Richard Ussher's Challenge Roth race report

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Tuesday, 27 July 2010 08:15

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Richard Ussher's Challenge Roth race report

It’s been a scorching summer in Europe this year and when we arrived in Roth it was a balmy 36 degrees at 7 in the evening. My build up for the race this year had been a little different to last year when I’d had a great race but had felt a bit underdone. This year I’d put in a lot more hours and the results were indicating that I should be a good step up from last year. Not only the training data was suggesting this but also how I’d been feeling at a couple of races prior.

The lead up to the Challenge Roth triathlon, which took place on 18 July, was pretty laid-back although after last year’s results I was flying a little less under the radar, but only just with such a strong field assembled there.

Race day dawned a little cooler but luckily the rain had disappeared – well actually it hadn’t dawned when we got up but on the way to the course at some ungodly hour around 4:30am, and even seeing it dark at that time is a little strange after Finland.

The swim is always the most dreaded part of any race for me but I’d been working on some new things and swimming PB’s for all my longer sets in the lead up so was reasonably hopeful of a decent swim. I knew I’d have to swim better than last year to do the same times as the front wave of swimmers had been cut down to only the pro’s instead of the Sub 9 hour starters as well – the tri world is definitely against the bad swimmers amongst us!

At the gun it was all elbows and feet as I tried not to lose any teeth – I think I’ll have to do some more training with fists before I attempt another mass start swim but I got away OK only to be continually shuffled back in the pack. It is definitely a skill I haven’t mastered yet at keeping your place in the pack, let alone the swimming. Things were looking good after the first kilometre though as I was swimming comfortably in a pack in which I could see swimmers who were in our same group last year. Then 3 strokes later when I looked up a split had suddenly formed as the swimmers in front of me had dropped off the pace. I was swimming comfortably so decided to try and get across the gap and for the next period I chased with one other guy, just very gradually dropping time. It was however far more positive than usual when I go out the back as if I have completely stopped.

With a kilometre to go though I started to lose it a bit, no doubt the technique was falling apart and the group ahead started to stretch away. Out of the water it was gutting to see a swim time of 54 minutes – 4 minutes down on last year and my target. My gear bag was looking decidedly lonely as the only one left in the top 10. Through the transition and onto the bike I was close to Chris McDonald who had got up to speed just in time to hook in behind German uber cyclist Wolfgang Teuchner. I knew Wolfgang would be heading close to the front but I just didn’t seem to have the spark in the legs to keep them close and decided with still 7 hours of racing I needed to focus on my own pace.

The data on my SRM was looking far better than in Abu Dhabi and so I was confident I’d be able to move through the field and I was soon moving through the field at a steady rate. About 35 kilometres I passed through the group of lead women, minus Chrissie who was already further up the road and I could also see Chris McDonald who’d obviously also decided the pace was a bit high following Wolfgang.

By the time we reached the Solarberg climb packed with people there was a group of 4 of us and it would stay like this to the end of the ride. The other thing that didn’t change was that at every climb we could hear the announcers and when Chrissie was going through, and despite our best efforts we weren’t able to close the gap down. By the end of the ride it was an interesting feeling; I had felt much better on the bike than last year but had ridden 12 minutes slower in pretty similar conditions, maybe I was just feeling better as I hadn’t pushed as hard? It did leave me a little worried for what might happen on the run though.

For the first 4 km I ran stride for stride with Chris at a good pace and the legs seemed to be responding OK so when he suddenly slowed I decided to lay it on the line and see how the body would respond. I was still holding a good pace and could see runners getting closer in the distance. Up ahead in the men’s race Sebastian Kienle had decimated the front of the field on the bike with a new record bike leg and was flying through the first 15km of the run with Rasmus Henning lurking 5 minutes behind.

My only struggle was a desperate need for the toilet but it was like I was under the scrutiny of a drug tester and could not for the life of me get started, even when I stopped at a toilet and it was a minute before I was on my way again. The relief was immense though and I was back up to speed quickly but my average had taken a knock by almost 8 seconds per km.

The support on the course is as amazing on the run as it is on the bike and it is a great motivator especially when you’re having a bit of a down time. Through halfway and I was getting incredibly sore which was a bit of a surprise so early in the run. It was very similar to my first IM race in Taupo and I hadn’t experienced that sort of pain since but it was well and truly setting in now and the only cure was to get to the finish as quick as possible.

When the front of the race passed me as they headed back into town Rasmus had taken over at the front of the field with Sebastian in second and Eneko Ilanos still hanging tough for third. Rasmus ended up running a very swift 2:39 for the marathon for a 7:52 overall time and the win. Luckily for me the other guys just in front were obviously also feeling it and I was able to keep moving through the field, al be it not as fast as Rasmus!

I was also still chasing Chrissie who just refused to slow down and was racing through the men’s field and was well inside the top ten with 10km to run.
The run course was changed this year so we ran through the centre of Roth and in the process past the turn off for the finish which was rather cruel but it was also a great addition to the course and was one of the most vocal sections of supporter anywhere on the course.

Into the finish and it was somewhat of a bitter sweet moment. The relief of being able to stop, the disappointment of not performing to my expectations but still satisfaction at not throwing the towel in and racing to the finish. Chrissie had smashed the world record with 8:19 and ‘Chicked’ all but 6 of the men’s field. My 8:24 was pretty disappointing given what I know I am capable of but definitely not a complete disaster. I’m now looking forward to heading for some off road racing with Xterra in Germany and then the Wulong Outdoor Quest in China on the way home with team Thule.