We got to Morzine after a long day in the car. First order of business - a long run of course!
It wasn't an ideal time to tackle a long run. It was stinking hot and I'd been sitting in the van all day in transit from La Grave. We'd driven the long way to see for ourselves what the Tour riders had in store on Col de la Madeleine a few days later. Let's just say it was frightening enough in a car.
So, armed with a map of our new home town and my phrase book in case of emergency, I set off in search of 24ks of semi flat terrain. It turned out to be an ideal way to explore.
Another day, another country
We rode in to Italy today, climbing up Col Sastrierre form Cesana on the French / Italian border.
Tour trivia - Lance Armstrong won here in 1999. Needless to say, the Athletic Powerhouse's ascent of Sestriere was a little different. There were no crowds lining the mountain pass, it was a bright sunny day, I hadn't been riding for five hours before tackling the climb... oh and I probably took twice as long!
Of course we sought out a pizza slice and a proper Italian coffee at the top but were ill equipped to order it - we hadn't learned any Italian in preparation for our trip, only basic French! Lucky for us, "pizza" and "espresso" are fairly universal.
Tour trivia - Lance Armstrong won here in 1999. Needless to say, the Athletic Powerhouse's ascent of Sestriere was a little different. There were no crowds lining the mountain pass, it was a bright sunny day, I hadn't been riding for five hours before tackling the climb... oh and I probably took twice as long!
Of course we sought out a pizza slice and a proper Italian coffee at the top but were ill equipped to order it - we hadn't learned any Italian in preparation for our trip, only basic French! Lucky for us, "pizza" and "espresso" are fairly universal.
In the swim
So I knew there'd be some differences in training in another country, but I was looking forward to pretending I was an elite athlete, finalising my preparation for an international Ironman race at altitude.
Apart from the obvious difference of riding on the right hand side of the road, the pool at Alpe d'Huez was my first such experience.
Apart from the obvious difference of riding on the right hand side of the road, the pool at Alpe d'Huez was my first such experience.
Alpe d'Huez redemption
After my VO2 session on the bike this morning it was time to finish off what I'd started on Friday with a climb up the Alpe.
The last time I'd ridden Alpe d'Huez I'd only done half the job in my failed attempt at the Alpe d'Huez triathlon. Last time, it was blisteringly hot. The heat radiated off the rock walls at the bottom of the climb. This time, the cooler mid-morning held the promise of a much more pleasant experience.
The last time I'd ridden Alpe d'Huez I'd only done half the job in my failed attempt at the Alpe d'Huez triathlon. Last time, it was blisteringly hot. The heat radiated off the rock walls at the bottom of the climb. This time, the cooler mid-morning held the promise of a much more pleasant experience.
Flat out
We'd been hunting for a flat since we arrived in La Grave. Short of going down to Bourg d'Oisan, the next best thing was a little road we found down by the river. Not a bad view, hey?
Well, as it turns out, looks aren't everything.
The Cols of Alpe D'Huez
I had some unfinished business on the Cols of the Alpe d'Huez Triathlon course. I've never admitted it here on the Triathlete Chronicles, but this is the only race I've failed to finish. I was pulled from the bike course by a Frenchman who purported not to speak English and bundled into the sag wagon.
Adding insult to injury, although I promised to write a Chronicle about my experience, I failed at that as well. In many ways, this is understandable. But it's regrettable, because I look back on that experience with a range of emotions. Mostly, I feel the vulnerability, sadness, and shame of failure. But there are also glimmers of defiance and desperation that often accompanies the persistence I hoped to show.
Being back at the Alpe, I'm reliving it like it's yesterday.
Adding insult to injury, although I promised to write a Chronicle about my experience, I failed at that as well. In many ways, this is understandable. But it's regrettable, because I look back on that experience with a range of emotions. Mostly, I feel the vulnerability, sadness, and shame of failure. But there are also glimmers of defiance and desperation that often accompanies the persistence I hoped to show.
Being back at the Alpe, I'm reliving it like it's yesterday.
Travel hopefully
There are many quotes about travel, but one of my favourites is by Robert Louis Stevenson:
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour."
It pays to travel hopefully. After all, a lot can go wrong when you've got a cab ride, a flight, an adjoining flight, a cab ride, a car hire, and a 800k drive to get to your destination.
There is a lot ahead for the Athletic Powerhouse. There are physical challenges that require mental toughness. I didn't expect that the very act of travelling to prepare me for what's ahead but as it turns out, I've arrived more hopeful than I imagined.
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour."
It pays to travel hopefully. After all, a lot can go wrong when you've got a cab ride, a flight, an adjoining flight, a cab ride, a car hire, and a 800k drive to get to your destination.
There is a lot ahead for the Athletic Powerhouse. There are physical challenges that require mental toughness. I didn't expect that the very act of travelling to prepare me for what's ahead but as it turns out, I've arrived more hopeful than I imagined.
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