At the end of August, Tallinn will once again be filled with dedicated triathletes, as one of the biggest competitions, Ironman 70.3, will take place. The brave trainers of our own MyFitness clubs will also enter the competition arena! This time, 10 dedicated athletes are taking part in the competition – two teams of three people and four individual athletes. Let’s take a closer look at our participants and find out what makes them push for the Ironman 70.3 finish line.

Individual participant Raivo Nõmm

This year Raivo is participating in the individual competition for the first time. He has been associated with MyFitness sports clubs for 8 years, and many remember him from his group spinning training sessions. He became interested in Ironman last year when he was in charge of the cycling race of the three-member MyFitness team. Last year’s experience was very positive and the energy and support of the team was second to none. That is how he got the idea that it was time to take on this challenge individually.

Raivo, what is your sports background?

I’ve been involved in sports for about 30 years. The main sport was athletics, more precisely, middle and long distance running. I collected about 20 medals at the Estonian championships. My passion for running has taken me to marathons in London, Berlin and Stockholm, and my best marathon time is 2:34.40. At some point I discovered mountain biking and became interested in skiing and triathlon. I have also competed in shorter triathlons and completed the entire Vasaloppet three times.

How is your preparation for the Ironman 70.3 competition and have you set yourself any goals?

Preparations are in full swing, currently I train about 10 hours a week. Over the winter I covered about 1000 km on skis, and I believe that I have laid a proper foundation over many years of playing sports. Since the cycling race of an Ironman competition is the most time consuming, I will be focusing more on my cycling training this year. I don’t shy away from running; now I go swimming twice a week. I have set myself a goal: to do it in five hours, let’s see what happens. I believe that this is achievable if you are in good health and do not overdo it with training.

Individual participant Maigi Vändre

Maigi made her Ironman 70.3 debut last year and has her sights set on crossing the Ironman 70.3 finish line again. Maigi is a bright and energetic MyFitness Viljandi trainer who conducts various group trainings.

Maigi, how satisfied were you with your performance last year?

Ironman 70.3 has been a little dream of mine for a long time and making it a reality was an incredible feeling. Of course, the whole undertaking was a little scary, but deep down I knew that I could handle it and do it with positive emotions. And so it happened!

What brings you back to the Ironman trails? Did you learn any lessons from last time?

Perhaps it was one of the most powerful and intense experiences of my life! Before Ironman 70.3, I had never ridden a road bike. When I first tried out a road bike, I had a big smile on my face all the way. Was I living under a rock that I just now discovering how convenient, easy and enjoyable it is to ride a road bike?!

You should make your dreams come true and believe in yourself. You have to work hard for your dreams and goals.

How are you preparing for the competitions this time?

This year I will focus on improving my results and enjoying the whole process even more. I worry less about things I can’t change. I will improve my swimming technique and will definitely spend more time on the bike.

Last year I swam the entire distance with breaststroke, but this time I’m working on my freestyle technique, which will definitely give better results over time. There will definitely be a lot more bike training this season because now I have all the equipment and will be able to rack up my kilometres early.

Individual participant Pavel Borovkov

The third individual participant is Pavel Borovkov. Pavel is a personal and group trainer at MyFitness Narva Fama; he has been delighting our members for over 14 years! Pavel is no stranger to Ironman 70.3, having participated in triathlons five times, both as part of a team and individually.

“The focus is on conscious training and staying healthy.”

Why did you decide to participate this year as well?

I really enjoy the atmosphere of the Ironman 70.3 race. I have already participated in this competition five times, and each time it was very cool.

What are you focusing on this year and are you planning to change anything in your preparation?

This year’s preparation is definitely different from previous years. This time, I am careful not to increase my training volume too much. As for swimming, I pay more attention to the development of technique and do not chase kilometres. I’m also focusing more on recovery and physical therapy, which are extremely important parts of preparation.

“Every small step takes you further on a long journey. Preparation for an Ironman begins with the first kilometre covered!”

Individual participant Anastasia Jevdokimova

Our latest and brightest individual participant is Anastasia Evdokimova. Anastasia is a club manager and group trainer at MyFitness Rocca al Mare. She represented us at Ironman 70.3 last year and will enter the starting corridor this year as well.

How would you describe your first Ironman 70.3 experience?

The first time I was driven by curiosity and a challenge to myself. I thought about whether this distance was even within my reach, and the only goal was to cross the finish line. The first performance was surprisingly good and I finished the distance in 6 hours and 3 minutes.

What was your experience like last year?

Last year the goal was to complete the entire distance in less than six hours. I thought that I had only three minutes left to reach the goal, but the result turned out to be 6 hours 49 minutes. The end result was completely unsatisfactory and disappointing. Physically it was very difficult; at times I felt that I did not want to continue with the competition. Now I am coming back to the same track for the third time. Despite last year’s disappointment, I try to find the positive in every situation and am still very proud of myself for reaching the finish line and not giving up.

“Less than 1% of people in the whole world can call themselves an Ironman, I’m one of them!”

What attitude will you have at the start of Ironman 70.3 this time?

This time I hope I can enjoy the whole distance like the first time. I spent more time training on the bike as it is my weakest area. I’m also doing more combined bike&run training.

TRAINERS’  RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BEGINNING TRIATHLETES

• Find a training program that matches your goal and a trainer to guide you along the way
• Do your homework – read about the competition, nutrition, training, and various tips, communicate with other triathletes and learn from others’ experience
• You don’t need the latest and most expensive equipment to get started
• Train consciously. Your health is more important than your finishing time
• Avoid overtraining and give your body enough time to recover
• Enjoy the workouts and the whole process

We wish our team members success in achieving their goals! However, we have good news for all fans and supporters, because throughout the preparation period we will keep you updated on the progress of individual participants and teams, provide useful advice for both cycling fans and runners, as well as swimming enthusiasts, and explain how to stay healthy before competition.

So it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on our blog as there’s a lot more to come! Stay tuned because next week we’ll also introduce you to the participating MyFitness teams!