173km
3100m asc inc Col de Marie Blanque
7h30 ride time
8km run in morning
An early start of 5.15 to ensure time for coffee then time to get in the van and down to the seafront. Yes, there were as anticipated large breaking waves and it was pretty rough. Yikes.
John took us on a lap of the run course- up a steep flight of steps along and round the light house, back down to the seafront ( ~ 2km /lap).
I had a slight panic attack/meltdown decided i was not going to swim, Olly kindly said he would swim with me so we got wetsuits on and made it down to the beach, I dipped my toe in the Atlantic anyway but being closer to the shore confirmed my decision. Am not going to get yellow anyway!!
I started the run with the first person out of the water, aargh it was hot and tough but anyway 3 laps done so a nice toasty 8km before brekky.
Back to hotel for brekky, pack up, depart wearing our new Epic France kits.....John said it was going to a steady ride for the first 50 km or so but the pace did seem to creep up a little so I was relieved after the first aid station to ride kinda solo with my music for company. I felt horrendous on the first short col and realised I was bonking and probably hadn't eaten enough.
Gorged myself on 3 nutella crepes which seemed to help, then off on my merry way to lunch.
Did go thru a couple of bad patches ,sore back, sore foot etc etc, deep existential thoughts about why i put myself through all this pain and misery?!!!
Shut up and eat up !!
Made it to the lunch stop, ready for some food and a sit down ~ 120 km in, managed to eat some chips and the contents of my baguette then was dropped 15km up the road to ensure I caught up with the boys, a little weaving through a village fete then onto our KOM of the day for the Col de Marie Blanque. It's only 9 km with average of 7.6% but the first 5km average 4-5 % so you know the last few are going to be hideous. Yup. one averaged 12%, one averaged 13%. Jeeeeeeesus, that was a whole world of hurt, all i could think of it was not as bad as climbing Ventoux with a chest infection. Next panic was my gearing being suitable for tomorrow's mahoosive day....I have a 36x 28 as my smallest gearing. Thought it would be fine as managed to grind my way around the Port Hills ok....
Made it to the top, even a few of the boys were there when I got there..... pleasant descent and was even cheered through a little village by locals...!! Then a 2-3km climb to Eaux Bonnes which is nestled at the foot of the Col d"aubisqueand to our hotel.
Today's first world problem is I can't get anything to upload to Garmin connect but everyone else having the same problem..... cos if its not on Strava it doesn't count, right?!!
I have the green jersey to wear tomorrow, not , sadly for any achievements but for photo of the day taken by Julie this morning. Someone had vandalised the building by the sea front where we were getting changed and it said "No Fucking Way" so i am standing beside it in my wetsuit with best angry face; was very apt for the moment but unlikely I'll publish it on the blog!!
Anyway I must get to bed, my legs are aching.......
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