So waking up on my 36 birthday Mrs told me to open my emails. I think with a bit of help from Al and El she had bought me.an entry to Alp duez Triathlon the following summer August 2018. Really didn't know where to start. Back to pool it was and was excited about the idea and the training. To make things interesting Cadi was born a month later in January which possibly would be a hurdle to overcome but to my amazement she has been much easier than expected, good sleeps at night and easy to sort out. Da wyt ti.
Training had been ok the running going well but lacked consistency with all disciplines.
We were to drive down after much thought, Aled and El with their child and us with Cadi. 2 x cars which would leave us flexible and plenty of room for luggage and bikes. After no luck buying a bigger car we hired a car from Europecar, nissan Quashqui £450. 2 weeks worth of driving and it took a pounding. We planned to drove down over 2 days to the alps, spend a week there and post race we jump ship to the south coast to Nice and relax for another week before the return drive. It sounded like a dream trip.
Early Saturday we set off to catch the 3pm train through the tunnel, probably the hottest day of the year the tunnel was all over the news as there were massive tailbacks due to aircon issues. Arrived to a huge que and people sitting on the hardshoulder of the motors way. We feared the worst, we tool our bikes out to fiddle and check equipment before the road started moving, mad panic to get everything back in we were straight in to check in and an 1.5 hour wait in the cafe for departure. The news making it to be chaos but the whole areas was under control and only a hour max in delays.
We arrived close to Paris for our over night stay that night before an early start down south. Stopping when needed and any nice village would be visited for a break. Cadi enjoying the ride and sleeps.
After the drive through girona we came across a stunning outline which slowly came to view, the mountains were massive and stood out for miles, the closer we got it but home what we were doing, these mountains were something else and couldn't wait to get on the bike.
Our accommodation was a ski flat rented for the week in the village of Oz ossians something, and could hold 10 people. Plenty of room and the balcony view was the best I've seen, this location then linked to the cable car over to Alp duez or a 40 min drive down and around the valley. It was some playground, mtb running and cycling and the race start in the EDF lake was 5 min cycle down the road. Perfect location
In the week we had a day up to Duez to try the bends out, some climb never ending and took us over 1h 30 min steady ridding from bottom to top, we had a day by the outside pool to relax and top it easy in the trade village and cafes it was going to be some day. The weather on race day was going to be hot, no wind blue sky and perfect lake temperature. Getting the bikes ready the night before looking down on the lake, sun going down it was a special moment.
Think it was a 9am race start so not to early, had a good night's sleep and a bowl of porridge. Got my nutrition sorted, 2 x bottles of water and a double jam sandwich strapped to my top tube. Really looked the business in transition next to an x formula 1 drivers £8k TT bike.
Over 1100 people lining up to enter the river next to the lake it was dounting, we were all in the same position so me and Aled headed out and before I knew it I was in the middle of the pack 4 rows off the front. Looking around just seeing bodies in the water and on the bank everyone ready to go. Funny enough guy next to me was from Bridgend
Big hooter we were off. Amazingly I had no issues and swam clean up until the first corner, got a bit chaotic but stayed wide. Just struggled then and was blocked in for most if the next lap. Finally got some room on the last lap and started passing some large groups. Knew I'd be ok swimming but held a fast pace towards the finish and really enjoyed it. Came out of the silence and splash to a massive crowd lining the banks.
Running out to the bike I spotted everyone Tina Cadi mum and dad and seeing the photo's i had a massive smile on my face.
Off i went on the bike and came out 334/1100 position on the swim. The bike leg looked amazing and that first few miles was fast flowing riding down the valley following the river, drafting was illegal but difficult to avoid with the group's. Before long we turned off the highway and hit the first climb, an hour of the best switch backs id ridden and moved up a few hundred positions I was living life, collected some water in the top and began decending to the next valley. The next few miles were flowing and included a few climbs but nothing difficult, scenery weather and roads were perfect. The last climb before decending down to bourgon was in paper very easy and didn't see it as anything to highlight but even in the lower slopes I was just tired and the climb kept going for a long time, at this point the temperature hit 38 degrees. It was like an oven and I felt it, reaching the top I knew I was in a race, smothered in more sun tan oil and more water I defended to bourgon which was the start of the final kick up Duez climb.
The first part hurt so had to.keep things sensible, i couldn't afford to go into the red. Steady as she went and get up ready for the run. I was cooked by the time I was quarter of the way up and had stopped picking up places by now. Water was being sprayed on us and loads of encouragement along the way made it some ride. Reaching the top I was tired and was looking forward to the run which I felt u couldn't move a further few places up the race. Parked the bike, shoes on, the legs were ready to go and felt good few kilometres in I put in a good first lap not a lot behind the leaders but then it caught me up, 2nd lap I had to stop, i sat down on a small rock and just looked across the valley. I was done. Until someone shouted "oi get on with it" I didn't realise what I was doing, must have been minutes.
Looking back I was finished and just really enjoyed a good rest. Kept going slowly and picked up some fresh oranges and the next feed which changed everything, it was like a can of red bull. Slowly started running again, if I could run I was fast bug had to stop more often. Wasn't pretty. The last lap was emootionl, such a tough day but when I thought more about it the best experience of ever had. Scenery, people and the other athletes made it special. Finished the last lap quite strong and then it was red carpet and it was over. What a feeling. I felt ok but the reaction of Tina and my parents told me I didn't look it. "Wow that must have been tough, you look like that was tough going" jumped into a cold jacuzzi grabbed a big bowl of sbagetti and headed out to watch Aled come in. He was still on the bike course so we went on the tracker and he wasn't far. Then we heard a noise which sounded the cut off for the bike, his race was over. 2 min later he rolled in to be told the news. Devastating for him.
Back to camp in the cat with mum and dad we went out for pizza and grabbed loads of beers and wine. Great night. The next day we went on a mountain trek , which probably helped the legs. What a race, what a town, what a country. Off to Nice to wind down.
