Take everything away from me, but not the… triathlon! It gives me strength and excitement; it makes me feel both exhaustion and joy at the same time. This year, a series of events has put me to the test. It took it away from me for a long, long time.

And yet it had started off so well: in January, with the 7MP Squad training group, I spent 30 days in Cyprus training like crazy, getting ready to compete in the Triathlon European Cup. Instead, like everyone else, I found myself stuck at home for weeks, trying to limit the damage by using a stationary bike (for cycling) and a treadmill (for running), along with some swimming exercises, since the pools were closed too.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the chance to try out Oxyburn’s technical apparel, both at the gym and elsewhere. I’ve especially been using the Fit-Bra—it’s really comfortable because it doesn’t feel tight—and the Kim tank top, which keeps my skin dry in the heat, and the Axo shorts, which reduce muscle vibrations. For those who practice endurance sports, the Evo Speed compression socksare also very useful, as they shorten recovery time.

I hung in there—that’s another lesson triathlon teaches you—and when I boarded the plane to Rotterdam on August 23 to compete in the Super League Arena Games, I felt alive. I didn’t know if it would be the first of many races or the only one in 2020. I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to finish it, since in the meantime my ankle and tendons had become inflamed again. It didn’t matter—I was going to compete again!

Being at the starting line of the Super League Triathlon is no small feat. The best athletes compete there—it’s the Formula 1 of triathlon. I would have challenged them again, especially in a completely new race format—a mix of esports and “reality.” Imagine an indoor arena with a pool in the center. All around it, rollers and treadmills. An almost deafening silence—we could hear our own breathing. A unique experience, even if it lacked the classic icing on the cake of this circuit: the crowd!

Now I’m looking forward to October 10, when I’ll be at the starting line of the Triathlon World Cup stage in Arzachena, Sardinia. We’ll be on home turf, and we’ll do everything we can to prove ourselves! It’ll be the first “real” triathlon of the season. I’ll be heading into it after a tough recovery: I’ve told you about my ankle and my tendons. So, after Rotterdam, I decided to take a break and treat them with sessions with physical therapist Dario Picco—a leading professional on my team, the DDS Triathlon Team—along with gym workouts and rehabilitation.

I’m coming to Arzachena!

by Ilaria Zane