Triomf en Sant Joan
Busy few weeks coming up for MACstrong, with some cycling and running groups out to do some events, including the Terra de Remences cycletour. Looking forward to getting a breather from lots of travelling recently and the 'day job.'
The fitness had dipped although I was delighted to grab my first Spanish Duathlon victory in Sant Joan last Saturday. After more than a dozen close tries in the last 4 years in the Basque Country and Catalonia it was good to finally get to the top of the podium. I enjoy racing at Sant Joan - a hilly area at the foothills of the Pyrenees. It is a good honest duathlon with a severe up and down hill run, and i had got 3rd there in my only previous visit in 2005.
The field may not have been as strong at the Catalan champs in Castellfollit 2 weeks ago (which i missed because of a wedding) but the manner of victory was pleasing, dictating the race although being very tired, with a silky first transition giving me a 50 metre gap at the start of the bike. The legs on the bike were good and i knew the group behind would be reluctant to work into the headwind on the out and bike 20k bike leg. I had 30 seconds advantage at the turn, but by then there was a group of 25 chasing me down, so i got the head down and averaged nearly 35mph on the 10k back to the transition. That gave me 20-25 seconds heading out on the last run leg, and i suffered, but still had enough in the tank to jog in and enjoy my first Spanish victory salute.
Like how the catalan press refuse to call me Steven and instead put Esteve! Duathlon season over for another year, and again work took over - although i'm hoping to be more settled next year to really focus on performance, have a bash at the Spanish Champs, and get my Scottish title back :)
The fitness had dipped although I was delighted to grab my first Spanish Duathlon victory in Sant Joan last Saturday. After more than a dozen close tries in the last 4 years in the Basque Country and Catalonia it was good to finally get to the top of the podium. I enjoy racing at Sant Joan - a hilly area at the foothills of the Pyrenees. It is a good honest duathlon with a severe up and down hill run, and i had got 3rd there in my only previous visit in 2005.
The field may not have been as strong at the Catalan champs in Castellfollit 2 weeks ago (which i missed because of a wedding) but the manner of victory was pleasing, dictating the race although being very tired, with a silky first transition giving me a 50 metre gap at the start of the bike. The legs on the bike were good and i knew the group behind would be reluctant to work into the headwind on the out and bike 20k bike leg. I had 30 seconds advantage at the turn, but by then there was a group of 25 chasing me down, so i got the head down and averaged nearly 35mph on the 10k back to the transition. That gave me 20-25 seconds heading out on the last run leg, and i suffered, but still had enough in the tank to jog in and enjoy my first Spanish victory salute.
Like how the catalan press refuse to call me Steven and instead put Esteve! Duathlon season over for another year, and again work took over - although i'm hoping to be more settled next year to really focus on performance, have a bash at the Spanish Champs, and get my Scottish title back :)
posted by stevenmac at 4:24 pm
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