I kept telling myself : I can do it, I am physically able to do it, I just have to calm down and remember the rhythm within myself, I am ready! But I still couldn't shake off the anxiety, no matter how hard I tried. One week before the big event, I had to cut off and cut short many training sessions, just to do some stretching and breathing exercise I learnt from yoga. I can't describe more how nervous I was, the feeling was unprecedented, almost like falling in love, but more. Butterfly in the stomach, I felt like vomiting. The pressure was too much, may be I pushed myself too much, I guess.
The thing is I had never swam in open water before, I had never swam in a wetsuit before, I wasn't familiar with the cycling route, my running sucks, etc.. As a first-timer, a noob, I had so much to worry about. The day before departure to the town Annecy, I had this paranoia that I must have forgot something to bring. So I packed and repacked my bag, again and again. Plus I am practically a self-taught triathlon amateur. It was just crazy to look back everything I did. No one to accompany me before the departure to Annecy was just unsettling. I guess, being nervous was almost inevitable.
Luckily, I had somebody to meet up in Annecy, a friend of mine, Mas. He was doing his internship there, so he offered his place for me to stay for the night before the event. I really want to thank him a lot. Without him, I just can't imagine going for the event alone, arrive alone for the event and leave alone after finishing. It was certain that I had no chance on the podium, but it was something big in my life. Without someone there on spot to listen to me bullshiting about the race I had just finished, is just sad. So again, thanks Mas, it might mean nothing much to him, but I assure you, that he just did me a big favour. To follow his blog, http://ruddin2003.blogspot.fr/
Setup and pre-race briefing
Finally, this was the moment. When I arrived, there were already tonnes of people there. After retrieving my number and all, it was time to move all the equipment into the transition area. At the entrance, there were referees checking your equipment and marking your number on your arm and leg with a marker.
The number I got is 366. The transition area was arranged according to the number. I found my place and set up everything. After that while warming up, I called my mom, I had an urge to talk to her before the big event. And there in the transition area, many participants taking photos of each other, so did I. Then the pre-race briefing, a short speech from the mayor of the town, some basic rules explained by the head referee and here we go!
Swim 1.5km
The starting point wasn't quite near the transition area, so all participants had to walk a little to there. Everybody walking through the park with wetsuit put up until waist, with every spectators on spot watching us, it was just a very awesome feeling. But I just kept walking, I didn't even dare to look ahead, I was so worried. Before stepping into water, everybody started to put their wetsuit fully on. It isn't an easy task to do alone, so everybody helped each other to put it on properly.
The descent was even more fun, everyone went down hill in an aerodynamic position. The rush of adrenalin was at the peak at this point. There was another two small uphill climbs afterwards, and this is what I always hate the most, uphill downhill and uphill again. I would really prefer uphill all the way and downhill all the way. The descent was fun, fast, and also dangerous. Along the way, I saw two crashes. I didn't see them happened though, but the crashes did cause some traffic jam.
Finally, this was the moment. When I arrived, there were already tonnes of people there. After retrieving my number and all, it was time to move all the equipment into the transition area. At the entrance, there were referees checking your equipment and marking your number on your arm and leg with a marker.
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| lining up for entry (photo credit to Mas) |
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| Referees doing their job (photo credit to Mas) |
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| The transition area (photo credit to Mas) |
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Swim 1.5km
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| (image from http://www.annecy-triathlon.com/) |
The lake water is always crystal clear, but not this time. With a thousand people stepping into the lake, the mud and sand were stirred with the water. I'd never thought that I would ever swim in this lake. I chose to do my first triathlon here, basically because of the beautiful scenery and the Annecy lake, one of the clearest lake in Europe. I rinsed my goggles, multiple times, hopefully it won't get fogged up. I was jumping here and around a little, being a little playful, trying to relieve my anxiety. I still couldn't believe I was really going to do this.
The girls started first, exact 5 mins before the men. Then everyone was getting ready. When the referee counting down, everyone roared, shouted, some were splashing the water, some with both arms in the air, clapping hands hard, as if it was a battle cry, as if we were really going into a battle. The ambiance was overwhelming, and I also shouted together, counting down together.
3..2..1.. GO!
The swim start was a total chaos, or may be it was totally normal and I was just not used to it. People were kicking each other, get kicked by each other, fighting for free space to swim properly. From my point of view, it was like chaos for one moment and total silence another, interlacing and synchronized with my breathing cycle. Head up to breath and you hear all the water splashing, head down under the water and total silence. It was pretty difficult to me at first. Even at one moment, I thought I was going to drown. Plus it was the first time I swam in a wetsuit. Wetsuit helps you float alright, perhaps too good, so I needed some time to adapt to it. So I back up a little, and it was just fine afterwards, picking up my pace and swam and swam. Another awesome moment was when swimming through one of the canal of Annecy, passing under the Pont d'Amour with tonnes of spectators up on that bridge. Spectators crowded alongside the canal too and I could hear the cheering and all.
Transition 1
At the entrance to the transition area, just after the canal, there were people helping swimmers to get out from the water, because after staying in horizontal position for awhile during the swim, sometimes it is hard to stand up right again, not to mention running. Then I had to take off the swimming cap, and run to my bike while taking off the wetsuit. Then the helmet, grabbed my bike and ran out of the transition area before climbing up my bike and pedaled.
Bike 40km
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| (image from http://www.annecy-triathlon.com/) |
It was a fun ride. I had never ride in a big pack before. In fact, I can feel that cycling is my strongest among all three. It was a great feeling to chase after other competitors. After 5km of flat, there was the 15km slow climb up to Col de Leschaux, with average 3-4% of gradient. This part was fine with me because I was used to train on a steeper, longer slope. It was this time that, I stuck with around 10 bikers, we cycled quite close together, cutting each other, everyone of us taking the lead of the group by turns. We didn't speak to each other, but there was the feeling like we kept motivating each other, to climb faster and we were passing the girls one after another. At the highest point of the cycling route, at 900m of altitude, the view was breathtaking, I could see the entire lake of Annecy from there. The exact profile of the road can be found here in this link : http://www.strava.com/activities/57086114
Talking about traffic jam, when almost arriving back to the transition point, there was a serious traffic jam. It was a summer sunday, tourists flooded the city. I can totally understand how hard for the organizer to clear the road long enough for the cyclists to cycle fast through safely. So at one point, we were like zig-zaging among the cars, and I was just following two cyclists in front of me and not paying attention at all on which was the right way to go. Unlucky for us, there were 5 of us, and we were lost at one point and had to find our way back to the right path through the tourists-packed lake side.
Transition 2
Transition 2 is rather easy, but I had some problem taking off my right shoe from the clipless pedal. In the end I just took off the shoe and left it attached to the pedal, and ran with one leg with shoe and another without, back into the transition area. Then I just had to park the bike nicely, changed into running shoes, took off the helmet and ran.
Run 10km
I had heard people saying, transition from bike to run is the hardest. Now I know. I always did my training with a decent rest time in between bike and run. This time, I had to run straight away after the bike, and I couldn't feel my legs at first. I had to picked up the pace slowly, I mean very very slowly. I know my run sucks, and I did fear a little about not being able to finish. During the first few kilometers, I had to stop quite frequently.
Whenever I get my rhythm right, it is an awesome feeling. As the run went on, I did manage to pick up my normal pace. Yet again, the spectators were really enthusiastic. Not just cheering but they kept giving motivational shoutout. Some kids even lined up along the course, waiting for high-five from the participants as they passed by. There were two spots along the course, set up by the organizer, where participants could fuel up. There were also kids at these two spots, with water pipe ready to splash water on the participants, to cool us down.
I think it was at the last 3 kilometers, I felt I was really really exhausted already. I stopped and walked. But then there was this guy from behind me, clapped my shoulder and told me : "Keep up, we almost finish!" Somehow, this really got me. I was back to running again. He and me, we were like running side by side, left right left right. At the last kilometer, I felt I wanted a strong finish, so I decided to sprint. I asked him to join but he told me to go ahead alone. So I squeezed my last ounce of energy and sprinted. Passing the finish line, I finally did it!
Yes! Finally I did it. It was an awesome experience. The happiness wasn't only about finishing, but also about making acquaintances with people, sharing the same passion in triathlon. The fact that many of us didn't know each other before the race and ended up being friends is amazing. It seems like everybody already making a rendez-vous, for the triathlon next year.
Now, I am no longer a noob. I already start to search for other triathlon races around my region. I am really looking forward for the next race.
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| (image from http://www.annecy-triathlon.com/) |
Whenever I get my rhythm right, it is an awesome feeling. As the run went on, I did manage to pick up my normal pace. Yet again, the spectators were really enthusiastic. Not just cheering but they kept giving motivational shoutout. Some kids even lined up along the course, waiting for high-five from the participants as they passed by. There were two spots along the course, set up by the organizer, where participants could fuel up. There were also kids at these two spots, with water pipe ready to splash water on the participants, to cool us down.
I think it was at the last 3 kilometers, I felt I was really really exhausted already. I stopped and walked. But then there was this guy from behind me, clapped my shoulder and told me : "Keep up, we almost finish!" Somehow, this really got me. I was back to running again. He and me, we were like running side by side, left right left right. At the last kilometer, I felt I wanted a strong finish, so I decided to sprint. I asked him to join but he told me to go ahead alone. So I squeezed my last ounce of energy and sprinted. Passing the finish line, I finally did it!
Yes! Finally I did it. It was an awesome experience. The happiness wasn't only about finishing, but also about making acquaintances with people, sharing the same passion in triathlon. The fact that many of us didn't know each other before the race and ended up being friends is amazing. It seems like everybody already making a rendez-vous, for the triathlon next year.
Now, I am no longer a noob. I already start to search for other triathlon races around my region. I am really looking forward for the next race.
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