Challenge Vitoria 2013

[TRIumphant]

Where: Vitoria Gasteiz, Northern Spain
When: 28/07/13
Organiser: Challenge
Distance: 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run
Tech: Chip timing
Goodie bag: Transition bag, Technical Finishers shirt, Medal
Marshalling: Excellent and friendly.

This was the first running of this event, having last year been the ITU Long Distance World Championship. A family holiday was being arranged to Northern Spain, and then this event popped up on the radar, so I got WAT sign off, and we decided to spend our break in Vitoria itself.

In 2010 I popped my IM cherry in Bolton, then 2011 did Tenby. 2012 was a quiet year with no Tri's, just an Ultra and the Man V horse Marathon, so 2013 I was going to go long again. Treated myself to a new TT bike early in the year, as thought this would be best for Vitoria, as having done a bit of research it was flat'ish, for the Basque region, with a lot of time on the aerobars, and fairly windy.

Travel was good, went with Britanny Ferries from Portsmouth to Bilbao, 2 night crossing, arriving on the Tuesday before race day.

Registration: Was a doddle, really well organised, multi-lingual, Basque, then Spanish, then English, so no real issues, and picked up my bag, numbers, chip etc., and then a mooch around the Expo.

Racking: The race has a split transition, which when I did Bolton wasn't ideal, but here everything was sorted for you. T1 was at the lake, about 15 miles out of town, and T2 in the town in the central square. Walked the bike from the hotel to T2, about 5 minutes, racked my run bag, and then coaches and bike transport was laid on to take everyone to the T1 to rack. Checked in the bike and bag, and then back on the coach into town.

Race day: Hotel we stayed in was an official race hotel, so breakfast was extended from 05:00-11:00. Up at 4:45 to ablute, into race kit, and eat my rice pudding, then down to breakfast for some fruit and coffee. Coach arrived at 5:45 to take everyone up to the lake.

Spectators had later coaches to they could have breakfast, and then get to the lake for the start. Or as mine did, skip breakfast, get a later coach, watch the siwm, then coach back into town, and catch the end of breakfast.

Swim: Swim is in a fantatstic lake, that allows public swimming, very clean water, and scenic being set amongst the mountains. Multi wave starts from 8:00 with the Pro Men, Pro Women, 35-39, other ages, then the Open, which my my wave at 8:20. About 90 in my wave, called to the start line, and we were off, run into the water and onto the first leg, a 1400 m straight swim to the first buoy. No real issues on the swim, lots of space from the start, and no real melee. Bouys could have been bigger, and the final bouy being almost a mile away seemed tiny, but head down and got into my ususal stroke. Wasn't too long before you were catching up and passing the earlier wave. Battled on with the swim, with no real issues, and made the final turn for shore. Out of the water in 1:23:47, which I was disappointed at, having always been around the 1:10 mark, but reviewing the Garmin it shows a distance of 4.38km, and others have siad it was long, so not too unhappy,

T1: Into T1, wetsuit off, helmet and shows on, get the bike, and over the mount line, no issues, and all straightforward. 0:04:01

Bike: Bike is a three loop course, with the third loop modified to take you back to Vitoria rather than the lake. Plan was to take Loop 1 easy, ride harder on Loop 2, then ease off a little for Loop 3. Started nice an easy, tucked in behind a German guy riding at around 28kph, and kept with him, probably to the point where I pissed him off, but I was riding within my limits and comfortable. Nice scenic route riding along the mountains and through rural villages, support was a lot better then I;d expect with groups of cyclists everywhere cheering. First turn changes your direction South, and the wind picked up, together with the heat, and then into a largish town and the turn back to Vitoria and hen the wind hit. About 20km of riding into a hair dryer, no escape from the wind or heat, so it was head down, and just focus on the cadence, and before long into the outskirts of Vitoria and the turn back to the lake for loop 2.

As planned, took Loop 2 a little harder, with no real issues, only the wind was slightly harder, and it was hotter, but battled on, and Loop done. TT bike really came into its on into the wind, it felt like cheating. Those on road bikes just seemed to struggle.

Loop 3 was more of the same, and I was soon on the outskirts for the route into town.

Marshalling was excellent, marshals on every junctions, supported by Police at major junctions.

Run in to town was painless, and T2 arrived, dismounted and handed my bike over:

Bike done in 6:34:50

T2: Lubed my toes, clean socks on, shows on, visor and I was off. 0:04:40

Run: Run is 4 10.5 km loops through the towns parks, then back passed the University and through the Central Square.

Running through the Square was electrifying, this square is busy all the time, and the locals celebrate everything, but the noise and crowds were phenomenal. Carroed on through the town, then down the tree lined paths to the outskirts, before turing back into town, and the whole route was full of supporters.

Aid stations were very well organised, well spaced out with clear signage for water, gels, coke etc, with showers at every entry, which by now were needed, ad temps had been in the mid to high 30's all week.

Loop 1 done, and repeated for Loops 2 and 3, only slowing slightly.

Loop for, the final Loop, and I was flagging, heat was getting to me, and a few around were receieving medical attention. Got the outskirts of town, with about 6km to go, and started walking, but some old guy on a bike came up alongside and started talking-to me in Spanish, so explained I was English, and then he started shouting in a mix of English and French 'Phenomenal, keep going, allez', and rode alongside me for 3km, then said 'I'll see you at the finish' and rode off. Next aid station I had some Coke, which I only every have during thast 10km, and felt instantly better, and jogged it home. Picked up pace through the town and down the finish chute. job done. 4:48:43.

Total time 12:56:01, and new PB by almost 45 minutes.

Collected my medal, finishers shirt, and some food, then met up with the family, only to be accosted by the guy on the bike, who had found me in the crowd and high fived me. Cheers mate.

Overview: A really good and enjoyable event, and added something different to a family holiday. Being a holiday, I couldn't sacrifice the family fun for my race, so did way too much in the week leading up the the race, but that was always the plan.

TT bike was a godsend.

Vitoria is a truly awesome place, and the locals certainly know how to enjoy themselves, and fully support the event.

Recovered, and training resumes now for Tenby.

[Jack Hughes]

Excellent.

Was looking forward to seeing how you took this on. You are a model of thorough preparation and controlling the controlables. Looks like another well executed race, delivering a significant improvement (even if you feel the change in kit helped). I like how you nonchalantly say, when slowed a bit by the conditions, that those around were receiving medical help.

Well done.

It's IM wales next, isn't it?

What are you going to do for recovery and then IM Wales. I guess 2 IM races in 2 months is the real challenge for this year.

[TRIumphant]

Recovery consisted of finishing off the holiday, so lots of walking etc, and feel fairly good now. Just out for my first proper exercise since the race, a nice easy run.

Training starts next week, which will predominantly be bike based, I need to hit the hills hard to train specifically for Tenby, but motiviation will be hard, but only time will tell.

[Worrying Will]

sounds like a cracker of race.Some cracking time was well.

[jonathon.e]

What a brilliant and well organised event it sounds like. Well done on an excellent time in harsh conditions too.

[Sir Jibbenstein]

Sounds like you had a cracking race there. The Spanish really seem to get behind traithlon and make races like this feel special. Well done on an excellent finish.

[KidStardust]

That's a really useful report and a great race Tri. As Jack has said, you are the model of planning and preparation and this sounds like no exception. Seems to have paid off. You know I'm interested in this one and we can talk more about it WHEN you do Ironman UK next year.

Great work.

[Tritans]

Does sound a nice race. Well done.

A great report.

I seriously don't envy you, doing Wales so soon after. I like your style though

[gingertri]

nice well done! do you cope well with heat? you must be bad doing a second ironman in a couple of months but good luck with the training

[kfjatek]

Well done on the new PB - sounds like an awesome race.