How to take the same time in a marathon as 180 km of bike after swimming champion style!
It has been on Saturday and my legs are still a bit wrinkled. I will return to that topic soon.
I went to Porto after a full day of classes, a tight week in which I had been wit the flu the earlier Sunday at My Lx Triathlon Experience.
Needless to say, I didn't train an ass during that week. 2 days off, one training and a half, and it was done. Take a look, I usually say that with the volume I have, I'll make an IronMan any day, and it's not a lie!
The week was really full of work, but what was screwing me was really having a cold and a scratchy throat. Whoever was with me on the race didn't hear a complaint or anything on this subject, and I doubt they even noticed. What I changed in the race was just being careful to dry myself out of the water, so there would be no problem with falling back or losing strength. I did not lose!!!
It was saying that I went up to the north with Pedro Leiria and Sandra Cruz who are the best companions. Leiria has walked a lot of km with me in every way and shape and Sandra has already supported me in these crazy things. This time I was going to be much more supportive. This support would be filled by the Trole Ferreira clan which includes Isabel Trole, Joana Trole Ferreira and Miguel Trole Ferreira, my favourite triathlete in the world and supporter extraordinaire!
Nor do I speak of the others who were supporting the other athletes and who were giving me love and affection in a variety of ways. The thing about a guy being a jerk has its perks. Most of the time, the nonsense I say and do, even in the middle of the race, guarantees me extra smiles and applause that are an absolutely precious fuel! To them and especially to them, my thanks.
The race would start upstream with 4250 meters to swim. After having wandered around to find the place where we would concentrate there (because I hadn't been able to go to any of the bri
Things to improve next year, a sign indicating "Spirit of 78 Triathlon this way" and others explaining what those crazy people are doing along the way. Signs along the route saying to the drivers to give a break to the cyclists, because we are paying tribute to first heroes, and return signs at the turning points. So, they don't think I'm just saying things, they're already informed that next year if the organization accepts, I'll bring those plates and go on Friday to the turning points, so we can put them in the place... and a finish line... even if it robs someone of a portico! It's said, it's said!
I was saying... let's go up there and after a few trips of Pedro Leiria to the bathroom and me waiting for him. I refused to go to the local where the swimming started because I was waiting for him in a car that had only 1 free seat. When I asked about him, he had already gone.
Now I must say here that I was, go, slightly annoyed, maybe upset. And I say upset not to say that I was FUCKED off from life (twice fucked) with the guy and if I caught him there, I would hit him! Dass…
When I arrived there, I looked at that slutty face with the most casual air in the world saying "Hey man...I didn't even see you!" I forgave the guy right away… or maybe not! Furthermore, I'll tell you in a minute, hehehe.
First live of the day. It's curious how important communication is. There were people there who didn't know me personally but knew my lives. It's neither good nor bad. It is what it is. If this contributes positively to triathlon, then that's fine. So, there are people who wait for a while. I do lives.
We entered the water that was DELICIOUS. Quelle maraville man! Current in favour. We even had to swim backwards to keep from going away.
We start with great enthusiasm, with the usual wet punch and kick. Even with only 40 guys in the water, there is always confusion and discomfort. I notice that lately I get my pace straighter faster and get more comfortable and swim faster. Well, this time I swam at 1:17/100 meters because of the current and I swam the 4373 meters so fast that the clock marked at 56:16.6. I usually take 1h20!!!! And I even went to the middle of the river :) I like to go further ahahah
There I saw the chimney they had talked about and successfully pointed to the exit. It was at the first try. I left and suddenly found myself cleaning myself with a towel that belonged to Leiria because mine was in another bag. Well, the towel... it wasn't Leiria's... Paulo's wife told me! She said right away that everything was fine... Hey man... my apologies… seriously.
Undress and dress and when I realize I have a girl drying my back and 2 different ones putting on my socks. One on each foot. Man, tell me what you want, but quality of life is this. The
I decided that as the swimming had gone well, I had to make an effort on the bike to see what came out. I thought that if Leiria were okay, we would still have a good time. There we went the 2.
Half way we had 31.1Kms/h of average and Leiria didn't have a watch because the stodge forgot to charge it. I took that as advantage on the fact that he wasn't aware of the speed to rub his skin because he left without me. I squeezed it until He started steaming from the head, when I calm down to let it cool down, I really like the guy.
Supported by the Trole Ferreira clan, Sandra and Patricia Marques Dos Santos, who lent me a buff for the head, a fact that later she bitterly regretted it. She didn't know yet that whatever touches my sweating skin in a race, gets worse than something that has been in Chernobyl and Fukoshima!
We were still dragging, a variety of people on the bike, always in a big party atmosphere, and I negotiated with Leiria a reduction in pace, so I didn't have to take him straight to the Gondomar cemetery.
This was only going to happen on the run. Smooth transition and at Km 8 Leiria asked to be cremated :) He was dizzy and turning white, and we had to manage that. There was one thing I know wasn't going to happen. He wasn't going to give up, and I wasn't going to leave him there. If it were the other way around, I know he wouldn't leave without me (unless it was in the transport for swimming).
It was in this mixture of suffering and agony, between walking, running and stopping, that I did my slowest marathon ever. At one point I had to run effectively and stop after a few meters because my knees and tops of my feet were getting a lot!
All this to tell you that Leiria at the end was alive and recommended and after everything, He came back to life and ended up before me in a noteworthy final sprint at about 7'/km!!!
The involvement of those present, even though it started to rain hard, Gil Caldeira bearing a beating load and Manuel Santiago Faro taking a beating load with an absolutely fantastic spirit, make that everything that can be written about this IronMan be small in the eyes of these guys.
I'll certainly be leaving a lot out, but I have to go get lunch done :)
If I can, next year I will be there again. This was my third IronMan of the year. In addition to the double I made. Enough for this year... I think...
Bighug everyone!
José Pedro Canela
