| Punta Chame |
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By: Jonathan Echevers Let me start by saying I really really wish I would had read Doug's last article before this race.... As some of you know, I am back in Panama since last friday for summer break. Two days after my arrival, I find myself in the starting line for one of the most important races on the calendar, one that is valid for the national ranking in Panama. All my friends and rivals are there. I keep asking myself why something as trivial as studying for finals week prevented me from training and sleeping properly for such an important event (?). Race starts, no place for thinking anymore. I had one of the best swims, if not the best, I've had so far. It was incredibly difficult just to hang on the group. I came out of the water on the second pack at 17min for the 1500m (it was actually about 200m short, but that's still under 20min, so I am very pleased with my swim performance). The bike was just one attack after another, since it was a draft legal race. Eventually I cracked somewhere along the second lap (last) after a ridiculous attack from one of my teammates. I averaged 240watts with a peak of 700 watts in a group of about 15 riders (no hills...). I ended up pulling a group of the four that was dropped from that last attack until transition 2. I may have been completely drained after the bike. The run comes, it was my moment, but something was wrong. Since I was dropped from that attack, I was several minutes behind the lead of the race, I needed to pull something really special to be able to have a top finish. I started out really strong, but that only lasted for about one minute, my legs were not moving fast, at all, in addition, the 97 degrees that day were not helping. I ended up having the 2nd slowest 10km run I have ever had (46min). Regardless of everything, I came 15th in the overall standings, its not even worth it to mention my placement withing the U23 cat. It was a brutal race, I remember how intense these races can be, and the huge differences, not only in tactics, but in training itself, needed to be considered to do well at this races. I was not ready, however, other important races are just around the corner, and I was able to prove myself that, after all, I still have it on the swim. We can learn from our victories, what works for us, what we should and should not do, we can have the best day and feel unbeatable, but that doesn't means we can't get our asses kicked later on, I feel like I've had some of my all time worst performances in the last couple of months regardless of the fact that I am stronger than ever (at least thats what I think), however, I also feel I've learned a lot more from them than I could have learned from my best performances. Winning is important for me, but at some point, just finishing became a challenge big enough, and that is the beauty of this sport, you never know what is going to happen. I am happy and proud to say, I did finish, with a slow run time, throwing up and fainting, but I finished. Now I am adapted once again to the heat, with my sleeping and training cycles reestablished, looking to come back stronger than ever. See you in July gentlemen and good luck with the next races, Johny |
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