Back to Delhi after an epic 8 hours delayed flight form Abu Dhabi ETA was @ 8.30 pm on 8th arrvl. "BIG MO"( Mohit Satyanand) and I arrive groggy eyed @ 5.30 am on 9th March.
Anyway the setting was as amazing as it can be, at Abu Dhabi ITU triathlon..the awesome blue/ turquoise of the Corniche water, flags of various countries fluttering in the cool breeze a great setting for the age groupers like us ( Sanjay suri / Big Mo and I ) and off course elite races to be held later in the day with the likes of Jonny Brornlee and 3 time World champ like Javier Gomez competing in the Men's field and Gwen Jorgesson in the womens field.
Abu Dhabi is a great setting for the event having done a similar event last March it was certainly time to come back for more. The distances this time were different from the last time, Sprint / Olympic and Maxi distance ( 2 km swim/ 80 km bike/ 20 km run). I opted for the Maxi while Sanjay and Mo opted for the Olympic.( 1.5 / 40 / 10km )
We arrive 2 days before the start and tune up the bikes . register for the race, all is going well till i break the hanger of the deruaiiler and also damage the Derrullier of the bike, the old Dynastik carbon frame, the mechanic says this is "too beat up man ! " .. and we can't find hanger for this old machine, heart broken the only option is a bike on rent, but they have everything sold out !!!!. Hassan at the B sport bike shop present at the venue says he has some Hybrid (straight handle ) aluminium frames coming in from an amusement park in Ras al Khammei in 2 hours.. looks like my "only hope" to do the event. The rental bike comes in , nice and simple hybrid it has a baby carrier attachment bolted on it !!.. uuhmmm nice . manage to change the pedals on it with the "clip on MTB one's" , put the bike computer on it, and short 100 mtrs test ride and it's "ready to go"..bike check in.. amongst all the Cervelo's and Specialized Shiv, I rack the "baby" at least it wont be hard to find in transition..
SWIM - BIKE
Here we go race day morning, wet suit optional event.. not going to wear one.. water temp is 22 degree nice and cool.. the start horn goes off @ 6.45 am.. for my age group and the 2 km swim starts. hanging back found a rhythm and here we go.. it was like swimming in the bhatti lakes. clear water , could see the sand at the bottom, lovely clean water, easy strokes and may have wandered a bit since no one was around swim goes in 51 mins. out of the water, and a quick banana and on the "baby" here we go for 4 laps of 20 km each, it goes fine except get overtaken often ( or all the time ? ). but on the 3rd lap (60 km ). i start to overtake some fancy bikes and chaps with 'tear drop helmets". ...pacing well and sucking in GU'S at a rapid rate, finish the 80 km in 2 hrs.45 mins. not too bad for the bike thankfully great cool conditions. Quick racking of the bike and on goes the run shoes,
RUN
I meet Sanju on the start of the run.. we run together feeling good do 23.30 first 5 km. overall flat and fast course 5 km loops we need to do X 4 = 20 km.last 150 mtrs on the blue carpet and finish chute with energy to spare... feeling good all through kept an even pace and enjoyed the run to finish in 1.44. 57 mins.for 20 km. Happy with the run for sure..that I had energy to spare, off course good cool conditions helped.
Big MO and Sanju on the Olympic distance ( which started later ) finished just less than an hour before.. all good.. Guiness and lebanese food go down quickly , the elite event was magnificent, what a treat to watch such amazing athletes, luck to be watching this live. Great time.. thanks guys !
Back next year for sure, great event very well organised..Personal best effort for me in terms of timings
cheers.
Mo.
stats. Swim - 51 mins, Bike - 2.45 , Run 1.44 ( T1 & T2= 7 mins ). total 5 hrs. 29 mins.
Anyway the setting was as amazing as it can be, at Abu Dhabi ITU triathlon..the awesome blue/ turquoise of the Corniche water, flags of various countries fluttering in the cool breeze a great setting for the age groupers like us ( Sanjay suri / Big Mo and I ) and off course elite races to be held later in the day with the likes of Jonny Brornlee and 3 time World champ like Javier Gomez competing in the Men's field and Gwen Jorgesson in the womens field.
Abu Dhabi is a great setting for the event having done a similar event last March it was certainly time to come back for more. The distances this time were different from the last time, Sprint / Olympic and Maxi distance ( 2 km swim/ 80 km bike/ 20 km run). I opted for the Maxi while Sanjay and Mo opted for the Olympic.( 1.5 / 40 / 10km )
We arrive 2 days before the start and tune up the bikes . register for the race, all is going well till i break the hanger of the deruaiiler and also damage the Derrullier of the bike, the old Dynastik carbon frame, the mechanic says this is "too beat up man ! " .. and we can't find hanger for this old machine, heart broken the only option is a bike on rent, but they have everything sold out !!!!. Hassan at the B sport bike shop present at the venue says he has some Hybrid (straight handle ) aluminium frames coming in from an amusement park in Ras al Khammei in 2 hours.. looks like my "only hope" to do the event. The rental bike comes in , nice and simple hybrid it has a baby carrier attachment bolted on it !!.. uuhmmm nice . manage to change the pedals on it with the "clip on MTB one's" , put the bike computer on it, and short 100 mtrs test ride and it's "ready to go"..bike check in.. amongst all the Cervelo's and Specialized Shiv, I rack the "baby" at least it wont be hard to find in transition..
SWIM - BIKE
Here we go race day morning, wet suit optional event.. not going to wear one.. water temp is 22 degree nice and cool.. the start horn goes off @ 6.45 am.. for my age group and the 2 km swim starts. hanging back found a rhythm and here we go.. it was like swimming in the bhatti lakes. clear water , could see the sand at the bottom, lovely clean water, easy strokes and may have wandered a bit since no one was around swim goes in 51 mins. out of the water, and a quick banana and on the "baby" here we go for 4 laps of 20 km each, it goes fine except get overtaken often ( or all the time ? ). but on the 3rd lap (60 km ). i start to overtake some fancy bikes and chaps with 'tear drop helmets". ...pacing well and sucking in GU'S at a rapid rate, finish the 80 km in 2 hrs.45 mins. not too bad for the bike thankfully great cool conditions. Quick racking of the bike and on goes the run shoes,
RUN
I meet Sanju on the start of the run.. we run together feeling good do 23.30 first 5 km. overall flat and fast course 5 km loops we need to do X 4 = 20 km.last 150 mtrs on the blue carpet and finish chute with energy to spare... feeling good all through kept an even pace and enjoyed the run to finish in 1.44. 57 mins.for 20 km. Happy with the run for sure..that I had energy to spare, off course good cool conditions helped.
Big MO and Sanju on the Olympic distance ( which started later ) finished just less than an hour before.. all good.. Guiness and lebanese food go down quickly , the elite event was magnificent, what a treat to watch such amazing athletes, luck to be watching this live. Great time.. thanks guys !
Back next year for sure, great event very well organised..Personal best effort for me in terms of timings
cheers.
Mo.
stats. Swim - 51 mins, Bike - 2.45 , Run 1.44 ( T1 & T2= 7 mins ). total 5 hrs. 29 mins.
