
Palamos spain was destination 1. A cool little city which staged an awesome World cup course! The water was a beach swim in beautiful clear water, a technical, hilly and challenging bike course through the city made for great spectating, as did the run. Food is great in the Cataloni region, though I’m pretty sure every restaurant sported exactly the same menu! But good food it is, and I would definitely return back here to race again...Even if it is just for some potatoe tortillas! J As I just start to get the gears in motion again, this race was my first I have started to feel I was getting a bit of my swagger back. I knew it would take a few races, and there was the hint of it shining through to finish 8th.
No time to waste, home, a tout suite! To have an exciting two day visit from my mate from home, some more food and although I promised not to kill the basil plant they left me, I think I may have drowned it when I left to the
Alpes! L in fear it would die in the hot summer St Raph heat, I think I went a bit overboard in the watering, maybe just showing my mothering skills definitely still need some time yet!...oops !” Basilico” is currently in ICU, I will keep you posted on his progress…:)
Off to Geneva, for the European Cup next! Fond memories from a win here 2 years ago, I was lucky enough to have some déjà vu here and run away with a win again. Two from two I can’t complain! And always nice to share a
podium with my friends Charlotte and Anne, good day out for the crew from St Raphael!
Now to save the best for last! Alpe D’huez triathlon 4 days later! Geneva is one tough bike course to start so what better way to cap it off than race up Alpe D’huez a few days later! A sensational race I recommend to everybody! But come prepared for it, there is no hiding out there!
The Alpes are stunning. No two ways about it. The views, the sounds, the smell, the trails, the fresh mountain air..(or lack of) either way, high from lack of O2 or the environment? It’s so relaxing up there! So much so I felt I was put into a sleep coma for the few days leading into the race, or some physiologists may argue their crazy science saying it may have been the altitude, meh? J It’s definitely tough on the body to go up for only a few days as I felt I was swimming with a wheelbarrow tied to my ankle, nearest flat ride is a 10% incline mountain, and an easy jog is at 1900m altitude with only up and
down to choose from, it’s just a matter of which you want to come first! Either way, it was very cool to be up there and it’s places like that I feel so privileged to be able to do these things. Needless to say
come race day you curse the altitude, hills, and privilege, as you suffer up the mountain, but the reality
is its worth it :)
So a quick spec on the course for those interested, you swim down below in a 14 deg lake, ride around town before making
the 14km climb up Alpe D’huez, and capping it off with a 7km run at altitude. Guaranteed to make your legs jelly, it’s an amazing course and I will happily be back again to tackle the course. 3rd again this year, I would like to win this race…I’ll be back!
xx