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I arrived earlier at the
race site than last year which gave me more time to get set up. Still I do
manage to waste most of it by fussing over the bike and taping about 2Kg of accessories
to it to make up for all the weight that Cervelo
have shaved off. My pre race build up has been better with the lessons
learned from IMSA and not stuffing my face late the evening before the race.
I’d managed to get most of half of my Overstims
cake inside me from about 4am onwards. In fact the biggest challenge was
getting the thing baked. There wasn’t an oven at the hotel so I’d asked at
lots of restaurants on Saturday and finally found a friendly manager who
agreed to have his cook prepare it for me. Merci Beaucoup. The entry is back up for
Nice this year with 1500 signed up and the race organization continues to
improve. The finish area and run turnaround have been remodeled and the
crowds were able to provide a much better atmosphere than in the last 2
years. Perhaps Les Nicoises are finally warming to
IM There are two guys from my
club [Meudon Triathlon] here this year. Eric Carlier (668) and Dominique Bertholot
(1064), both of who are doing their first IMs. In
fact Eric did his first triathlon in May this year. There are also
Jean-Francoise ‘Jeff’
Leleu-Eponville (351) and Cyril Milinkovitch
‘MrTri’ (141) who are former members of the club.
Also there is Thierry Foulounoux (1311) and Mehamed Boucherit (394) who I
see regularly training in the Paris area and finally Jean-Claude Dudouet and Christine Suligoj
who I first met doing IM Nice in 2005. I meet up with Cyril and Jeff before
giving a final good luck to Dom and Eric before leaving the bike park and
heading towards the swim start. I put myself in the sub 1h6 group
but a few rows back from the front. Suddenly looking out at the course I’m
confused. I check with another competitor for the buoy we’re supposed to aim
for and it is a quite an angle from the shore to the left. This is even
stranger since the Pros are to our right and would have further to swim. For
a minute I think about getting in one of the corals further to the left but I
decide against as we’re just a few minutes from the start. We get to the
countdown and everyone starts cheering and clapping as usual.
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1-GO. Unlike most beach starts, at
Nice the water gets deeps quickly and you can start swimming almost
immediately which I do. There is a obviously a lot going on just in front of
me so I keep my head above the water and try to keep out of trouble. But this
ends up being one of the most difficult starts I’ve experienced. I follow
along without even looking for the buoy and it’s a full 10 minutes before I
have really enough space to get my head down and start swimming properly. Then
I realize that I’m now way over to the left side of the pack, I’ve cut too
sharp an angle and it’s impossible to get back in the middle as there are too
many swimmers along side of me. However the pay off is a more peaceful swim.
I’m going to be going quite wide round the buoys. After about 15 minutes I’m
well into my rhythm and enjoying the swim. I hit the top of the first loop at
15m15. Presuming they’ve got the distance correct this year this is about as
expected for 950 metres. I’m still swimming quite
wide round the buoys and even on the way back I’m still on the outside of the
field. Next time I’m going to do the swim course with a GPS and see just how
much further I swim than everyone else. I keep going well and make the end of
the first loop in 31:44. My goal is 1h05 so I’m looking good for that. The
second loop is marked only by a rather benign kick in the face about half way
round which dislodges my goggles. They have performed admirably up to this
point not letting in a single drop of water. I quickly empty them and carry
on. Wow the swim is already over. It really felt like nothing at all and I
clock 1:04:49. This is an IM PB by 5 minutes (last year’s 1h03 at Nice
doesn’t count since the course was short). Overall: 378 Age Group: 69 Race Time: 1h04m49s Overall: 378 Age Group: 69 |
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T1 OK my goal is to make a
really fast T1. I start running up the beach getting my arms out of my
wetsuit and pause at the bottom of the ramp to get my legs out, being careful
to stand out of the way of the others behind me. I’ve left my cap and goggles
on to keep my hands free. Then I run, folding up my wetsuit, through the
stands and into the T1 area, grab the bag (having number 1001 is quite useful
since my bags are at the front of the racks). I run through the changing tent
trying to feed the wetsuit into the bag. I volunteer grabs them for me and
says go! I need no second asking. There are only 2 things in my T1 bag.
Helmet and race belt, and I was even considering having the race belt on under
the wetsuit but decided against. Helmet is now strapped on and the race belt
is quickly on as I run into the park. I grab the bike, pull it out into the
main channel and start sprinting. I’m going so fast and the bike starts
slipping. The back wheel slides away and hits a concrete support sending my
tool canister flying out of by seat bottle holder. A kind athlete grabs it
and hands it back to me, however the super light carbon bottle holder has
snapped. I carry on running to the end of T1 with a quick decision to make. I
now have 2 slots on my bike instead of 3. That means either a water bottle or
the tools have to go. I put the bike tool canister in the good seat holder
and hold the bottle in my hands. Mount the bike and start pedaling. I get
going a good speed and down the ¾ litre power bar
drink and chuck the bottle. Ok we’re going to have to do the course with one
bottle holder. Interesting. I carry on and finally get round to getting my
feet into my shoes. Well, not entirely as planned, but another lesson learned
and this sport certainly challenges our ability to adapt. Anyway, by no means
was this the most important equipment failure of the day amongst my immediate
friends in the race so I have no cause for complaint. Awesome job. Overall: 52nd Age Group: 1st Race Time: 1h08m54s Overall: 264 (-114) Age Group: 43 (-26) |
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The Bike. Well apart from the mishap
in T1 the bike was awesome. A total pleasure all the way through on absolutely
the best IM course on the circuit. I’ll be happy to argue that point with
anyone. Knowing the course so well helped. I hit all my planned time checks,
in fact I was 10 minutes ahead for my schedule for most of the race. I knew I
was about 300th coming out of T1 and I gained about 50 places in
the first 20K. I had a small mishap after the wall when by glasses came off
my helmet and dropped. 1m lost in stopping, dismounting and running back 30 metres to retrieve them. I get passed by a few riders but
I get the race position down to about 220 before the start of the big climb
at 50Km. I take it really easy start as planned, comforted by the knowledge that
I’m 10 minutes ahead of schedule already. I give a few minutes back on the
climb and lose about 25 places but I’m not too concerned. I’m ready for the
fact that there is still some more climbing to do shortly after the There is a 1Km climb right
in the middle of the descent so I immediately break out a Harvest bar and
force it down with a gel and power drink. The single bottle holder hasn’t
handicapped me too much as on each station I change out the energy drink in
bottle cage and keep a water bottle balanced on my aerobars
which I try to drink as quickly as possible to avoid having to drop it too
far from the litter zone. The last aid station is on a 50Km descent which is
ridiculous and I only manage to keep one bottle. Then I hit a hole in the
road and there is an unholy noise coming from the bike. I check behind and my
2nd spare inner tube is dangling from the seat with the valve
chiming against my Zipp 404. I hastily pull it out
of harm’s way and toss it to some spectators. I’d have to have 2 flats in the
last 25K to have my day ruined so no sweat. On the subject of tyres I love the Michelin Pro Races. I have never felt so
comfortable and confident on the turns and this was my first ride with them.
Awesome and thanks to all the guys on Slowtwitch
who made this a huge consensus pick for an IM race. We reach the bottom of the
descent and just 20K to go. There is a bit of a headwind, but hell I don’t’
care. I’m flying, the afterburners are on, we’re on overdrive, giving it both
barrels and not waiting around for anyone. I’m 175Kg on a Cervelo
P3C, Zipp 404s, forward geometry with full tri set
up so at this point there’s not many in the field going to keep up with me
now. The small group that was with me (not in a drafting sense) on the down
hill falls behind and I see packets of riders ahead. In the last 20K I take
about another 20 places and figure that I’m about 170th overall.
Actually I was 179 at the time and adjusted 165 amongst finishers only. Bike time 5:34:00. A
personal best on a really tough course and only 40 minutes off the top pros.
11 minutes ahead of my plan and about 3 hours faster than my 2005 time and
1h20 faster than last year. Gotta luv that
haven’t you? Overall: 166th Age Group: 25th Race Time: 6h43m16s Overall: 165th
(-99) Age Group: 24 (-19) T2 This is fairly uneventful,
only surprise was that in the last 2 years they took your bike as soon as you
dismounted. However this year you have to run the whole length of the bike
park before the hand off. As I approach the guy who is going to take my bike
I remember the video clip of Normann throwing the
bike in T2 at Kona last year. However I love my P3C too much to throw it!!!
Maybe you can do that with Kuotas but not with Cervelos. Anyway this baby has looked after me for 180Km
and been awesome. Respect! I hand it off gently, grab my bag, get the socks,
shoes and cap on and head out for the torture. Overall: 60th Age Group: 6th Race Time: 6h46m32s Overall: 159th
(-6) Age Group: 22 (-2) The Run. |
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OK it’s here that I don’t
get it. And I really don’t. I had a great bike, no pain at all. I’ve run 18K
in 1 hour 20 in training sessions following a 4 hour bike and felt great. But
again my legs just feel stiff as I run out. Not only that, I’m running at a
good pace, in fact I think I’m doing about 13Kmh for the first Km. At this
pace it’s a 3hour 20 marathon and dammit I’m not
passing anyone. I check the armbands to make sure if they are the elites on
their second or third laps but no. There are plenty of guys just starting who
are passing me. I pass one guy and he lets out an enormous, fart for about 20
seconds which leaves a vapour trail for at least
the next 100 metres. Well that made me speed up for
a short while. I keep going but I don’t understand what’s happening. I was
going to shoot for a 3h45 marathon for my 10h30 goal. On this plan I should
pass about another 60-70 runners and about 10 in my AG. I reach the turnaround on
the first loop at 25minutes. Great time, I’m still at 3h20 pace but I don’t
feel good at all and I’m getting passed by other runners. What on earth is
going on? I complete the first loop in 53 minutes getting encouragement from MrTri as he passes me running very well. The return has a
slight head wind so my pace is now at 3h30 marathon. That would still be
awesome but why am I not moving up the field? Outbound on the second lap I’m
about to take a salt tablet and I lose the cap of my container. I stop
suddenly to retrieve it and my back jars and is quite painful on the restart.
I try to regain my rhythm but I never quite manage it. I hit the turn around
in 1h25. This is still great but I know I’m slowing. I break on the way back
on the second lap and walk for a short while. Remember Natascha
at Kona last year!!!! Don’t give up!! I restart and complete the second lap
on 2 hours. So 53 minutes for the first lap, 1h07 for the second. No prizes
for guessing where this run is going. The legs are hurting really badly and I
struggle through a terrible third lap in 1h15. I pull it back together a
little for the last lap and give a sub 11hour IM a shot. I thought I’d
stepped it up a bit but at the turn I clocked 32 minutes for the half loop,
which isn’t good enough. Well only 5K to go now so might as well keep the
pace going and not let this race get too far away. I’d picked up my Union
Flag from my special needs on the last run in and as I approach the last few
hundred metres the crowd thickens, and the flag
seems to animate them. I run through the shoot cross the line in 11h07. A PB
by 35 minutes on a more difficult course. 2 hours faster than the same race
last year but unfortunately my expectations were higher… aren’t they always? Good swim, awesome bike but
again a poor run although I’m embarrassed to say that 4h21 was a PB. Two outta three ain’t bad? I’ll
take a few days to think of what I need to do to address my running problems
before the next bite at the cherry which is IM Louisville on August 26th. Overall: 620th Age Group: 129th Race Time: 11h07m38s Overall: 300th (+141) Age Group: 54 (+32) As for my friends. I’m
delighted to say that they all finished. Eric and Dom completed their first IMs in 15h30 and 13h55 respectively. Way to go guys. Eric
is totally new to triathlon and Dom was carrying a slight knee problem into
the race so I’m delighted he finished. Cyril (MrTri)
recorded a great10h27 but unfortunately his Kona dreams, like mine, are on
hold for a while. Cyril is capable of better and one day he will achieve his
dream. Jean-Francois
‘Jeff’ had the most amazing story of the day. At 70Km into the bike his right
crank arm started to crack and it completely broke off at 100Km. Fortunately
most of the climbing was done, but Jeff nevertheless did 80Km of biking, 25Km
of which was down some very dangerous descents on one pedal and not only made
it back to T2 but also completed the race in 14h11. Jeff you are a hero for
that effort! Awesome I saw Mehamed
on my last lap of the run and he finished with a great 12h54, again improving
on his previous year’s Thierry put up a 10h56 and
passed me on the run although I don’t remember seeing him. He came 5th
in his age group (M50) and with 3 slots and only one non-taker,
he was the fastest non qualifier in his age group. 3 minutes away from Kona. Jean-Claude and Christine
both finished in 11h29 and 15h13. They’ve both done better on this course.
J-C even made the M50 podium in 2005. Great job guys nonetheless. Elsewhere on an incredible day for our club, we had two of our three
starters Michel Bisson and Walter Batel completed IM Zurich. Francois Dubuc
and Sylvestre Ducreux
both crossed the finish line at Roth. Yes June 24th, 2007 was the
day when Meudon Triathlon took on |
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