JUAN VERGARA CHALLENGE ROTH RACE REPORT
Warnings : (1) its long but you can get the idea in the first couple paragraphs and then give up (2) written on my mobile, at the airport, with a high probability of undetected iPhone autocorrect (which might make some sentences sound like nonsense!!! But by now, we have all figured out how make sense out of unsolicited autocorrection).
Here we go.....
Allow me to begin this report quoting Daniela Ryf's instagram post after the race:
"danielaryf Big relief to cross that finish line. This race felt like a whole life.
Started as an excited kid in the swim, felt like a teenager at solar going mad, some midlife crisis in middle of bike, felt like a golden oldie in beginning of run flying thanks to the amazing crowd and then i started to age every km from km 15, as the legs got heavier and heavier and i was not sure if they will carry me till the finish line. And at the finish i felt exhausted, but the amazing atmosphere in the stadium made me feel like i was born again. Big fight today, I gave all i had. Lots of #Goosbumps moments.
Thanks for all the support and cheering"
And that's pretty much how every athlete described their run portion of this year's Challenge Roth (yours truly certainly included).
Let's begin with the numbers and the technical stuff (further down I will describe atmosphere, logistics, training, etc.)
Swim: Planned 01:10:00 / Executed 01:09:36
T1: Planned 00:03:00 / Executed 00:03:09
Bike: Planned 05:30:00 / Executed 05:12:55
T2: Planned 00:03:00 / Executed 00:01:58
Run: Planned 03:45:00 / Executed 04:06:50
Total: Planned 10:30:00 / Executed 10:34:26
Rank 643 / AG 9th
SWIM: waves of aprox 200 in BIB order (which had nothing to do with age group but I guess registration order??). Therefore all waves had a bit of everything. I started at 07:20 with BIB # 1953, in wave 12 and my swim was basically uneventful. Some basic kicking and grabbing mostly at the start, the two turn arounds and the last 300 mts. Navigation was not an issue as it is a straight canal. Stayed in my box and thought FORM-PACE SMART-FORM-PACE SMART-FORM from beginning to end. Slow and smooth out of the water and into T1 to lower heart rate.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWUfKqmALfI/
T1: I could have been a bit faster in T1 but the day before I decided to put my shirt inside my bike bag to put in on dry, after taking off the wet suit (did not want to be cold at the beginning of the bike). Being the Castelli top very tight on the arms, that costed me 20 seconds plus. Despite not being as cold as forecasted in the morning, it was still worth it as my race day body comp was as targeted (very very little fat to keep me warm).
BIKE: A two loop course. We (my wife Karla and I) made a very careful inspection by car of all the 90k loop and I basically biked it all in two days during the week Tuesday and Thursday (key downhills a couple times). By race day I new the course VERY well. Managed to stay aero most of the time and that is certainly critical in this very fast course (max speed on race day was 76 kph / 48 mph). My 05h30 target was conservative (sand bagging?) iversus Best Bike Split's 05h17 projection. In the end they nailed it, assuming I would do what I told their model I would. The plan was to flatten the course at 180 watts with the lowest possible VI while staying aero "all" the time. In the end, my average power was 181 watts, with a VI of 1:02 and stayed aero at all time I was above 20 km/h 12 ml/h (ninja execution there!!!). Nutrition plan also executed 100% with some liquid front loading as the projection was for a hot run. My only silly mistake on the bike was the dismount. I'm always OK dismounting on the fly though not necessarily at high speed (successfully done it in EVERY RACE since 2014). This time around though, I had planned something different which was to be conservative and take my feet out of the bike shoes whenever I would see the line from the distance and simply stop the bike before the line, put one foot down and dismount as if it were the end of a Sunday ride with my friends. The idea was "lose a couple seconds but don't lose the race in that critical moment". The problem was ..... I was so deep in my box that I miscalculated the distance left and the dismount line simply appeared in front of me. Rather than executing the second half of the plan, I proceeded AS PLANNED, took my left foot out of the shoe and before taking my right foot out, I had no option but to brake hard to avoid going over the line. No I did not flip ... but my right foot was still clipped when I came to a full stop ...... and ..... despite the huge effort made by a couple of strong German voluntaries to hold me from falling, I went down, fortunately without consequence to me (or my bike!!!). Did I say I did a "silly" mistake??? After confessing in writing to the NATION, I must rebrand it as a VERY STUPID MISTAKE!!!!
T2: almost a minute faster than planned thanks to our good old go bag (which, as always, the very nice volunteer wanted to open).
RUN: I had not burned matches on the bike ... I took all my calories, liquid and sodium as planned, and I did not run out of T2 like crazy but slowly as planned.
https://instagram.com/p/BWU0nRJgnAE/
So what went wrong in the run? Well, I certainly was not expecting those long hills along a good portion of the run and DID NOT fully inspect by car, as there where no clear directions to do so. Obviously what goes UP must come DOWN .... but at some point in time, my legs acknowledged the UP bit but did not care to recognize and take advantage of the DOWN. The first 10k went exactly as planned (pace, heart rate, nutrition, cadence ..... all exactly as planned). Then the wheels started to come off and it become a mental game.
https://instagram.com/p/BWVGgavgb3b/
My legs telling my brain "slow down" and my heart questioning "but why slow down??? You are between 20 and 25 BPM below our max!!! Keep going" .... and so I did .... kept going ... walking 20 steps at every station as planned (drinking and staying wet all day) and gave it all my legs accepted ..... until the pain reached a point where even between stations I would walk 20 steps when going uphill and then go back to running. That seemed to help me maintain my already slow pace and not get even slower. Sang every song I had planned .... even "happy birthday to ME" in 3 languages .... (it was my birthday) ..... told myself all that I had planned and rehearsed to repeat should I reach this point .... until something happened 5k from the finish line ..... my GARMIN gave me a totally unexpected alarm .... "BATTERY IS LOW" .... and I thought to myself "there is no way I'm gonna lose all the Roth race data!!! You better move your ass and get to the finish line before that darn GARMIN dies on you" .... sucked the pain, and went for the beats my heart had been screaming for !!!! Only slowed down again when I entered the shoot before the stadium to take it all in ... which I did.
https://instagram.com/p/BWVS1z4gZqu/
This was the first race I felt that level of pain I had heard of so many times (from others) but never before truly experienced it. But this was also the first race I felt the energy from the spectators penetrating through my skin, as I had read so many times but could have never imagined what it felt like in real life.
CHALLENGE ROTH ORGANIZATION & ATMOSPHERE:
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Not enough words in my English vocabulary to describe the magic, the emotion, the family atmosphere and the fantastic organization.
Organization first: You can feel that the organizers (Felix Walchshöfer, his mother Alice and sister Kathrin) put their heart into this event. Now I understand why CHALLENGE carries the surname FAMILY on it's brand (Notedly, the Walchshöfers announced back in 2015 a 100% focus on Challenge Roth and passed on ownership of other Challenge events to Zibi Szlufcik). Back to the race organization report!!! This is my first CHALLENGE race ever so I don't know if ROTH follows a standard operating procedure or they are the gold standard. Everything was extremely efficient from registration all the way to the exit from the athletes area after the race.
One "detail" which I appreciated very much was the after race green bag, which you personally dropped at the back of a truck inside T1, on the way to the entrance for the swim, and picked up after the finish line, at the entrance to the showers (yes showers with warm water and soap). CHALLENGE TOURS tipped us about the showers at the team briefing on Thursday. Thus, my green bag contained very comfortable clean clothing, clean "hotel" towel, shower gel and shampoo, clean socks and shoes, all of which felt like heaven after a "long" shower (yes "long" because there were over 20 showers available). Importantly for those who might care (not my case) there is no male / female separation at the changing room and showers (after all, we are in Europe and more precisely in Germany)..... just a bunch of naked athletes, men and women, totally seduced by the attraction of clean warm water soon to roll down your neck!!
On to the race atmosphere: .... over 250 thousand spectators, highly concentrated in key hot spots. You can read about them on the following link : http://www.challenge-roth.com/124.html
The most famous of all being Solar Hill to which an entire race report could be dedicated (my description below)
When you put that amount of (mostly) Germans families together, to cheer with passion (and beer), it gets loud and extremely exciting.
Interestingly, the swim start was NOT loud. Quite the contrary .... calm music and "semi-silent" spectators seemed to just watch with the same level of "eagerness" one feels right before getting into the water.
https://instagram.com/p/BWUSDu3ANPE/
Not the same when exiting the water where, mostly family members, screamed to their loved one in the race (I certainly heard Karla screaming at me on then way to the tent and at then bike mount line).
We went through several towns all of which had their locals cheering on the sidewalks, their balconies, their windows. Differently from the first bike loop (which for me ended at around 11:00 am) beers in hand where now evident on the second bike loop and all throughout the run.
There are a couple hills were the crowds are big (and loud) ..... but nothing (NOTHING) compares to SOLAR HILL. Obviously anybody racing Roth would have seen hundreds of YouTube Solar Hill videos since the day of registration to the race in September of the prior year. I know I did ..... but it surely did not take absolutely anything away from the "surprise element" ... when you actually get there, on race day, on your bike ..... you go out of you execution box and take it ALL IN. I would describe it as follows: you first see it in your iPad without earphones .... know imagine the same scene in a 4D mega screen, with a blasting sound-surround. That's the difference. (Can't wait to see the official pictures with my ear to ear smile going up that hill).
https://instagram.com/p/BWUgHwcA9U0/
On to the run course and it's already 1:50pm for me, the HEAT is on, the good cold German beer has been flowing down the spectating adults for a few hours now and a very large portion of those thousand that were at various bike hot spots are now spread along most of the run course, all the way to the finish line. Amazing experience on the first lap of the run. On the second and final lap I was paying more attention to the conversation between my brain, my heart and my legs (but went back to sucking spectator energy 5k out).
After the race (and before the shower) there were over 100 massage tables which by the time I got there (before 6pm) required no registration, just grab the first one available, which I did in less than 1 minute. After the shower the food area was EXTREMELY good (all types of options) and the "outside world", where family members awaited, was a big party with plenty of food and beverage options (cold beers for me please!!!!).
LOGISTICS:
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Arrived Monday before the race thus giving me plenty of time to adapt to the time zone (5 hours ahead of home) and to recon the bike course inside out.
Contracted the service of RACE QUEST / CHALLENGE TOURS ... not cheap but worth every penny. When I found out they existed I had already booked my hotel in downtown Nuremberg (HOLIDAY INN NUREMBERG CITY CENTER) and a rental car. Which in the end worked out perfect because our hotel had better rooms, was located within a couple blocks of some of the best restaurants in town and the car gave us flexibility to avoid portions of the program which did not add value to me. Their service was impeccable. On race day fantastic for me and essential for my wife. We left from their hotel at 04:30 (10 minute drive from the Holiday Inn) and their buses dropped us 200 yards from T1 within 35 minutes of departure (they have been doing this for more than 15!years now and perfected it every year. Only THEIR buses are allowed to get that close to T1). During the day CHALLENGE TOURS guided my wife to and from the key hot spots, either walking or by bus when needed. They provided special Challenge Tours Stickers to be placed on our bike and bags which meant not worrying about picking up bike and bags after the race and walking them to wherever you would be able to park a car. They took charge of everything and we simply found them, waiting for us, AT THE CHALLENGE TOURS HOTEL, upon returning from the party (magical!!!). Buses departed from the finish line either at 9pm, allowing a few hours of the post event party atmosphere in the expo surroundings or at 11pm after the fireworks. I obviously DID NOT wait for the fireworks!! Highly recommend CHALLENGE TOURS if you ever decide to race ROTH.
http://race-quest.squarespace.com/challenge-roth-package/
For those that do not wish to have a car, they offer bus transportation to and from all activities including bike course recon, group runs and swims, registration, opening and closing parties, race day in and out, etc.
RESTAURANTS:
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Restaurants in NUREMBERG (there are dozens of great options in downtown Nuremberg. The following were my favorites)
- Fantastic authentic local food: ZUM SPIESS GESELLEN (outstanding !!!)
- Great Italian next to the Holiday Inn: MINECCI LEONARDO
- Great local food next to the Holiday Inn: ZUM GULDEN STERN (sit inside, historical building, fabulous Nuremberg small sausages).
- The restaurant in our hotel, the HOLIDAY INN CITY CENTER (forgot the name) is also very good which is great if you feel like staying in the hotel. They were perfect in preparing my pre race Saturday early dinner, exactly as requested.
Restaurants in ROTH
- Great "Greek" restaurant after registration and or run course inspection: ZUM ZEPPELIN (has a great patio in the back which is a very hot spot on race day as the runners go past 4 times).
Restaurants in HIPOLSTEIN (Swim / T1 / Bike Start)
- The place to eat after bike course inspection or bike ride or bike check in or canal swim on Friday : BÄKEREI SCHMIDT (Bakery, very good food).
MASSAGE IN NUREMBERG
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I'm a massage "addict" and always do my homework to find a real sports massage therapist. Got myself a GREAT one through a triathlete local friend. If you ever need to contact her (SILKE) PM me and I'll put you in touch.
And if there is anything I did not mention and you want to ask. Feel free to send me a message.
If you want to check elevations or any other detail on the bike & run courses, here are my Garmin/TrainingPeaks files:
Bike:
See my 263,3 TSS bike workout. I did 179 km in 5:13:16.
Run:
See my 291,8 TSS run workout. I did 41,4 km in 4:07:02.
TRAINING FOR THIS RACE:
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I basically followed E.N's advanced blue print starting two weeks after my 2016 "A" race in September 2016 (Powerman Zofingen / Long Distance Duathlon World Championship).
First a couple of UNSTRUCTURED easy training weeks leading into an OUTSEASON period, followed by a GET FAST period and then 14 weeks of IM RACE PREP which included two 1 week Camps:
- first a TRIATHLON camp in Mallorca end of March.
- second a BIKE camp in Greenville, SC (where I also managed to swim twice and run 3 times).
INJURIES:
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Basically an injury free season until 2 weeks before the race!!!! (That is always a critical week).
I did my last long run (18 miles negative split) at the end of week 17. And nailed it!!! But started feeling some inflation on my right foot. Lots of Ice after all runs and felt OK. End of week 18 I did my last long run. Planned for 2 hours I stared feeling a bit of "pain" on that right foot and cut my run 30 minutes short. Making a long story short, a significant tendon inflammation and an immediate decision to totally stop running, needs be until race day. X-ray to make sure it was not a stress fractures (fortunately not) and daily physiotherapy. Other than two hard deep water 1 hour sessions, I did not run at all until race week, 10k Wednesday. All good.
While doing my last physiotherapy sessions and with good indication that all would be ok for race day, I violated a key pre race rule (no barefoot) and hit a table leg so hard at home that I was certain I had broken it (specially when I saw how bad it looked - and felt - right away). Another X-ray to make sure it was not broken (fortunately not) and ice every two hours until Sunday when we traveled.
I know, I know ..... train smart in the end to avoid injury because you will not get any fitter or any faster!!! .... do not walk barefoot!!!
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LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST THE GRATEFUL ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO ALL THOSE THAT CARRIED ME TO THE FINISH LINE:
FIRST AND FOREMOST, MY WIFE KARLA. HER SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT IS SIMPLY THE BIGGEST AND MOST EFFECTIVE LEGAL DOPING ANY A.G. ATHLETE CAN DREAM OF. HER RACE WEEK SUPPORT HAS RAISED TO A LEVEL WHERE SHE KNOWS EVERY DETAIL OF EVERY DAY AND EVERY HOUR BETTER THAN I DO, ALLOWING ME TO STAY FULLY FOCUSED ON THE EXECUTION. #gratefulbeyonddescription
Thank you to my family and friends who permanently express their support and have come to understand that I am not such an unsocial and sometime grumpy person outside of the Race Prep phase and are there for me when I re-enter the atmosphere after my "A" race. See you all in a couple weeks (after our 2 week "get fat" vacation).
Thank you E.N. friends and coaches specially Patrick who took the time to review all the adjustments I made to my race prep phase. They worked!!!
Thank you to "our personal team" all of which work very hard making us work hard:
- Renata our functional trainer
- Fabi our yoga instructor
- Ed our recovery massage magician
- Dr Petrilli our always available Orthopedist allowing immediate attention to any signs of injury.
- Leandro our Physiotherapist always available to follow Dr Petrilli's instructions (a recovery magician himself).
- Dr Patricia our new nutritionist who kept us strong and healthy without ANY SUPPLEMENTS
(when I say "our" I mean Karla and I as she takes her tennis as seriously as I take my triathlon)
- Fabrizio, Gideoni and Alex (pro bikers which alternate to accompany me on my long long rides)
- Jan Wolfgarten (from Swimazing) and Jesper (from Next Level Camp) who helped me improve my swimming efficiency this year.
- Thiago Vinhal, Brazilian PRO triathlete who challenge me to pursue 10:30 and not just sub 11 (in exchange for me challenging him to nail his ticket to KONA @ Ironman Brazil in the 2017 PRO FIELD (which he did!!!).
Lastly, thank you to my SPONSORS: JUAN and VERGARA. Grateful that you worked your butt for 36 years, allowing you the luxury of retirement at an age were you could still turn a fat lazy workaholic into an Age Group triathlete that decided to take all the learnings acquired and the discipline developed along those 36 years and apply them to a new "PROfession" called Triathlon.
I now "it's just a game" but I need the Challenge and still know I can improve despite inevitable aging.
Next stop: Ironman 70.3 Cartagena December 3rd, 2017. I specifically chose this race, in COLOMBIA, where I was born, so that my 82 year old and very active mother can see me race (which she never did). That was the motivation to register .... I'll work very hard to give her my racing best.
WOW!!! You made it all the way down here?? You are certainly an IRONMAN .... thank you for reading.
Comments
Your report has me all spun up for Roth. The problem is I keep adding to my bucket list, and I'm wondering how many I can get to before my body throws in the towel. But as they say: "Someday I will not be able to do Ironman, but TODAY is not that day!" If I can make it to Roth, I'll be reading your report again ... several times.
Meanwhile, all the best at Cartagena!