Pink @ Swiss Olympic Gigathlon

So… How was it, the Swiss Olympic Gigathlon?

It was……… impressing. I won’t forget these two days so easily. Like I will never be able to forget previous editions of the same event in 2009 and 2010. All these Gigathlons left me surprised by what a body can do. Each of the stages, the road bike, the mountain bike or let alone the running could have been enough for a one day’s race. But it was all together, plus inline skating, plus swimming. Thinking of it now, or just before the race, I feel it being an impossible endeavor, though I know it is well doable. At this point I would like to say thank you to Paul my supporter. He was the one, getting my gear from one change area to the other, preparing my fuel, water, sunscreen.. and whatever,.. and finally, important… getting me in and out of the neoprene swimming suit.

The prologue on Friday was uphill inline skating. 600 m of climb. We were allowed to use poles, most people used XC skiing poles…, some used nordic walking poles. Very few used no poles at all. The first 10km were on the flat. Now imagine a pack of inline skaters, all of them with long poles trying to squeeze somehow past each other??? Dangerous. Finally at the foot of the mountain, again, the pack was so close it was difficult to use the poles properly without getting into each other’s way. I was happy when finally I had some space around me. Only then was I able to really skate properly.., uphill of course. It was FUN! Really good concrete ground, a moderately steep road, it was wonderful. It is similar to XC-skiing up a hill.

On Saturday, we started yet again on inline skates. Again.. a dangerous thing. The 30km were slightly downhill on closed regional roads.. through tunnels, with bends. The skaters formed long worms, one behind the other, like in road bike races, keeping tight behind the racer ahead, holding with the arms the hips of the foreman. It was quite scaring. I am no regular inline skater, and I can’t see or feel if the guy ahead of me is experienced or not. We all know in road bike races, which back wheel we wouldn’t like to see, as body language tells us if someone is experienced or not. There were many accidents I was told afterwards, mass crashes. After that boost of adrenaline for 1:20 h I was happy to go on to the road bike and enjoy nice climbs. The 90km with 2200 meter of climb promised fun. However, my legs were sore from the skating. Very atypically for me I had to go on small gears. No big ring girl.. in that moment… Only after the first downhill my legs were ready for the biking, and the second climb I could go as I would normally. By the way.. I was racing in pink.. and was recognized by some riders who also were at the Cape Epic race in South Africa. Small world!!!

The nightmare came after the wonderful uphill to Crans Montana… .the lake on 1400 m above sea level was cold. We were told it was 20°C but that could not have been true. They must have measured in one little spot only. We had to go round the lake 4 times, and by the fourth time I was unbelievably cold. When I got out of the water, Paul had to wrap me around aluminum foil to get my body temperature into the right range again. I felt incredibly happy, having survived the swimming.

What came now, was like a desert for me. Running uphill to Plaine Morte, a plateau formed by glaciers on around 3000 m above sea level. Wonderful scenery, great nature. I loved the run up there. I also and especially loved the last bike stage. I knew from training that it was a hard stage, but that there were wonderful downhills. And so it was. It was simply wonderful. When I crossed the finish line on Saturday I had been 12 to 13 hours (amazing, I don’t know even how much exactly) in movement.

Next day started at 5:00 with biking again. I always will remember, when we reached the highest point about 1:15h later. The new morning just had risen, the sun illuminating the most beautiful mountains of the alps, the Matterhorn, the Monte Rosa Glacier, and many other famous peaks. It was a pleasure to ride the smooth trails, up and down. I changed into swimming after 3h15 (for 55km and 1700 meter climb). Paul said that I had arrived as one of the first women. Well,.. if that was the case, than everyone overtook in the swimming pond. Not as cold as the day before, but still catastrophic for me. Again, four never ending rounds. Again, I could have hugged the universe, when I stepped out of the water and changed to my beloved road bike. The first few km toward famous Zermatt felt strange. Unfortunately I had some water in one ear that would not go out. The climb to Zermatt is considerable (1000 meter climb) but it is an unsteady climb, the 1000 m climb is on more than 40 km, so there’s lots of flat passages. Unfortunately, there was no group to stick to, so I had to race it all alone. I always find it impressing to enter to Zermatt. All of a sudden you see famous Matterhorn in front of you. A mountain that makes me feel so happy. It is such majesty! Next was the run up the Gornergrat. If you ever happen to visit Switzerland. With or without bike. One place I can recommend to visit, is Gornergrat. Hike up, take the train, whatever. You won’t regret it, I promise. The train also transports Bikes. There’s nothing better than to take one of the last trains up, and enjoy the 1600m downhill on about 16km.. Wonderful trails big scenery. Really big scenery. But now.. it was running up the thing. First I didn’t feel particularly well. The start into the run was very steep, and I was anxious to ruin my legs for the final road bike uphill. That one – so I was told- was extremely steep, so steep that many competitors were afraid not to have enough gears for it. That scared me. You must know that I ride hard gears, and my road bike is fitted with a “flat landers” cassette although I am riding mountains with it… So I wondered whether my smallest gear 23/36 would be small enough… especially when I overheard well trained male triathletes debating whether their 27/36 gears would fit… Eventually I decided, that what would be would be and started running like I wouldn’t have to go on the bike after it. So I started to overtake competitor after competitor. I enjoyed the run. It was hard but the scenery helped. And .. then… the cycling.. unbelievable. My legs were flying up the mountain that had scared me so much. The 1000 meter of climbs I did in 60 minutes,…. !!! And.. no need to use the smallest gear.. Competitors were dying in that climb… and I enjoyed. I really did. The descent was scary. A road that apparently was suffering from big temperature changes, with creeps, longitudinal ruptures, narrow bends, changing light…. Wow! That took a lot of energy from me. Happy, and not too much exhausted I crossed the finish line. A total of 26h and 55minutes final time. Most of the time I lost on my competitors in swimming and inline skating. Swimming along made me lose 90 minutes, not even on the best, but on average women… Without these weaknesses I would be classified among the first 5 or 8 women. Whether I will do the gigathlon solo once more? Well.. I had said, that I wanted to do it 3 times. But.. Never say never. I think I will give me another try to learn to swim decently. Should I be able to swim 3km within 75 min (which is slow, but acceptable) than I’ll try it solo once more. Otherwise, I will be looking for a partner that does the swimming and inline part.. and do it in a team of 2..:) It also depend, which region the gigathlon goes to next year. The gigathlon, like I said is an excellent opportunity to learn more about other regions in Switzerland, regions I would never have considered to go for biking. Plus it is a coming-together of so many interesting people. There is this very specific gigathlon atmosphere, that I think, I am addicted to… see slide show below for some more impressions of these three fantastic days.