“I don’t have a swimming pool at home, and in order to learn the transitions, i.e. running into the trainers with wet feet and getting on the bike, I use a garden hose. I get my feet wet, drop the hose, run to the bike,” explains the Czech competitor’s training method.
Ollie Roučková has been including Spartan Race obstacle runs in her preparation for the Dakar for a long time, so now something new. He considers triathlon to be the ideal training. “It’s physical and concentration training for me. There is an important strategy. It’s very similar to Dakar, where you’re always calculating something, you’re always looking out for something.”
She completed her first triathlon in Jiříkov and won, even though she was really nervous before the race and it didn’t go well for her. The worst part? Swimming. Kraul only started training after she applied for the triathlon. “I was afraid, so instead of being in the front, I stayed behind. And that was the biggest mistake. There are hands, feet everywhere, it’s like in a meat grinder. It’s like someone wants to drown you,” describes the woes of a participant in four Dakars.
Photo: archive of Olga Roučková
Dakarist Olga Roučková as a triathlete
While she lost in the swimming, she was already climbing up in the running and cycling sections. Although it was not without complications here either. Especially in the cycling section, because of the old slippery shoes. In the end, Olga Roučková won her first triathlon, so far in the hobby category.
In a year, her colleague from the Czech Samurais team Ondřej Martinec should also include triathlon in his training. He declared that if he finishes on the box, he will also go for it next year.
Before that, however, the two are planning the Dakar 2024 together. They will ride in the same crew, with a Toyota Land Cruiser. Martinec as the pilot and Olga Roučková this time as the navigator.