FRENCH LONG DISTANCE DUATHON CHAMPIONSHIPS!

WOOHOO!!! My 3rd year of trying to win the toughest race Ive ever done-the Val d'aran long distance duathlon and this year's bonus was that it was also THE FRENCH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS.

It all started a few years back, I was bored, needed something to do and or get ready for to give me motivation and somehow I heard about this race in the pyrenees. It's in a Spanish border town called FOS at the foot of the col de menté and the courses have little if any portions of flat. My first year I was 2nd, getting caught on the last lap of the run with 5kms to go and totally falling apart there after, Last year the winner was untouchable and I was caught with 2kms to go by another athlete to take 3rd.

This year, knowing what I was up against my focus was and has been on winning the Val d'Aran...the welcome you get from the organisers is worth the detour and they ahve the same prize list for women as for men.
What's killed me in the past two editions is the first run has a good portion of downhill so I would sprint it to make up time and feel like a cripple afterwards. THis year at very long last I have learned how to open the throttle while running a descent but keeping myself relaxed as well...
Ive had some great downhill runs, raced trail and mountain duathlons and all has gone fairly well. If there was anything I may have taken out it would have been the etape du tour only because of the weather but then again diversity makes one tougher....

Ill describe my race in the next few paragraphs because it was truly an unexpected though very much wanted win.....
After a brief episode of gastro during the evening I woke up at 6am not feeling so chipper or fresh. All I could stomach was a gel I made up with some long lasting carbs, vanilla, and banana and a tea. Not a whole lot for a 5 hour effort but everything I ate seemed to want out.

The race started with a 12.5kms technical trail run up and over to melles with 2 long and technical descents. On the first climb I felt horrid, no power, no fun, and thought I would soon be turning around. A guy ive raced with every year and often finished with passed me and ecouraged me....I told him I wouldnt be doing the bike leg as I was cooked, no energy......
I kept thinking to myself, bail now while youre ahead...and my other inner demon would bounce back and say, wait for the bike, you may feel better and think of philippe who got up at 6 with you and he's not racing, the organisers, your sponsors,etc....my head had now become a battle ground for the pros and cons of pushing onward....
As the last few in contention for a title passed me I was really thinking Id stop at the bike park....what was wrong with me? was I cooked? was the etape du tour too much after the other races I had done? and what about this or that,etc??? was i coming down with something? the usual head games you play with your own head when youre not feeling up to par.
I got to the bike park and cried as I pulled out my bike and put on my helmet...I really felt bad and not so motivated. was I really having fun??
Then i started making deals with myself, I heard philippe yell that I was 15th woman and god knows how many minutes down. I told myself if ididnt catch just about everyone at the top of the first climb Id u turn and that would be that. By the top of the first col I was in 4th and 3rd wasnt too far off. I pushed forward, seated and spinning, and all the while refueling with gels...the only substance I could down. Once over the col de bourret I was now in 3rd and suddenly I spotted 2nd place just up the rise. I passed her and someone called out that the first woman and last year's winner was 3 minutes up the road. Since the cycling course is and out and back the spectators were quite surprised when they saw me come by in 15th one way and fighting for the leas on the return. Their cries of encouragement pushed me forward. I suddenly spotted Sylvie, the French Champion and powered forward. I passed her, accelerating as I went to keep my momentum all the way to the top of the col de mente. My only thoughts now were I have to make it back to the transition with atleast 4 minutes on my oponnents or all is lost. I flew down the mente nearly missing a turn do to the fog and on the stretch between st beat and fos and interspacial cramp in my right aductor kept me from peddaling. I had to stand up on my bike and wiggle around a bit before I could calm the pain....At long last I made it to the transition...I parked my bike, took off my helmet and struggled to get my feet in my running shoes. Not wanting to lose time tying knots i had kept them tied but now when i pushed my foot into the shoe I was sending cramps from my calves to the end of my hair! I lost atleast a minute and finally trodded off to discover that the 2nd running course was a doozy! 400m of flat and up, up and away it was into the woods, up some more and downhill a bit before climbing a second long leg. This course has always been cruel because if youre having a bad day you ahve 2 laps to run and you can see where your oponnents are in relation to you. On my way back from lap one I saw that the 2nd and 3rd places had switched places and number 2 was running quite strong. I kept my cool and thought to myself, Ive one this race too many times to finish 2nd or 3rd once more....given how the day had started and going from thinking maybe i could finish top ten to top five to podium and now in the lead I regathered my thoughts, let it rip on the next descent and did what i could to keep it all together. The last five kms I was getting all kinds of information-she's only one minute back to she's two minutes forty back you can relax....That pushed me harder and faster as I thought truly she would catch me at the turn around at km 7. From km 7 to the finish I ran as I could and tried to follow various men passing me and finally I saw a 1kms to go sign...It seemed surreal, I turned around to see where she was, almost like what's taking this chic so long to catch me? She wasnt there, the victory was mine! Ill more than likely be sore all week but what a nice way to be sore as well as to restore confidence. The women's field was top notch....my next goal will be to help them all in improving their cycling skills.

more photos to come!