Runner up in National Road Running Championships

Hi Everyone,

On Sunday 19^th April I was on the starting line of the fifth and final race of the National Road Running championships, a 10km race at Marsascala where again I finished in a good second place. Knowing quite well that I was in a good chance to finish in the top three places in the championships’ general overall classification, I was determined to achieve a high placing from the very start of the race.

I started the race at my usual fast pace trying to keep championship favourite and leader Andrew Grech well in sight. I tried to stay with him as much as I could but after 2km I had to slow down and kept my own pace. My legs were not that strong as I was coming from a very hard training week so I decided to settle into my own pace and defend my second place.

The wide gap I managed to open in first stages of the race was sufficient to defend my second place well to finish the race in 34 minutes. I am very happy with my performance especially that I was coming from a very heavy training schedule. My tactic to go at a very fast pace in the beginning of the race yielded the desired result, that of coming 2^nd in this race and in the overall classification

I am very proud and happy to achieve one of my targets of this year. It is a great result considering that each and every race of this championship were done as training.

 All this was possible thanks to my brother/coach Dermot Galea, my swimming coach Catalin Stan, my masseur Owen Attard, my nutritionist Johanna Calleja, my parents and my wife’s parents, my sponsors Garmin Malta, BBB Bike Parts Malta, Mochika Outdoor life, Jaycee Malta, Starbene 24/7 and Challenge Malta Marathon, my club Birkirkara St Joseph, the Malta Triathlon Federation, the Kunsill Malti ghall-isport and the Maltese Olympic Committee for the constant support and wally Galea for this photos. Most of all a big big thanks goes to my wife Elizabeth for her constant support and patience.

That’s all for now

Yours in Sports

Keith

3 wins in a week

Hi Everyone

On Easter Saturday I was on the starting line of the 2^nd race of Malta’s multisport calendar. It was a sprint Duathlon organised by Mellieha AC on the traditional Dingli course. The weather was ideal as it was perfect for a good race after a couple of very windy days.  I went out fast as usual trying to set a fast pace from the beginning. I was going really strong all the way. In fact I finished the 5km in a great time of 16.45.

My 5km split was better than last year so I started the bike segment very hard as I was targeting to improve my time registered last year on the same course. I focused a lot in order to get into the pace immediately. My legs were responding and I noticed that I was gaining ground on the athletes behind me. I am pleased with my bike as I registered the best bike of the day of 32.50

In the last 2.5km run, I was well under my target time so I really pushed myself to the limit. Although I pushed so hard on the bike my legs were still responding. I covered the 2.5km in 7.50 to finish 1^ST MALTESE in a personal best time on the course of 57.40, nearly a minute better than last year

A week later I participated in the University 5KM Road race organised by the University Sports and Leisure.  My target was to improve my own course record. I went out fast immediately setting my usual fast pace. I was happy that no one could keep up with me and I realised that it was going to be a race between the clock and myself. I was feeling strong and was on target. I kept on pushing till the end to win the race in a course record time of 16.20, improving my own course record by 25seconds.

 I also took part in the relay event. I was part of the DGtri Team which also included my brother and my friends Barry Farrugia and Alexander Schembri. It was a very tight battle between us and Savio AC. Alex was the first runner and gave us a good lead. Then it was my turn and I really gave everything for the team. I was happy to have managed increase our lead. Then it was the turn of my brother who a good run but Savio’s 3rd runner produced a wonderful come back and managed to reach Dermot. It was all in Barry’s hands for the final run and he did not disappointed us as at 200m to go he opened a superb sprint that gave us the win in a course record time of 15.32.

I am very pleased with my performances in all races as I managed to improve from last year by a good margin in all the 3 races.  All this is all thanks to my brother/coach Dermot Galea, my swimming coach Catalin Stan, my parents and my wife’s parents,my nutritionist  Johanna Galea, my masseur Owen Attard, my sponsors Garmin Malta, BBB Bike Parts Malta, Mochika Outdoor life, Startbene 24/7, Challenge Malta Marathon and Jaycee Malta, the Malta Triathlon Federation, my club Birkirkara St Joseph, the Kunsill Malti ghall-isport and the Maltese Olympic Committee for the constant support. Most of all a big thanks goes to my wife Elizabeth for her great support and patience.

Victory at the Dingli 10miles

Hi Everyone

On the 19^th March I was on the starting line of one of the most important and challenging running races in Malta, the Dingli 10miles organised by St. Patrick’s AC. I did not knew the course a lot as it was the first time that I did the race but the day before my friend Pawlu Brincat showed me the course by car so that I will have an idea of it

I soon went into the lead from the beginning setting my own pace. 3 runners kept my pace and a group of 4 was leading the race.  I did not do the same mistake as I did in the half marathon to keep the pace of other runners. This time I was going to just concentrate on my race. I was feeling my legs strong and reacted well in the hilly parts. At 5 miles to go I made my move. I know that I don’t have a good sprint finish, however I am strong on the hills and the second part of the course is very hard so I decided to go for it.

No one tried to stay with me as it was very early to do such an attack. It was a very risky move but I was feeling strong and I felt it was the right moment. I opened a lead of 30 seconds. From then on I never looked back.  I kept on pushing and managed my pace till the end to get this unexpected win in a good time of 57.43.

A week later I participated in the tour of Malta. The tour was not in my plans this year but the Maltese Olympic Committee selected me to represent Malta in the first European Games in Baku, Azerbajan in June. My coach decided to do the tour as it will be of great benefit however I had to forget the overall result as I had to keep on the usual training load. That of training 3 times daily. Before every stage I had to swim and after I had a run so I was racing on very tired legs.

I had a reasonable good time trail in the first stage placing 14^th overall and 7^th Maltese. I was very unlucky that I did my race in pouring rain so I had to really slow down in the turnarounds. In the 2^nd stage I had managed to stay with the leading group. I managed to do so until the last lap with I could not keep up and the main group was divided in two. I ended up in the middle of the groups. It was very windy and I pushed lot to keep my position but in the last hill I was very tired and got caught by the group behind me and finished 18^th overall and 9^th Maltese

The 3^rd stage was cancelled due to bad weather and my coach gave me a hard training session on the turbo. The 4^th stage was another hilly stage. Legs were dead. I struggled a lot in the first two laps but by time passing I was getting better and better. I responded to all the attacks on the main group and managed to stay with the leading group till he end to finish 8^th overall and 3^rd maltese. Overall I finished the tour in 11^th place overall and 6^th Maltese.

I am very pleased and very happy with my performances in both races. It is great to have won the dingli 10miles and the result in the tour is very significant considering I kept on my usual training load. I am very surprised and now am looking forward for the upcoming races

I would like to thank my coach Dermot Galea, my swimming coach Catalin Stan, my parents and my wife’s parents, my friend Pawlu Brincat for showing me the Dingli10 course, my masseur owen attard, my nutritionist Johanna Galea, my sponsors Garmin Malta, BBB Bike Parts Malta, Challenge Malta Marathon, Mochika Outdoor life, Jaycee Malta and Starbene 24/7, my club Birkirkara St Joseph, the Malta Triathlon Federation, the Maltese Olympic Committee and the Kunsill Malti ghall-isport for the constant support. Most of all big big thanks goes to my wife Elizabeth for her fundamental support and patience.

That's all for now

Yours in Sports

Keith