Hi Everyone,
Finally season is over and I managed to end the season on a high note. I am the New Malta Triathlon Champion for the second time in my career. I trained very hard for these championships taking care of every detail. I trained 3 times a day with a total of 30hrs a week and managing that training is no joke. It was not the first time that I fainted after a hard session because I went over my limits but I was ready to give everything I’ve got. I wanted to win the championships at all costs, no matter what. However I was not happy with only a win. I wanted to win with a big margin to show my Dominance in the sport and to show as well that at the moment I am THE BEST Maltese Triathlete.
I was a bit excited and a bit nervous before the race. I always have those mixed feelings and emotions before the championships that makes me more nervous however thanks to the support of my fiancée, I calmed down and was thinking more positive. The training leading to the race has been excellent. I improved my times in all the three disciplines so everything was showing that I had to do a great performance. Weather was ideal for a strong performance. I was feeling good the morning of the race and was waiting impatiently for the start.
I started the swim at a very fast pace. I was immediately on the lead. I knew that I was swimming well so I just pushed and pushed. I was feeling strange being alone in the lead at one point because usually I have someone to push with, however I kept on pushing. Out of the water I had a lead of over two minutes on my rivals. After a good transition, I went on to tackle the 40km at a strong pace. My legs were responding really well. I noticed that I will be having a strong bike. My brother/coach Dermot was giving me updates of my times each lap. My advantage was increasing and this gave me more energy to put more effort. During the last to laps the wind was increasing. I was on target to break my brother’s 2001 course record so I slowed down a bit to reserve some extra energy for the run. By the end of the bike my advantage was over 5 minutes.
I was alone on the run; I knew I had the championship safe in my hands. The only target I had was to beat the course record. It was going to be a bit difficult to maintain a good speed alone but I managed to keep strong all the way. Thank god there was a bit of a wind because if not, it would have been a very hot run. When I was approaching the finish line I was really pushing a lot to break the record. My parents, my brother and my fiancée all shouting like mad to push and thanks god I managed to do so breaking my brother’s record by over 2 minutes.
Finally I achieved my target I had been training hard for. I am overjoyed. I managed to become for the 2nd time in my career Malta Triathlon Champion with a course record. I managed to beat my rivals by over 7 minutes and managed to stay unbeaten throughout the whole season and rounded a successful season with an amazing win. Now a short break and during this break will start thinking for the next season. I love the October championships because thanks to this race I started triathlon. I remember way back in 1998 when my brother won his first championship, I promised to myself that I one day this championships will be mine so every time I win this race, I always remember the first steps I did in the sport and how long time passed since then
I would like to thank my parents for their support and patience, my brother coach Dermot for his training and suitable advices, Nutritionist Johanna Calleja for her nutritional Plans, my fiancée’s parents for their support, my club Birkirkara St Joseph, the Malta Triathlon Association, the KMS for the opportunity of the 20/20 Elite Scheme and my sponsors which are Starbene shop of Mosta and BBB Bike parts.
I would like to say a BIG THANK YOU to the most important person in my life, my fiancée Elizabeth Galea. Soon Elizabeth will be my wife in the near future. I feel very lucky that I met such a wonderful person with such a nice character. Elizabeth has been fundamental to me this season. Her support was simply great. She came to see me in every single race even abroad, she has a lot of patience with me as she always cook for me what I have in my nutrition plan, sometimes we don’t go out because of training or because am so tired to go out, she makes m company for very long hours when I have indoor training in my gym / garage. She is simply unique. I would like to tell her that I love her so so so much and I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together.
TI AMO ELI XXXXXX
