What a whirlwind of a week that was. It brought together over 3,000 athletes, from more than 30 countries, to race in seven races throughout the week. The standard was high and the fields were large, clearly Pontevedra, in NW Spain, was the place to be.
A week later we sit in the Pyrenees recovering and feeling slightly odd as all we have to do is feed ourselves – and ride our bikes if we want. What has happened to the hustle and bustle, the navigating from x to y within a time limit, checking race routes, checking bus timetables, hugging people, wondering where to find lunch.
We arrived in Pontevedra on the Thursday for our first race on the following Tuesday. For once we were there for the Parade of Nations and the Opening Ceremony which included a performance by Cirque de Soleil and live music. The Parade of Nations was delightfully chaotic, many athletes gather in a square and are eventually marshalled into some kind of order behind country flags then we walk to another square following a local band. This provides a brilliant time to seek out many old friends. There were about 15 people Paddy and I hoped to catch up with ranging from those living in Kendal to New Zealand, it was quite a week of ice cream, beaches and coffee.
Friday saw us ride one lap of the three lap Long Distance Aquabike course which was one big hill with a flat bit full of speed bumps. Saturday saw us venture out of town to the Cross Triathlon course to recce that, giving us two days to recover before racing it on the Tuesday. What a fab course, loved it. The Cross is always a bit unknown and the courses vary widely. This was kind of blue level, untechnical, but super fun to ride, with lots of bumpy descents and loose gravel. Also very pretty through a forest with some nice touches like a skinny stone bridge. Lots of descents means lots of ascents and it had over 1500ft of climb per lap of 9 miles, some of it too steep to ride unless you were elite or about 20 years old. All of us old gits walked on the day.
Before race day we needed to register, support Caroline Holden and various other friends in the Sprint Duathlon in town, do our swim familiarisation for the cross tri, (12km out of town in a lake) carb load, kit sort and amass the biggest load of liquid you’ve seen.
We had to be at race site on Tuesday four hours before we started as they were closing the roads and car parking looked limited. So we needed to pack for maintaining hydration and stabilising body temperature if it was 30 degrees, for hanging around for ages and for racing. All went smoothly with that time scale giving us ample time to check out transitions and the swim start, chat to people and read our books. The weather was blissfully about 24 degrees. Thank goodness.
Swim was 1km, non wetsuit and I had a poor one. Partly as I seem to have forgotten how to sight, but also I hadn’t swum recently after coming off my MTB and bruising my ribs quite badly. Three weeks previously I hadn’t been able to swim a stroke but with the help of physio and tape and painkillers on the day all was possible. Loved the bike, haven’t lost my nerve which was a relief. 2 laps, 3,000ft up, 18 miles. Lost one of my bottles, but had my bladder as well so managed enough fluid. Then on to the run which was 5 miles and another 500ft or so uphill. I had a blinder of a run which was great. Came in after about 3.5hrs in 6th out of 9, but second Brit so I get to qualify again for next year. Paddy was 14th , again with a time good enough for next year as he hits the next age group up, the heady heights of 70-74.
Then recover, recover, recover – but juggle that with frantically waving the Tri Club bells for friends in the aquathlon, registering for the aquabike, doing swim familiarisation in the river, carb loading and racking our bikes the day before racing. The temperature was steadily rising and sleeping was a challenge with the windows shut against traffic noise and a fan on all night.
Hit Sunday hot but happy and feeling reasonably good. The swim for this one was 3km in the tidal river in the centre of town and, thank goodness, the influx of sea had held the temperature to wetsuit legal. I’d still be out there if we’d had to swim against the tide without a wetsuit for that distance. Very happy with this swim, sighting was better and I had good fun on the downward leg using the current. Shot through a very long transition and onto the bike. 75 miles and over 4,000ft of climb with the temperature climbing into the mid thirties. Hot, hot, hot. Think of riding up Shap from Kendal three times and that is about it. Far more fluid than I thought I’d use. About four litres I think over 5 hours. I got to enjoy the first big descent before the afternoon wind got up, which made the next two a bit tricky. They were wonderfully unprepared for hot weather on the food stations. They ran out of electrolyte and proper bike bottles by the time I got half way through the second of three laps. Luckily I hadn’t chucked both of my empty bottles and could refill one with water, getting a bonus soaking while I did so to try to hold my temperature down a bit. Held effort down until the last lap then used whatever I had left – which wasn’t much to be fair. Great day out, finishing in 6 hrs and 9/19, again with a time good enough for next year. Paddy was also 9th with a qualifying time for next year. I have never ever been so glad that I didn’t have to run given the temperatures. I have seen the light, aquabike it is!!
Before we race GB Paddy and I always say ‘it’s so expensive, such a faff, we won’t do it again’ and every time afterwards it’s – ‘ that was SO amazing, when are we going again!’ I think we will have to wait until 2026 but bring on another wonderful experience full of colour, logistics, friends, smiles, excitement and FUN.
Karma Cycling 