Marmotte

It's time for a quick resume of the weekends action in the Alpes...

BHP and I flew out to Geneva with our bikes on Thursday evening, picked up the rental car (a golf estate which was rather nice) and I drove us to Alpe d'Huez. We arrived at our apartment at bedtime so there wasn't much to do other than hit the sack. Friday was spent getting the bikes ready, signing in and resting. BHP had an afternoon nap whilst I read my book in the sunshine until I was fairly extensively sunburned. I am apparently a fool who is unable to learn that you get burned by the sun in June even if there is a cool wind blowing.

The Marmotte race itself started on Saturday morning at 7:00 so we were up early and rode down to the start at the foot of the mountain. At about 7:15 we were finally under way and began set off along the valley before beginning the climb up the Col du Glandon. I enjoyed the climb, the conditions were great and I wasn't pushing myself too hard as BHO and I had agreed to ride together and I knew that he was behind me. We met once or twice on the way up and I waited for him for a couple of minutes at the top so that we were never too far apart. The descent was long and fun and thankfully uneventful. We met again at the bottom and headed off on the long flattish section that takes you to the bottom of the Col du Telegraph. I was lucky enough to get into a fairly good group whose wheels I could sit on the whole way and I was feeling better than I had ever done before at this stage of the race.

BHP and I met up again at the foot of the climb but I could see that he was not having a great day. I rode steadily up the climb and then we descended to Valloire to the food depot where we stopped for something to eat. BHP said that we wasn't sure he would make it to the end so I should carry on without him and be prepared to come and get him in the car if necessary. I was rather reluctant to do that, but there were plenty of supporters to help him if he needed something and if he would really need a lift home, then it would be a long time before I could get back with the car so there was no use in waiting too much. I left him with some salt tablets and energy gells and set off up the fearsome Galibier.

I got over the top after 7 hours of riding and began the long, long descent to Bour d'Oisans where the race started. It was windy but I was relieved that the hardest climb was over and I was still feeling sort of ok. I knew that it was about an hour to the bottom of the Alpe d'Huez climb and then at least 1:15 to get to the finish so I was hopeful of getting somewhere close to my 9 to 9½ hour finishing time.

I stopped at the foot of the last climb having 8 hours of riding showing on my computer. I had a few cups of Pepsi and a few sweets and thinking that I still had 2 or 3 energy gels in my pockets, I set off up the savagely steep climb. After the 5th of the 21 hairpin bends I stopped in some shade to have a quick drink and a gel and then set off again. I made it to the church where the gradient eases about two thirds of the way up the climb but was frustrated to find that I had no energy gels left and I was running on empty.

The only option was to keep struggling on to the finish. I came in with a time of 9:45 on my computer, but the official time was 10:30. My slowest official time I have had in 3 attempts but I was happy. I had been texting with BHP and I knew that he was making good progress (he arrived about 1½ hours after me) which was great news and a fantastic achievement at 68. Considering that I was stuck on the floor with a herniated disc this time last year and had to start training from scratch in February, I am quite proud of myself for having managed to drop 10kg and get in good enough shape to finish the race at all. I managed to get the silver time again (just) but one day I'll be back, light enough and fit enough to earn the gold award.

We had a huge steak on Saturday night and spent Sunday afternoon sitting by the lake in Geneva before flying home in the evening.

I must say a huge thanks to BHP for sponsoring our weekend, it was a great experience again and has been my main motivation for getting back into shape this year after 2010s back problems. Now on with the racing...