Personal Worsts

Challenge Barcelona was not what I was hoping for, although it wasn't a complete disaster. During the final 4 weeks leading in to the race I did very little constructive training. I would do a key sessions, which would go well, but the following day my glands would be up and I would feel washed out. A couple of days rest, followed by a couple of easier days training left me feeling fine, so I try another key session which resulted in more of the same and a repeat of the rest and easy training. Going in to race week, I had done enough to get me to the finish line, but was uncertain if I would fly because of the extra rest, or be under cooked and have below par day.

Nothing untoward happen during race week and I started to feel more confident as the week progressed, with all the training going as I would hope. Calella where the race is held is a small holiday town, which at the beginning of October is out of season and not too busy, making for a pleasant stay. Getting to the Calella is easy enough by train straight from Barcelona Airport and about a two hour journey.

All the pre-race packet pick up, race briefing and bike drop off was relatively hassle free, with very little queuing but a few pieces of information where missing to give it a full thumbs up, instead about I give the pre-race admin three quarter thumbs up.

The Race

The sea swim was quite straight forward, 200m from the beach to the first turn, which I took out quite hard, until making the first turn. The next leg was with the current, so I eased back and took it easy, so that I could pick it up when swimming in to the current. on the return leg I start to swim through the early waves, which didn't cause any problems and never got too congested. With a fairly uneventful swim I exited the water in 1:00.54, my slowest Iron Distance swim.

T1 was straight forward, in to the tent, empty bag, helmet on, wetsuit into the bag, out of the tent and on to my bike. All of which took 2.22

The bike course is 3 laps, with a couple of climbs at the start and end of each lap, but nothing that needs you to get off he tribars, but it's worth it to change position and use some different muscles as the rest of the course is flat and fast. My heart rate fell down to the 140-150bpm range after about 20mins and I was aiming to hold 200-210watts. This was tricky as I was catching early waves and they where playing the jump on my wheel, ride past me, pull straight in front of me game. I would drop back, but loose a couple of km/h, so I would over take and the game continues, until I got a yellow card and 8mins standing in the sun for somebody else's sins. What was most annoying was the main culprits got away with no penalty. It would have been easier to swallow if the group of 4 all got a yellow card but only two of us did. Pretty pissed off, I decided that I would pick up the pace a little, to recover in the penalty tent. After the 8 minutes stand down, got back to riding ad the wind had picked up and the return leg to the turn around was quick, holding 38-40km/h, with little effort. After the turn around riding in to the wind was tougher, and holding 32-33km/h. I had decided to just forget the penalty and stick to plan. The rest of the ride was uneventful, thankfully and in to T2. Ride time 5:07, actual time 5:14.07, 187w average, another personal worst.

T2 was similar to T1 with a quick in and out in 2.08

The run wasn't as bad as the time would suggest. I just couldn't run as fast as I have in the past and held a consistently slow pace for me until 30km. I then slowed and then by 35km the quads where suffering and I did a little extra walking, before the smell of the finish line help me pick up the pace a little to cross the line having run 3:52.48, another PW.

5km - 24.34

10km - 25.52

15km - 26.02

20km - 26.38

25km - 25.40

30km - 27.20

35km - 29.16

40km - 34.54

42km - 10.57

Game over in 10:12.19 and my 10th iron distance finish out of 10 starts. Not my best by numbers, but it didn't feel any worse and 9 days on my legs feel ready to go for an easy jog, but I might save that for a few more days.

I'd go back to Calella to do the race again. It is a fast course if you can turn up fully fit. I'd even go back to just have a holiday and leaving the bike at home.