I am going to try, through this page, to make you share my every day life. Every month, I shall speak to you, with my words (maybe my words will be difficult to transate in english), without fuss, of my movements, my sensations, my galleys, my moods and why not, I shall make for you can be to share some good jokes.

NEULENGBACH (Austria)

 Double Ironman World Championship

(7.6 km swim / 360 km bike / 84 km run)

Heading for new adventures, but this time, without true objectives, if it is not to finish the race. The beginning of season is not at the level of my expectations, but it is necessary to admit that to advance in the vagueness is not evident psychologically. Often I want to send everything to trail round, because get ready as an animal not to participate for lack of partners is really little rewarding.

This year, big competition because there are 48 athletes at start. The weather is beautiful, and we shall not complain about it because last year, it was pouring down during all the weekend. The atmosphere is good child, it is necessary to say that in Austria, the athletes are all accommodated in the same place. The organizer gives the park of the swimming pool and it is CAMPSITE !! Yes, yes! camping. And say that in the other sports they cry because there is no jacuzzi in their hotel !!  2 weights, 2 measures !

Departure given at 8:00 am. The tension is tangible, and even if I have no objectives, at the bottom of me I put myself all the same a certain pressure. It is weak, but I am like that !

I am in a line grouping including the best swimmers of the circuit. We decide to take turns to save a little. I take the head and enquille the first 1500 metres. Each our tour more or less for a long time we pass in head. When comes Francesco ALLESSANDRI's tour the Italian, he accelerates and puts in the wind the one who is in these feet. At this moment there, I am at the end of pack and I curse of the situation. I thus decide to let in the clutch, and even if it is now impossible to return on the leader, I want to avoid losing too much time. Italian buckles 7.6 km in 1 h 54 mn. I go out behind him in 1 h 58 mn. Behind others go out from minutes till minutes.

The  cycle part begins, it is 11:00 am and it makes already 35 °. As in Emirates, no sensation. I have the impression to be Scotch-taped in the road. I try well to feel reassured by thinking that I just have to end, I do not support to be in front of and to have to be made at the idea of tumbling towards the back. After 5 hours of road and a beautiful recession in the classification, the thunderstorm threatens. The temperature came down from 8 °.

After 250 borders, my psycho plays on me tricks. The abandonment crosses me the spirit, but for Carole, I owe go in the rear. She bears it rather all year round so that I am a little made violence. I thus decide to make a break. I guzzle a bag of the Chinese noodles and some not very dietary bullshit, but which make the often big good for the head. I have 110 km and after this small break of 10 minutes, things seem to go better. Certainly I did not find my legs of qualifs to Paris-Brest-Paris, but that should be enough for going in the rear.

It is practically 23:00 am when I put the cycle. Remain now to run during 84 kilometers. In fronts positions, it is the war. An Israeli come from the cold (he was born and lived in Siberia) makes a show. Two others French make a beautiful race, but one of them ( Manu) is not in best and thinks even of abandoning. I thus decide to give a hand to him, because of my quoted it is grated. It is thus together that we make road For once, he goes more slowly than me. It is rare so much the running is its speciality. This support will allow him all the same to hang on the 6th place. He still stays in me at least 2:00 am of running when he ends it. I feel well, but I do not want to be made violence. Finish 10th or 15th, what’s difference ?

A pain appears to me at the time of right foot. Unpleasant, but not insuperable. The ostéo will teach me in passing the line that my shin had slid on the astragal (the biggest bone of the foot) and that this last one had it more revolved. I shall be good to have the foot as a potato during 3 days.

I cross finally the line after 14 h 35 mn of race on the 18th place. I am ashamed of me, but I am all the same happy to have ended, because I admit that since a moment I began to doubt my capacities.

I am now going to take some days of rest before preparing the next two objectives of the season (who will be certainly the last ones if I do not pick up one or two partners) who will take place in Germany at the end of July on an even longer distance (11.4 km swimming / 540 km cycle / 126 km run), for the first one, and in August for Paris-Brest-Paris on a distance of 1200 kilometres with cycle for the second.

Double Iron  Ras Al Khaimah (Emirats Arabes Unis)

                 8 km swim / 360 km bike / 84 km run                   

The season having begun well with two first one's places (200 and 300 km cycle) and a place of 4th (400 km cycle), I went to Emirates with good chances to appear well on this new race of the calendar IUTA. First observation by landing in Dubai some days before the race, it is very warm.

Only 16 athletes took up the challenge of this first competition. It is necessary to say that for many, the winter is still present and the period of preparation is actually a little slowed down. Furthermore, and as often, the budget remains high and without partners, the remote destinations remain a difficulty for certain athletes, and for me the first one.

At some hours of the departure, a dilemma settles. As president of the International federation, I have to make a decision concerning the westsuit. The rules wants that with a temperature superior to 25 °, the athletes do not take the néoprène, but Here we are, the rising tide returns with her fluorescent blue jellyfishes. They are certainly very attractive but they remain jellyfishes. Premises indicate us that they do not fall, but on the race of the day before, the athletes had no same sound of bell. By security, the decision will thus be begun to authorize the westsuit. The water is 28 °.

It is thus in the broth that at 7:00 am the departure is given. Quickly, the Italian Botanica and myself we find in head. The distances having been badly calculated, it is on 8 kilometres that we shall have to unstitch it. I suffer from the heat. Outside it makes already more than 35 °. Botanica clears off. The temperature of the water returns this unbreathable last one and the westsuit, which normally is foreseen to warm in cold waters, becomes a true oven. The athletes often mark breaks to make penetrate into their westsuits into a little fresher water, and for my part, I drink as a bucket while as a general rule, I go through the distance without marking the slightest break.

After 2 hours of effort, the Italian comes out of the water. 15 minutes later second Italian and myself let us appear from this broth. I have the unpleasant sensation to have lost already practically 2 kilos. Even if I am not particularly dried at this beginning of season, 2 kilos in 2 hours, it is far too much for this type  of  event

The cycle stage begins and naturally it makes more and more warmly. A strong wind accompanies our progress. The circuit cycle amounts in a long straight line of 2.5 km, a bend to the left, a straight line of 500 metres, an about-turn and the same  in the other direction. This face allows the athletes to see and so being able to judge positions of each.

I am not in best. I have no sensation. It often arriving in this type of events, I wait patiently that the good moment comes. After less of 2 hours of cycle, Botanica leaves the race. It is warm, too warmly for the Italian. It is true that the thermometer borders now 43 ° in the shadow, and of the shadow, there is not on the circuit.

The hours pass and I put an upper limit. Certainly I am always 3rd, but I am not in my plate. Legs do not answer, the breath is short and Carole, in the impression to see me making look slimmer at sight of eye.

After 9 hours spent on the cycle, I complain about respiratory problems. In front of, it is German which took control. The present spot, very well equipped medical service, spends me a cardiac and lung echography because I feel big difficulties breathing. Balance sheet, I suffer from dehydration, what pulls a blocking of the diaphragm which blocks me the respiratory function. The sensations after the swimming part was good and the bike stage have just to get worse the things.

I shall so-so try to pedal still a little, but in the kilometre 310 I shall eventually return weapons. To pedal without being able to breathe is not easy, as far as owed after 84 kilometres to be run.

Very disappointed by this end that I had not imagined, I return in the hotel where I shall need 3 days to find a complete use of my respiratory function. Today I already turn by May 27th and 28th, when will take place in Austria the first world championships of the season.

I took back the training for more than 2 months and things begin to articulate well. I have not found my budget for the season yet, but the physical and psychological sensations are good and that it is the main part ! I make many kilometres and even if I am not still exceptional (far from there !) that goes rather not bad. It is necessary to admit that as in every resumption I have some kilos too, but it is as the rest, that will go into the order in time and the seriousness.

I found a new partner, with whom we found a common ground. Even if for the moment they have no budget to be loosened for a sports season, we agreed on certain points and I shall make my possible to help them be knowned a little more and advanced them.

Christophe, the person in charge of EnchR.fr, because it is of them to whom it is a question, promised me to make its possible to help me to find partners to finance my season by means of the web site. EnchR is a totally free, on-line site of auction for the salesmen as for the buyers. Furthermore, and I find it importing, it is much more friendly and warmer than one of its concurents known well.

Do not thus hesitate to go there to make your purchases. You will find certain number of links on my site with as logo the small mascot below.