- Wed 14 Dec 2016
I had big plans for the week. I was going to do the triple: Half-Marathon, Duathlon, and Mini-Triathlon. Then I saw the Lanzarote Marathon was on the same week, and entered that too. I clearly hadn’t thought this through.
I picked up a calf-strain in the last few kms of the marathon and hoped to shoogle it out by some gentle jogging on the volcanic trails around La Santa. The half-marathon wasn’t going to happen, but the other two were still possible. And with more optimism than sense I turned up for the duathlon. 2.5km run, a bit of cycling, then another run. Should be fine.
I take some pride in bailing out of the first run section of the duathlon. I was fine to the turn, a massive 1.25km into the event, then suddenly my calf kicked off. I walked, hopped, skipped and jogged back to transition, retired before crossing the timing mat, and huffed off to breakfast.
A few days later I was back for the tri. I did this in March and had been indescribably nervous with the leap into the unknown. This time round I was a bit more relaxed. Roberta got a decent night’s sleep too as I wasn’t up every hour staring aghast out of the window at the massive swimming pool.
For a small field it was acutely diverse – from athletes clearly here on a serious week’s training through to first-timers wanting to give something new a go. For the swim we would self-seed into the appropriate lanes – the “Olympians” in lane 1, through to the “Doggy Paddlers” in lane 8. Lane 8 it was then.
8 lengths of doggy paddling later and out of the pool, where you are positively encouraged to run around the length of the swimming pool across the timing mat and to your bike. I love running beside the swimming pool. It feels so wrong.
I was pretty much at the back of the swimmers but expected to take some positions back on the bike bit. It’s a good bike section – a flat bit along to La Santa, then a steady climb up to the turn at Tinajo. I gained a few places on the outward climb, then a few more on the descent.
Descending is a funny old game. I’d never claim to be the world’s best but it is quite clear, whether it’s cycling or running, that many athletes are not at all comfortable about descending fast. It seems to cut across all abilities. I’ve torn past cyclists and runners who are far faster than I am, but who seem massively uneasy on their going downhill skills. They inevitably storm past me later in a race when they’re back in their comfort zone.
Still, I take what I can get. Even if it’s temporary. Back at transition, then the last bit. A quick out and back running back towards La Santa, round a roundy thing, then home to Club La Santa.
The finish is good. You circle back into the centre then do a quick lap of the track. The ‘Green Team’ are fantastic, cheering you in and making you feel like a proper champion. Even if it is just a little Triathlon to get an appetite before breakfast.
