IRONMAN COPENHAGEN 2023 - my first full distance triathlon attempt ...

Did I get to hear THE sentence? “Sebastien, You Are An Ironman!” .... did I?

It’s 20 August 2023, Copenhagen, Denmark ... it’s D-day ... 3.8km SWIM, 180km BIKE, 42.2km RUN are awaiting to be tackled by a couple of thousand of Athletes ... and no matter what came next, or how long it would take ... an answer was going to be provided! 😅

The background ... 

I started practicing endurance sport as a regular endeavor back in January 2012 ... objective back them was to complete Paris Marathon 2013 ... rolled some more races, Paris 2015, and the same year I picked triathlon. It was a friendly challenge between colleagues that turned into a passion ... an exhausting, time consuming passion! 🤪

Then came my first attempt at a 70.3 in 2017. Long story (which can be read on the blog) short, it did not end in a success ... but also did not put me off ... revenge was taken the following year, and the aim of self-improvement has been on ever since.

Early 2019 I signed up for my first Full distance Ironman. My dream race at the time was New Zealand. I fell in love with it watching their 2014 video. Despite COVID, I started training for it, as the event was not getting cancelled. Came December (event in March), I decided to pull out as the training was no going great. Structure was not good and I was on my way to an injury, so I felt. Soon after I was confirmed to not be able to travel to NZ anyway ... so I cancelled, and put the dream aside for a while.

Early 2021 was not too great ... I felt Low on many aspect, and not much was happening training wise. Ended up moving from Singapore to the UAE ... not really by choice, if I’m honest, as a pinnacle of Low in my mind. Then life went on and picked up. Triathlon regain some traction and with that, I decided to get a better training plan ... I tried Tridot and loved it instantly. 

Tridot got me back on track and more ... started getting some nice PRs and to enjoy pushing myself ... so in August 2022, I signed up! It was time get to the stating line!

Race week ...

After a tough training year in Dubai, with some early events like Dubai Marathon, and the 217km coast to coast in Feb and Mar, and some long hot rides and run in the heated summer of the middle-east, I have headed to Copenhagen on the 12 Aug, a week before the race. There are stories about long lost legs of athletes enjoying some holidays prior to the race, but with our 4 and 7 yo with us, I knew activities would remain controlled. It was great to be in a much cooler country for the last week of taper. Sleep felt so deep, and the landscape was so ... green! It was a great change for the mind.

We had troubles with our accommodation, which we had booked a year in advance ... they cancelled 2 weeks before we travelled ... bit disappointing given we had been in touch with them a month prior, and all was ready for us. So we booked at the Tivoli hotel ... hmm ... we ended up in a very small room ... no space to open the bike box! 😅 lucky us, the Lady at the reception caught that and found us deal for a 2 bedrooms booking as of the following night. Added a bit to the budget, but at least it gave us a bit of space to move.

With that, my planned Sunday 13/08 ride did not happen. Instead I grabbed my running shoes and went for a stroll. I’ve had some left ankle/Achilles worries in the last two weeks, following another alert earlier in the year. So no mad run ... felt a pinch, but nothing troubling. Met up with the Little Mermaid!

After getting them bike together Sunday night, I headed for check on the beginning on the bike course Monday 14/08. Nice and easy couple of hours. Felt great, although a truck thought he’d taught me a lesson for missing the bike path, by trying to squeeze me between him and the pavement ... 🤬 ... anyway.

After that I headed for a walk with the family in the park where the race village would be, but most importantly, where the laguna for the swim was ... 9’19 and 410m ... that the result! I must say, I freaked out when I discovered the algae/seaweed filled water. With a serious fogging issue from my goggles, I just could bear being in the water. Couldn’t see, and was touching things under water ... 😂😱 The sailfish wetsuit was awesome however. 

Tuesday 15/08, after another family day around Copenhagen, I closed business with a 20’ run on the treadmill, increasing pace a bit every 5-6’, then when into the hotel pool for a 20’ confidence rebuilding session. I needed to know I could still swim! 🤪

Did nothing on 16/08, but enjoy some family time. Went ride around the city,

On Thursday 17/08, I met up with my Buddy Andy, a colleague from work, also doing his first IM in Copenhagen. We had a swim on race location. 20’ good minute at 2’05 pace. While I felt ok, it felt a bit fast for me, while Andy seemed to think it felt easy and that race day was going to be grand! I guess I was still a bit stressed by the environment ... but I was getting there. And I had sorted my fogging issue! Then we headed for registration, to get our bibs ... 504 for Andy, 505 for me! We’ll be parked close by! 

On Friday 18/08 we went for a short ride, 1h40, super chill ... but on paper and weather wise ... we got some rain at the head ... did not plan on getting my ride wet before race day, so I didn’t have any UFO drip to recount the chain after rinsing the crap of the road off.

All seemed good though when ridding the bike to check it in, on Saturday 19/08. Brilliant day it was! The kids went on to do their Ironkids event. My Brother and his partner joined the party ... Surpriiiiiise! That was great! And here we were ... point of no return! 😊 The following day was D-day ... no regrets ... got to do what you came here to do!

Race Day ...

I usually sleep well ... there’s not many things that can trouble my sleep ... and guess what ... Ironman No.1 was not one of those thing. I slept great! Woke up 5’ before the first alarm (I had 3 ⏰... 2 on the watch, 1 on the phone😁) around 4h15 I believe ... I wanted to have a good hour before leaving, to let my body do it’s thing before going. Wanted to avoid lining up at the toilets in T1 ... and that went very well ... got on the throne 3 times before leaving ... usually a good signed that the long day to come is going to fairly well!

We arrived there just before 6h00, as planned. My green cap group start time was 7h20, so I had plenty of time. By now, I had a couple of small bananas, a gel and I was sipping on a bottle of electrolyte. Was going to gulp a caffein gel at about 6h50 ... I was feeling right!

I only had to place my computer and bottles on the wet bike. Usually I don’t inflate tyres in the morning, but this time, I felt compelled to check ... and it served me right, I was missing 3 bars! 🤣 quick pump, and I was off at the blue bag to place my gels in there. Shoes a bit wet from the night rain, but still ok.

By 6h30 I found Andy back at the bikes. He wrapped up his things and we went for a short warm-up ... yes, I did pee in my wetsuit during warm-up. Been drinking a lot ... couldn’t refuse the wetsuit to be baptized on its first race! 🙈

Despite a small delay in the overall start, time flew by, and our group soon was in the starting area ... 😱 ... music went on, speaker got us to clap and dance, while moving forward. Couldn’t see my wife and kids in the crowd ... took a right turn toward the water ... there are 6 ... 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... and now just Andy I front of me ... “Do I have my goggles on? Do I have my ear plugs in? Watch ready ...” ... tut ... tut ... tuuuuuuut ... my turn to rush like a mad man to the water ... 

SWIM ...

... Naah ... there would be no mad man today ... took my time to walk in, absorbing the moment ... and I did good cause, as I was going to dive, I heard “ Go Daddy!” ... and just had the time to turn and see/wave at my loved ones! They were right on the edge, top spot! 😍

From there, it was all business! I knew I had about an hour and a half of swimming in front of me ... needed to manage the energy expenditure. The flow a participant was good ... the water was not busy, and therefore I did not feel the need to swim on the outside ... however, on the first straight out, I did deviate a bit to the left. Somewhat got pulled toward what would be the last buoy of the day ... but I quickly rectified and got back in the flow of swimmers. Got at the first buoy and took a right (250m in). I felt good. My left shoulder was good, despite it bothering me a bit in the past couple of week, when performing simple movement. 

Reaching 600m (first bridge, with a big sign), I felt good, and I felt fast. Ground was scrolling fast under me. Was a great feeling. And again, swimmers were regrouping at times, but it was never chaos. I felt in the right group, also it said on the green sign: 1h13 to 1hr17 ... when I took the deal with Andy, hope was that being in this group would allow us some opportunity to draft (although I’m incompetent at it! 🤪), and push us to higher performance ... well by 1200m (second bridge), I felt comfy in that group. I was not being passed massively, and I was catching up with some ... Garmin says I’m around 1’51/100 at 1500m ... no wonder I felt fast ... compared to my expected 2’05/100 ... 

1500 m was also the turn around at north side of the route. There was plenty of things flying by there ... and clearly not going the same as us anymore! I could feel the swim just became a bit more difficult, but I felt great. I focused on keeping the feel in the shoulders and lats a constant. And off I was, on my way back.

At the next buoy, 50m away, or so it felt, one had to walk ... water was mid thigh high, and ground was a slimy mud ... bit of a weird moment ... but I also did not complain ... allowed for a good gulp of air to be embarked before continuing.

The rest of the swim was without any particular thing to point out ... except I missed the bottle neck at one bridge and swam into the floating rope that was splitting the course! 😅

Ultimately reached the end point, got out feeling satisfied ... and then I checked my watch to switch to transition ... 1h15’ 😱🥳 oh wow, the day just took a turn for the better ... not only I swam faster than on my best 70.3 time, but I did it over a full 3.9km swim ... maximum moral boost, right there, if I needed one!

T1 ...

Exit was straight through to the bag racks ... got mine and could see the benches just after we’re packed of people ... heard the volunteer saying “ walk though, there’s more seat at the back ...” ... so I just went ... hear a “Seb” to the right ... that was Andy. While I was happy to know he was there, both because he was done, but also not too far ahead of me, I just nodded and kept walking ... I was busy running my transition in my head! 😊 ... “Seb / Daddy” to the left ... the Wife, Kids, Bro and Estelle were there, front raw at the barrier again ... saw them, and spotted a seat right there ... perfect ... had a chat with them while changing. I felt happy, joyful, I knew what I was doing, so far I was enjoying the grey day!

9’21 ... not bad compared to usual, given there was a wetsuit to deal with, an additional layer to put on, and a fair run|walk to the bike.

BIKE ...

And off I was ... starting to catch-up on nutrition, I had a sip of my big gel in transition, and was going to start drinking in my aero bottle ... damn, it was half full ... I forgot to add some water in the morning to dilute it ... all the carbs were there, but in a tasty manner! 😋 anyway, was not disgusting as the weather was cool ... was not tea like, as we can get in Dubai! Still, first hit into the armor ... 

Then we were into the exit portion of the city ... fairly technical on dry day ... bit scary for on this wet day, as I had a tendency to arrive a bit fast in the turns ... 

In addition to the turns, the road was bumpy at times ... like, very uncomfortable. So much so, that at km 8, my aero bottle dropped ... yes, one can say it’s my fault ... I should have had the securing clip on it ... well, I never had it on before, and never had a problem ... anyway, pick it up, and continued.

I quickly got out of the city after that, and enjoyed the road along the coast ... I have a 5km at nearly 36km/hr in this portion ... we were flying!

Then Turn Right” into lap 1 and the “rolling” section of the race ... phew, there are 3 or 4 spots, they do your legs well, and the rest ensures your legs stay warm!

10km in, so at km35 and 100-ish, there’s this hill ... it’s a double trouble, but what a blast! The crowd come together there, and cheer you up! It’s a bit like this famous image of Challenge Roth ... so cool. And at the top, aid station. I had to stop to pee. By then, it was aid station 2, and I had adjusted my plan a bit ... I had taken a bottle of water at aid station 1, had diluted my drink as necessary, and had only grabbed a Gatorade at station 2 ... had half of the bottle and got going.

That had become my aid station practice on the bike ... I only took Gatorade and drunk it before the bin. Rest of the ride was as plan, gels and my bottle. No extra water. I felt good, fed, and hydrated.

Then the “countryside” started ... oh my ... I did not like those roads. I did not mind the rolling bit ... but this rough granular feel was awe full to me ... being used to the super smooth roads in the desert, I did not feel comfortable on those road ... those constant small vibration just did not go well with me that day. Could find the right gear, couldn’t enjoy the aero position, and with that, my left shoulder started to feel tired and sore. I think my helmet also did not help ... the line of sight is Low, and therefore I had to raise my head a lot more to see in those ups and downs. 

I was so happy when we got back onto smooth coastal roads ... holy molly ... the bike was going on it’s own! But I had lost track of where I was. Road seemed familiar, and at some point, although I was sure I had not reached the turn to go into lap 2, I doubted ... it got me worried ... that was km 80, 85 ... too busy bombarding and passing people, I though I made a mistake ...

But no, into lap 2 ... feeling good. Knowing what’s to come. So far I have stuck to my plan, and even had to refrain myself sometime ... got to km90 mark with 162W ... was right where I wanted to be.

Got in to the hilly bits, and my brother was there, at the hill of fame, at km100-ish. That was great seeing him. I came into it relax, telling myself to enjoy it as it was the last lap ... and boom, saw him. 

Felt great after that ... probably too great as the average power went up to 165W ... While I enjoyed it, I know I pushed a bit hard in the following 20km, but it felt good. Then back into the rough countryside, and it got a bit tougher ... not sure when, but in yet another rough passage, my aero bottle dropped again ... the armor got dented a bit more ... picked it up and went.

As I was going, I kept seeing guys on the side of the road, with flats ... some waiting for help fro the mechanics ... I was really anguishing at the idea of a flat ... not that I can’t deal with it ... but my arms were sore, and the thought of fighting those tyres to change the tube just was not a nice thought .... and don’t go tell me about tubeless tyre .... as I discussed with a number of guys post race, I got to hear the sad stories of tubeless tyre folks not being able to fix they leak to extensive damage, waiting for a tube for 50’ .... 3 of the guys I talked to had 2 punctures ... it was a butchery .... 

And then, ding .... nah, not my tyre ... but one of my rear bottle cage got loose and hung up side down by a nut ... I just finished the bottle, so no baggy, I just throw it ... I kept going hoping the bottle case purchased a month prior would hang for dear life, but it didn’t ... did I forget to check the nuts pre-race ... yes. Did I loose those in the past? Nah ... again ... the road condition hit me in the face ...

Finally back on nice road around km145, I was revived again, and was able to gain back some speed. I had been struggling a bit the 20km or so prior, and the quads were starting to be sore ... had to watch my power to not burn more matches.

Last bit in the city was again a struggle, but the roads had dried at least. Was tough to arrive and see some already running ... but the bike was over, I was feeling good, fed and hydrated!

Handed over my bike to the volunteers, got my shoes off and walked to the bag ... was a great idea I had to change my bike shoes since my last long ride ... the new ones are more spacious. My feet have not really troubled me during the ride, and felt ok stepping off the bike.

5h42 in the end. Right where I wanted to be, and well within my planned wattage ... 158W average, 177 NP in the end ... spot on!

T2 ...

Not much. Heat was rising ... I saw Andy’s bag, but couldn’t tell if he already went through T2 or not. Did not notice bags position to get a hint.

In T2, I got the jacket off, changed socks, sprayed some sunscreen  and went off ... spending just about 8’30 in transition.

RUN ...

I won’t lie, that marathon was scarring me ... but I got in it with confidence that I had trained well for it.

However, cramps while running my A-races were no stranger to the invite list, and I was concerned that my left ankle/Achilles would get on the roll and force me to limp, creating early un-balance and therefore cramps and all sort of pain ...

Lap 1 ... to the 10.5km mark ...

Headed out of T2 into a massive crowd ... what a feast out there! Phenomenal feeling! 😊

Straight away, I felt too great! 😅 I had to remind myself to slow down ... got my first wrist band for the lap at km1.5, and saw the whole Family there. Great boost.

Got into my rhythm which was to run to all aid station and walk them all! 😅 

With that and some control, I got to the 10k mark within 1h05 ... that felt great on the moment, but I knew it was too fast still, and that it would come down ... yet, I am pretty hyped by this first 10k ... gives my so much to expect for the future! 😋

But just 5km, where it goes up and down a bit in the far end of the course, there was a small alert ... the quads tightened a bit ... so I added walking up the little bump as a mandatory action ... 🥺

Lap 2 ... to the 1/2M mark

I kept going strong ... till about km16. Did the 10 to 15km in 33’ ... still walking all aid stations. I made sure to take in my gel as planned, and was taking oranges and a couple of cup of drink picked between Gatorade, Redbull and coca. The first one being drunk at all aid station ...

The following 5km saw a bit of a tumble ... cramps started to build in the left quad ... while never activating, I could feel it growing ... had to start taking short advice walks in between stations to relax the quad ... this 4th 5km got done in 38’ ... and I passed the 1/1M mark in 2h21 ... which is really not bad for me at this point of this day! 🤪

Lap 3 ... let the race beginning ...

Passing by the finish line for the 3rd time, things got heavier ... I started to go dark in my head ... looking back at it, lap 3 was the toughest ... you’re closer than ever, but not quite there yet ... and the time is slowing down around you, the meters are getting longer ...

I remember little from this one, except I walked a bunch ... I barely heard the crowd ... I was not interacting with them at all ... this lap felt lonely, cold and tough mentally ... when I turned the corner to reach the U-turn that was next to the finish line, I collapsed ... had to put my glasses to hide my eyes ...  😭 ... just there and then, 100m away from the finish, for a split second, I did not want it anymore ... I dragged my ass to the Y-cross ... looked to the right at the bell ... and in true Ironman fan ... I warned it! “Next time Baby!” 😂🤣 

... Damn!, I’m tearing up now, while remembering it ... 😱

Lap 4 ... One for the road!

The following 100m were a bit lonely ... no runner around me ... crowd very thin ... going away I raised my chest and gave myself some pats on the back ... Come On Man! You’ve come this far!

Got to 1.5km aid station ... had to ask the cold hose to spray my right hamstring ... had tensed up a bit in the last few km, and wanted to be the next big cramp ... but not today ... I was not going let that happen! 

Saw my brother and Estelle shortly after ... present at all laps, cheering! That was fantastic! By then I had the 4th Precious around my wrist ... it was blue! It was Magnificent!

Got to the far end U-turn ... I was getting happier every minute. I had been enjoying the last lap, applauding the crowd that was still around ... and they were glad to return the favour 10-fold ... hitting all power-up signs I could see! Displaying a happy face ... somewhat, the French crowd was especially around in those late hours, and they noticed the 🇫🇷 on my bib ... felt great to be supported!

Legs were hurting ... hips were hurting ... upper back was hurting ... but I was running still ... UNBELIEVABLE! Slowly, but surely, I was happily making my way to the finish ...

Came that right turn, where I melted in the previous turn ... well, here we were again ... 😭😭 ... but this time, it was celebration ... happiness ... satisfaction of the job well done ... no glasses required this time ... no more need to be strong! I high-fived a guy that had been there the whole time I was running ... so had an old lady on the other side of the route ... those people are gold! 

Alright ... wet eye moment gone, it was time to put on the make-up for the final straight ... just there, before the grand finale, my Wife (12 years that very day 🥰) and my Kids, were at the barrier. Had some hugs and kisses. That was perfect! Full Heart before the chute!

Got to Y-cross ... took a right ... grab that 🔔 and kiss it like it was the World Cup ... rung it ... heard The Man say the words ... “Sebastien, You Are An Ironman!” ... and from there on, I strolled down the chute, high-fiving people, enjoying the fact that I had done it, and crossed the final line!

What a feeling! 

Run completed in 5h09, for a grand total of 12h25-ish ... Perfect!

30’ post race ...

First thing ... I walked 40m into the finish area, and I realised I was freezing ... so I grabbed a survival cover ...

Second, I was hungry!... so I grabbed some food. I realised afterward that I did not consume as much gels as planned in the second half of the run ... 

Then in between all that, I had my medal engraved, and some hugs & kisses exchanged at the H&K area.

By the time I finished eating, Andy arrived. Well done Mate!

Got changed and went to get my bags and bike (which somewhat got misplaced by the volunteers ... of course! 😂) ... got me worried though, as coming in, a guys was joking he was interested in getting a new bike, with disk brakes, and asked me about mine! 😅😅 lol! Well, took me a while to find my beast that hiding in the dark, against the wall, not on racks ... anyway, happy ending! 

My Bro and Estelle helped me back to the hotel with the bags while the babies were in bed fast asleep ... it was 21h00 ++ by now ... and a man was still taking a left at the Y-cross ... 😱 ... hats off man! By then, there was no more supporters out there ... aid station were packing up partially as the cut-off approaches ... I hope he made it!

Got home and rinsed my wetsuit ... showered, shivering, and went to bed ... by the time I was in bed, I was warm, but tired ... sore, but Happy! It was 00h40 according to Garmin ... I had a great sleep ... woke up at 6h47 on 21/08 ... I woke up an IRONMAN! 

6 days later ...

Still flying above the world! 

Had a massive Race-blues last night after finishing the typing of the above ... Time to get busy again and plan ... BIG! 😏

Coast to Coast - 217km - 18 Mar 2023

18 March 2023 ... D-day!

Just 5 weeks after an epic Marathon, it was time to engage myself into the second main event of 2023 ... the coast to coast 2023, spring edition.

Few days prior, we had been noticed the event was going to be a bit shorter ... from 240 to 225km. Honestly, standing there at 6.00am Saturday morning, shivering (it was very fresh!), i was feeling happy it was going to be "only" 225km. The prospect of that and the 1400m elevation were enough for a day! 😊

My partner in crime, Laurent, was there too. We had signed up for the 33km/hr. Felt a bit overwhelming in October when we discussed it ... well ... time had come to see ...

THE START ...

... and I bloody saw nothing! 😱

Group A left at 6.00am ... we were group B, leaving 2' later ... that went by fast! Move forward to the line, clicked the watch, saw my bike computer had turned off for some reason ... bell rings, we're off ... turn off bike computer ... "F......k! What are they doing?" I thought ... the whole group blasted off like their life depended on it ... within 3-400m i was already 30-40m behind ...came some bumps ... i slowed down for safety and to not drop my bottles ... looked up ... I was 200m behind! ... I started pushing harder, and harder, seeing watts i should not see in the first 5km of such a ride! Tried for 5km to catch-up, but could not ... rode a bit more hoping they might slow down a bit, but no ... they were going, and that was it ...

PART 1 OF 4 ... to 60km

Made the decision to just wait for the next group and see ... Laurent will tell me later that at the first aid station (55km) he was at 35km/hr average ... insane. 

Quickly group C caught up, and I placed myself in the middle. Another B guy was with me, and like me, thought that start had been BS ...

I was now tucked in, and happily ridding.

After 30', i realised that despite a smooth prep in the morning, i actually had not taken my pre-race caffeinated gel, and that I had not set any gel in my suit ... i had them with me, but in the small back pack i had taken for the aid station refill ... 😕 being late on nutrition with the prospect of spending now at least 7h30++ on the bike, was really not great.

So i placed myself to the right of the group, and attempted what i did not want to ...pull that little soft bag forward to grab a gel ... oh boy, messy messy, clumsy, and with all of it, i knocked off one of the glass of my glasses that were still hooked to my collar as it was still dark ... damn it! 🤓🥹 knowing the sum was going to be invited to the party, i was in for a treat!

15km in, and what a mess of a start it'd been!

Luckily, the next 45km till the first aid station were smoother. I got tired at some point, but realized I was in the wind while being on the right on the group ... with patience, i managed to move to the left and gain cover during the last 10km of this portion. Allowed me to arrive happy at the aid station ... Laurent was waiting. Cool!

I had a brief rest, exchange bottle on the down tube bottle cage (had 2 big 950mL with 60g each and a small one with 1500mg sodium), and finally got out my big gel (90g Carb). Took a decent sip and was ready to go.

60km in, 1h57 ... definitely no 33km/hr, but good enough for me today. Body battery had been like 25/100 before the start ... clearly the travel back from Norway had not been digested. Needed to manage expectations today! 😅

PART 2 OF 4 ... to 112km

We headed off with some of the people i arrived with, but not the "group leaders" as they were waiting for a colleague that had a flat. Post race i think i might have done better to wait for them, but anyway.

heading for part 2 ... it was going to start being difficult as some climbs awaited us.

The next 30km were fast, on the highway ... it was windy, but the group got cover behind a car (a very annoying one later on).

Only blip since AS-1 had been that I lost my gel ... was probably 2/3 empty, but still ... i had it in my leg pocket instead of my back pocket ... stupid me ...

I reached the 90km in 2h59, solid.

By then, another break had occured and i was no longer with Laurent.

It was time to turn right and start some hilly terrain ... heat was settling in, and faces were getting longer. 🥵

I got especially disturbed by the group that was followed by the car we followed earlier ... some of them did not have the legs for this, and were getting pulled up the climbs ... usually just to be dropped couple of hundred meters ahead of me at the top ... nothing better to keep your head cool. 😡

That passage probably contributed 300m ascent to the ride ...  on the other side laid the AS-2, at 112km ... reached there in about 3h45 ... just under 30km/hr average. Not bad. ☺️

Laurent was there again, enjoying long breaks! 😅

I had to take a toilet break, meanwhile abused Laurent and got him to fill my bottle.

PART 3 OF 4 ... 172km

Part 3 beginning just was there to announce you were here to suffer!

Straight up a climb!

We went off with Laurent, and took turns. I felt ok, while Laurent felt i was faltering, as we discussed yesterday ... climb was fairly long, heat was definitely working on us ... close to 30*C by now.

Again, the same car pulled not just 2, but 5 or 6 guys up that climb, passing us 200m from the top ... honestly, what's the point of continuing the challenge if clearly you can't take it?

Anyway, comfort came down the hill where the car provided again some cover on the flat. For about maybe 10km before we took again a right that brought us in the middle of nowhere ... 

The group exploded there ... 10-15 guys, with Laurent, were at the front, and behind the mess created 2 mini consecutive breaks, which required to both dodge people and putting in effort to catch-up with the front ... was a very rolling part ... the guys in front were flying, and after battling a few km, i had to resort to let go, never to see them again.

But the tough bit was that THERE WAS NO ONE behind me either! 

I just kept going, but clearly the ride just had taken a new shape ... it was going to be ME, MYSELF & I till the end ... we ... well, I was I think around km 130 ish ... and while i know now there was 40km to the AS-3, i honestly had no clue back then.

I got off this 10km section and got back on the highway ... well, it was no longer fun! It was hot (30 to 32) but also windy ... headwind ... being alone was not fun, and at that moment i missed my TT bike ... would have loved being in aero position ... arm were sore, wind was not friendly ... 

After 5-7km, couple of guys caught up with me, but I could follow through ... then a couple of groups, but again, was not able to come with.

Finally seeing some flashy colors just after a bridge, i had AS-3 in view ... i was tired, legs had enough, my feet started to feel tight in my shoes ... and there was a bit of up hill, maybe 400-500m going up, to reach the Aid Station ...

That's when the next stage of the race started ... yep! ... my friends the cramps! Right leg inner thigh, just above the knee. Not the quad, inside inside ... never had this one before ... just had time to unclip and get it loose ... but clearly i was not going to go back on the bike ...☹️

So I walked ! 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♂️🚶‍♂️

What a dreadful feeling ... so many people caught up ... I felt like I was done ...

I put the bike down and as I stood up, Laurent was there! 😊

He looked concerned when I told him at which point of my fitness I was ... honestly, I was looking at the bus intently too, given I knew what was ahead of us ... 50km to go, and nearly 700m of ascent. ☹️❓🤨

Got some ice in my suit at along the right inner leg. While chatting with Laurent, i grabbed a slice of banana, drunk several cups of coca cola. Spirit was coming up, but i could not see how i was going to manage the cramp at this point ...

While Laurent left, I sat in the shade, and texted the Family. That was answered with a video if my Girl & Boy telling me I could do it ... 😍🥰

Arf, you know me, i can't stand giving up ... so I wrapped thing up and set off again.

PART 4 OF 4 ... 

I was about 6h30 in by now ... and the KO of part 4 was the end of the climb i cramped in! 😕

Managed to get over it.

Then came the next one ... and sure enough, cramp was wanted to surge.

I put to good use the wall standing I had to practice few weeks prior when we did our outing in the area. Took a few quick stop to let the muscles relax and off again. But this was nothing compared to the last climb to come.

It's funny though, how the brain and body will make things happen if your mind is adamant it must happen.

First solution offered was to push a bit harder with my left leg, to support the up part of the right, which is when the cramp was activating ... worked well ... about 124.6m! Then left leg cramped exactly in the same location.

While it appears like an added shovelling to deepen the hole I was in, it actually triggered a trail of thoughts ... It make me realise my legs were no longer strong pushing down in my usual position, and that my usual position had my knees slightly inward, which was emphasizing the inner thigh use on the upward part of the stroke.

So I tried opening up my knees a bit ... focused on using other muscles ... and wow, all of a sudden it was so much better going uphill! No massive power or anything, but going up was possible!

I'm now descending full ahead in a single channelled lane (civil work happening) and it's windy as hell ... bit scary, but fun!

And suddenly the wind stops, the heat turns up, and so is the road ... after 10' going up i see a little yellow sign on the road that says "3km to the top" ... 🤡

Here we are, the big one of today!

We're about 190km in or something ... i have passed that moment of the 180km thinking "and in August, i'll have to get off the bike and run a marathon! 😅" ...

It's hot, it's hot ... and it does not climbing ... luckily by now I have mastered the wall stand ... i used it a few times (5 in total i believe) during the climb. Once I had to un-clip to really take a moment. I was not sure how I was feeling at this very moment ... took me a minute to regroup and be able to assess the situation. Managed to push through. Not sure how ... i guess stubbornness is not easy to wear off ... 😊

Got to the top, enjoyed a short descent then a small up again, but that was not going to stop me!

Then the main descent ... fun time! Although it was very windy, so needed to be cautious.

We were greeted at the bottom by a short new route, which was uphill ... I hated every moment of it, until i could see the finish flame! 

What a relief! 🎉🥳🍾🎊

Laurent was there, waiting for me. 

Took the bus to the hotel, had a shower and some food before heading back.

It has been a long day! 🤪

Another great battle that serves as closeout of an epic Q1 2023!

I have achieved what i wanted. Having a go at IM distance training and a few events of the length or more. That has brought plenty of lessons learnt on nutrition, what to expect schedule wise, a glimpse of the effort required to get to the finish line, and some trick and tips that hopefully i won't forget to implement on D-day.

Well, now onto "ROAD TO IRONMAN"! 🏊🏼‍♂️🚴🏼🏃🏻‍♂️😊

Special mention to my 2015 CAAD8! You keep doing the job!

Grit & Tonic Olympic 2023-03-12

Here is a race I had not planned to do.

My Son was going to, but he could bot get over swimming in the sea. Next time maybe.

So I upgraded the ticket, and signed myself up.

There was not much expectations if I'm honest. Training has been aimed at longer distance, and has been bumpy.

Marathon was just 4 weeks ago, swim training consisted in a total of 5 short swims, i'm still dragging my Achilles, the physio thought it's be good work on my weakness on Friday, and I had a nice 2hrs home trainer ride the day before, as well as a lazer battle with 6-7 years old for my Man's birthday party ... yep, i came in this race fresh! 😅

But it was good to come and try to put some real effort in it on tired frame. Was the objective before a slow travelling week going into the coast2coast on March 18th.

So how did it go!?

 THE SWIM ...

Met up with Ray, a TRIDOT man, and very good runner. We heated up the rivalry plot, and in no time we were off swimming!

I was amazed by the number of wetsuit this time around. I'd say a good 10% of the field was geared up! 

I expected suffering for this swim ... only training I did was moving my arms in the pool a bit to try and remember wht that was about.

As usual, the organizers had plenty of good plan in place for the start ... and as usual no one gave a damn, resulting in the most chaotic start i have had in my many races ... no wonder some people are put off my the swim ....

Swim was 2 laps ... first 3/4 of lap 1 was just terrible ... people everywhere, zig-zaging, bumping in each other. That was proper bad honestly. 

I don't panic easy in the water, so i was alright, and all the dodging actually occupied my mind ... lap 1 felt actually fast compared to lap 2. I guess the crowd did help break water somewhat.

Lap 2 was much calmer, and it felt slower. Did not prevent someone to drift i to me ... I ended up on top of that person, nearly knocking him/her down as I was about to hammer the water.

33'37 minutes overall ... actually not bad a swim for me. We're talking 40s more than last year when i came in more trained. That's not bad ... i really need to train though ... i won't get away swim 3.9km on buoyancy! 😂🤣

Transition 1 went on well. Not super fast, but ok.

Had a glimpse over at Ray's racking location ... pretty sure he was gone.

THE BIKE ...

That was the leg i was here for ... I wanted to beat the hour mark.

I set off ... ready to rip off those 5 markers I had on my frame, as fast I could ... it was also time to start taking in nutrition. So far i had a gel waking up, a caffeinated gel 30' before the swim ... now onto my 60g-carb loaded 800mL aero bottle! 🍸

Oh boy, remember the physio wanting to work on my weakness ... well, I could locate them all right off the bat starting this ride. My gosh ... litteral pain in my 🍑!!!

And I could feel straight away my legs were not in a great day! Holding 210W was tough, and I was still working my breathing through the heat of the salt water "burns" in my nose and throat. 

At the far end, before reach the round about, I had a sight of Ray being on his way back ... alright, time to hunt! 😊

Oh that roundabout!? We used to take a left in the opposite direction, using only a quarter of it before heading into the U-turn ... today we had to go around it 3/4 to come to the same exit, adding a very sharp (dangerous if you ask me) right turn ... u-turn was farther away too ... well, i was not going to save time here!

Onward we go, same place, a lap later, ai was back in Ray's wheel. Quick greeting, it was time time to now take the lead and create a gap before the run battle.

Rest if the ride has been pretty quiet. Objective was to try and hold power ... by end of lap 3 though, it was clear I was not in for a PR ... now i had to hold a decent power and had to keep some legs for the run! And I wanted to pee! 🚻

End the bike in 1hr05'50 ... 4'30 slower than last year ... with that roundabout. I'll tell it's an even performance for me! Still did not manage to hold an average power of 200W though ... 😕

T2 went ok too. Removed shoes right coming off the bike ... helps relax ... put all the gears on, and off I was. I saw Ray a couple of time on the bike, last time at the start of his last lap ... i gathered he was about 20' behind me ... which on a 10km could turn not to be enough to hold the fort! 😅

THE RUN ...

By now, i just wanted to pee! No toilet in the transition, but i knew there was one not far away ... so off I was.

Despite the toilet need, i was feeling alright ... actually. Back had loosened, leg were clumsy but not dead. Headed out on feel ... I was going to run comfy, and wait to come across Ray to see how ...

With toilet break, km1 clocked at 6'15 ... not bad, especially considering how fresh i felt after that.

I realised then that I had forgotten my salt tab in my bag ... so for the run, i had 1gel ... which I took during km2 with some water ... km2 which i ran 5'29 ... same as km3 ... 😱

Come 5km, I was feeling solid ... had seen Ray, and I was in to fight! 😬

Up until 7.5km (last U-turn) I was in my bubble ... and then ... cramp! 🫣 the usual suspect ... left inner quad, just above the knee ... it was there, but also not completely locking the muscle ... i walk it a bit, massaged it ... and crumbled to the aid station, grabbing a coke and an isotonic ... that little aid station was simple but great.

I started running through the cramp, adjusting my running position ... and it did not bother me again ... with 2km to go, I saw Ray one last time ... cheered up ... and gave all I had to finish.

Closed the run in 58' ... quite happy with that, given i have not run much since the marathon, trying to preserve my Achilles. That's 5' out of the time from a year ago, but i take it. Pretty happy with this exhausting week-end.

Conclusion ...

Well, with all that, and about the same time in transition (7' and some bits), I completed the race this time in 2h45 flat, according to the race clock vs. 2h34'42 a year ago.

Managed to hold Ray back 5'-ish. Phew! 😜

One could be un-happy about such result, but at this moment of my preparation, i think it's a pretty result.

I'm actually pretty motivated by it, and I know now that I'll be back there in October to crush the 2h30 mark! I want it! 😬

For now I remain focused on long endeavour, with the 230km ride of the Coast to Coast on 18 March, and then it'll be "RTIMC2023" ... Road To IM Copenhagen 2023! Some more sweat, long training hours and pain to come! 🫣

The good and the bad ...

 I like ...

• The fact that the race is simple and organised twice a year.
• The far end aid station was great this time, with hydration drink and coke. Simple but efficient.
• Roads are fast! 😊

I dislike ...

• That bloody lack of compliance of athletes with the start plan and the lack of enforcement from the race officials.
• That right turn after that added roundabout ... bit technical for a lot of people i think.
• And the U-turn just after is not much better.

Dubai Marathon 2023

Alright, few days post marathon, here are my thoughts!

THE EVENT ...

My general feeling about the event itself is disappointment.

With 2.5 months extra to organise it, and given how it was presented, I expected more too be honest ...

On arrival, it was clear that we’d be far from being 50,000 souls running the event ... I guess the last minute change of location should have given me a hint. Instead we were 2,000 people ... I don’t mind it, if I’m honest, but the mindset would have been different from my side.

My problem is that the downsizing lead to several diminishing return for athletes ...

For a start, the START ... no speaker to galvanise the runners, guide them through the start ... no atmosphere ... a feel that nothing is going to happen, and all of a sudden, at 6h00, the race started, in the most shy, discarded way it could ...

Then, I think the relocation should have led to a major change of mindset in the route plan ... instead of sending us away on the highway, why not keeping everyone on a shorter loop so the effort put in having all those supporters and volunteers could have have paid of by keeping a festive atmosphere around us. 2000 people running a marathon on a 3 loops course is not out of ordinary ... triathletes know all about loops! 😊

Then the aid stations were lightly supplied ... twice oranges, waited for 15km for the first table with some iso drink, and it was not at all tables ... if some athletes counted on the aid stations for their nutrition, they must have been painfully surprised ... again, on a looped courses, the resources ($$$) could have allowed for a better display.

Still, the volunteers were a happy bunch, and the route was challenging enough without being hard. A rolling route if you will. Weather has been perfect, and the goodies at the finish (albeit you had to walk away to get it) were welcome while enjoying the finisher medal.

With that said, onto...

MY RACE!

Woke up, got ready and left ... small hic-up as there was an accident on the rod, taking 3 of the 4 lanes ... we were through fast though. But somewhat it led me to realise, OH DEAR! , I had forgotten my watch while buttering my arm with sunscreen! ... alright, the watch is not running ... we’re ok ... OUSSAAAAA! 😭🙈

Met up with my Buddy Laurent, and we were off to the start line ... 6h00 came fairly fast ... and off we were.

We had similar time expectation for the most part of the race ... at least till half point, solid! Then it’d likely be “Come What May!”

Sure enough we went on comfortably together. I personally felt great, and the challenge of having a partner felt great. It helped me keep my grit ... while I have legs, I usually easily drop behind on solo races.

And damn we’ve been good ... km5 in 32’14, to km10 in 32’24, to km15 in 32’20 ... km20 in 31’25 ... we were set like clockwork! I was ok, the left Achilles was punchy but solid, the sore right calf was sore, but not getting worse ... had a small alert in my inner thighs at km11, sorted by doing some side shuffle to disturb the repetitive movement, and at the left foot at km17 ... shook it off by literally shaking my ankle while running.

Half way was in one of those inclines on the highway section ... I was usually stepping back a bit from my partner in crime in those section, and was coming back in, in the decent, while loosening my stride a bit.

We were doing great, catching up with numerous people, after having been mostly passed the first 10k.

Nutrition was great till then ... getting on with business, we reached km25 in 32’40 and then km30 in 33’50 ... that’s when the game changed ever so slightly ... km27 has been terrible, looking back. I recall telling Laurent that this bloody km27 was up the whole way ... and with that, I realised that this time around, I had been leading the climb ... I was in the game, I was feeling great ... I just killed my legs for good ... though it had not dropped yet.

I got carried away, and started to follow a guy that was having a similar pace as us around km29 ... but then realised, by km31, that Laurent and I were getting separated ... while looking back, I felt a pull in my left hamstring ... there, that went it all went to shit! 🙈 Cramps just gave me first notice! 

I let the guy go and waited for Laurent. It was time to say good-bye ... and so we parted ways ... but my euphoria (cause somewhat I was still confident I could get the 4h30 marathon time that we had been building up to till then 😂🤣 ... can’t take a hint when it hits you in the face at this point in the race! 🤪) ... so yeah, my euphoria quickly dampened, and coinciding with my legs stiffening big time. I guess solitude got the best of me all of a sudden, and that my appetite to win our insider race was not that strong! 🥺

At km35 ( reached in 36’10 still), I finally took a break to pee ... I had been wanting to stop for a while, but could not get myself to break the pace! 😇 holy Molly, that nearly stopped me for good ... disgusting hot porta-potty !!! When I came out of it, I did not feel awesome ... and actually, my legs got all stiff and restarting was a nightmare ... 7km to go and pleasure of being there was all gone! AND, I wondered ... where the heck is Laurent? 😂🤣😅

Man, I just gave myself the worst feel possible! After leaving him behind, I ended up not so great on my own, unsure of how much I had on him ... and now, not sure I was still in front of him! 😱

Could not see him behind or in front ... no clue!

And from there on, the kilometres were much slower ... had to walk every so often. Not a great deal, but I needed the break to manage what was left of my legs.

4km to go, and my left hamstring gave me more than a notice ... this time I cramped for real ... luckily it did not fully seized the muscle, so quickly going into a walk, I managed to get release it ... meanwhile my water bottle was getting empty ... I had been lazy and did not make my last bottle of nutrition ... stupid me!

3km to go, and here comes right hamstring ... same happening as the previous km. Phew ... but now I’m deep into survival mode. Thighs have held up great time. They usually are the first to cramp, but not today ... actually, I never cramped in my hamstring before ... not sure what has changed ...

2km to go ... it’s getting warm ... water is scarce ... I’m cramping every 300m ... some people are getting back on me, and it’s killing the bit of fighting spirit left in me as I cannot follow them ... also, it raises my stress level every time I have been hearing foot steps behind me for the last 3k, every bloodily times thinking this is Laurent doing a remontada, and reliving that if it was him, I would not be able to stick with him! 😩 Bloody hell, racing is fun!😂

1km to go ... I’m not sure how I’m still moving my legs ... I have never pushed them this far before, despite all my adventures. Last drop of whatever is left in the tank gets me to run to the finish line ... got my usually emotional rush ... Here I am, nothing left to give ... 4h50 ... a PR for me, by 1h05, eight years later. At that point, I’m so happy with myself! Bloody proud! 

The marathon distance is not my best friend, but we got a little bit more friendly this time around! MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! I needed this type of happy feel after this race, in preparation of my first full distance Ironman, coming up in August.

My partner in crime of the day, Laurent, finished just behind in just under 4h57. Well done for a first!

NUTRITION

I had a total of 270g of carbs in my plan ... 30 with 100mg caffein 30’ before the race, then 120g in my daring, along with 2g of sodium, and 120g in gel. I also had a tube of liquid Magnesium and an emergency pack of hydration with 1.5g of sodium.

All went great, except, as I mentioned, that I did not prep the last round of hydration - the 120g were divided into 4 ... 2 prepped in my bottles before the race, and 2 in my usual baby powder carry pack ... while those boxes work well every other day, it did not go well on a marathon. Got lazy to swap the the serving cone so did not use the last dose ... big lesson learnt, as of course, that was meant to be half my last 10k nutrition ... 😭😤

LESSONS LEARNT:

1- my training was good. I shall keep trusting it!

2- I should add some my intensity and intension in my zone 2 sessions. I’ve been to soft, often boarder line to below Z2 on my long runs ... that has cost me some freshness in the end.

3- I’ve got to find a more practical way to carry my powder!

4- shoes were great at that low Z3 high Z2 pace, the first 35km. The felt less comfy during my long runs where I was lacking that bit of effort. A good surprise.

5- it was fun to have a competition with a Buddy ... to be done again!

6- training consistently pays off ... yet allows missing some bits and pieces due to being sick or having a bike crash. 😅 it’s great to have a great training plan (thanks Tridot), but it’s great to see it does not have to take the life out of your joy!

7- the no watch experience has been quite refreshing. Checking up on time every 5km was a good reset mark.

8- the training with the stead pod paid off. While not necessarily much faster, at least, I was able to be very consistent just by feel. Feeling the output and controlling it. Promising for the future.

9- got cut short by the bike accident, but the strength training for the upper body clearly did some good ... no back pain at all throughout the race. Only my right shoulder was aching in the end ... still some weakness from the hit.

Alright, that’s a wrap on my Dubai Marathon 2023 experience... 230km coast2coast event to come, in less than 5 weeks, with a fun Olympic distance triathlon lodged in here somewhere ... might need to pick up some swimming for that one! 🤪

Happy training to you all!

Thanks for reading!

Cheers,

Seb

Salalah 70.3 2022

What a race it's been.

Was promised to be flat ... NOOOT!

Was promised to be fairly cooler than Dubai ... NOOOT!

Was forecasted to be slightly windy (13k/hr with gust at 28) ... guess what!? ... NOOOOOOOT!

With the background set ... here we come.

The SWIM ...

Started with over 600 fully grown human not being able to follow the rules ... we were like 15 ready in the time starting sas ... everyone else was glued to the start line ... relays were supposed to be at the back ... they were everywhere at the front ... 

Anyway, kicked off easy, the water was warm in the port, and calm. Felt great and spacious.

Reaching the goose neck to enter the bay (let's call it that), the water got much cooler and much choppier. You could feel the effect of the opening in the break wall. 

After a bit of adjustment, i got into a good rhythm. Been able to breath comfortably every 3 beats the whole time. Felt great.

Was also playing around with a couple of guys who were swimming about my pace. Was great to fight the current.

Back in the port area, calm & warm water again. Long straight in front of us. I felt fantastic.

Overall a happy swim, given i can compare my training level to level 0 ... still, a 1' PR in 42'49. So marginal i did not notice then! 🤪

T1

Had to stop to pee.

Second race note here ... the toilet had no flush ... it was just a box with a hole ... there were floaters and all ... DISGUSTING!

Took a bit of time to dress, as i use toe socks. Absolute need for me to minimise feet damages.

The BIKE

Started easy, setting myself up nicely ... i caught up with so many people ... it was a great feeling! 😜

Third race note ... setting the first aid station, un-announced, in the bloody roundabout, was a massive non-sense to me ... with officials crossing and all ... terrible choice! Was much better later on ... but the first one needs relocation.

First 45km were a breeze ... flying! I've got a shot taken of me, i was at 58km/hr ...

I could feel the wind, but it definitely was from the side ... even felt like a head wind at time ...

But man, how wrong that feeling was ... 

the second half was purgatory ... 

i managed to hold my 190-200W till 50 or 55 km ... but after that, those long climb (maybe 5-6%) with that master wind constantly hammering, have worn me out. It slowly crumbled to 180 ... 170 ... 160W.

What a tough one. 

Still, i did not feel drained. I think my hydration worked well ...

But, as much as i love riding, i was happy to finish.

A 13'30 PR on the bike. Given the route and condition, compared to Danang, it's a blasting success in my book ... 2hr46'09

T2

Fair time.

As usual, I removed my shoes to let the feet relax while going to rack the bike (i don't do shoes removal the bike ... too technical for me! 😉).

While all my packing was good, i wish I had brought a second sunscreen bottle to have in this bag. Lesson learnt.

The RUN

Purgatory part 2 ...

It was deadly hot out there!

I started slowly, easy, to let legs get use to it.

But that's the belly that did not want to cooperate ... felt heavy with liquid and almost nauseous.

That forced me to straight away start a random walk-run practice. I was craving tasty, cool stuff ... but when delivered, it just felt like there was a traffic jam somewhere ...

And, at km 2, guess who? The bloody freakin cramp on my right inner quad just above the knee ... a classic form me ...

That was it ... i was likely done ... 

the aid stations were quite good though ... plenty of ice, cool water, and i let myself go for some coke and Iso ... i had enough of my nutrition at this point ...

Km 4, right quad was ok ish ... but guess who!? The left quad, same location, joined in! FFS!

At least by then my stomach seemed to want in, in the race, after a couple of well placed burps! 😏

But i felt like I was agonising ... i was in this one for a 4hr run at the degrading pace i was going.

Fast forward to the end of loop 1, I was down, disappointed, and did not want to carry on ... 

but yeah, I'm also stubborn, resilient, and i can't loose face knowing i left my Wife and Babies for the week-end to get this done.

Sooo, yeah ... turned right at the cross to go into lap 2 ... struggled over that bloody little bridge, made it to the left turn where some playful ladies were playing with cold water guns ... i accepted the shot ... got shot un-expectedly from behind as i missed the one hidding ... that moment actually cheered me up big time ... right there and then i got out of my box and started enjoying the show.

I made a point to start cheering up others, interact more with the volunteers, and by then, at km 12, i was feeling ok. Sore, but ok.

Got in plays with a couple of guys, passing each others, chatting ... ended up grabbing a guy at km 18 ish, and we finished together. Was brilliant.

In the end, a 25' PR on the run ... in 2hr36'29

Overall, you guessed it, I did improve my overall time ... by a whooping 41' ... in 6hr17'49

I guess i have not had enough running in the legs these past few weeks after the 10days of stoppage (out of only 8 weeks specific prep due to last minute sign up) + the reduced mileage post trauma ... that should be a strong enough argument to not be disappointed ... but i really wanted to cross that line under 6h00. So while i did great against me, myself and I ... I am a bit left unsatisfied. 🫣

Overall, a great race. Some hic-ups, but they can sort it out.

Hotel was next to it, and great. Shame it's not a holiday for the kids ... I would bring the tribe for sure!

The hip and back behaved impressively well. I was worried at the start as the hip was sore and tight ... but a bit of stretching and massage did wonders.

Alright,

Thanks for reading!

Till next time!