Marek Jaskolka
-Triathlete-
News
04.01.2012- Training Camp in New Zealand of another kind! (Part 2)
First of all a happy New Year to you all! I have already reported from my adventure in New Zealand. Before it ended just before Christmas, I had done further trips in "nomansland". After arriving at the South Island we headed off to Wanaka and Mount Aspirig doing a 10 hours hiking trip. The incredible nature and the silence in the mountains made me tank up new power for the following season.
Eventually we have also seen some penguins, not only once. One dusky night a whole penguin family just walked right by, as we stood still and they obviously would not indentify us as danger. Usually these cute animals are very shy and run away from humans.
Another hightlight was certainly Whale Watching in Kaikoura. Apart from a sperm whale we had also seen dolphins and an albatros.
The time went quickly by and sooner than later we found ourselves in Auckland again for Christmas. Thanks to Kirsty and Coxy for their hospitality! In Auckland I got back to serious training.
For a couple of days I have been in Christchurch now. Here with Roly and his team I will put some huge training volume. I hope to stay healthy and be left out from injuries, so I can stand fit on the start line at my first big race in Mooloolaba in March.
25.12.2011- MERRY CHRISTMAS
I wish all my fans and my friends a merry Christmas. Enjoy an unique celebration, the celebration of Love! Greetings from New Zealand!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9p4G2GbPYQA
10.12.2011- Training camp in New Zealand of other kind (part 1)
After a season is before a season. Two weeks after my last race in Auckland, it is time to get back to training. Next season will be a special one, as the Olympic Games in London kick off. This is my big goal and I will do everything to qualify and hopefully I can return with a reasonable result back home. My chances for a participation are not bad as 55 spots will be allocated. To make sure I achieve my goal I already started the new preparation in New Zealand. I will be staying here for the next four months. New Zealand is a very nice country with beatiful sites to visit and also a great place for training.
I have been starting with little training and slowly I am going to increase the intensity and volume. To avoid monotony and to make the training more interesting I am travelling with my girlfriend and personal physiotherapist Ela ;) with a campervan around New Zealand and I am exploring New Zealand while swimming, biking and running.
I did the last swim at the Abel Tasman National Park. After we had been kayaking to a little island, where dozens of seals live I jumped to the sea to swim with them. It was an amazing experience. Seals are cute creatures, but can be easily disturbed by humans.
Seals are very common all around New Zealand. At the cape Pallisier you can literarly walk between seals and observe them hunting. Also pinguins live here, but I could not spot them so far.
I had a special run in Golden Bay with huge dunes along the coastline and golden sand. Felt like in Sahara ;)
My first bike session was to the Franz Josef Glacier. The nice thing about touring one way is that it never gets borring and you always get something new to see.
Today is an easy day and that means two hours climb to the "Fox Glacier".
Before our adventure comes to the end, there are some more highlights to come like swimming with the dolfins and whale watching in Kaikoura. Well.....until then there are some other tasks to be done like washing up ;/
20.11.2011- 9th in the ITU Triathlon World Cup in Auckland (NZL)
Finally I can celebrate the end of my season with a good final result in the ITU Triathlon World Cup in Auckland. It was the last World Cup this season and probably also the hardest race, I have ever done. The bike course with three steep hills on each of 8 laps made the race very tough. The swim took place in Mission Bay in Auckland with wetsuits. That helped me considerably to mount the bike in 16th position. But that was just a piece of cake compared to the part that was going to come. At the first hill of the bike course I dropped back and found myself in the second pack. During the whole race I struggeled all the time and was close to quit. After the first half of the race I got the first cramps. Usually I never get cramps, but this race was a special one. In addition to that I got stitches on the run and only on the last of four laps I could come close to my usual race pace. I lost 3 minutes to the winner of the race Kris Gemmell, but I was happy to have achieved a nice result at the end of the season. With additional 268 points for the Olympic ranking and a 40th spot in the Olympic simulation I have finished the season 2011. Now, it is time for holidays! During the next 6 weeks I will be travelling with Ela around New Zealand with a campervan. I am looking forward to it and will report from the tour shortly.