The Path I Follow

Plzeň

I was born in Plzeň, grew up there, studied there, and I still live in the area. More precisely, I live close to Plzeň in the small town of Třemošná.

Plzeň is famous for producing beer. Prazdroj, or Pilsner Urquell, is here, but the city is also well known for engineering. The Škoda Works are closely connected with Plzeň, and there are many engineering companies in and around the city.

Last but not least, Plzeň is something of a local mecca for triathlon. Many races take place in the city and the surrounding area. Those are the events where I developed in the sport, and I continue to take part in them.

West Bohemia is also close to mountain country. We have Šumava and the Ore Mountains nearby, and Šumava is especially close to my heart. Prachatice is part of that region, so it is connected to a part of the country that I have known for a long time.

Outside

As a child, I spent most of my time with my parents and my friends. We rode our bikes, played football, and wandered through nature. I was a calm and obedient child, not a wild one. I helped my parents and my friends.

My parents were very good and kind people. They passed many good things on to me, including a love of nature and love for other people. We spent our time outside in the meadows, in the forest, or near the water. Plzeň lies on four rivers, so water has always been a normal part of life in the city and the surrounding area. My first swim was in a river, and swimming there was a regular summer activity.

I also rode a bike from childhood. The bikes did not reach today’s standards. Most were simple, with one gear, but the bicycle was part of ordinary life. My friends and I rode through the surrounding area to visit nearby villages where something was happening, usually an event with music. Sometimes we rode to a river or quarry to swim.

Running was different. Most of my early memories come from physical-education classes at school, when we were made to run around a track and complete 12-minute tests. It was not one of my favorite disciplines at all. Over time, however, I have come to accept it, and running is now an ordinary part of my daily life.

The Way In

I liked aviation and airplanes when I was young. I dreamed of becoming a pilot, but it did not work out. Instead, I went into numerical simulations, mainly for mechanical applications, including passive safety and crashworthiness in automotive and railway engineering.

Triathlon came into my life about 18 years ago through hockey. Some colleagues, friends, and I decided to begin playing when we were already over 30, so it was a relatively advanced age to start. During that season, one of our teammates invited us to a triathlon he was organizing.

That was my first personal encounter with the sport. From then on, I started down the triathlon path and began taking part in several races each year. Later, I also started organizing triathlons for my friends.

At first, it was a friendly challenge: come and do the triathlon, and we will see how we compare. Afterwards, we could talk about it, have a beer, and discuss what we liked.

What kept me interested was the variety. I do not enjoy doing only one type of activity. In winter, I downhill ski and cross-country ski. In summer, I cycle and swim, and I have gradually come to like running too. I also enjoy hiking in the mountains and riding a mountain bike.

Triathlon appealed to me because it brought different activities together instead of asking me to choose only one.

Back to Sport

My relationship with sport has changed considerably with age. As a child, I was active as part of the group of children around me. Later, I devoted more of myself to my job and my family, and I did not have much time or capacity left for sport. Naturally, that began to show physically as well.

Sometime after I turned 30, I reached a turning point and gradually started returning to sport. It became a larger part of my life again.

Today, I cannot imagine my life without it. I devote myself quite intensively not only to triathlon, but also to other activities throughout the year.

Repetition

I first took part in XTERRA Czech in Prachatice in 2019, and I have returned every year since then. I also took part in XTERRA Prague when there was another XTERRA event there.

By the end of 2024, I had completed 60 official middle-distance or long-distance triathlons. The total has now passed 70. Reaching that number has also required patience, preparation, and the ability to keep following a plan over many years.

The XTERRA community is a great group of people whom I am always glad to meet. The Piloušek family do a perfect job, especially in the atmosphere they create and the way participants feel while they are there.

Elite and age-group athletes spend time together. We cheer for one another, support one another, and talk about racing and about life. The community operates on a slightly different basis from what I have experienced at other triathlons, and that is what attracts me to it.

Together

My wife and family play a very important role in my life. We support one another, and both my wife and I are involved in different sporting activities. She runs more, while I devote more time to triathlon.

Work and family remain the main priorities, so the time available for training is limited. We try to accommodate one another and create space for it. Quite often we train or do activities together, which means some of our family time is also training time.

I would like to continue having a happy and contented life, the support of my family, and work that continues to interest and fulfill me. Above all, I want movement and sport to remain part of my life.

Movement outdoors is very natural. It began in the meadows, forests, rivers, and villages around Plzeň, and today I cannot imagine living without it.