IRONLADY. Interview with the winner of the stage in Kazan

IRONLADY is a women’s race held on the eve of the IRONSTAR SPRINT triathlon competition especially for the beautiful ladies. The beautiful half of humanity will have to overcome five intense kilometers and compete in endurance, speed and perseverance. At the finish line of IRONLADY in Kazan we managed to meet this year’s winner Anastasia Tovpintseva and talk to her about how and where to start your preparation for triathlon distances, what should be taken into account during the race and how to overtake yourself at the finish line.

– Nastia, how much did you prepare for your first start?
– In general, my first triathlon start is planned for the end of October, it’s a sprint – 750 m swim, 20 km bike ride plus 5 km run. I didn’t prepare for IRONLADYy on purpose. I just came for company with my beloved, who does half of IRONMAN here, and decided to run with other girls. And that’s the beauty of triathlon – in principle, you are so toned and fit at any time that you can organize such holidays for yourself in the form of spontaneous intermediate mini-mono-starts (runs, swims). Unless, of course, they are not global like a half-marathon or marathon – then it can interfere with the preparation for the main race. And so it turned out to be a good training, for which they gave a gift and a medal.

– What kind of training was in the preparation stage?
– We have a women’s triathlon team #IronShubaBaby, we train five times a week (an hour and a half each), within a week we have all three types of training (swimming, cycling, running) plus strength and functional training in the gym.

And, of course, stretching, yoga, Pilates, plus it is very desirable to add if possible a bath, massage, spa, to recover well. There are also weekend or big, week-long training camps where we can train 2-3 times a day, but all loads are very competently balanced and take into account the peculiarities of the female body and psyche. Our head coach Victoria Shubina is a super-professional with huge sports and coaching experience, an example for all of us, smart and beautiful. We follow her. Or rather, we run, swim and ride a bike (smiles).

– Is this your first start or were there any other training starts before that?
– This is my second running start in my life, the first one was a 10 km run as part of the World Class Games in June. I didn’t prepare for it either, I came to run as a training session, and I was satisfied with the results.

– What was the most difficult part of the race in Kazan?
– The position fight! I lost it from the very beginning because of my lack of experience in the starts. I could have been first. At the beginning of the race several girls immediately took the lead, I was with them, but a bit behind – I couldn’t immediately pick up the pace above the PANO (threshold of anaerobic metabolism or the level of exertion at which recovery starts to go much slower, and you can’t work like that for a long time, you “sour”. This parameter is individual). And I was over-insured and did not catch up with them in the hope that they would deflate later. This is often the case at races, everyone starts like a hundred-meter race and then slows down. And you should try to work progressively and accelerate closer to the finish, not to break “on everything” at the start. In general, the girls in front of me turned out to be resilient and maintained a good pace taken at once. Closer to the finish I managed to overtake only one of the three in front of me. Besides, the five is in principle a hard distance, here you work at the limit of your abilities, because it’s not really long, it’s not a ten, where you save more money, and it’s not an explosive sprint, when your maximum efforts last only a few seconds. All in all, a very interesting and rewarding experience for me! Especially considering that as part of the sprint triathlon we will be running just a fiver.

I still have a lot to learn, and a triathlon quickly reveals your strengths and weaknesses. If you use this knowledge skillfully, you can change your whole life dramatically for the better.

– Did you plan your nutrition in advance for the race? If so, what was it like?
– It’s too short a distance for on-the-go nutrition. Up to an hour into the race you can do “dry”. But what you eat during the day before and the day before the start is very important. For me, lightness is important, but at the same time I need energy. That’s why I had oatmeal with honey a couple hours before the start.

– Speaking about equipment, what did you take with you to Kazan? What do you need to think about (in terms of clothes, etc.)?
– The most important thing is the right running shoes. They should be comfortable and necessarily tested several times on the same distances. Everything worked out perfectly for me, my very first running shoes carried me perfectly on the smooth embankment of Kazan. Nothing in the outfit should be in the way, pressed or dangling. It should be comfortable everywhere in the body, so that nothing distracts or irritates. Plus, I decided to run with my sports watch, although at first I had the idea to work out purely by feel. I was over-insured. But then it is interesting to analyze the numbers – maximum and average heart rate, pace, cadence, etc.

As part of the IRONLADY race, participants and spectators together with the famous sports brand HOKA ONE ONE could choose a suitable model right on the platform, taking into account their running style, weight and pronation. All test participants could join running and functional training with a professional trainer, or test the sneakers themselves choosing the distance and pace of the run. You will also be able to find the perfect sneakers for training on September 23 in Sochi at the IRONMAN venue.

– How hard is it to ride a bike with your legs strapped to the pedals?
– Yes, that’s my main fear and dread at the moment, apart from steep descents with turns. But it’s actually more efficient pedaling, better maneuverability, and with experience and skill you’ll start to enjoy it. I’m looking forward to that moment, and in the meantime, with clenched teeth and bulging eyes, I saddle up my fear and bike and try to train as often as possible to bring the moment of pleasure closer.

– Can you say that triathlon is already a lifestyle and not just training?
– Of course, my social circle, travel geography, daily routine, shopping preferences change. Instead of new shoes new sneakers – so the question is not yet, we still adore shoes and dresses, but a few variants of cycling uniforms in the color of the bike to buy, of course, it is vital.

– What qualities does triathlon allow you to develop besides physical ones?
– Triathlon teaches me to plan time, expenses, processes, to put efforts, to relax when I don’t have to exert myself, to appreciate life and moments of rest and communication with my loved ones (because you have to exert yourself and train a lot in triathlon). I still have a lot to learn, and triathlon quickly reveals your strengths and weaknesses. If you use this knowledge skillfully, you can change your whole life for the better.

– How does it feel to be an IRONLADY?
– It feels great! Especially when the finish shirt is beautiful, perfectly fitted, and my IronMan is next to me with flowers. Tomorrow I will support him.

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