In this episode

Eliza Dimou works nine-to-five as a financial analyst and trains almost daily. She swam competitive backstroke from childhood through secondary school; running followed, then triathlon.

The discussion focuses on Spetses, L’Étape, TRIMAN on a borrowed triathlon bike, fuelling that derails the run and changing training models.

Detailed show notes

Backstroke, athletics and nine-to-five

In the pool from five or six, she competed only in backstroke, mentioning her first year of secondary school and university entrance exams. She disliked freestyle then; those years now make her comfortable in the water. In running, she reached national-championship-level times: she mentions 18:50 for 5 km in spikes at Agios Kosmas and a 10K around 39–40 minutes, under 40.

She loves the run leg more than swimming. Her finance job has regular hours; training fits around it, often with friends or a group in the water.

Races that make her happy

For Turkey, the age-group event in Istanbul, she says she was ready but it was not a target race: a tremendous experience with a strong field, including the Greeks. She goes to Spetses for the course and atmosphere, rather than because she chose the race herself. At L’Étape Greece in Ancient Olympia—76 km, as George says—a good cycling day makes her happier than a good running day, because cycling had lagged behind.

She does not personally list every distinction mentioned in the introduction. She focuses on days that made her happy: the Turkish experience, Spetses and cycling in Olympia.

TRIMAN: a strong bike, stomach trouble on the run

Her first 70.3 on a triathlon bike, borrowed and ridden for only a few days. She got off faster than expected, passed Anastasia and held second until she faltered. She started the run at 4:10 without a watch. She felt fine until kilometre 5–6, then a gel, bloating and stomach trouble from kilometre 10. She finished running at 5-minute pace. She had a foot injury, few long runs and had decided to race only a month beforehand.

She says her stomach reacts after four gels in every 70.3. She accepts that she should have trained her fuelling. George reads out sub-4:40. She has done approximately five halves, not six.

A training chapter closes

She changed her training model while maintaining a good relationship with Panagiotis Thymopoulos and the team; she is sad to lose the daily routine together. Next year, she wants to focus on middle distance. She has found a new coach—“I think so”—without naming them. Next are the Olympic-distance nationals and perhaps the Athens Marathon instead of a half this year. Ironman distance comes later, after a good half and getting comfortable on a time-trial bike.

She loses concentration in races and makes logistical mistakes involving transition, her race belt and the course. Every race teaches her something.

Key takeaways

  • Full-time work and daily training can fit together; managing your stomach over 70.3 requires practice.
  • A strong ride on a new triathlon bike cannot rescue a run started at 4:10 without a gel plan.
  • Changing coaches can mean closing a chapter, not falling out.
  • Short races and standalone cycling events contribute to development as much as a championship.