Lanzarote race report
I'm really not sure how to do this but here we go: This was epic!
Start and swim: I had spent some time working on form.... since this is my most favorite part of the race! My swim form is definitely back. I'm feeling good. I jumped in the water to be in the middle as recommended and found some feet to swim with. matched strokes with the guys (2200 competitors and only 200 women) and found a nice rhythm in between two of the folks fighting away in the piranha mash pit. Loved it! first round came out and jumped back in with some new folks who did not sight quite as well. I was still first out of water for my age group. goggles seated firmly on my face, under my cap and chip attached firmly with safety pin under calf sleeves. The Atlantic is sapphire blue and clear as can be. the current was minimally noticeable.
Into transition and shower. No separate tent for the women. guys, please keep your shorts on! anyway, had to run barefoot up a ramp to the bike. dipped feet up top in a bucket and pulled on socks and shoes. out of transition to the bike.
The initial part of the bike was a climb and I was too exceited. I really do like climbing! but the wind was nasty and I popped out of my box a couple of times. I settled in but it took me a little while. Mostly 4% grade and higher with long climbs into the wind on the first third. I came to hate the wind!. the long gradual climbs were so much harder than the shorter steeper climbs. Up, up up into Mirador Harea... then down hairpin descents on a relatively narrow course. I really enjoyed that part!. then up again to Mirador del Rio. 15% grades but these were relatively shorter. Then switchbacks at 10% with that damn wind again! Stayed in the box and was thrilled to do the descent. What fun!I was sailing through at about 35 to 40 miles an hour on a lovely winding narrow course being grateful for my mountain biking experience when I hit the wind again. I hated that part! Geez! Tahiche was a serious punishment! 10 miles at 9.8 mph! what the heck! and right at the end! finally into transition where I would thank my lucky stars I stayed in "the box" for most of this ride.
run transition I put on lots of sunscreen (a little too late on that!) and pulled on my Hoka Tarmacs. I'd never run a race in these monsters but I knew that on my long run, I had eliminated back pain by using these. These shoes did not let me down. I had a relatively pain free ride for the marathon and other than the first two kilometers, I rarely had to walk! Woohoo! After more than 8 hours n the bike, I was a bit concerned about the marathon but I had followed EN instructions to the T other than the first 20 miles of the bike.
I maintained my 2nd position and smoked #3 by a half hour and passed people on the run. the run ready program from 16 weeks ago was paying off. and most importantly the lower power on those nasty hills really paid off! I was never going to catch the German lady who was an hour ahead of me already and a faster runner (she had the same time this year as last year at this course and only came in 3rd last year!) and a stronger cyclist. all in all I was pleased as I did not fall apart on the run. Paced it out and kept steady.
I highly recommend this race. If I didn't have such a horrible work schedule I could have trained on the bike more but all in all, I am pleased. It was a tough race and I was reduced to a ride pace on the bike.... but it was incredible and I will be back. what an amazing experience!
Comments
oh, I forgot an important note. apparently I had my socks on inside out the whole time and suffered quite a few blisters due to that and sand on my feet. didn't realize this until at finishers tent, eating Paella, when my husband, sherpa magnifique, pointed it out to me.
by the way, where else do you get freshly made Paella in the finishers tent?
Patti from Cincinnati - your attitude matched the altitude. You loved the mosh pit in the swim; you looked forward to the climbs, you smoked the descents; you didn't even notice blisters. You were born to race! Now you just have to start backing off on work so you can enjoy it all more often.
Lanzarote (and Wales) are are my bucket list, which I swear I'll get to any year now. My wife wants to see Morocco, so we're making a deal on that double next year.
Awesome! You keep crushing these races! So great to see you have so much fun while you do it, its inspiring! I too have Lanzarote on my hit-list, maybe we should make that an EN focus race.
ok, travel guide edition.
don't worry if your bike doesn't make it the first day you get there. it won't
I speak Spanish fluently, helps a lot... although speaking German would have been a plus. Large German population.
The beaches are incredible. cool air breezes and nice warm sunshine. the water does not feel cold although it is. Beautiful and clear Atlantic.
really amazing volcanic island . There's a house made out of volcano tubes and cool art up at Mirador del Rio... didn't get to see that... it closed as we drove up there the day before the race.
Beaches for surfing.... awesome!
don't ride the camels... pretty hokey stuff. Camels have been there a long time.
Hotel Gran Aricife is AWESOME! best buffet ever! Prosciutto, Mimosas for B-fast, fresh tomatoes grown in volcanic soil and incredible coffee!
vineyards are beautiful. excellent wine.
cheap Chinese stores with cool stuff, lot's of resale, best deals downtown. don't buy beach towels on the beach, go downtown.
Bike shop across the street from hotel is pro level
Travel British Air if possible, Aero lingus is how we ended up getting there on final leg. stay at Carlton Hotel on journey home in Dublin. take the red eye if possible. only 40 Euros for bike on way out in spite of three legs. 90 on way back due to stop over in Dublin. Travel thorugh JFK is much better than Heathrow. I don't like that airport (big and spread out... had to run fast to make a connection... we were lucky!) although BA does go there...
American Airlines was comfortable coming home but cancelled flight on way out and didn't inform us, that was a pain.
make reservations early. not many flights.
I loved the scenery on this island.
Expo had some cool things. got a nice bikini to work on tan (ok, TMI, but really, my back looks like a team speedo with a keyhole!) compression socks at expo from Spain were nice....I didn't spend much time at Expo)
Very competitive group. some folks had done this race as many as 19 times. special awards to those with 5 races.
Best and most challenging bike ever. my time sucked but it was absolutely the most beautiful course I've ever done. Only 10% DNF but quit a few also DNS. I am sure that the climbing and grade freaked some of them out but really the wind was much more of a challenge.
Very few Americans so a really cool international flavor.
highly recommend this race but e prepared by riding up long Grades of about 6 to 8 much of the time with wind in your face. fun descents but the wind is brutal! and unforgiving.... I rode the Dam loop twice here with Cuernevaca and Lost Creek loops... to practice my climbing and descents. these are part of Tour das Hugle which is the 112 mile ride in Austin of all of the nasty hills. I should have done the whole TdH several times and ran an hour or two after to really even get close to the course experience... and done it FAST.
You must be able to handle your bike. training on the trainer will not get you where you need to be. Hairpin descents and gusts of wind require some experience in similar conditions, that and a few hail mary's
Paella at the finish line? I mean... that is so cool!
if specific questions and you want to go let me know if more details needed.
I loved it!!! (Wales is cold and icky)
Wales sounds like a weird swim... I think four loop, and cold.
Congrats.
Will get there someday.
I stayed at Hotel Gran Aricife. rented car and my husband drove me around... is this an old post? Yikes! sorry I missed it! Club La Sante is the best if you can afford it. Parking was a hassle
Yes, that's old. It was on my to-do list for 2019 until they announced IM Ireland which I've already entered. I'm getting a lot more SAUs for the Ireland trip.