Alpe D’Huez Triathlon: Race Day

The race wasn’t due to start until 9.30am which is a pretty sociable start time in comparison with many other events I’d been to. We all got up at around 7am to do our final preparations before cycling down to the swim venue. It was a pretty relaxed affair to be honest and the Lac du Verney reservoir is a stunning location, particularly with the mountain backdrop and clear blue water. With the race commentator stopping to interview people as they were warming up, there was a real atmosphere starting to build. With our bikes racked and suntan lotion applied, we set about putting our wetsuits on before queueing up to get in the lake. All was going well until Ian managed to get his cord stuck in his zipper about five minutes before we were due to start. At one point it looked like he was going to have to swim without it, which at 19 degrees would have been ok (relatively speaking) but luckily we managed to sort it out.

We had literally just entered the water and were making our way to the start line when the klaxon went and the race got underway. With 1000 competitors thrashing about it was a boisterous start and there was a number of collisions, dunks and slaps going on at the first buoy. After that it settled down as I found some space and rhythm, but I still decided to take a wider line at the remaining turns. 2,200m later it was out on to the swim ramp and in to T1.

I can’t say I was in race mode in T1, I took my time and made sure I had my gigantic assortment of race food sorted before jumping on my bike and out on to the 118km route. The first 20km was pretty much all downhill, which was a nice way to get settled before hitting the first major climb of the day, Alpe De Serre, otherwise known as the Col de la Morte (Hill of the dead!?). As alpine climbs go, this was a fairly nice one. The ascent wasn’t too severe, there were plenty of switchbacks and perhaps most importantly, it was mostly in the shade. Palmer came flying past me at the foot of the climb, which was to be expected (although I’d secretly hoped to hold him off for a little bit longer).

Along the route at each km there were category climb signs indicating the % incline and distance left to the summit. I found these really useful to act as a positive energy boost, and it wasn’t too long before I reached the top of the climb and the first food station. This was more than welcome, even if the food on offer was a slightly different selection that I’m used to. I’ve never had the option of ham, dates, quiche and cheese in a race before. I decide to play safe with bananas and petits pains, as well as refilling my drinks bottles.

The descent from the top was spectacular. It was great to get some speed up and take in the views on the way down. All too quickly this levelled out again and it was back to steady climbs including an ‘extra’ col to Valbonnais. The toughest part of the course so far turned out to be Col D’Ornon which is a very long and very exposed climb of around 20km. The ascent wasn’t too severe, but it was relentless in the heat. It was a relief to go over the top and get the speed up again through some windy but spectacular roads to Bourg D’Oisans. This was the final feed station before Alpe D’Huez, so the water bottles were refilled once more and some more strange culinary delights were taken before getting back on the bike to start the iconic climb.

I’d read about the climb itself before coming out but nothing can prepare you for the hardest part over the first few kms, particularly in 37 degree heat and after 104km of tough riding. In spite of that I was feeling good. I was trying hard to take in the surroundings and enjoy it as much as I could. The signs on each switchback with previous stage winners was a definite motivator, and I was picking off a few of the other competitors as well. Good sign.

However, it wasn’t long before the wheels started to come off. I felt the first twinges of cramp at turn 15, so I decided to take a mini break to try and shake of the cramp. Big mistake. My legs started seizing up almost immediately, so I jumped back on to get going again. For the first few hundred meters I thought I’d shaken it off but at turn 13 I was locking up badly. I eased myself off the bike and tried to walk to get my legs moving again but my legs were fully locking. After a few minutes one of the many first aid cars came by and stopped to see if I was ok. The guy was a godsend. After a quick chat about where I was cramping he started massaging my legs back to life. It felt like some kind of horrific medieval torture as he stuck his thumbs in to my quads, making me squeal like a banshee. His workmates were finding this hilarious, shouting at him to press ‘harder, harder’ as I was screaming. To be fair, it must have looked very funny.

After what seemed like an eternity he got me walking again. At that point Walshy cycled past and we exchanged pleasantries (or something like that). Unbelievably, I managed to get back on my bike and get going again with a cute round of applause from my rent-a-masseur savior and his laughing mate. I was back on it.

Although it was still tough, I was feeling like I’d been brought back to life. I got my legs turning and made it to the top of the climb where I rejoined Walshy in T2. It was a relief to have made it to the summit and off the bike. The thought of starting a half marathon was less than appealing though. Your mind is in a funny place at times like these, you go through some dark moments. The devil appears on your shoulder repeatedly to tell you to throw in the towel and just bow out, ‘you’ve done the hard bit, just take a rest, sit down. Everyone will understand if you give up…’. But that’s not really an option. Trainers on, get the race done.

I saw V and Lily for the first time just as I came out of transition. It was a great lift to see them, and, get their encouragement as I shuffled past. This was the first of three laps of the run course at 2,000m altitude at the top of Alpe D’Huez. As per the rest of the race, the scenery was spectacular. Each lap had an uphill section for the first half over some rough terrain, followed by a nice descent back to the transition area. It was clear that a jog/walk strategy was the only way to go. I started to cramp half way through the first lap, so sustained running wasn’t an option.

You could see casualties everywhere, it was like the march of the walking wounded. I passed Palmer coming in the opposite direction at the end of his second lap. His knee was giving him some serious pain, so he was struggling. I think we all went through our own personal journey that day, I know I did.

I’d been taking on so much fluid and snacks that by lap 3 my stomach was seriously complaining. No one wants to know the detail, but the search for a viable portaloo became priority number one. Once that goal had been accomplished (it’s all about the small wins), my stomach decided that further evacuation tactics were required. Trying to avoid dousing any unwilling spectators with an unwelcome surprise I just about managed to find a bush before doubling over and being sick. Not my finest hour.

The rest of the final lap was about getting to the finish. With my stomach feeling somewhere near normal I managed to walk/jog my way to the end, even managing a ‘kind-of-run’ over the last couple of hundred metres. The feeling of making it on to the finishers carpet and crossing that finish line was amazing. After getting a hug from some weird beaver costumed guy after the line I collected my medal and polo shirt (good bling!) before hobbling in to the finishing area. It was so good to see V, Lily and everyone else. For the first 10 minutes or so I felt pretty dizzy, so I scoffed some pasta to bring myself back to life. What a day.

The whole race took 9 hours and forty four minutes, but it was not about the time. I couldn’t have cared less how long it took to be honest. Yes, it would have been nice to have actually been able to run the half marathon and to have avoided cramp halfway up Alpe D’Huez on the bike, but it was never meant to be easy. The fact that 300 people didn’t even finish the event said it all. This was not an easy race. Not by a long stretch. Bucket list race ticked and something that I can bore people to death with for years to come.