. A half marathon ( Kaloderma Half marathon in
Larnaca) was successfully completed on 29/1/2006 with a nice brick –
bike to run, and has mentally boosted the athlete’s morale that fitness
and endurance is there and getting stronger! Energy calculations and
laboratory exercise physiology testing has helped a lot in evaluating
the current cardio-pulmonary status and has given exercise prescription
advice.
The
work schedule is the only major limitation due to the short light days
and the pretty hectic working hours per week. As every other amateur and
working individual proper time management is what goes on a weekly basis
and the need for even more efficient planning is a priority.
The
VW Cyprus company has been added to the
list of supporters and will serve as another vital “economic injection”
in this long journey. The so far cooperation with the major sponsor
POWERADE has been extremely helpful
and has brought to creation most of the elements planned so far.
Worth
mentioning also is the 2005 award ceremony that took place in January 15th
in Limassol and has yielded the following for Kypros:
1st
male in the open Olympic distance Triathlon category
2nd
male in the Sprint Distance Triathlon category
The
2006
www.kyprosnicolaou.com t-shirts are also out and a great success as
confirmed by all who whore them. If you want your free t-shirt do not
hesitate to e-mail :
kyprosnic@hotmail.com
By
wearing them you support the athlete’s effort in the preparation/racing
of the Ironman.
The
2005-2006 preparatory training period has started and the well
identified goal for the Karten Ironman
Triathlon Austria in July 2006 is a fact. It is with
great relief and joy that Kypros has managed to secure a cooperation /
sponsorship agreement with the Powerade
Sports Drink company for
the duration period December 2005 – July 2006. The
Powerade company will be the
major sponsor for the athlete in his inaugural and hilly trip towards a
strong and healthy performance in July. Supporters at this stage for
Kypros Karten Ironman Triathlon Austria
mission include Elias Mavrommatis
Pilates Studio and
Ad and the City.
The 35
week time frame is expected to be long and hectic due to the demands of
the specificity of the Ironman Triathlon
event. However the helpful climate in Cyprus and the cycling and
swimming groups that exist on the island will probably be an enhancing
“injection” for the prep. Training / racing events held in Cyprus that
will precede the Karten Ironman Triathlon
will serve as fitness boosters,
technique adjusters, and equipment testers and are very important in
order to get Kypros in racing mode.
In addition to the long training weeks Kypros will have to tackle a full
working schedule – like any other common mortal - and stay on top of the
game in the Fitness Industry – with Exercise Physiology Testing and
Personal Training around the clock. The closely related working
obligations with the training prep though have a unique overlap that
will keep things in the right direction – and hopefully not
produce a burnout.
Currently the first training phase of building a solid aerobic base is
underway with easy long bike rides and runs, technique building swimming
sets, and strength training workouts. This will probably go on for a
total of 12-16 weeks. From there on a program change will take place.
Useful discussions and exchange of scientific training information will
supplement Kypros “plan of action” and will continue to
take place with swimming coach expert Alexis Kyriakides and fellow
Exercise Physiologist / runner George Loucaides.
Stay tuned and find out more about how the weeks develop.
------------------------------------------------------
News of the athlete Kypros Nicolaou:
The 2004-2005 athletic season is coming
to an end very soon with good and bad performances. Some highlights of the
season include the International triathlon in Cyprus, the Small Nations Games in
Luxemburg, the cycling events that so much have whipped my legs into better
shape, and the early season awakening duathlons.
A
short rest period follows and then the long road towards a strong fitness level
for the Ironman Austria 2006 is a fact and a big challenge. Stay tuned to find
out how the new season will unfold for the Ironman preparation, and the
tacklings of the everyday life realities are addressed.
With
25 weeks to go the preparation continues with no major set backs. The
mechanical equipment as far as the bike department needs some fine
tuning and more km will be added in the following training weeks. The
weather has been relatively kind to us in this part of the globe. With
very few rainy and cold days the weekends have served as long volume
days and helped improve fitness. However, even more “quantity” km on the
bike are needed to get the athlete even more mentally and physically
strong while on the saddle. A half marathon ( Kaloderma Half marathon in
Larnaca) was successfully completed on 29/1/2006 with a nice brick –
bike to run, and has mentally boosted the athlete’s morale that fitness
and endurance is there and getting stronger! Energy calculations and
laboratory exercise physiology testing has helped a lot in evaluating
the current cardio-pulmonary status and has given exercise prescription
advice.
The
work schedule is the only major limitation due to the short light days
and the pretty hectic working hours per week. As every other amateur and
working individual proper time management is what goes on a weekly basis
and the need for even more efficient planning is a priority.
The
VW Cyprus company has been added to the
list of supporters and will serve as another vital “economic injection”
in this long journey. The so far cooperation with the major sponsor
POWERADE has been extremely helpful
and has brought to creation most of the elements planned so far.
Worth
mentioning also is the 2005 award ceremony that took place in January 15th
in Limassol and has yielded the following for Kypros:
1st
male in the open Olympic distance Triathlon category
2nd
male in the Sprint Distance Triathlon category
The
2006
www.kyprosnicolaou.com t-shirts are also out and a great success as
confirmed by all who whore them. If you want your free t-shirt do not
hesitate to e-mail :
kyprosnic@hotmail.com
By
wearing them you support the athlete’s effort in the preparation/racing
of the Ironman.
The
2005-2006 preparatory training period has started and the well
identified goal for the Karten Ironman
Triathlon Austria in July 2006 is a fact. It is with
great relief and joy that Kypros has managed to secure a cooperation /
sponsorship agreement with the Powerade
Sports Drink company for
the duration period December 2005 – July 2006. The
Powerade company will be the
major sponsor for the athlete in his inaugural and hilly trip towards a
strong and healthy performance in July. Supporters at this stage for
Kypros Karten Ironman Triathlon Austria
mission include Elias Mavrommatis
Pilates Studio and
Ad and the City.
The 35
week time frame is expected to be long and hectic due to the demands of
the specificity of the Ironman Triathlon
event. However the helpful climate in Cyprus and the cycling and
swimming groups that exist on the island will probably be an enhancing
“injection” for the prep. Training / racing events held in Cyprus that
will precede the Karten Ironman Triathlon
will serve as fitness boosters,
technique adjusters, and equipment testers and are very important in
order to get Kypros in racing mode.
In addition to the long training weeks Kypros will have to tackle a full
working schedule – like any other common mortal - and stay on top of the
game in the Fitness Industry – with Exercise Physiology Testing and
Personal Training around the clock. The closely related working
obligations with the training prep though have a unique overlap that
will keep things in the right direction – and hopefully not
produce a burnout.
Currently the first training phase of building a solid aerobic base is
underway with easy long bike rides and runs, technique building swimming
sets, and strength training workouts. This will probably go on for a
total of 12-16 weeks. From there on a program change will take place.
Useful discussions and exchange of scientific training information will
supplement Kypros “plan of action” and will continue to
take place with swimming coach expert Alexis Kyriakides and fellow
Exercise Physiologist / runner George Loucaides.
Stay tuned and find out more about how the weeks develop.
------------------------------------------------------
News of the athlete Kypros Nicolaou:
The 2004-2005 athletic season is coming
to an end very soon with good and bad performances. Some highlights of the
season include the International triathlon in Cyprus, the Small Nations Games in
Luxemburg, the cycling events that so much have whipped my legs into better
shape, and the early season awakening duathlons.
A
short rest period follows and then the long road towards a strong fitness level
for the Ironman Austria 2006 is a fact and a big challenge. Stay tuned to find
out how the new season will unfold for the Ironman preparation, and the
tacklings of the everyday life realities are addressed.
A short rest period follows and then the long road towards a strong fitness level for the Ironman Austria 2006 is a fact and a big challenge. Stay tuned to find out how the new season will unfold for the Ironman preparation, and the tacklings of the everyday life realities are addressed.