CAMTRIER

Xmas mountain bike ride organised ride in Le Muy near the golf course St Endriol. 20km course which was quite technical and was under water in places due to floods a few weeks before. The first 10km was very relatively OK but muddy. We stopped at a drinks and food station, after that it was very difficult due to water flowing down the track, very muddy and wet. However completed in just under 3 hours. There was a 34 km course and glad I did not go for this one as it would have been a late finish and a very wet and tired CAMTRIER. Over 300 rider took part in the ride. Some money went to the telethon charity after the event . See me in the front row in blue below

CAMTRIER at start of the race 

A well organized sprint Triathlon in the lovely surroundings of the Verdon Canyon and Lake St Croix starting at the village of les Salles sur Verdon. Started with a lake swim of 500 metres, somehow I did over 600 metres! Lots of jostling as there were around 400 participants! Went well but still slow and need to improve my swimming in general but also in wetsuit. Losing some weight might help see below!

Portly CAMTRIER at start of swim

After a rather slow transition of over 10 minutes, this was followed by a very hilly bike ride up to Aiguines village, a climb up to 880 metres, pretty slow but no stopping. Then we really fast downhill portion reaching 50kph. Need to do a little more training on climbing hills on the road bike. The one session I did earlier towards Bargemon was not enough. However please with the time considering.

Starting the bike section after a 10 min transition

Finally there was a 5km trail run which was flattish until the end as there was a 200m steep hill climb finishing in the busy village with lot’s of spectators including coach FB

After the 5km run with my coach FB

Next year need to do more open water and technique swimming as well as hilly MTB, Bike and run training to improve my times. But a good start. See my training leading up to the next one with coach FB. Allez CAMTRIER

Insert from Var Matin on Saturday morning

I did my first triathlon yesterday after 7 years. The Lavandou Vert Triathlon which is a cross country triathlon with a 600m sea swim followed by a very hilly 15Km MTB and then a very hilly trail run.

The swim was in a wetsuit and I was knackered after that. This was followed by three circuits of a very hilly MTB ride. The first 3km uphill followed by a downhill stretch. After the first one because of the steep hill felt like giving up but carried on walking in places as it was 28-30C. After that I did a 4.5km trail run which was really interesting starting running down the busy sandy beach. Then climbing over a rocky section with the sea lapping up. Finally running through a nudist beach which was packed and got a lot of cheers, especially when I pulled my tri shorts down. Then to cap it all we climbed into the hills on a very rocky and steep trail run, eventually coming down to the finish line – whoopee I did it which was only goal for the first cross country or green triathlon! I won my age group but came last. Never mind it’s taking part that is important and all the people were  more than 20 years younger and were experienced and this was a very hard Xterra type course!!! I was glad I completed it without a heart attack as it was 28 – 30C as they started the event at 13.30 which was a little silly. But saying that a great event , well organised and only wished I trained more on my sea/wetsuit swimming and steep MTB hill climbing more.

Next week, I am doing another Tri in the Verdon starting with a 500m swim in lake St Croix. This will be followed by a 25 km hilly road cycle and a 5km trail run, should be good event and is sponsored by Occitane and will let you know how it goes after the event, A bientot!

Before the event with and without coach FB

CAMTRIER exiting the 600m sea swim

 

After slow transition starting the MTB leg.

Allez CAMTRIER

In Var Matin on Sunday 29th September 2014

Working towards two TRI’s starting in two weeks. The first is a cross sprint Tri in Lavanadou, Sea Swim:600m, MTB 15km and Trail Run 4.5Km, This will be followed by another a week after in les Salles sur Verdon called L’Occitane Ekiden TRI, Swim in lake St Croix 500 metres, Bike 25km and a 5km trail run. Today did a hilly bike ride of 30km road bike ride in preparation for the second one which was the first road bike ride for several years, feeling great considering, but probably due to MTB training outlined below.

For Last several weeks been doing several hours training including hilly MTB rides (15-20Km), training pool swims (500-1000m) and hilly trail walk/runs (5-8km) in preparation for the first TRI in Lavandou with coach FB.

First race of the New Year and clocked up a time of 54mins 38 sec for the 10K. Nice flat run along the promenade des anglaises and reasonable time for first run of the season, so training with coach FB paying off.

Yesterday went for a 17km Trail MTB ride around the Lac de St Cassein over an 1hr 30mins and today over an hour trail run/walk over hilly rocky terrain with coach FB, See terrain and pictures of the CAMTRIER team above and terrain below. Allez les rouges

Went on leisurely training session with coach FB 11km around 2 hrs. Also saw the triathletes in the above event. Did the run portion backwards and its a tuffy. The event is 1500 metre Swim in lake St Cassien, 27Km on the hilly terrain around the lake, and 10km hilly trail run. Need to up my training to take part next year as a great event to take part in. Allez coach FB
https://www.facebook.com/TrivertSaintCassien. See finish below

Stepping up the training with coach Fudgy Boy.

My coach ‘Fudgy Boy’ (FB) after a hard session on the trail walk today – 8km over hilly terrain for1hr 30 minutes and burning 472kcal

I am a recreational vet runner coming back from injury and turning to triathlons for fun, fitness, weight loss and to raise money for The Meningitis Trust in memory of my beloved son Marcus who died 10 years ago from meningitis. This blog will follow my progress to my first Tri and some of the challenges of moving from a overweight beach whale with poor and very slow swimming and biking prowess to a lean mean tri-ing machine with slightly rusty joints. When posting my events for charity give generously to motivate me and eliminate this disease that took away my beloved son……..onwards and upwards and keep on tri-ing

CAMTRIER