Alpe d'Huez Triathlon - Capn's log

Alpe D’huez Tri 2022, what an epic week! 
where do we start… in England I suppose. 

With numerous news articles, radio announcements and the real-time updates of massive delays crossing the English Channel for numerous reasons, we’re all packed with departure plans in place to leave hours early expecting to be sat in passport control or even just the M2 for a day or so. Now with 6 days to the race, 2 days to the Alps and 11pm the night before we leave …‘we need to get Jack a covid test’ 
*cue panic* frantic searching for a test centre close to the crossing, mission complete, test booked for 8:30 in Folkestone we finally get to sleep at silly o’clock ready for the now even earlier alarm in the hope we might be able to jump the queue at the test centre, no luck - they open at 8:30 we’re sat outside the gates waiting for our turn. 
Bosh! Stick up nose, negative result emailed over, time to sit in a queue for hours upon hours - no such luck for us, no queues and we were 7 hours early by now and they let us straight on - yipee! Did I say they didn’t even check the bloody covid test….

After a VERY smooth journey over and a clear drive down to Troyes and then onto the Alps - we arrived, Event village already set up and roads blocked we found our apartment at the top of the hill, hooked up with the Shean’s and feasted on pizza and finally relaxed… well I had - Laura was still reeling from her first sight of the 21 bends and  1120m of ascent with anxiety setting right in. 

Bikes checked and the alpe recce’d for a leg loosener after the drive, we set about exploring the village with the boys and got them ready for the kids race on Wednesday. 

We were fortunate enough that Scott our ever organised secretary had set us up nicely and with 38 adult entries over the three races - EETC actually won the award for the highest participation from a single club, this entitled us to being racked together over the races and being presented with hoodies to confirm what we already knew - that our amazing club is legendary, oh and of course - a 10ft replica of our new club jersey hung on turn 10 - yes we felt famous. 
Time for the kids race, we’d been warned about the ‘ahem’ organised chaos that was going to occur. True to form the boys set off 90 minutes late in 30 degrees heat for a mass start pool swim, gulp. After getting lost on a single loop bike course Tommy decided to complete a second bike lap after being in 4th position out of the swim. Both boys finished well with sprints across the line to grab their medals closely followed by candy floss.

Time for the big one. There are many accounts of the day in full, this is mine. 

5am alarm, breakfast guzzled. Bike in the van, head to translation. Bike in the rack early and no queue at the portaloos, I thought that’s it I’ve got this, only for a Marshall to come up to me and tell me the chip is on the right side, I said ‘yes… I know’, thinking he was a bit daft. ‘No the chip is on the right side, put it on the left’ hangs head in shame and switches the chip over…atleast I’d put my wetsuit on the right was around I suppose. 
The call comes to hit the water, with the women off first the men from the club stayed close together, did up wetsuits and passed on their best wishes before taking our places on the line. 
Into the water for the best swim if ever had in a long distance race ever, I was punched once in the eye and swam over a few times but had my stroke under control and pushed on. The crystal clear water came to an end and into T1 I went. 
Dressed into my bike gear I headed off up the sharp hill and onto the lovely French roads. Cruising along the clear roads the first 15km passed and I soon hit the first climb, this is when I’d realised I had majorly under geared for the race and a 28t cassette was not ok. After saying Hi to Claire and Hannah I pushed on and on and on it seemed, the first climb was relentless and I thought never ending. Alas with the tombstone sign showing 1km to the top Kevin catches me, after a Pat on the back he pushes on and disappears through the feed station. 
Finally a descent, I like those. 
Halfway down was a short 3km climb and a further descent where the Shean’s had managed to pop up and it was perfect timing for my sanity. After feeling shot and completely lacking anything to give the bike I was in 2 minds about turning around and getting in their car - I decided I didn’t have the heart to throw in the towel and didn’t want the alpe Tri to be my first DNF (I was told after the race I wouldn’t have been given entry anyway)
From there the bike was a war of head and heart, oh and feet, and legs, and arms, and stomach and all the liquid I could get down my throat at each aid station.
My favourite part of the day was the descent from
The Col d’Ornon, a cruisy 73kmh was hit. I passed just a few of the riders that got me whilst I was trying to make my way to the top, a few cars too which was fun! 
Onto the Alpe itself - it’s what we were all there for right? 
I saw a bunch of blue and yellow before the ascent started cheers galore raised my spirits endlessly. A few turns in the Morris’s pass me in the car - ‘how are doing’ I can’t remember my exact response but I’m sure it’s not appropriate for print.  I ploughed on to see the gang at turn 10 along with our gigantic EETC jersey after posing for a photo, Jack Morris offered me a gel which I think I’d have paid a million pounds for at that stage only to turn back around and see a marshal 10 meters away with a massive blow of her whistle and shouting NON, and with the teacher like finger waving I apologetically threw the gel back to Jack and pushed on again with my tail between my legs. Not far to go anyway right?  
Following a good stop at the feed station on Dutch corner the next crowd popped up cheers and smiles galore another burst of energy was found. 
Oh crap! There’s the small feat of 3 run laps yet was the thought that literally went through my head after that. 
Last few turns to the top. I started talking to a guy called Gareth as we were completing the bike course together he recognised the club kit and congratulated the club on their notoriety across the weeks events and we continued together onto the first lap of the run. 
We completed the 21 turns and went under the tunnel - wait 2 more - who’s stupid idea was this? 

T2 FINALLY! A nice little run to finish the day. I love running it’ll be easy! hahahaha! Idiot! Completely roasted from the ride I was delirious in thinking my legs had any run form at all! I completed the first lap, stopping at the aid stations and munching watermelon and downing water to cool down with a steady run walk, until the airport came up, a downhill, proper downhill - all I could think was free speed! Regretted that decision at the bottom when my hamstrings and quads were screaming at me at the bottom! Back to walking it was! 
I passed a bunch of our blue and yellow army coming to the end of the lap. Which gave me a boost to plough on with the second lap. I saw Laura and explained concisely how fatigued I was in 2 words. 
Onwards - the run walk and watermelon consumption continued, a lovely French lady called Cesile spoke to me and from my pigeon French I translated ‘on 3 we run again’, 1,2,3 we ran for a km together to the top of the runway and unfortunately I dropped her on the descent. I saw a few more EETC racers / survivors as I went on to finish my last lap. 
Coming into the finish I was so relieved, my legs had nothing left, my head was blown with the unrivalled challenge I’d just completed. Making sure I’d crossed the line I collapsed and laid there for a bit until I could pull myself together to get some pasta and drink to make sure I didn’t have the same result as I did at the end of my ironman! (Did I mention I’m an Ironman?) 

I didn’t really have the energy to do anything from then apart from sit there and smile whist the guys took photos of me in a heap on the floor. 

I was well and truly humbled by the race and overjoyed to have completed a bucket list event. 

I stayed at the finish line for the night to see our club members finish one by one and I salute you all! We each have our own stories of the day wether the finish line was crossed or not they are all heroes in my eyes! 

Onwards - time to spectate the M race and the my best to encourage, cheer, Allez and op op op the guys to the top of the hill! That’s a tale for those guys to tell. 

To finish, An amazing week with the best club alongside some inspirational triathletes and great fiends in a truly special setting. 

Well done to everyone and thanks for the company! 

Onto the next. 

Your President (I’m Keeping the promotion) 
Jack! 
 

Posted: Sun 31st Jul 2022