Our 2020 Race tips!
The adventure began…as the
Jellyfish Swam!
It’s pretty normal that before a race there is always something that worries you. Dora has a thousand fears. Kelly seems to have less, but who really knows! It’s our first race of the year…
The day already starts badly: FORBIDDEN TO WEAR WETSUITS 😭 Dora is out of control, as she knows that without a wetsuit she’ll drown…but there is no going back now so we set out our kit in the transition area.
DON’T FORGET TO ENTER THE TRANSITION ZONES ALREADY WITH YOUR HELMET ON!
Leaving the transition area we discover that the wetsuit has in fact become optional 😍 Who knows why? But we didn’t think to ask ourselves this question. Happy and excited we head back to our apartment to lather ourselves with oil and put on our beloved wetsuits.
The preparation
As we start putting on our wetsuits, Dora’s phone rings with an anonymous number…
[Dora] “Do I answer?”
[Kelly} “Nah, don’t bother”
[Dora} “No, actually I better answer”
And just in 30 seconds we saw how the calm turns into stress! Dora has to return to the transition area as she has put her bike in the wrong place. Yes it looks like Dora had problems seeing 326 as 328! 
Slightly agitated, she returns and we finish getting ready.
There were 10 minutes remaining from the start and the buoys for the swim course were still not in place.
[Dora] “It was supposed to be two laps and now you can’t understand a shit.”
[Kelly] “Whatever, it’s fine… just follow the swimmers at the front.”
We start filing up in rows correlating to our dedicated race number. Dora, who should have had an advantage of at least 4 minutes ahead of Kelly now seems to be part of the last swim rows and somehow Kelly is stood 4 rows in front. Dora is getting a litte frustrated once again:
[Dora] “What a s**** 
organisation“
[Kelly] “How lucky, I’m not the last one after all!”
Let the race begin
Kellys luck didn’t last long, after turning the first buoy she found herself a fleet of jellyfish bigger than the size of her own head! Although she tried in every way to dodge them, one kissed her right in the mouth. Add on a challenge to what is already challenging, and she must complete the entire race now with a burning face and the thought that she was turning into some kind of red-faced monster.
Dora made the fastest 1500 ever!!! Was it the jellyfish or was it really a 1500 m distance?
T1 (bike change) Nothing to declare… simply both too slow.
Dora was calm for the bike route because we had tested it the day before. Kelly’s tired legs were feeling it!
It was a beautiful ride, in the picturesque hills, which also meant that it was a very tough course because it was practically all uphill. Even though we were aware of the hill climbs, it was still challenging to understand how much to push yourself to know that you’ll have enough energy to run the final part of the leg.
Let’s say that both Kelly and Dora are VERY generous competitors and allow many other cyclists pass them by.
Kelly was in good company for the whole ascent and kept focused on staying with her competition. But for some reason she seemed to lose him on the return. Its science, he was heavier so of course he descends faster!
Dora however, not so lucky with the men, ended up completing the entire bike race alone. She had the intention to catch up with Kelly but with carrying just one bottle of water, it was too much of a struggle. It was getting hot!
T2 (bike to run) took almost longer than the first, for both of us! Kelly took time to refuel with another nut bar and decided to take her water bottle with her. This extreme feeling of thirst was too much and she was willing to sacrifice the awkwardness of carrying the bottle whilst running. Now it was just a matter of time until she needed to wee!
Instead, Dora empties the water bottle she left in the transition area and off she sprints into the run.
The Run
We were both in trouble. We both had the feeling that we had left our legs on the bike! It was very hot, and people seemed to overtake so easily. Were they drugged?
But finally we crossed paths! Dora managed to shout out “go Kelly, go!”, but Kelly had only enough energy to raise her hand.
[Dora] “Thanks for the enthusiasm”
The Finish Line
Kelly is motivated by hearing people shouting “don’t give up” and after what seemed a long 10k, finally arrives at the finish line. It was time to rush to Dora on the run course to cheer her along the last k whilst also finding out that her face wasn’t red and blotchy by the jellyfish sting.
Dora arrives at the finish line, and bursts into tears! To complete an Olympic triathlon after 5 months of having a bike accident was such a huge challenge, both physically and mentally. But with perseverance and enthusiasm she did it!
Time to Celebrate with…a Sandwhich
After the race, we headed back to the apartment given that there was no pasta party due to covid precautions. Without stopping for a break we prepared everything and immediately set off on our journey home: NOT RECOMMENDED!
We arrived in Bologna after 3 and a half hours having filled up on a sandwich and a small cake that was in our race goodybag.
[Dora] “Hey, how is it possible you get a cake with chocolate and I got apricot?”
It seems like Kellys luck returned!
Exhausted but hungry, we decided to celebrate our achievement and headed to a restaurant for dinner!
Race Tips
Yes, even though you can find out the details of the race in advance, its always important to go into the race or race weekend knowing that things may change (from the race course to the weather, to wetsuit restrictions to start times or jellyfish greetings). Being mentally prepared for this will help you to stay calm and in control for any unexpected changes that may occur.
Yes it might sound strange, but you’ll thank us when you come to put your race numbers on your race belt and you dont have to spend an hour trying to make holes to attach it. A simple hole punch is going to save you time and energy!
Now is not the time to play superhero and try out foods you are not used to eating, or taking on drinks you are not used to drinking. Even if you have the temptation to take what is given to you on the race course, or you hear that a great drink combination is going to get you through the race, its really not worth the risk. Everyone is different and our bodies react in different ways, particularly regarding the digestion of food during a endurance race. Stick with foods and drinks you are used to and have used already during training sessions and you will avoid feeling sick or having cramps during the race!
Firstly, it’s always best to be 100% sure of your number so you place your kit in the right area. Make sure your bike is also facing in the right direction. If you’re unsure, check with the race helpers. Get people around you to confirm you have placed it correctly. Note that you can place you kit in a small area on the floor – don’t go feeling at home spreading clothes and drinks everywhere. You might come back to an empty transition!
That’s right, we both were not prepared for jelly legs for the run. We’ve read about it and have completed a few of brick sessions (bike to run) before the race but we needed to have practiced more so our legs wouldn’t feel so heavy when it came to the run!
