MAGOG SPRINT DUATHLON WINNER! RACE REPORT

Last sunday, I raced the sprint duathlon in Magog (5k run, 20k bike, 2,5k run). Unfortunately, as I was expecting, it was a very small field (40 people). Plus, the Olympic duathlon distance was a canadian championship so more fast people were probably there. No drafting allowed (this was expected), so not a perfect rehearsal for the coming world cup but at least same distances, good for pace/effort managment, race prep & hydration/nutrition strategy excecution. Weather was ok with 25 degrees & a little bit of rain pre race. I had in mind to finish top 3-5 overall.

I booked a chalet with 10 McGill triathlon teammates. Very cool atmospher, some guys doing the triathlon sprint other the Olympic and 2 of them headed to their very first half Ironman! I was asked many questions and was very happy to help as much as I could.

Friday night, late chess night for those not racing saturday. I was in bed...

Race morning : That was probably my worse race morning prep ever! Check this out : almost forgot to go and get my chip!!! Stepped on my bike glasses! Put the stems back but didnt see that lens were not correctly installed, spend too much time chatting with people in transition, went to bathroom too late, didnt get time to warmup. I'll write down all those thinks to avoid repeating them in Penticton!

Anyway, race started, I got 8th after the first few meters then 6 and 3rd after 1k. One of the guy was 15 years old doing the relay so I was 2nd. 1st guy looked easy while running compared to me during the first 3k. We were @3'35-3'40. Then guys dropped to 3'50-355 which I liked since I was a bit further. My goal was to run 3'35-40 but I was not able to sustain that pace after my 2 weeks of vacations...but also due to my ''no warmup''! Then I accelerated a bit, pass them and maintained 3'50. They stayed behind me. At the end of the run leg, I went the wrong way! So I had to U-turn and we all entered T1 together. I Ran approx 19min which was really bad...Oh and I forgot to say that we ran just behind the lead bike, soooo cool. Second time it happens to me in 2 races :)

T1 was a mess...remember my bike glasses. When I took them, one lens fell. Fuck! Tried to put it back...lost time, was stressed, try again, lost time...shit...forget it, I took my run glasses instead. Yeah, I'm sure you're like...so what is the difference? Wait a bit. So I put my helmet, grab my bike and sprint to the mount line. Jumped on the bike, yes! I jumped very well this time, and started with no idea were the first guy was. But for sure ahead of me...

During the bike, I spent too much time concentrating on others than on my watts range. Got passed a bit in the first lap (buy people doing the triathlon, especially during hills since I wanted to keep my watts in control), avg watts 255 with 103 avg cadence. Goal was 250-280. Could have done better but my 2 weeks of vacations + not concentrated enough on my personnal effort made me slower I think. During the 2nd lap a guy I passed during the run passed me! I was then 3rd. I tried to count the gap and didnt want to let him too much space. But I saw him during the first run and was confident I would catch him during the 2nd run. But where is the 1st!!! Also it was very annoying since I had full of sweat in my eyes during the bike....why?....why? Cause I had my run glasses!! No sweat remover like on my adidas bike glasses (halfrim pro).

T2 was a mess...yes. I forgot to say that my esti de ceinture de dossard à marde is shit. It's the third race now that I struggle with it. Why didnt I buy a new one? Very good question, thanks for asking...The bib cant be attached strongly enough and I'm often trying to fix it during my run. But here I was on my bike with the bib in my hands fully removed from the belt! Not time to deal with that now, I put my bib under my tri suit and go. So I had now to fix it again since its compulsary to have it while running. As I was fixing my bib belt, I saw my guy passing, starting the run!!! OMG, lets fix this BIB asap. Stress...hands shaking...I'm losing time....stress...Ok I fixed it. Put my shoes, fuck the glasses and cap, Lets go!

No goal pace for this last 2,5k run. Plan was to run as hard as I could. Unlike other races I knew I had to catch 2 guys to win, extremely motivating! I started strong, pushed by the great supporters cheering next the transition area. After only 100-200m I could already see the 2nd guy, the one who passed me on the bike. He was joging. It wasnt long I cought him, probably 700-800m. then I saw MY GUY. He was running well and faster than the other. He was maybe 100m ahead of me. I was running has fast as I could, really hard perceived effort (I ended up running 3'33/km on the 2,5k off the bike). I started counting seconds between us using visual markers. 18 seconds. Keep on pushing. 14 seconds. Great he's slower! He reaches the U-Turn, I tried tu run behind other guys (doing sprint triathlon) so that he cant see me but I passed them too fast and we looked at each other. He was not confortable. I felt strong. My U-turn. Count again. 12 seconds. Ok it's getting closer but there's olny approx 1k left. Keep on pushing! 10 seconds...he's so close. Now I know I'll get him and I slowed down just a bit....yes. I stayed behind to ''recover'' (sort of) 10-15 seconds then put myself in the red zone to pass him fast enough so that he doesnt even think its possible to stay with me...

Finish line was probably 400m ahead of me. I looked once behind, he was a bit back, I kept pushing, hurting myself a lot, look back again, coulndt see him! Sprint to the line. Speaker said ''Oh I think we have our sprint duathlon champion!'', I crossed the finish line in pain but super proud of the result and the effort I put. Then I met other MTCer finishers of the triathlon, Mo & Vincent.

But I made many erros however. I cant afford those at world cup. And I'll have to push harder on the first run to stay with the leaders on the bike. 1h07min is ok for a non drafting race but I really have to go under 1h05. Last year the top 3 guys of the M45-49 duathlon worldcup were around 1h01-1h03 (drafting).

Last race was a DNF, this one a win. How exciting it is to race!! :)