Weekly News Number 11

11 weeks later and here I am, writing this from the plane back to Noosa. I don’t really know if I should start chronologically or just say it straight: this is not how I imagined it. But when I have time and read everything again, I’ll probably understand why it ended the way it did. Because in reality, I maybe had three really good weeks of training and momentum with Kurt.

Now it’s about going back, building that momentum again, and then we’ll see where I stand in six weeks in Sydney. But first I need to figure out if I can even afford the flight to that race. That’s a problem for future Cyrill.

We start where the week begins: Monday, race week for Geelong 70.3. A place where I felt comfortable straight away last year, so for me it was clear that I wanted to come back.

The start of the week felt a bit slow, more focused on recovery than anything else. But at the same time, I knew that was a good sign. If I felt too fresh now, it would definitely be too early. On Tuesday I just trained easy and listened to my body.

In the pool I did a set I really like during race week: the well-known 40x50 by Brett Sutton. After those 2 km I had a really good feeling, and from past sessions I know my swim form is there. The only question is whether I can show it in the race.

Besides training, it was also about getting everything organised, especially the bike and all the race gear. I went through everything again, checked that everything was working and ready. At times I felt quite nervous during the week, but at the same time I was also really excited. I just didn’t really know what to expect from the race.

I’ve done a lot of speed work, but nothing very race specific. Still, I believe that’s the better approach long term. My goal is clear: I don’t want to be at my best now, I want to be strong at the end of the year. When I come to Europe, I want to be strong when others start to fade, and I believe I’m on the right path for that.

On Wednesday, on the way to Geelong, I felt like a postman. I had a second bike and a lot of gear for other athletes with me. That meant a bit more coordination and organisation, but in the end everything worked out. Everything arrived in Melbourne and we could make a lot of athletes happy by bringing them what they needed to race.

I packed my own bike early in the morning to avoid stress and make sure everything was ready. Honestly, I was quite proud of how organised I was and how relaxed I’ve become with these things, even when something doesn’t go according to plan. Swiss people are really good at making plans, and even better at having backup plans for everything. That’s something I’ve moved away from, and sometimes I’m actually glad about it. Things don’t always need a perfect plan, sometimes they just work themselves out.

Travel day came, and like always, a lot of unexpected things happened. We had a delay flying to Melbourne because of fog and diverted planes. So we arrived without Debbie, Emma’s mum, who was travelling from New Zealand, but we knew she would arrive the next day.

At the airport we rented a bigger car, which made us feel like we were living the American dream for a moment. But after driving it for a few days, even through tight parking garages, I have to say: the Ford Everest is actually perfect as a triathlete. All the gear and three people fit easily and we were ready to head to Geelong.

The highlight of the day for me was something else though: seeing my mum again. We hadn’t seen each other since September, but it felt like it was just yesterday. You don’t need to say much, you just know what the other is thinking. That connection is something really special. Nice to have you here, Mum.

On the way, I also picked up my new helmet, which I got with the help of my bike fitter. I have to say, now I understand why so many people use this Rudy helmet – I really think it’s extremely good.

Arriving in Clifton Springs, the same place as last year, I immediately felt comfortable. The last sessions also gave me confidence that Sunday could be a good day.

Friday morning started with Kurt on the bike course. After his photoshoot, we rode together and I felt really good. In that moment I knew: the taper worked, maybe even better than last year.

We did a session with 4x2 minutes from 180 to 320 watts, building it up nicely, and afterwards we had a coffee with Kurt and our group. Later I went for a swim in the ocean to test the borrowed wetsuit, and I immediately felt like it might even be faster than my own. I also felt really good in the water.

The rest of the afternoon was relaxed. Eating Haribo, slowing down and just staying out of the sun.

Race day – everything on the line

The days before a race are relaxed in terms of training, that’s true. But from an organisation point of view, not at all. I wake up without an alarm to give my body the sleep it needs. After that, the main focus is eating and loading carbohydrates.

In the morning I did a short session, combining bike and run. On the bike 4x15 second sprints, and on the run short pace efforts. And as always, when you’re fresh, everything just feels easy.

Back home I ate again, packed my things, cooked pasta and went to the pro briefing and bike check-in. I try to keep everything efficient, but I just can’t say no when people want to talk. Especially older people who are interested in the sport – I really enjoy that.

Then race day was there. The day of truth.

I got up at 4:20, which didn’t actually feel that bad. The morning was calm: coffee, breakfast and then off to Geelong. Once there, I went straight to transition, got my bike ready, checked everything again and finished the last details. Baby powder in the shoes and everything was set.

Warm-up, a bit of jogging, drills, some talking and laughing – and then suddenly everything speeds up. Wetsuit on and into the water. And right away I knew: the water feeling is there.

I had a clean start without much contact and felt good about my swim. When I was next to Blummenfelt, I knew I was in a good position. The swim in Geelong is quite calm and almost feels like pool swimming. You can settle in and get on feet easily.

The transition from water to bike is always a challenge for me. As soon as you go from horizontal to vertical, the heart rate spikes.

On the bike I first tried to get into a group, but with the 20 m rule that’s almost impossible. In the end I rode the whole race alone. My powermeter didn’t work at all, so I just rode by feel. After about an hour I realised it was going to be a tough day, and after 70 km it really hit me.

I had around 130 g of carbs per hour, which felt good. What I didn’t manage well was taking enough water, as the aid stations were sometimes too dangerous. The most positive thing I take away is how present I was during the race. I was fully in the moment the entire time.

On the run, not much was left. Stomach cramps, heavy legs – I just did what I could and got to the finish. There were sections where I could run again and others where I had to walk. With enough water I could stabilise myself again and keep going.

Run Ironman 70.3 Geelong

After the race – reality, thoughts and motivation

At the finish I was disappointed at first, which is part of it. My three supporters immediately took me to get burgers, and that’s always a good decision.

After that we went back, picked up the bike, checked the gear and returned to the Airbnb.

I was completely exhausted, but I knew if I sat down, it would only get worse. So I did everything straight away: unpacking, washing, sorting and taking the bike apart. Anyone who has done that knows how tough it is, but once it’s done, it feels really good.

In the evening we had a BBQ. Buying meat, firing up the grill and ending the day together. A really nice finish to an intense day. Geelong, I’ll be back.

I want to thank Emma, my mum and Debbie for being there the whole weekend and supporting me. That means a lot to me. And also to all of you who followed along over the last 11 weeks – thank you for your time. I always enjoyed writing this down.

I will definitely continue this series. I think it will become a kind of diary that I can look back on.

Thanks and see you soon.

Cyrill