POSE IN PRESS A collection of articles about Pose Method and Dr.Romanov in various publications.
TARANAKI DAILY NEWS (NEW ZEALAND)
5 November, 2005
On the road with Arturo
by LEIGHTON KEITH
Next weekend's World Cup triathlon provides a Taranaki stage for the world's stars. Arturo Garza is no household name, but he is one of many in the global travelling triathlon circus hoping this could be his big race.
Mexican triathlete Arturo Garza won the first elite triathlon he competed in, aged 18, and has never looked back.
Now, 10 years later, Garza is in Taranaki to compete in next Sunday's International Triathlon Union (ITU) New Plymouth World Cup Triathlon.
A full-time triathlete since 2002, he will be one of more than 100 male and female athletes from all over the world competing in the elite section.
Garza was born in Mexico City on July 15, 1977.
When he was eight, his mother got him involved in swimming and he soon met Juan Carlos Luji, the then No 1 ranked Mexican triathlete.
"I was not so good at swimming," Garza said.
Luji introduced Garza to his coach, Ricardo Gonzalez.
"I started to do triathlons because I loved cycling and running and then I improved in my swimming," Garza said.
When he entered and won his first elite triathlon, his talent was obvious to all.
"All of those people were like, `he is only 18 years old and the other competitors are all about 25'."
His sporting hero, Lance Armstrong, epitomises what it takes to excel in the sporting arena.
"He (Armstrong) is mentally tuned for winning."
Mental strength played a big part in succeeding in sport, up to 90%, Garza said.
"You can be really good physically but if you don't have the mental strength you cannot do the rest."
Brizilian football star Edson Arantes Nascimento, better known as Pele, is another athlete Garza holds in high esteem.
"I like the history of his life and more than that he is transcending and still working for the benefit of kids and his people."
After completing a degree in Management Information Systems at Mexico City University in 2002, Garza decided to follow his dreams and become a full-time triathlete.
"I love it, it is my passion, I love this sport."
He is currently ranked 50th in the world but hopes that the double points on offer in New Plymouth will propel him into the top 20 or 30.
He is the No 1 ranked Mexican triathlete and hopes to compete at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. He was in the Mexican team in Athens as an alternate.
Garza said he would still like to be competing in triathlons in 2012 and make it to the London Olympics.
In the past 10 years the sport has taken him around the world, competing in countries like the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Hungary, Japan and his home country.
"I love to travel and do my favourite sport," he said.
However, being on the road takes its toll and Garza says he misses his family and rings home once a week. He also spends time competing in Mexico to keep his sponsors happy.
Garza's sister, Aline Garza (25) is also a triathlete and was ranked as high as No 3 in Mexico before taking a year off from the sport.
In the early years competing in the sport, Garza's mother was his major sponsor.
"It is very hard because the sport is very expensive."
He is now a member of a fully sponsored five-man team, based in the United States, but he is not making a fortune.
"We don't receive too much money, it (the sponsorship) is more for equipment, so it is still hard."
With all of the travel it is hard to imagine how this athlete finds time to train.
Garza said he and his Miami-based coach, Nicolai Romanov, planned a training schedule at the beginning of the year. Then, depending on how things were going, Garza decided what events he would enter.
On a normal week he will spend about 30 hours training, but as an event approaches he begins to cut that training back.
"We have to be very meticulous."
Garza arrived in New Zealand 15 days before the New Plymouth event so he could acclimatise.
He spends two hours each morning swimming, then after a three-hour break he heads out for an hour-and-a-half on his bike before returning to slip on his running shoes for an hour pounding the pavement.
During his travels, Garza stays in hotels and, where possible, homestays.
"I prefer homestays because I can cook and buy my own food; in a hotel you have to go to restaurants. You get to unwind more when you stay at a homestay," he said.
Garza say he is very pleased to be in New Zealand.
"The place is beautiful and I love it here."
He said the New Plymouth course was a technical one because it involved hills and a lot of turns but he was looking forward to racing here.
This year has been Garza's longest season ever, beginning in February and finishing after the New Plymouth event on November 13.
He will have competed in four world cup events this year – Edmonton and Corner Brook, both in Canada, Mazatlen in Mexico and now New Plymouth.
After next Sunday's race he plans to stay in New Zealand for another five days, travelling to Queenstown to see some Lord of the Rings locations.
Then it is back to Miami for a week to plan next year's training schedule before returning home for two weeks off – then it starts all over again.
To relax and unwind, Garza said he enjoyed listening to music and working on his computer.
"I like all types of music – pop, hip-hop and Mexican music. I don't really have a favourite artist, what I like music for is the rhythm."
Garza hopes the combination of his preparation, his fitness and his mental strength will form a rhythm next Sunday that will provide fond memories of his first trip Downunder.
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