After a year off from racing, it was with great anticipation that I took too the start line at Doussard to see where I was 'form wise'. I had been sorely tempted to race Belfort especially as its the course for the World Chamionships LD in 2013 but I love lake Annecy and know that Team Mermillod would put on a good race as they are a serious team and have great triathletes racing for them. It didn't disappoint.
The weather had been hot on Saturday but they had predicted rain on the Sunday in the afternoon around 1600. We were around 550 triathletes to take to the start line at 1130 and the conditions were good. The lake was calm! I placed myself near the front and got stuck in forgetting how hectic swim starts are. As we approached the first buoy at 650m I started to get in a groove and was pleased with my swim as I exited the water in 28mins and pretty near the front. The transition area is just some 50m from the swim exit and on grass which is always nice. Transition was a quick affair as usual and then it was out onto the bike for the 90km and technical bike course.
Having recced the first 15km of the bike course on the saturday I knew that there was a nasty climb from 10km to 15km awaiting us and it was hard. 39-27 was needed to make it up! The skies then opened and the rain started to fall, ALOT. Not only is the bike course difficult with several climbs and out and backs but the rain and side winds made the bike segment pretty 'chaud'. As an englishman however I like the rain and it was only at the 35km point and the start of the rain that I began to get good legs (coincidence?). I only now started to enjoy the race having hated the first hour on the bike. The rain never gave up and there were a few casualties even near the front with people taking too many risks in the rain and on the descents especially. I must have seen two guys being attended to by paramedics at least and that was towards the front of the race. The last 10km sees you return along the lake and is a pretty flat and fast segment and a good opportunity to get some gels on board before the run. I entered into T2 with a time of 2:29:00 on the bike. My bike is usually my strongest point but I didn't feel like I had had a great ride today especially the first 35km but the winner did 2:20:00 so not terrible.
Onto the run and straight away I got onto my stride targeting the guy in front who I managed to overtake at the 2km mark. The run is two laps with a 'faux plat' from 0-5km but the majority of the run is on the road with 1km of trail just before transition. The ravitos were the only down side to the event with very little being offered and badly managed. It was raining nonstop still but great conditions for running. At the 7km mark, 4 guys overtook me running in a group but I decided to run my own race rather than with them and proved it was the right decision as I overtook 3 of them again within the last 2km. The run must be short as I clocked 1:18:53 on the run to finish in 21st position overall (First Brit….hahaha). All in all it was a great return for me and I am happy with this debut outing. There are still several things to iron out but there always is. Thats triathlon for you and why I love it. My aim for the season is to qualify for the GB team next year at Belfort and this result means I have filled the criteria already. Fingers crossed I get selected now…….
Paul Bowyer
Pour les retours de course, j'ai participé le 3 juin au triathlon de Doussard (Sources du Lac d'Annecy). Une belle épreuve que je recommande.
C'était mon deuxième triathlon (de ma vie, après Paris l'an dernier...) et mon premier MD.
Ca s'est passé à peu près comme espéré sur les épreuves, malgré une certaine adversité des éléments. Au final, un temps correct de 5h22, plombé par les transitions.
Au départ, la natation se fait bien sûr dans le lac d'Annecy. L'eau y est très pure et malgré un printemps pourri, d'une température très acceptable (22°C).
Pour l'annecdote, vu mon inexpérience en tri, le départ de la natation a un côté anxiogène qui rappelle un peu les scènes du débarquement de Normandie. Passé 5 minutes, on arrive enfin à trouver son espace et son rythme. En début d'année, la natation était la grande inconnue pour moi. J'ai encore beaucoup de progrès à faire, mais les entrainements du club agrémentés des conseils d'Anne-Lise et Arnaud m'ont énormément aidé. Sorti en 36:28. Croyez-moi, c'était inaccessible pour moi il y a encore quelques semaines. Merci une première fois, donc...
La transition est une une catastrope pour moi: je me suis exercé la semaine précédente à enlever et remettre ma combi fraichement achetée. Malgré mes efforts, l'addition est lourde: environ 5 minutes perdues, sans compter que je laisse mon chrono par terre sur le parc à vélo! A bosser, donc...
Vient l'heure du vélo. Mon pédigré de cycliste n'est guère plus glorieux que celui de nageur. Un vélo acheté en février, quelques entrainements depuis, dont certains en home trainer, et jamais plus de 100 bornes par semaine. Le parcours de Doussard n'est pas trop violent, malgré la région. Deux petites bosses au programme. Les problèmes sont ailleurs. La première difficulté, c'est l'ouverture de la route aux véhicules sur tout le long du parcours, notamment au départ. C'est tout simplement dangereux... L'autre complication, moins prévisible, c'est le climat pourri dont nous gratifie ce printemps 2012. La pluie, DILUVIENNE. Au final, l'épreuve la plus sèche, c'était la natation, combinaison oblige... Et puis la pluie en vélo, c'est aussi dangereux, surtout dans les descentes pour des cyclistes inexpérimentés comme moi. Enfin -surtout-, la pluie ça donne froid en vélo. Les épaules, le torse frigorifiés. Mais très heureux d'en finir entier, dans le temps honorable de 3h02.
Une autre transition lamentable de 11 minutes avant d'attaquer la course. Aucune excuse: j'ai attendu un ami qui faisait l'épreuve avec moi.
Puis la course à pied, sans excès pour un temps de 1h31, toujours sous une pluie battante. Au moins, on a pas froid en cap...
François Guiomard
