September 27 — Youth news. Swims canceled because of sharks, an island from the movie Jurassic Park and only six hours of sleep for five days of a grueling triathlon. Fontanka spoke with the first Russian who managed to overcome one of the most difficult tests in the world.

The Epic5 Challenge is one of the most difficult and prestigious tests in triathlon, and perhaps in all world sports. The tournament was founded in 2010 in Hawaii and takes place twice a year. Over five days, participants must complete five full triathlon distances (3.86 km swimming, 180.25 km cycling and 42.16 km running) - each on a new island. Prize places are not distributed here. The main thing is just to be able to reach the finish line. In seven years, only 26 people were able to do this. In 2017, a Russian managed to do this for the first time - the pioneer was 29-year-old St. Petersburg resident Anastas Panchenko. So he is the champion of Russia in aquabike, and he does triathlon, as he himself says, “for fun.”

Entry fee 10 thousand dollars

- What is the point of this competition if not to win?

It's about going all the way to the end and becoming the finisher of this race. Here you need to be prepared not only physically, but also psychologically: you have almost no time to rest, after the finish line you will fly to a new island almost immediately. During all 5 days I managed to sleep for a total of six hours. In fact, when we went there, we didn’t know that there would be such a crazy timing. But in the process we rebuilt and reached the end. There were nine participants on the start list, seven started and only four finished.

- Why did you even need this?

I am a professional jet skier and two years ago I decided to try triathlon because it is very difficult to stay in shape in the off-season. Triathlon solves this problem. So it went gradually - triathlon, Ironman, then I wanted something even more. It was interesting to do something that no one from Russia had ever done before. So it was decided to go to the Epic5 Challenge. It wasn't that easy to get there. You must first qualify. It was that you need to have a long track record of various ultra-distances, and I didn’t have any. They set a condition for me: before the race I must complete at least one ultra-distance. There is a regular triathlon, and there is an ultratriathlon, where you do super volumes. Let's say an ultra-distance is 515 km - this is a three-day Siberman in Russia in Abakan: 10 km swimming, 145 km cycling - this is on the first day. On the second day - 276 km cycling and the third day - 84 km running. This is considered an ultratriathlon. There, too, victory is simply reaching the finish line. Completing this distance was my ticket to the Epic5 Challenge. They accepted it. We were approved, and we went to the race. Another thing is that after ultra-distances people recover for six months, but we only had three weeks.

- How else did you prepare for the challenge?

These were mostly indoor training, because the weather this year did not allow us to train outdoors at all. Therefore, I partially trained abroad so that the weather conditions would at least somehow correspond to what awaited me in Hawaii. Because it's crazy hot there. I trained in Dubai for three weeks. This helped me a lot. There was a lot strength training. Triathletes don't usually do this, but since my main sport is aquabike, I couldn't lose muscle mass, otherwise I won’t be able to perform at the level there.

- What is your preparation budget for this competition?

Quite significant. There is only an entry fee of 10 thousand dollars. We have different partners and sponsors. They helped with the contribution. Everything else still needs to be calculated. But you need to understand that even more than money, this venture takes time. For three months before the race, there should be two workouts a day - in the morning and in the evening for two hours.

- What do you do in everyday life, that you have time and opportunity for all this?

I am the founder of a logistics company. My business partners understand and support me, and most importantly, they allow me to spend time on all this. I try to work mobile; modern technologies allow me to do this.

- Do overlaps often occur in races?

Almost every race, and that's normal. The first most important factor is that the bike must fly normally to your starting point. For some reason, our airlines always have luggage arriving later. It happens that the bike arrives literally on the eve of the start. Now I use GPS trackers and at least I understand that my luggage is very close. It is actually a strong psychological stress for an athlete when some of his equipment breaks or does not arrive.

- How much does your bike cost?

I have several bicycles. Since I now go to such serious and top races, the technology has no right to let me down. That’s why my bikes are now the best. Each costs about 15-20 thousand dollars. I can't afford to quit the race because my bike breaks down.

- I would be scared to send such a bicycle on such long journeys with unknown people.

I'm scared too. This is exactly what I was talking about. It’s one thing when the bike didn’t arrive at the right time and you didn’t go to the start because of this, and another thing when you remember how much it costs and wonder where it got lost. That's why I equipped all my bike cases with GPS trackers. But he is not traveling with some unknown people. It is checked in as oversized luggage in a bicycle suitcase and flies with you in the luggage compartment of the plane.

Dangerous Island

-Have you been to Hawaii before?

No, this was my first trip. We were all very impressed with each of the five islands. But we were especially struck by the first island - Kauai. Jurassic Park was filmed there. It felt like we were really in this movie. There is colossal nature there, the beauty of which cannot be expressed in words. The cycling stages were long, and I had time to look around. We were not driving fast, because the task was to complete all five stages. Just after the first race I realized that I needed to slow down. At first we thought that this was still a race, not a challenge, and tried to fight for places. But the organizers told us: enough, slow down. They explained that those who started so quickly quit on the third day.

- Who took part in the race besides you?

There were athletes from Spain, Portugal, America, Puerto Rico, and Germany. Apart from me, only a Puerto Rican, a Portuguese and an American reached the finish line. Puerto Rican, by the way, is an ordinary pediatrician by profession. Besides her, there was another woman, but she did not reach the end.

- What adventures happened to you during this time?

There were adventures all five days. The most important adventure was in timing. You finish, look at your watch and realize that in 5 hours you have a flight to another island. And during this time you need to fold your bike, wash, eat, take a nap, arrive at the airport, and go through the usual check-in. Our sleep was reduced by 40-60 minutes every day. We started with three hours and ended with 45 minutes of sleep. We slept wherever possible. We checked in at the airport, went to the waiting room, just lay down on the floor and slept. The people around were in shock. Therefore, there were always adventures. Thank God, there were no breakdowns or injuries on the bike: the descents and ascents were enormous, the speed reached 75 km/h. It’s one thing when you’re fresh at that speed and have complete control of the bike, and another thing after three ironmen. But the bike survived, and I survived.

The race was still very difficult from a psychological point of view. On the fourth day we stopped at the transit area to change clothes after the bike for running. There's a guy standing there - my opponent. He rode well, very strong man. I ask: “Why aren’t you going?” And he answers: “I am everything.” “But you’re standing normally, you didn’t fall anywhere,” I say. And his eyes are a bunch. The person just couldn’t stand it psychologically. “I can’t do it anymore,” he says. But all that remained was to run 42 km and complete one more ironman - essentially bullshit, considering that you had already completed three and a half ironmen. And the second woman was brought to the airport in a wheelchair after the fourth day. She physically finished herself off so much that she simply could not get up.

- What funny things happened to you there?

It all started on the very first day. Back then we still thought it was a race and wanted to show best result. Were charged for it. Swimming and cycling were very fast for me. The climb was 2100 meters. We came second in swimming, then on a bicycle we overtook the leader by almost an hour and, according to the GPS navigator, arrived, as we thought, at the finish line. And there is nothing and no one there at all. And I’m all in the race, I’m charged, I start shouting at the assistants: “Where is the finish?!” We start calling the organizers, the organizers say that the finish is in a different place. But according to our data, there was no discrepancy. Well, it's the organizers' fault. We start quarreling, shouting, and within half an hour we are driving up. The guy we overtook had already arrived there. We're all yelling at each other. The organizers were even afraid to approach us; they probably thought that one of them would definitely get it now. But then I went running and overtook that guy again. In the end, I completed everything in 10 hours and 50 minutes. It's very fast for this track. And in general, on a regular ironman, the average time to complete the distance is 12-13 hours.

- What else do you remember?

Roe deer. Every day the start time shifted - first at 6 am, then at 6:30, then at 8 and so on. And, accordingly, the finish time shifted. By the third day, the time had shifted in such a way that we were running at night in complete darkness. And the island was somehow completely wild. There was a small village, one gas station, one store. The route is laid along the highway - on one side there is a forest, on the other side there is a forest. It’s dark—you can’t see anything at all. The accompanying car sometimes drove off: the guys also had their own things to do, someone wanted to go to the toilet or the water had run out and they needed to go get it. And when the car drove away, I was left completely alone - with a flashlight on my forehead and in a reflective vest. Someone is howling somewhere, dogs are barking from the bushes, and from time to time roe deer jump out onto the road. Completely psychedelic. It was really scary. You could get tested right there. I run to the finish line, and the organizers ask: “Is everything okay?” Which one is okay?! I had roe deer jumping out right in front of me! “It’s okay, don’t touch them,” they said.

- During the swims, were there any encounters with any living creatures?

Well, someone will swim nearby - triathletes perceive this normally.

- There are a lot of sharks there.

By the way, they moved one water stage to the pool due to the danger of sharks. It was just on that island with roe deer and dogs. It's actually kind of a dangerous island. Although it was even harder to swim in the pool. When you swim in open water, you don't have to push off the side, and you're less likely to get cramps.

- I heard that one of the worst enemies of triathletes is jellyfish.

It happens, yes. Once I took part in a competition in South Africa, and there the guys were attacked right in the face by jellyfish. But there was nothing like that here. There was another funny thing. From the fourth to the fifth day my passport was lost. We realized this when we stood at check-in before leaving for the last, fifth island. And I think it would be fun if I quit the race because of my passport. A plan immediately began to form in my head on how to fly without a passport. As a result, the passport was found in the backpack of one of my assistants, who did not even remember how it got there. Everyone was on edge - alertness deteriorating with each passing day of the race.

Almost fell asleep at the wheel

- Did you take anything with you for food or did you buy everything you needed there?

I had a bag with me sports nutrition. But over long distances you can’t eat sports nutrition alone, it will make you sick. We had this little life hack - we added a glass of tea to the buckwheat with chicken, stirred it, and I drank it on the go. There was also pizza from one of the challenge sponsors, which we washed down with Coca-Cola, because cola raises sugar levels. One time there was ice cream. On the fifth day, somewhere in the middle of the route, when we were already well away from the city, I suddenly really wanted ice cream. I told the guys about it. They turned around and went back on purpose. We tried to do it in such a way that whatever the body asked for, we gave it to it.

- Were the intervals between disciplines short?

The first day is very short. Something around 4-5 minutes. Well, then we increased them to 15 minutes. We added leg warm-up and stretching. It could have been done even longer. This was allowed. The main thing was to get there before dawn and catch the plane. I didn’t have time - goodbye. On the fourth day it was already difficult to run alone with myself. I wanted someone to at least just run next to me. Sasha Sokolov (my coach and one of two assistants) sometimes joined in and encouraged me. Again, this is not prohibited. On the fifth day we ran the first 10 km together. Then he got into the car, took a nap, woke up and ran the remaining 20 with me.

- The most physically difficult moment in the entire race, when you were closest to retirement?

I was close to leaving many times—three or four times to be exact. Physically, all the cycling stages were very difficult. The fifth route is the world-famous route of the World Triathlon Championship on Kona Island. The guys who were just preparing for the World Championships there said: “Damn, Kona is such a terrible and difficult track. It will be very difficult, get ready.” We walked for four days and thought, what could be harder than these islands. And when we arrived at Kona, it turned out to be the easiest of all five. There was another physically difficult moment when on the last day I simply couldn’t go. I told the guys that’s it, I’m going to bed.

-Have you started to fall asleep while walking?

Yes. I was afraid of falling asleep and falling off the bike. The guys laid out a bed for me in the back of the car, and I slept there for an hour and a half with air conditioning. When I woke up, there was a difficult moment of coming out of the coolness into 40-degree heat. By the way, at that moment I wanted ice cream.

- So what final place did you take?

I can’t say that because the numbers for the other participants are confidential. We didn’t track the other participants, so I don’t know which one we have overall result. I know that on the first day I came first, on the second - second, on the third - fourth, on the fourth - second, in my opinion. On the last, fifth day - third. Something like this. But it is not exactly. There were a lot of gatherings, it’s hard to keep track of it all.

- So, in total, you seem to have made it into the top three?

I think yes. If not even second in overall time. Our cycling stages were 100 percent the best.

- Do you remember the moment of the finish?

For the last 5 km, Sasha and I ran at a very high pace. The adrenaline was pumping, I wanted to finish faster. Well, after the finish, which happened at about three in the morning, everything was calm: hurray, hurray, everyone hugged and took pictures. We had already begun to dream of how we would come to the hotel, clean up, have breakfast and finally be able to sleep, and then the organizers said: “No, we have an award ceremony in the morning at 11.” In general, we slept normally only after this award ceremony.

- How was the award ceremony?

It was such a get-together in a restaurant with a stage, different drinks, and food. Each of the participants could give a speech. Many were overwhelmed with emotions and spoke with tears in their eyes, because during these five days they had to go through a lot. Everyone was given memorable prizes - wooden Hawaiian plates. There was no 30 thousand dollars in the envelope. The most important prize is that a Russian is now listed among the finishers on the challenge website.

- How did your body survive the race?

I managed to give it my all. I realized this not after the finish, but only 3-4 days later, when I had already returned to St. Petersburg. I experienced a sharp loss of strength. What I did simply in the morning warm-up began to be very difficult for me. Now, gradually, under the strict guidance of a coach, I am coming to my senses, starting to gain strength and returning to regular training.

10 ironmen in 10 days? There is no such start, however.

“There is one in Mexico,” says Gennady Seleznev, Anastas’s second assistant at the Epic5 Challenge.

So, we're going to Mexico.

Information and photos provided

Russian Anastas Panchenko became a participant in the Epic 5 challenge, which started on September 5 in Hawaii.

The Epic 5 challenge is five full triathlons over five days. And they will take place on the five largest islands of the archipelago - Molokai, Kauai, Maui, Oahu and the Big Island.

Participants are given 15 hours to complete the distance. And the schedule is like this:

Epic 5 was invented in 2010 by Jason Lester and Rich Roll - they were the ones who came up with the crazy idea to make five hardware devices. We decided - we did it. Since then, more than one triathlete has completed this challenge and some have entered a kind of Hall of Fame. The Russians had not been there until this moment - and there is a chance that Anastas will be the first. By the way, the Russian athlete went to Hawaii two weeks after finishing the Siberman ultratriathlon - 10 km of swimming, 421 km of cycling and 84 runs in three days.

Among the nine athletes who challenged themselves this September is one woman, Elisabeth Schwiebs from Germany.

You can follow the progress of the challenge on the official website and on the page facebook. In addition, Panchenko promised to talk about what was happening on his Instagram.

A post shared by (@anastas_panchenko) on Sep 3, 2017 at 10:14pm PDT

Anastas Panchenko is the champion of Russia in water-motor sports in the aquabike class and a member of the Russian national water-motor sports team. He also does triathlons. On September 5, Panchenko will take part in the world's most prestigious triathlon race, the Epic5 Challenge, in Hawaii. This is five days, five islands and five full IronMan distances (3.86 km swim, 180.25 km bike and 42.16 km run).

On each competition day, athletes will have to cover these distances in extreme conditions. We asked Anastas Panchenko himself for more information about this tournament.

- Sorry for asking this question, but please tell me where you got such an unusual name?

You know, I'm used to being asked this question often! ( Smiles.) The answer is quite simple: naturally, my parents gave me this name, for which I thank them very much. Agree, it is truly memorable, unique and beautiful! But why this particular name was chosen - history is silent!

- How did you get into triathlon?

Due to our St. Petersburg climate and weather conditions in my main sport - aquabike - there was a very long off-season. After the season I quickly lost shape. I needed some kind of sport so that I would not just not lose shape, but, on the contrary, build it up. It was important not to depend on the weather, so that cardio training was present and racing training was not lost. It was triathlon that combined all my requirements.

- Which stage do you like best: swimming, cycling or running?

The cycling stage is closest to me. There is speed, drive and extreme. This is an excellent discharge after swimming and exercise before running.

- How is your typical day?

At the right approach my day is completely planned from seven in the morning. Morning is always training, then I devote time to work, evening - training again. Late in the evening - work again and planning for the next day.

Every day there are always different workouts in all areas of triathlon (swimming, cycling, running). Also, strength exercises are always included in my schedule, and in the summer season I also add daytime aquabike classes so as not to lose shape. I always have to be on my toes.

On Sunday, I try to rest as much as possible. Such a schedule takes up almost all of your free and non-free time. Understanding this very well, I tried to arrange my schedule so that it would not greatly affect my business and family. And, you know, so far I’ve managed to stick to it!

- Please tell us more about the Epic5 Challenge competitions in Hawaii.

This race is incredibly difficult both physically and psychologically! Every day a new start on a new island. After the finish - a flight to the next island, and so on for five days in a row! Every day there is a new route and new weather conditions. I can say that I have no time for rest and sleep. My support team will be with me throughout the days. They give me everything necessary nutrition and provide technical support during the cycling stage.

- You are the first Russian to take part in these competitions?

Yes! This start is considered very prestigious in the world, especially in the USA, to which only athletes who have completed certain distances and races are allowed. A total of nine participants from all over the world will take to the start line. The Epic5 organizers refused to register me for a long time and eventually set a condition: before the start of Epic5, I had to complete an ultratriathlon. It was very likely that the race director was counting on my refusal, because normal athletes recover for at least six months after an ultratriathlon.

As a result, a few days ago I successfully finished the Siberman Ultratriathlon, where I became the first athlete from St. Petersburg and one of the few Russians who have ultratriathlon status. And, of course, I received my entry ticket to the Epic5 Challenge. I hope that I will not only be the first athlete from Russia who was able to get onto the start list of the Epic5 Challenge, but also that I will be the first who manages to complete five full “iron” IronMan distances in five days.

- Is it a special honor for you to participate in the Epic5 Challenge, where you are the first Russian in the history of these competitions?

When I registered for this race, I didn't think about it. But now I understand the responsibility that fell on my shoulders. And, of course, I am certainly proud of this fact!

- In general, how popular and in demand is triathlon in Russia?

Triathlon is becoming more and more popular every year. I haven't been on this topic for long. I have been involved in triathlon for only two years, but even during this time the rise of this sport in the country is clearly visible. Every year there are more and more “home” starts. The number of amateur athletes registering for these competitions is growing. Triathlon has become very popular in the business community. It's fashionable and respectful.

- TV presenter Olga Buzova often writes about you on Instagram. Do you know her?

I know a lot of famous people. Many people support me!

- Do you know who Tony Stark is? Are you being compared to him?

Yes, this is a famous character - Iron Man. Superhero. So far they haven’t compared me to him, but anything is possible! Let's see what happens after the Epic5 Challenge.

Ultratriathlons, powerboating, fitness - a successful St. Petersburg resident and club member World Class Krestovsky Anastas Panchenko devotes 70% of his time to sports. He spoke about his busy life, training and tournaments in exclusive interview editor-in-chief of #YaWorldClass magazine Nonna Martirosyan.

Who called you such a rare name and why?
The name is truly rare. The parents named him, and it’s probably better than just Stanislav, at least everyone is discussing him.

How and when did your sports journey begin?
Sports have been with me since childhood: semi-professionally I was involved in hurdles, boxing, volleyball, then I became interested in motocross. True, I had a craving for a jet ski. As soon as the opportunity arose to do it, I did it. This happened five years ago. It is not possible to afford it in your youth - it is too expensive. Next was the path to leadership. In aquabike, it is not so much the physical data of the athlete that is important, but the technique itself plus a trained team. That is, you must come to the race not alone, but with a team of five people who bring, drive, deliver, etc. Gradually we moved towards victory, and this year we managed to win the Russian Championship. Now plans are made to participate in the World Aquabike Championship, which will be held in December in Thailand. I think if the technology doesn’t let us down, we have every chance to win. At the same time, we will take an endurance test.

Where do you practice?
In St. Petersburg. Potanin once popularized this sport. He himself was fond of it and taught it to his children. He also sponsored numerous races in St. Petersburg, for which many thanks to him. At that time I was an amateur, and now our team is the most technically equipped and complete team in Russia, which has its own training base, parking lot, service, mechanics and everything else. In other words, our team is the most prepared, and it is known all over the world.

How big are the chances of Russia winning the World Aquabike Championship?
Very big! We are always in the ring, always in the top five. But here a lot depends on technology.

Do you also ride a motorcycle around the city?
Not on sportbikes, although I was professionally involved in motocross for four years, that is, I know first-hand about motorcycle racing. Now I ride for fun and exclusively on Harley-Davidson.

If you already have one serious sporting hobby, how did you end up switching to triathlon?
The fact of the matter is that I didn’t switch to it. Considering our climatic conditions, the jet ski season ends quickly, which means there is no way to prepare for the World Championships, which takes place in December. During this transitional period, you need to keep yourself in shape. I was tired of simple strength training in the gym, I wanted something more. So I also switched to triathlon, and it gave results. I don’t have a goal to get to the World Triathlon Championships, because the result over time requires a tough approach: drying out the body. With minimal weight, I won’t be able to ride a jet ski, I won’t have the strength and endurance. Therefore, triathlon runs in parallel to support the jetski. Or rather, it was like that at first, now, probably, they are on par. (Smiles.) I became interested in participating in competitions, but at first everything was purely for fun. By the way, it was the World Class coach who worked with me who brought me to triathlon. He understood that it was boring for me to limit myself only to strength training, and suggested trying to pass the “half”. Then nothing confused me except the bicycle. I once did motocross in parallel with downhill on a bicycle, and I associate aggressive riding with it. I didn’t understand what it meant when my foot was fastened to the pedals. I always found it funny to see guys in tight suits and with their legs strapped to bicycles. I told the coach that I was definitely not ready for this. But he persuaded me and suggested that I just try it, taking the bike on the spot. In the end, they did just that and successfully completed the route. In the end, I put on a tight suit and fastened my legs to the bicycle pedals. (Laughs.)

So you didn’t have a systematic and competent approach to triathlon?
No, it wasn't at all. I was working out, I was in good shape, and doing the “half” was easy. Although I had never swum, and with this I had real problems that had to be solved quickly. Now a separate coach is preparing me for triathlon. But it started with the one who did strength training with me. Do you also know what made me start running? Participation in Games World Class named after Dmitry Zhirnov. I thought that I could easily run the three kilometers required to pass the GTO standards. In general, I didn’t run through them! And that was two years ago. Strength exercises I did the best, but I couldn’t run according to the standard. As a result, instead of a gold one, he received a silver badge. This, of course, hooked me, and I began actively running every day under the guidance of Denis (Zhukov, World Class trainer Krestovsky. - Approx. ed.). And literally in 2-3 months I achieved good results, re-passed the GTO standards, which were conducted by World Class in St. Petersburg, and won!

The goals were achieved then...
Then I decided to do the “half”, which turned out to be one of the hardest in Ironman. It is held in Provence and is usually chosen by trained triathletes. It didn’t bother us then. Denis and I arrived, rented some strange aluminum bicycles and went off. This was the first time I sat on a “regular” bike with my feet strapped to the pedals. Then off we went. I started signing up for a full Ironman, then joined my training directly Alexander Sokolov, who is now leading World Class in St. Petersburg direction "triathlon". Then, with regularity, once every three months I began to sign up for some competitions and participate everywhere. Then a bicycle appeared, a second, a third... And now in my club World Class Krestovsky my machine, which I bought to hone my skill. I come, park my bike and spin - I have a separate angle for this. Thanks to the manager for allowing such training. Everyone pays attention to this, of course, and many have begun to become interested in triathlon.

No matter how much I watch triathletes, at some point they all become literally fanatics of this sport. Why? Can you answer this question? After all, there are a lot of other, no less interesting sports areas with a similar load...
Because it’s at least interesting to fight in three sports. And compared to a jet ski, it’s not that expensive. If you get involved in it globally, that is, if you participate in some iconic and key starts, like Epic5 or Siberman, then it really costs a lot of money, but you can’t do without it. To successfully complete the race, you need to invest in it and have at least two bikes. You'll probably get away with being a fool once, but one way or another at some point you'll run into a technical problem: people have a lot of retirements because before the start they didn't spend, say, $40 on replacing tires, which is what I, for example, do before every race, regardless of the condition of my wheels.

Do you do it yourself or do you have a team for this?
No, by myself. I have a good understanding of the technical condition of the bike and know what to do and how to do it. I always keep my bikes in perfect condition, because I had a colossal number of retirements in aquabike, when, due to an error or a mechanic’s oversight, you are forced to leave the race, and a month and a half of transporting equipment in a container to the destination, my own physical training, the flight - all this comes down to No. This is psychologically very offensive and very confusing: you are getting ready, but a technical breakdown overtakes you.

Maybe triathlon is a kind of compensation? Here you are completely dependent on yourself...
I don’t know... Here I am at least sure that if I prepared the bike, it will 100% finish.

But it's not just about the bike, is it?
Now that my number of starts has increased significantly, the problem of overtraining has arisen. While swimming in Africa, for example, problems arose with my legs. I was walking very well, I could already see the finish, there were literally 500 m left, but my legs were cramping like hell. The organizers already wanted to take me, but I didn’t give in.
As a result, I lost 20 minutes and swam further. It's all overtraining. I have a very busy schedule and many starts...

What for?
Don't know. (Laughs.). I still don’t understand why. We are just moving towards some goal.

To which? Is there a global goal?
Now it has appeared. The first is to do Siberman, which I just completed and finished fifth overall. Moreover, I am part of a small group of people in Russia who have completed this distance. There are only 21 such people. Moreover, what was important to me was not even Siberman, but the distance of 515 km, which must be covered in three days. This is cool! This, I think, is something to be proud of; now all the Ironman medals can be safely thrown away - compared to Siberman, they mean nothing.

Do you then intend to participate in “simple” starts?
Yes, this is exactly the second goal - you need to take part in Epic5...

This is because it is not inferior to Siberman, but the Irons?
Epic5 is even cooler than Siberman. Here, in addition to physics, you need not to break down psychologically, because there is a struggle not only with yourself, but also with the environment. On Siberman, at 200 km, a hellish wind began: you spin the bike, and the power sensor shows 240–250 W, cadence - 70 ( knowledgeable people they will understand me), you think what am I doing here at all... He just doesn’t go. In Hawaii, such a situation is also possible: strong wind, scorching heat... But I think we can handle it, and we’ll see what happens next. Perhaps, as an option, in order to be among the first again (you always want to be among the first), do another ultratriathlon, because in Russia there are no athletes who have completed ultratriathlon twice. But it will no longer be Siberman - it’s not interesting to go to such a race a second time. By the way, the guys who took first place were just lying at the airport, they gave it their all. I was normal, because I understood that in three or four weeks there would be another start. I had the task of being in the middle and not giving 100%. But if everything goes well with Epic5, I will be the first to complete an ultratriathlon and Epic5 in one year.

Do you have someone you look up to?
No, I don't have an example, and I don't need one, to be honest. I communicate with many triathletes, but I won’t say that I focus on them. Rather, based on your feelings and desires. If I hear about a race that interests me, I take part - that’s the only way.

What about the rest of life? Aren't you afraid that you're missing out on something?
I try to combine it, and I have everything: leisure, family, and work. Imagine, I even work! (Laughs.) My partners understand me and give me the opportunity to play sports. True, I sleep three hours a day... and this is a big problem. When I hit my peak, I work out twice a day: in the morning and in the evening for two hours. Except Sunday. During the day - work. You come home, it seems like you need to spend time with your family, but problems arose at work during two hours of training. By the time you’re solving them, it’s already two o’clock in the morning, and at eight you’re back at the club.

How do you replenish energy costs? Food?
First of all, sleep. On Sunday I can sleep 13–15 hours. Of course follow proper nutrition need to. I take isotonic drinks from sports nutrition - this is necessary after training, because during the working day I do not always have time to have lunch on time and properly, which means I cannot replenish my body with the necessary minerals. I do not take any doping or complex sports substances. Ideally, it is better to eat right during the day and train on water rather than on isotonic drinks. Because the body quickly gets used to it, and during the race, when you want the maximum from an isotonic drink, it gives nothing. At the ultratriathlon, I “sat” on gels - the support guys gave me gels every 2.5 km, and after that I (however, this happened to everyone) at the swimming stage simply collapsed - I had stomach problems. As a result, we switched to buckwheat with chicken and tea. All my nutrition during the subsequent race was based only on normal and natural products. I was already feeling sick from the sports nutrition.

Your supports - who are they? How important is their support to you?
The supporters are my friends: Gennady Seleznev and Alexander Sokolov (World Class coach). I need them for long races, not regular Ironmans. They are necessary, important, without them there is no way. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have made it to the finish line. At Siberman, on the last day of the race in the 84 km race, Sasha ran about 56 km with me, supported me in every possible way, fed me, gave me something to drink, told me something... I myself would not be able to track nutrition like that, for example, my head is occupied with something completely different...

By the way, what do people think about when they run like this? long distances? So what were you thinking?
(Laughs.) At a full Ironman, I had time to think about work and something else, but when you start to give all your best and go towards the goal, you no longer think about anything except the race: how to properly decompose, etc. At Siberman, the brain completely turned off! Although before that I also wondered what I would do all these 84 km, but I found something to do. (Laughs.) Somewhere after 50 km I started to get confused about which hand I was wearing the watch on. At this moment, the body is so driven that it doesn’t matter anymore. Thanks to Sasha for pulling me out.

How much do you prepare for each competition? Do you think through your action plan and every step to the smallest detail, or do you rely on chance and your condition?
Speaking globally, this year I prepared the number and list of starts in advance. Epic5 took over eight months of approvals because I didn’t have an ultra distance and they only take people who have finished that distance. We had long negotiations with them. They stood their ground and said that it would be impossible to complete the ultra-distance this year. I asked where the nearest ultratriathlon was, they named Australia, but there was no longer a single free slot there, then I called them and explained the situation. It didn't bother them at all. They couldn’t offer any other ultratriathlon, then I remembered about Siberman, sent them the website and asked if this race was suitable. They approved, but doubted that I would be able to complete two very difficult races three weeks apart. I said I can! Epic5 ended up agreeing to participate only after seeing the finishing medal. When you know the schedule, it's easy to stick to the plan.

Okay, but what about everything else: food, equipment, etc.? Do you take your choice of equipment seriously? In your opinion, does the result depend on it?
Yes, very serious and important. Then, after the race, it is an indicator of how long it will take for you to heal certain abrasions. Good equipment, a starter suit, and sneakers are the key to health. You just finish and you can calmly go to the next race. And many triathletes then suffer for a long time from injuries and other problems. Now I try to choose only the top and correct ones.

After Epic5, what else will happen?
I want to run another Ironman from Ironstar in Sochi, also in three weeks. After this, I’ll probably go to Thailand for the “half”, but the track there is so difficult that it will be interesting, and I won’t lose my shape. For now, I will move according to the plan outlined a year ago and thus smoothly prepare for the World Aquabike Championship, after which, I think, I will rest a little. Then I want to take part in the “half” in Dubai - I’m already actively training to prepare for the stress in the heat.

Could it be that from next year you will get tired of triathlon and change it to something else?
Let's see... Now, on the contrary, I am becoming more and more technically and physically equipped. But let's see...

Do you ever have a vacation? If so, which one?
If I fly on vacation, I always only carry a bike suitcase. The family flies nearby in shock. Once upon a time I didn’t understand this either, but now I’m bored without a bike, and again I can’t lose my shape. Even if I fly to a place where there is no opportunity to ride, I always take cycling shoes, because everywhere there is a gym where I can spin.

Social life - what does it mean to you? Do you read books, watch movies, go to the theater?
There is not enough time for anything at all. What I watch or read is the news on my iPhone during the day, as well as videos on YouTube related to sports, triathlon, and aquabike.

Do you have any “simple” men’s fun in your life?
Racing doesn’t bother me, I already do it three times a week on aquabikes, plus, if I’m preparing for a race, I simultaneously train on karts, that is, I have enough racing, and I can’t live without it. Even when I go to Dubai for triathlon training, I don’t miss karting.

Sport in your life is...
…this is 70% of my time and just as much fun. So far the same.

Do you recommend it to everyone?
No, I only recommend fitness to everyone, not sports, because all these Ironmans kill the body. I am increasingly thinking about the fact that this is no longer a sport, but a disease. It’s great to run “halves” not at peak load, you can also take part in Ironman once, but constantly running long distances, like I am doing now, is absolutely not necessary.