3rd Consecutive Course Record

Hi Everyone

On the 9^th August I was on the starting line of the 2^nd race of the Birkirkara St Joseph Sprint Triathlon Series.  2 weeks before the race I was in Poland for training camp under the guidance of my brother and coach Dermot Galea. The camp was very hard and demanding as it was very intensive. We worked a lot on strength especially on the bike since we had many long hills. I took the opportunity to participate in an 80km hilly cycling race. This was my first ever road race abroad and it was very tough as 30km were all hilly with 2000m ascent. Although the race was done in the middle of the training camp I still managed a respectable 20^th place from 150 cyclists. During the camp I managed a load of 30km of swimming 550km cycling and 70km running. It was very tough but I knew that all the pain I went through that week will going to be beneficial for the last races of the season. I would like to thank the Maltese Olympic Committee for this opportunity and my friend Piotr Yanuszewski who helped us a lot for the logistics during our stay in Poland

I had a very slow start in the swim. I really don’t know why I started so slow. Usually I have quite a very fast start.  However I was soon behind the relay team swimmers and stayed behind them till the end of the swimming segment. I was feeling strong and could have gone faster but I knew that it was going to be a hard race so I decided to keep the pace. I went out of the water first covering the 750m in a time of 10.14, 15 seconds better than the first race

On the bike I was feeling strong and I pushed from the very beginning. I was feeling the benefits of the training camp especially climbing up the hill. I noticed I was going to register a good time on the bike, thus I could go again for the course record. I did my best on the bike. I slowed down a bit in the last lap to prepare my legs for the run. I covered the 20km in a personal best time of 31.15

I entered first in T2 and after a good transition I started the 5km at a fast pace. I paced myself well. I was feeling a bit tired in the first half of the 5km but then I got well into my normal pace. I tried my best to go under 18minutes on the 5.1km course but I was not that fast as I wanted. I covered the run in 18.15 to win my 15^th race of the season in another course record time of 1.00.54. I am pleased with my performance. I am very happy to post again a course record. I managed to improve my time from last year by 1minute 30seconds. It’s good to see that margin of improvement. That means that the training is working.  The training camp worked a lot especially on the bike. At the moment I am training very hard in order to peak myself for the September and October races.

I would like to thank my brother/coach Dermot Galea, my swimming coach Catalin Stan, my nutritionist Johanna Galea, my masseur Owen Attard, my parents, my brother in Law Neil Galea and his wife Alin, my sponsors Garmin Malta, BBB Bike Parts Malta, Mochika Outdoor life, Challenge Malta Marathon, Jaycee Malta, Dgtri.com personal coaching, Lucida Laundry 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 a big thanks goes to my wife Elizabeth for her great patience and her fundamental support which is very important for me.

That’s all for now

Yours in Sports

Keith

A New Sponsor Mochika - Outdoor Life

Mochika - Outdoor Life will be supporting Malta’s Duathlon, Aquathlon and Triathlon National Champion, Keith Galea. Galea, a talented triathlete running under Birkirkara St. Joseph, will this year be taking part in a number of local and international competitions, and therefore requires the highest level of support in order to sustain his performances.

Mochika – Outdoor Life, an outdoors shop situated in Mdina Road, Qormi, specialises in athletic performance and injury prevention, and they will be supporting Galea with the latest brands in running shoes, garments and nutrition, including Saucony, Compressport, Superfeet, Maxinutrition, Julbo, Sportique, Zamst and Mule Bar. Mochika – Outdoor Life also support a number of athletes and sport clubs, and Keith Galea, a top performer in the sport, is looking forward to compete with the help of the prominent brands available at Mochika. 

Keith Galea, who is under the KMS Flexi Training Scheme would like to thank Mochika for this sponsorship, Galea is having a brilliant season this year, winning 14 races in all. Amongst them, the famous Dingli 10miles road race, his third title in the National Duathlon Championships,  his victory in the Custonaci – Cornino Olympic Triathlon in Sicly and winning the National Mountain Running Title. He is currently leading the Birkirkara St Joseph Triathon Series and the Birkirakara St Joseph 5km Running Seres

Another Course Record

Hi Everyone

On Sunday 19^th July the Birkirkara St Joseph Triathlon Sprint Distance Series kicked off.  The weather was very difficult as it was very hot and humid and it was going to be difficult to perform especially after coming from a week sick with antibiotics. However 2 days before the race I was feeling better so I was confident to do a good performance.

I did not have a good start in the swim as I wished. Had a pretty slow one but I got my speed immediately and went behind the relay swimmers in order to push myself. I was feeling great and was feeling light and I was sure that I was going for a good time. Although the relay swimmers were sprinting in the end I tried to stay as close as possible bearing in mind that I still had the bike and run to do. I went out of the water first covering the 750m swim 10mins which is a very good time

After a reasonable good transition I started the bike at a steady pace. I was feeling the heat a lot so I settled into a good pace. I was caught by my team mate Graham Borg on the bike. I just kept focused on my own pace and not get distracted. In such moments one has to think about his own race. I knew the weather was hot so I did not pushed a lot on the bike and save energy for the run. After all it is a triathlon race not an individual time trial. We both lead the race keeping a very fast pace. In fact I covered the 20km hilly bike in a personal best time of 31.49 which was the second best bike split of the day.

We went in together in T2 and I just concentrated to do a fast transition as I can. In fact I went out of T2 again in first place and was getting faster and faster in the run, thus my lead was increasing. Although it was hard to keep on pushing due to the heat I did my best as I was on for a course record. In fact thanks to the best run of the day of 18.10 I won the race in a course record time of 1.01.21, more than a minute faster than my previous course record of last year

2 days later I took part in the 2^nd race of the Birkirakara St Joseph 5km Series. I felt that I recovered well from the triathlon and was targeting a new personal best however I ruined everything right from the start. I went out too fast covering the first 1km in 2.59. 2^nd kilometre was 3.09 but in the third kilometre I slowed down. My Legs just stopped and was overtaken by Portuguese runner Bruno Lima.  I did not had the legs to counter attack and just focused to keep the 2^nd place and increase my lead in the series. In the end I finished 2^nd in 16.45 and managed to increase my lead in the series with 9seconds.

I am very pleased with my course record. It means that I am stronger and faster than last year but I know I can lower my time in the coming races with good weather and with a much sharper form. I am not happy with my time in the 5km but I know it was my mistake and I know I can do much better. At least I managed to increase slightly my lead in the overall standings

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I would like to thanks my brother/coach Dermot Galea, my swimming coach Catalin Stan. My parents, my brother in law Neil and his wife Alin, my nutritionist Johanna Callaja, my masseur Owen Attard, my sponsors Garmin Malta, BBB Bike Parts Malta, Jaycee Malta, Lucida Laundry, Mochika Outdoor Life, Starbene 24/7 and Challenge Malta Marathon, my club Birkirkara St Joseph, the Malta Triathlon Federation and the Kunsill Malti Gll-isport and the Maltese Olympic Committee for the constant support. Most of all a big thanks to my wife Elizabeth for her great patience and for her fundamental backing and support

That’s all for know

Yours in Sports

Keith