Tour du Japon – Oi Futo

Tres rapidement, l’histoire d’une course tres sympa, malgre les conditions!

Nous sommes a 6 semaines de l’Ironman, et j’ai des soucis avec les jambes. 3 douleurs :
- le nerf sciatique dans le fessier droit – je le sens mais sans plus
- douleur au dessus du genou gauche (quadriceps) – pas tres douloureux, mais pas bon signe
- celui qui m’ennuie le plus, c’est le mollet droit. Apres 3km de course a pieds, le bas du mollet devient bien douloureux.
Du coup, je ne fais pas grand-chose comme sport en ce moment, et tous cas, pas beaucoup de qualite (que des trucs faciles).

Bref, pour bien s’echauffer (c’est une blague !) on doit faire 3h de velo avec Eric avec 4 fois 20 km a allure de l’Ironman. C’est donc rendez-vous a 5h30 pour attaquer le premier contre-la-montre.
Et bien sur, nous commencons sous la pluie. Legere, mais presente. Heureusement il fait bon aujourd’hui. Eric me depose trop facilement a mon gout mais je me restreints a conserver l’allure demandee. Apres environ 40mn, je relache et ma douleur a la cuisse se fait sentir. Bizarre, pendant que je force rien, quand je suis facile, ca fait mal – va comprendre. Du coup, je repars pour le second en esperant que cela va s’attenuer. Il pluviote toujours.
Manque de bol, ca fait mal !

Je decide de jetter l’eponge. Pour l’entrainement et du coup pour la course aussi. L’important, c’est l’IM, pas aujourd’hui : priorite a la recuperation.
Je vais a la voiture pour poiroter : je ferai des photos pendant la course…

Kenichi, Stephan, Alain arrivent et preparent leur velos…
Qu’a cela ne tienne, je prepare le mien aussi : trop dur de rester sur le bas cote !

On part faire un tour de reconnaissance, le circuit est different de celui utilise le dimanche. La course a en effet lieu la ou on s’entraine le dimanche, aux docks du port de Shinagawa.
Et bien sur, maintenant, la pluie legere se transforme en vraie averse. Les flaques grandissent rapidement, on est rince, c’est le deluge…
Bon, on retourne au parking pour s’arbriter un peu. On perd Eric sur le trajet. Il a en fait casser sa sale chaine, ou sa chaine sale. Degueulasse, oui !!! Tout le monde s’y est mis pour la reparer, 10mn avant le depart. Un peu stress, mais avec l’aide d’experts, cela s’est bien fait. Toute l’equipe a maintenant les mains pleines de graisse. Merci Eric !

On part au depart : 3 tours de ~ 7km, avec quelques beaux virages serres, en peloton, sous la pluie. Ca va etre un regal (c’est ironique ici).
Les consignes sont claires, rester sur le devant du paquet, pour eviter les relances systematiques en sortie de virage. C’est ce que je veux tenter de faire. Je sais que je n’ai aucune chances au sprint, mais je serai content si j’arrive a rester dans le bon paquet jusqu’au bout. On doit etre 40 ou 50 par groupe.

10 sec avant le depart, on est place sur l’avant du peloton… boum, c’est parti ! La moto part devant, j’enclenche le pieds sur la pedale sans hesitation, et part. Et cela s’est bien passe pour moi car je suis devant tout le monde : je suis premier (je l’aurai ete au moins une fois pendant la course)… Rapidement, je suis repris et je force le passage pour rester dans la roue des premiers. On a une longue ligne droite avant un demi-tour, sous la pluie, sur la peinture du passage pieton : tout un programme.
Je suis 4 ou 5ieme a l’attaque du virage et pour le moins je flippe un peu de me viander. En plus, je me suis fait fermer la porte, je ne suis pas a la corde… Ca freine, et heureusement, tout le monde passe prudemment. Ca relance, je reste accroche. Cool.

Apres ce virage, ca repart de plus belle. Le peloton est assez agite, ca double, ca revient… pas facile de rester sur l’avant. Mais je reste bien concentre et force uniquement quand necessaire, pour reprendre une roue.

La pluie s’intensifie alors que le rythme est fort – ca roule vite, se relache dans les virages, et relance… Cale derriere les meneurs, j’arrive a suivre, et je commence a me satisfaire de cet etat. Je ne pensais pas arriver a tenir de la sorte.
Je regarde le rythme cardiaque : 150 bpm. C’est eleve, mais je n’ai pas l’impression de taper dedans.

Trenton, un australien du club, fait une attaque. Jusque la, je me suis jete sur toutes les roues qui tentaient de depasser les leaders, afin de rester devant. Mais la, je le laisse filer. Et je prends la roue leader du peloton. Chaque fois qu’il tente de passer le relais, je me decale aussi : je m’interdit de prendre un relais (economie) et cela permet a Trenton de faire le trou.
Il reste a 100 ou 200 m devant. Je ne vois pas Alain ni Eric (pas vraiment le temps de se retourner) mais je sais qu’ils ne sont pas loin.
On finit bientôt la premiere boucle, un enchainement de virages, encore avec des plaques de peinture bien glissantes… Je passe le coin delicat et me fait alors surprendre. La roue arriere glisse alors que je suis a la sortie du virage. J’ouvre (je redresse) et vais tout droit. Du coup, je « pousse » le gars qui faisait l’exterieur avec moi : on passe sur la petite bordure centrale. Mais cela ne me gene pas car je vois qu’Alain qui venait de passer devant a du prendre la meme trajectoire.
Je file ainsi pendant 200m et repasse du bon cote de la route… Plus de peur que de mal.
Dernier virage sur le seul troncon de route en mauvais etat, je prends large mais reviens parmi les meneurs du peloton.

Maintenant, bien cale devant, je suis bien a l’aise, la mise en route s’est bien passee et reste bien proche de mon predecesseur (qui change sans cesse).
A ce moment la, je realise que j’en prends plein la gueule ! C’est pire qu’a la piscine, je suis plus mouille que quand je nage ! C’est pas possible ! La pluie mais surtout les projections des gars devant m’arrosent completement. Le visage degouline et je suis content d’avoir decider d’enlever les lunettes avant la course. C’est un masque et un tuba qu’il aurait fallu.

Trenton conserve son avance, les virages se passent correctement. Le second tour est sans histoire. Meme le virage ou j’avais deborde est negocie correctement.
Mais avant de le boucler (le second tour), les diverses relances faites reprennent Trenton. Il me propose de tenter un truc alors que l’on commence le 3ieme tour… Heu, non, merci.. J’ai pas le calibre pour tenter une aventure de la sorte. Quoique ? non, non.
Eric envisage de tenter qq chose a 3km de l’arrivee (dans le fameux virage difficile). Je vais attendre jusque la pour voir si je peux aider…

5km a faire – Trenton repart et personne ne le prend en chasse. J’hesite encore, mais decide de rester petit joueur.
Le peloton s’anime, comme au depart. Les gens tentent de se replacer devant maintenant. Et rester dans les premiers devant plus difficile, mais j’arrive a negocier ma place. Je prends meme un relais car a l’abord d’un virage, tout le monde se regarde, personne ne roule. A y etre, ca ne me gene pas de rouler devant 200m pour etre le premier dans le virage.

3.5km a faire, de plus en plus de densite a l’avant du peloton. La ou on etait 2 a passer de front avant, on est maintenant 4 ou 5. Et je n’aime pas me faire enfermer. Je prefere faire l’exterieur (ou l’interieur si possible) que d’etre dans le paquet…

Aller, le dernier virage difficile – Eric et Alain reviennent devant. Je tente de me placer proche d’Eric, au cas ou il parte… Et rebelote, le pneu arriere glisse, derapage plus ou moins contrôle, j’arrive a rester du bon cote ce coup-ci. Mais j’ai perdu quelques places.
Relance, Eric ne tente rien. Je me replace sur l’avant. Je retrouve un peu toujours les memes cyclistes. Je reconnais les maillots et les cadres de velo, mais pas le visage ! Trop concentre a surveiller les distances…

Dernier virage, negocie trop large. Je relance – 2km – et arrive a me caler, cote corde. Maintenant, ca part un peu de tous les cotes, a droite, un gars commence a partir, maintenant a ma gauche aussi. Plein d’eau plein la figure. Ca fait 3 files qui accelerent tres fort. Est-ce que j’ai pris le bon lievre ?
Trenton est toujours loin devant.

1km, ca explose un peu, j’ecarte pour tenter de reprendre ceux qui prennent la tete : ma locomotive a explose. Mais je n’y arrive pas – il y a trop de monde.
800m, je me fais doubler par la gauche, je prends la roue.
600m, Eric lance le sprint, avec Alain cale dans sa roue. Ils passent par la droite. Alain hurle – allez, allez, maintenant ! Maintenant ? C’est loin encore, me dis-je.
400m, ils (Eric et Alain – faut suivre un peu !) sont passes et l’attaque par la gauche s’est essouflee. Je suis au milieu et plus personne a suivre. En effet, le groupe d’Eric et Alain est plus loin sur la droite et pas d’ouverture possible pour prendre une roue.
300m, je lance et remonte presque au niveau d’Eric et Alain. C’est la qu’Alain place son attaque. Le peloton est en train de fondre sur Trenton qui n’est qu’a 30m devant.
150m, j’en peux plus. Alain part avec un nippon. Le duel est lance. Eric decroche. Ca passe de tous les cotes. Je me fais doubler par plein de monde.
100m, ca brule toujours, mais la majorite des gars qui viennent de me passer stagnent a mon niveau… Si je m’accroche, je peux en reprendre quelques uns… Mais c’est dur, il n’y a plus rien.
50m, les jambes sont en feu. Serres les dents pour finir honorablement ! Ils ont repris Trenton apparemment.
20m, je vois qu’Alain passe devant ! Derniers coups de pedales, je passe la ligne. Ca a brule ! C’est bon de relacher…
Alain 1er, Trenton 3ieme au terme de sa seconde echappee, Eric et moi dans le paquet.

C’etait bien detrempe mais c’est vraiment sympa ces courses en peloton. C’est encore un peu stress pour moi, mais arriver a gerer le truc est deja un bel accomplissement pour moi, ex-nageur.
Moral de l’histoire : meme pas eu mal 1 seconde a la cuisse, meme apres… Vraiment bizarre.

Encore un tri en juin, et on sera a Frankfort avant de le savoir. Les jours passent trop vite, surtout pour tenter de reparer ce mollet…

China again

Almost done with the short trip in PRC.
Just wanted to share 2 things:
- I stuff myself at Air France Lounge with Cheese, duck and other goodies. I even think I'm gonna go for the Haagen Daas!
- During our visit (big meetings), they had set special signs in English...

SmoKing room!

Long live King Smo!!!

Transit @ Hong-Kong

Moins de 36 hr a Guangzhou (et pas beaucoup de sommeil) et me voila deja a Hong Kong pour tenter de rentrer de bonne heure a Tokyo.
Tenter car l'avion a eu du retour mais mais, au lounge Air France, c'est dur: fromage, magret de canard, Champagne, vin rouge, ...
En fait, pas d'alcool. Personne avec qui celebrer quoique ce soit.

Decollage a 1h30 du matin, soit 2h30 heure de Tokyo pour une arrivee a 6h45. Je vais etre bien frais.
Guerlain a en fait etait choisi pour representer l'ecole (sa classe ?) a un truc pour l'environnement. Sea Forest ca s'appelle.
Il doit y avoir du beau monde: un astronaute JPN, un celebre architecte, egalement nippon, un prix Nobel de l'environnement (Africaine?), ... Ce devrait etre interessant.

Encore 2h a poireauter et mon PC boulot est HS... Pas de connexion possible. Quel dommage!

Oblige de surfer sur les Mac du lounge, maintenant que le vol pour Paris est parti... Je dois etre seul, avec les gens qui travaille.

Semaine minable cote sport: j'ai fait un peu plus de 2h de sport cette semaine: rien demain, et course dimanche (enfin!).
Derniere repetition avant LA grande course.

Aller, je suis a cour de petits fours!

Course de velo

Alain a gagne, il est trop fort! (plus de bla bla bientot)

40 km/h, compte tenu de la meteo, meme (surtout) en peleton, c'est pas mal... pour moi.

Indiana Jones

Besoin de commentaire? Le premier chapeau etait trop petit... Celui-la est taille adulte! Et avec le lasso....
Do you really need comments? The hat form the birthday was too small. Now it's adult size!
The whip does it all though...

Piece de theatre Guerlain (et Sandy)

Guerlain a tres bien joue - il a ete bien dirige par Sandy!

Guerlain performed very well but he also was well directed by Sandy!

Ce decors a ete dessine et peint par Guerlain et un autre eleve.

Guerlain drew and painted this set with another student.

People REALLY appreciated Sandy's efforts for the Drama Club and the play's preparation.

Les parents ont beaucoup apprecie les efforts de Sandy pour le club de theatre et la preparation de la piece.

Dossards de l'Ironman!!!

Ca y est, on a les numeros de dossard:

Master Yoda ==> 1194 (c'est Paul)
Dark Lord: Darth Vador ==> 1434 (c'est Eric)
Young Luke Skywalker : 1481 (c'est moi)

See the bib number above.
Paul is Master Yoda for his coaching and training science. Eric turned to the Dark side as he is over training (too fast!). And I'm Luke because I'm the most handsome and yet still a rookie...

Paul est notre maitre d'entrainement, Paul est le mechant dans La guerre des etoiles parce qu'il s'entraine tres (trop) fort, et moi, je suis Luke Skywalker parce encore un bleu a cet exercice de furieux! (et que je suis le plus beau des 3!) : )

A noter ci-dessous le nouveau parcours de natation: mais toujours 3.8km...

Here is the new swim route. More details to come.

Aie !!! Ouch !!!

http://www.standaard.be/video/videoPlayer.aspx?videoId=5829

Merci a Tom pour le lien! J'en avais entendu parler, mais le voir est effectivement mieux...
Thanks Tom for the link! Seeing it is always better than talking about it...

Chaine cassee. Brain chain.

Do check out Tom's blog: he just excelled in a 300km bike race!
http://vlaamsewielrenner.blogspot.com/
Allez voir le blog de Tom, ses aventures cyclistes sont aussi belles que les photos. De plus, il vient de faire un super resultat: 6ieme sur une course de 300km! re-Aie!

Bilan hebdo / Weekly summary

71.2 kg (sous controle) et 10h10 cette semaine...

As mentioned above 71.2 kg and 10h10... Painfully.

Painfully because I fell apart last week-end: knee, sciatic nerve, calf - the other one.

And this week was attempting to recover.

Bobos la semaine passee: genou (hibou caillou), nerf sciatique, et le retour du mollet (l'autre). Donc beaucoup de muscu (elastiques) pour laisser les jambes recuperer. Ce n'est pas encore tout a fait cela, mais ca va mieux ce week-end.

Les membres inferieurs qui derouillent...

A: Quadriceps/genou gauche / Left quad/knee

B: Nerf sciatique dans la fesse droite /Sciatic nerve in the right butt cheek

C: Mollet gauche, plus de soucis /Left calf, it's fine now

D: Mais c'est maintenant le droit qui lache... / But the right one is now giving in...

Sullivan TrouveTout

Voila le projet de Sullivan, presente a l'ecole: la machine a faire des traits droits.

Sullivan a perce, scie (a la scie sauteuse) et cloue en partie son engin...

Sullivan's school project is quite outstanding: a straight line maker.

He put most of it together. That includes power tools usage: drill, saw...

Ishigaki, in English (at last)

We head once again to Ishigaki for a great week-end of fun and racing. Our group seems to grow bigger, and yet the enthusiasm and camaraderie are fantastic!

Ishigaki is my priority #2 this year. #1 is the Ironman in Frankfurt in July. And to prepare for the latter one, we (Paul & Eric) have been loading it up! My biking has improved tremendously (wasn’t that hard, I admit) and I got back into running a couple months ago. So the volume is there, more than ever before but nothing specific for an Olympic distance race and I wonder how the load (tiiiiiired) will impact the result.
We arrived on Saturday morning. We got ourselves ready under cloudy conditions. But today, it looks perfect. Slight overcast, no wind, good temperature. We’re going to have a ball !

After getting my number on the shoulders and breakfast, I’m off the to the transition area… I’m trying to get organized but I can’t seem to do it right. On top of it, they changed the warming up time – 10mn earlier than planed…

So I’m rushing to get there, but I end up ready just in time for the get-out: I totally missed the warm-up…
Oh well.

I go with the guys from the first wave (waves are normally assigned on swim times : faster times go first, and so on).
We chat while I try to move around to mitigate the lack of swim warm-up…
I have 30mn until the start and I realize I forgot to take something to drink and a Powergel I usually take just before the start. And needless to say that it’s darn hot in a wetsuit when it’s 25 degrees!
And not so well organized today…

7h50, it’s time to go over the timing mat, to make sure our ankle microchips are set. The Mayor gives his inaugural speech, in Japanese and then in English. His English is getting better every year.

I clean up my goggles and position myself on the inside, closest position to the first buoy, on the second row.
I jump around, spin my arms to try to get my heart going for the 2 laps of the swim.

It’s gonna be a great day, no rain, not too hot, and now I have to jump in someone’s feet to call it a day (let him do the work)!

BANG, the gun (or horn) goes off. Start watch. I run, I check if the watch if going, run and dive. Easy ! I don’t push it at all, but I’m very careful. I don’t want my pilot fish to get away. I squeeze gently into second position, letting the leader do the hard work. A guy try to sneak in (in between)… No way, that’s my spot, I push him out – I’m a nice guy, just not now…
I look over the leader’s feet, on the other side. We’ve gone 50m, or 100m, and I see someone taking off. Should I shift guy I wonder.
No, he’s coming back to us and drags off, like everyone else. Good.
But I feel like I’m not swimming at all. My pilot fish seems to have slowed down, sprinting to get the leadership.
I’m coming to the unsatisfactory conclusion that I’m gonna have to do my own work… As we turn over the first buoy – 250 m off the start – I jump in the lead. Since I’m M. Nice-guy I make sure to kick hard : create a gap with the rest of the pack. I can drag of people in the swim, but they can’t!
Then it’s PURE pleasure. I know no one is dragging / draft off without even checking. I’m in the front and the water is totally still, better than in a pool. It’s great – salty water + triathlon wetsuit make a incredible combination. I feel like I’m flying over the water.

350m, I turn and proceed back towards the start area. While I turn I finally glance back at the followers. Hum, I wish I would of made a bigger gap…
At that point I realize there is a side way current, drafting me away from the line. Good thing I noticed it. I’ll make an effort to stick close to the rope on the second lap : most people will draft out like I just did and the rope is shortest way to the next buoy. Now that I’m swim to close my first loop, I feel a lot of waves. The 1000 something swimmers going in the other direction are making some of waves on the other side…
I close my first loop like nothing. I give my elastic (wrist band) up in the basket as I run out. Even though it’s one of the toughest part of the race (running after you’ve been laying down), I goof around and wave at the “fans” I don’t have. I dive back in for the second lap. Boy, I’m out of breath, the run is hard on the heart.

Soon I start catching up swimmers in their first lap. Fortunately, they’re swimming on the far side (close to the center rope while the shortest way is away from it… But as I get to the turn around of my second lap, it gets messy – to say the least.
I turn in the crowd in a manly manner at that point – don’t want the other guys to catch up on me.
There are people everywhere, on the left, on the right, in front, behind, sometimes underneath (especially when they decide to swim sideway: away from the objective)… I now try to stick to the inside as the current should drift most people away from the rope… But in fact, some are holding the rope, others are sticking to them, and I ended up crawling on top of people. It’s crazy – and tiring.
Got to do something! I break away and go wide – I have no choice.
I feel that I’ve been pushing it to make through. Last buoy and I aim at the finish still slaloming between other swimmers. I’m ok as I know my fellow followers are in the same thick traffic!

I try to kick to get blood circulation going again (haven’t use the legs much with the wetsuit). But I don’t have much energy – it’s a slow kick. I extract myself from the water and start jogging to the T1 while taking the wetsuit off. As I pass the showers and then the clock I see 18’20 – Not bad !
I calmly « rush » to the bike and get the wetsuit completely off – sometimes it gets stuck at the ankles – but not this time.
Sun glasses, helmet, attach the helmet, the belt (with the bib number), a drink, … That’s it? Yes, go! I take the Felt and run next with it to the exit. I’m still in the lead I think.

I run and throw myself on top of the bike. That’s when the spectators must of had a good laugh! Instead of jumping OVER the seat, I jumped INTO it, right in the crotch! Try to picture my hands on the handlebars, pain on the face, the belly on the saddle, and the feet high in the air behind… Superman action ! Fortunately I don’t crash. I get back down and start again. Ok, this time I make it above the seat but the shoes are all messed up. They were attached flat to the pedals but the elastics broke or became undone so it’s difficult to pedal. A mess!
Finally I manage to get going – my worst transition EVER. I start pedaling and slide my feet in the shoes. At that point a guy passes me!!! Rah, I just wasted 35 sec (time difference at the end of the swim)!

Anyway it’s no big deal – there’s still a long way to the finish. I’m in good position on my 2 wheel missile and start off with a good tempo to get warmed up.
I feel great. At km 3, I start drinking. I check the heart rate (HR). None : I’m dead ? Not ! It sometimes doesn’t work for a while. I keep going, and start to shift down to increase pressure on the pedals. But I want to push moderately still so I check again the HR. Nothing, still. Weird. I check the chest belt sensor : it’s undone! I guess that while I was doing the acrobat after T1 it snapped off. I have to continue as it is: I’m not stopping to put it back on, nor I’m putting it back on the bike! I’ll follow my feeling.
The now-leader is taking off slowly. I focus on myself and enjoy the ride.
I remain in aero position as km pass by. I wave at spectators on the road side, in front of their house or at crossings. I think about Eric whom must be starting to kick ass on his monster bike. Alain must be exiting the water about now…
2 guys pass me, inches apart. Just go ahead guys, why don’t you draft ! In fact I think the 1st one just passed the other one as they over took me. Soon, they « break up ». I take this opportunity to increase the load and maintain a constant distance with them, about 10m. I keep up as such until we turn inland, that’s a little over 10km into the ride. Inland means the start of the hilly section.
I thought for a moment that my climb had improved drastically as I’m catching up my predecessor. In fact he just turned very poorly allowing to make up ground. But once in the climb itself, the gap increases again.
The first hills go ok, then back on flat area – everything is under control. I start to feel re-assured:
- swim : ok
- biking : feeling ok
- the rest should be fine.
It’s going up again. And as the grade goes up (getting steeper), I choke. I struggle making it up there with tempo. My legs feel empty. And I’m letting the road take over the control…
Almost half way, I’m at the beginning of a LONG straight line, a rolling one. I have good memories from the previous years. But today, again, I stall in the first up portion, then in the second as well. I see my 2 fellow riders taking off. What’s going on ? I got no peps, no energy. The hear is fine, but the legs won’t push harder.
While riding down, I reflect on this a little : I guess riding 150km last Sunday in the mountains might be related to this state… May be I left some energy out there!
Fortunately, with the speed and not as steep climbs, the rest of the rolling road is becoming quite fun.
I reach the half way point and I start to feel good with a good tempo. Nonetheless I’m recalling the climbing issues I just had and think again of the big climb last week… My mind is going back and forth on this: feeling better now & stalled on the climbs… I don’t seem to be able to get out of that thought.

I finish the rolling section knowing I still have short but very steep climb followed by a more casual one but quite long one. I can’t see the other 2 riders by now.
I reach the steep one and grind my teeth to make it up the best I can. At the same time I’m preparing myself for the long one.
Once I reach it, it actually feels easy: I press harder. At the end of the road the photographers shot like maniacs with their huge lens. I wave hi, as usual… And keep the same attitude with the people whom are in the middle of nowhere and yet cheer us up. It’s nice to be nice…

Tight turn, well managed (because Coach Alain is reading) and I reach the “cherry on the pie”: it’s 2km straight down hill road. ALL OUT! I’ve been waiting for that one for a year!
Unfortunately, there are wind gusts. Sideways… With the aero wheels, the bike is quite sensitive and moves a lot. So I decide to get out of aero position to get a good grip of the handle bar. Then I pedal like a freak! Soon I tell myself I can’t keep that way : I got a great aero set up (bike, wheel, helmet,…) and a great down hill and I’m hold the handlebar… That’s a big no-no ! So I dive back into aero position stretching forward, lower my chest and start pedaling even hard than before. What a blast! 65 km/h for today’s max speed ! I can’t pedal fast enough now !

Right turn, mastered as usual (hem hem) and I’m on my way home – well, on my way to T2… About 12 km left of flats or slight inclines. I actually now feel ready and going. I keep a good pressure on the pedals and a good cadence. I finish this stretch by myself, with still some “hi” to the spectators.
No wind, little overcast: ideal conditions.
I reach 30km kike & I check the clock. 48mn I think, quick math, that’s a sub 1h10 bike… I’m not that bad!
I start the second gel. Then I realize – dummy! – I don’t remember where I put the other 2 – the ones for the run. I recall the hat, the shoes. But no recollection of the gels – another poor preparation item.
Alright, I’ll have to manage this one tightly. Drink-wise I’m doing good – I run dry 2km for the transition – well done, no extra weight carried.

I release pressure for the last km, get out of the shoes 200m from T2.
There’s nobody. Usually there is 1 or 2 referees to tell you where to get down from the bike. I dismount (without any clumsiness) at the first line I see. Stop watch & check: 1h04! What? That’s 4 mn faster than last year. It really didn’t feel that fast (cf. the trouble in the hills)!
Anyway I’m not here to chat around. Let’s go. I run with the bike to drop it off. I set on the handle bars as the seat is too high to place it normally. But it slides off. Alright, I park it against the fence (not where it’s supposed to go… But no time to deal with that: gotta run!
I set the stop watch for the run: I’m ready to break 40mn (well I don’t know how, but I want to!!!). Just like the great down hill for the bike, I’ve been waiting for the whole run for a long time! In the last 2 races I went 40mn something so now is the time to go under and I’m ready to hurt if necessary!
I start off on a good tempo. The first 500m are stiff. My legs are still in cycling mode. It’s hard.
Now that my hands are free I can put my heart rate monitor back normally. Soon 1 km.
The course is slightly different than last year. I’ll be turning towards the middle of the town. And from our ride yesterday, we noticed the street is on an incline: we gotta to run up. I’m ok with it – I know about it.
Here it goes, up. Nothing ?! It goes up (a little) but it doesn’t seem to affect my stride or heart rate. I think I’m doing ok.
To avoid previous disappointments (all the kilometers weren’t 1km long !) I’ll look my time up only every 2 km – more chance to be somewhat accurate.
2km: 7mn something. I’m early! I though I’d be at 8mn but I’m way fast. Should I worry about being fast too early. Nope, it doesn’t come to mind. But I still want to pace myself correctly.
At that point I hear running behind me. The Japanese guy, shorter than me, passes me. 8 km to go, what do I do? Alright, I said I was ready to hurt: now is the time. I jump in his steps. He looks back meaning he doesn’t like it. Too bad, run drafting is authorized.
Argh – it’s way fast! After 200 or 300 m I realize he’s way too quick for me. I have to return to my own pace. It’s tough in the head: I get dropped so easily by a guy that’s ½ my size…
Couple of turns and it’s a long rolling stretch (no real climb though).
Temperature is fine, the heart is all out, I feel the engine is full throttle. A notch faster and I’ll choke… I must keep it that way. Soon I’ll give everything left.
Km 4 – I don’t recall watching the clock. I know I’m running well (for me obviously).
I take some of the gel that I’m consuming very slowly due supply shortage…
The kids from school and baseball clubs stand along the road cheering, singing, giving water or wet sponges. It feels good on the back.
Km 5, alright – I’ll look at the watch: 18’20! Incredible ! I don’t know how I’m doing it – I’m rocking ! It’s way faster than the 4mn/km I’m targeting.
I’m awfully close the max – I know it. Again: a notch faster, harder and I’ll blow. But right now I feel alright. I can keep going.
I reach the end of the rolling road. It’s the turn to close the loop.
I start to fade –I feel it. It’s hard to keep the tempo. I need to push again, keep cadence. Lean forward, run faster… It’s hard. But I find my mental key to get myself going. I just have to think of the marathon I have to do to complete the Ironman (meaning after 180 km biking) in Frankfurt. Thinking about it makes my legs go wild.
Km 6 – at last! Each km seems longer and longer. I hear noise from behind… Rah, someone is catching me up.
Alright, the marathon, I got to stick to him. Here he comes. Marathon, getting the legs going…
Hem, how can I explain: he drops me.
I feel like I’m walking he passed me so fast ! I can try anything to get going again, but nothing works.
Where is km 7 ? I guess I missed it while I was being passed.

There, there is km marker. Km 8 ? No ?! It’s only km 7!! Take that in your face! Man it’s hard… I feel it, I’m slowing down – the batteries are gone. Think of the marathon, the Ironman… Nope, nothing’s happening now. My « friend » took off – he’s so far now. I’m so slow !
The marathon, break the 40mn, go for the pain, … Repeat over and over…
Finally my head takes control again. The body took over for a couple a minutes that felt like eternity. But I’m back on top by km8. I push the legs again and again.
I give it all, or almost all. I didn’t come all the way to get beat on the finish line. So I have to be able to sprint if needed. People tell me I’m 6th or 7th I don’t know. So I speed up (well at least in the head) in case someone was closing on me. The engine is boiling, like a pressure cooker !
I run pass the hotel, soon in front of the finish so I’ll have 1 km left or so – finally.
As I go by I look at the official clock : 2h00’something…
(the little mouse turns the wheel very slowly at the end of the race) So it takes a little bit to realize I can close it under 2h04. 2h04!!! Hurray!
I get going even more now. Got to clock that last km in less than 4mn ! Gotta finish like a storm – but the tank is empty. The turn-around point is soooo far!

That’s it, I’m there, 500 m to go. In the turn I look back – will there be a final sprint? No it looks like I’m alone. I’m relieved but I keep pushing. Now 2h04 is the target… so close to it!
I look back again (double check). It’s ok.
400m… rah!
300m, alright – I sprint for myself and a 2h03’59… That would be great…

I see the finish, I take off the glasses & the hat (for the finish picture, duh !). The clock just went from 2h02 to 2h03. Only a few meters to go. I can’t believe I’m about 5mn faster than last year.

Stop the watch: 37’40 for the run. Incredible: I have no clue where does that come from. I haven’t done ANY speed work… It’s crazy.

Alright, drink, recover and go cheer the others..
I see the Jerome’s and Alain going. I missed Eric’s finish: 2’09. He improved so much too! It’s funny how training can help…

In the afternoon we had the opportunity to see the pro races (women & men).
After the impressive race from my friend Stephane Poulat, member of the France National Team, I went to see him, anxious to share my great performance… Proud to tell my time, he replied: well you got 3 mn left to drop!
Huh?! What does he mean? I just went 2h03 – that’s awesome! No ?
But then I realized – he’s right. Next time I got to drop my time again!

In the mean time, the focus is Frankfurt. Everything is focus on preparing the 3.8km swim, 180 km bike and the famous marathon to complete this challenge on July 6th…

Combat d'insectes

TEPCO museum ou musee de l'electricite (EDF)

La famille Gelin nous a montre ce musee, a Shibuya... Nous y sommes retournes avec Guerlain pendant que Sullivan etait avec un de ses copains.

Thanks to our friends' indications, we learnt about this museum in Shibuya. We went back with Guerlain as Sullivan was on a play date with one of his buddies...

Nous avons regarde les centrales nucleaires, les barrages ou autres centrales thermiques... mais c'est quand meme avec les puzzles que l'on s'est le plus amuse...

Promendae a Tokyo / Tokyo stroll

Ballade avec les garcons a Tokyo, ci-dessus le batiment Audi et Guerlain a demande de faire la photo de nous...

While talking a walk near Omotesando we found the Audi building to be quite something... And Guerlain asked to take the picture of us...

Tour du monde

Nous avons eu le privilege de rencontrer une famille francaise qui fait le tour du monde.

Les Gelins sont partis de France il y a plus de 6 mois et poursuivent leur voyage...

Le blog:

http://ilssontou.blogspirit.com/

Bilan hebdo / Weekly summary

25h40 d'entrainement cette semaine! Record perso, depuis plus de 10 ans!

25h40 - that's a record, for the last 10 years at least.

I need to pick up the running, the biking is coming along obviously. The run is my coming focus.
J'ai besoin de travailler ma course a pieds, il faut que j'arrive a rallonger mon endurance...

Pentago - mind twisting game / Jeu casse-tete

L'objectif du jeu est simple: il faut aligner 5 billes de la meme couleur pour gagner. Mais attention, apres avoir pose une bille, il faut tourner un des 4 carres rouges...
The goal is easy: you got to line up 5 balls of the same color to win.
But be careful because after you put a ball you got to turn one of the 4 red squares.
Guerlain

Sullivan - 8 ans

5h du mat'... "J'ai 8 ans!"

Faites des enfants on vous dit...

Heureusement, apres, Sullivan a ete silencieux et j'ai pu roupiller un peu plus.

Sullivan a pu ouvrir ses cadeaux ce matin, alors que son frere etait encore dans le pate...
Ici, avec BumbleBee, le hero de Transformers (le film).

Guerlain, en plein dedans...
Et Sullivan avec son chapeau de Indiana Jones.

Et ce soir, le reste du cadeau: il invite 10 copains a dormir a la maison - que du bonheur!

Les chiffres / Key figures

Le retour vers Yamanakako fut long et difficile. Les jambes etaient vides. Nous avons pris Route 24 qui le dernier troncon, tres raide, de l'ascension principale...
En 3 jours: 20h40 d'entrainement, dont seulement 2 h environ en course a pieds. Le reste est du 2 roues.
The climb back to the Cabin was rough as I was on "empty" all the way. Note though the final portion of the main climb: the step portion is Route 24... Very good one.
20h40 in 3 days, with only 2h running.
I though I was tired going up... going down was even more challenging at times. Fortunately we stoped at a monument of the Japanese Culture: Costco! Pizza & ice cream... Boy it was hard to get going after that break.

Autant la veille, pour le retour au chalet, j'etais rince, autant en desecente, j'etais EPUISE. Plus rien dans le sac. Et justement, pour le recharger, un petit arret au Costco Machida (pizza & glace) et ca repart!

Record de vitesse / Speed record: 67.4 km/h