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| From Villard Reculas, Col d'Ornon straight ahead |
We knew the temperature of Lac Verney would be colder than normal this year, noone knew how cold until just before the start - 13.8 degrees was the official announcement. Normally swimmers would warm up in the water, but today most (including me) who tested the water ended up immediately jumping out the other side and sitting on the rocks waiting for the start.
A helicopter hovered very close to the lake to film the start, which was impressive to watch from my vantage point, then once the waters had cleared of the usual frenzy I faced the task of swimming the chilly waters, 2 laps in clear water. It was cold, I could feel my hands cooling all the time, and to feel the chill on my teeth was an unusual sensation. Still, the aim is to survive the swim and I managed to push on and swam with few problems apart from verging towards cramp in my calves on the final straight.
Many did not make it this far, some refusing to swim in the cold waters and others being helped out.
I stumbled around on the banks into transition, feeling quite dizzy at this stage whilst trying to dry and clothe myself. Here I met Rod, friend from Les Randommeurs, Haute Route 2013 - he's doing his first ever triathlon and he chose this one!
Glad I had full gloves, hat, arm warmers and gilet at this point, all necessary as the first 25km of the ride is downhill. Col du Grand Serre was its usual heavy mist/fog up to the top, then blue skies on the over side of the ridge when the temperatures finally rose to feel more like summer. I was feeling tired on the Col d'Ornon, and talking to another Englishman (so many brits in this race) wondered if I had enough for the 21 hairpins.
Don't think I had, as this felt like the toughest climb up to Huez I had ever faced. Etape du Tour, La Vaujany, Haute Route, in all these I felt stronger. Maybe it was the cold swim taking a chunk out of me, or just less training this year? Best time for me was the time trial in Haute Route of course, 59 mins. That of course would be the limit, so today 10-15 mins more would be acceptable. Ended up 1hr 17 for the climb, so slower than hoped. I was of course saving something for the run - cycling up here knowing you have to run for 2 hours at high altitude meant you really had to leave something in the tank.
The 3 laps of the run turned out to be a neat solution, and mentally easy to plan where you were, how far you had to go. Each lap seemed to pass by quickly. The course is undulating, not steep enough to have you hiking, and mostly road or solid path so nothing like the Xterra offroad runs. Very nice to still have the arm warmers with me as a cool breeze meant that it felt cold running into the wind, but warm with the breeze, so easy to adjust. I went faster each lap, probably gaining in confidence as I discovered the course, but by the end running at the limit after one severe calf twinge.
A few days have passed now, and this event still feels massive, the big tri event of the year for me for sure. Already think this could be done again, its a real challenge in tremendous scenery and I still have to spend a few days mountain biking on the lift network up here one summer.
TEMPS COURSE : 08:05:53.45
CLASSEMENT SCRATCH 288 HOMME 269
CATEGORIE MV1 44
GRIMPEE DE L'ALPE : TPS.01:17:18.43 RG.280 CAT.39
Swim
51:35.58 RG. 818 CAT. 147
T1
09:04.90 RG.677 CAT. 120
Bike
05:03:57.69 RG.218 CAT. 28
T2
02:32.68 RG.281 CAT. 48
Run
01:58:42.60 RG.330 CAT. 58
892 finishers. 60 DNF, 3 DQ. Winner Todd Skipworth, 5hr 51m 33s. Fastest female Catriona Morrison 6hr 19min 37s.
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