Updatefrom Leysin, Switzerland!

Well I am finally settled and back into a solid training routine in my favourite training base in the world- the mountains of Switzerland. I have had a fairly hectic schedule so far this year so it is nice to know that I will be calling Leysin home for the next three months.

We flew from the Philippines to Germany on the 19^th of last month and spent acouple of days with our wonderful home stay family in Roth before heading straight to Niederbronn les Bains in France. What a beautiful little town it was and the perfect setting for the inaugural ‘Challenge France’ – the first half-ironman distance race in the Challenge series. It looked like an amazing course – extremely difficult but also incredibly scenic and challenging. I was actually really looking forward to it, as I love this distance.

Race morning was perfect and the race start was not until 9.30am – that meant I got to have abit of a sleep-in which is always nice!

I had a fairly average swim but I wasn’t too upset as I swam the entire 1.9km on my own. I looked forward to the bike, as the course was super hilly and very technical – just what I love!! 

I felt great on the bike straight away and went about trying to close the gap on the two girls out in front. It wasn’t too long before I took the lead and dismounted the bike with about a one-minute lead. The run course was going to be the toughest test on this course. It was two loops and it basically went up and up and up andthen a very steep descent at the end of each of the loops. It was going to be more about strength and less about speed so again I thought it was the perfect run course for me.

I set off onthe run feeling confident that I could hold off the other girls. At the 2km mark I was caught by Lucie Zelenkova (a former ITU short course athlete). I remember thinking to myself ‘oh no, not this early into the run’ but then Ithought ‘ok you just have to run faster than you thought’. I picked it up immediately and was again in front but only just. This game of cat and mouse continued for the next 8km until I was finally able to make a break and had a nice gap by the end of the first loop. I felt great and thought I would now be able to build on this gap during the second lap. Unfortunately I started suffering the worst leg cramps on the second loop and I was forced to stop at least three times – each time I was so scared that I would be caught again but honestly there was just nothing I could do as the pain was so intense.

With about 3km to go I had to stop again because of cramping and this is when I was caught. I really thought it was all over and that there would be no way I could win it from here. But as my coach has always said – you never give up until the very end. I pulled myself together and just went for it. It was almost like I had not even run the previous 18km. I flew past Lucie and thought I am just going to keep on going until I blow up. I was really worried about the last 1km as it was such a steep descent and I thought that I would definitely cramp up. I made it down the hill and I knew I only had about 500m to go until the finish. Surely the win would be mine. Just as I rounded the last corner into the home straight, Lucie pulled back up beside me. I couldn’t believe it. But I didn’t have time to think and with about 200m to go I took off once again, and this time I held it to the finish line and did not look back. I won by a mere five seconds – my closest finish ever! Both of us collapsed over the finish line – it was amazing. I have never really had to fight for a win like that before. It is certainly a win I will not forget in a hurry.

Well even though this race is still fresh in my memory – especially the pain of a sprint finish, I am preparing for my next race this weekend in Germany. It is a middle distance (2km, 60km, 14km) race in Kraichgau. It will be my third time at this fantastic event. This year promises to be a great contest- especially in the men’s race as Macca is racing and is up against some very quick Germans.

I will report back next week on how this race went – hopefully no more sprint finishes will be involved. I think one a year is enough for me!