Berliner Firmenlauf 2024 🏅

Berliner Halbmarathon 2024

L'Étape du Tour de France 2022

Cols du Lautaret, Galibier, Télégraphe, and Galibier again

Berlin Halbmarathon 2022 🏅

Probably the hardest (so far!) ride of my life, but definitely the best! Extremely demanding! The whole time I was trying to keep my heart rate as low as possible, cause I know a high heart rate means a higher calory consumption and faster exhaustion. Overall I managed to keep my heart rate pretty low, I ate very often (one energy bar every 45 mins) and I remained hydrated (one sip every 15 mins - except in the first bit of the ascent of the Col de la Croix de Fer, more on that below).

Transcript of some voice memos recorded during the race down below:
- 10:21: I reached the Col du Lautaret after an hour and a half. Heart rate remained below 150. No breaks - I just threw my garbage in a bin real quick at the feed zone. Legs are good, I slept fine (but light), the night before was worse, the night 2 days ago was very good. Headed to Galibier now.
- 12:08: I spent the whole ascent to Galibier talking with an English man. Heart rate remained below 160. I reached the top 5 mins after Juliette did. She started the race 22 mins before me. Then I ate, drank, waited and looked for Juliette at the next feed zone in Valloire over 20mins for nothing, thinking she had stopped too. Eventually she texts me: she had just passed the next Col: Col du Télégraphe. I'm now again 20mins+ behind her. Resuming the race.
- 13:10: Quick stop at the feed zone in Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne. Headed to the Col de la Croix de Fer. Juliette is 5 mins ahead (she texts me).
- 14:06: I just caught up on Juliette 10 mins ago, after over 4 hours of riding alone. Kilometer 95. I am losing track of time, the heat is unbearable (bike computer peaked at 43 degrees) and my bottles are empty - like everyone else. Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves is 12 kilometers away. Sounds like eternity.
- 14:28: Kilometer 100. I spot a big group of riders who pulled up to a house by the side of the road: they were being given water by a family! I don't think twice, I do the same and ask for my share. Juliette decides to pass on it so as not to waste time. She'll later regret it and stop by another house.

That's the end of my voice memos. Later we stopped at the feed zone in Saint-Sorlin-d'Arves for a solid 10 mins. Then after 5 kms, we reached the damn Col de la Croix de Fer. Next, long and steep downhill. I saw a guy failing to brake and make his turn, went off road in the rocks and fell off his bike. Other riders stopped to assist him, I stopped a few meters ahead. He was ok. Next, long flat road. We got ourselves in a group of "fast" riders, we were going 30+ km/h. I mostly sucked their wheels - I only took a few turns. Juliette couldn't keep up, she got dropped. We met again at the very last feed zone. We took our time, I guess something like 20mins, before finally starting the ascent of l'Alpe d'Huez. I was suprisingly feeling great - thanks to good nutrition and hydration I assume. After the first turn, I left Juliette behind and increased my pace. Everybody around me was EXHAUSTED. I think one in five people were either walking their bike or stopped and resting. Also, MANY ambulances passed me. At some point I overheard on a doctor's walkie-talkie about people fainting. I did my best performance in the Alpe d'Huez climb: I ranked 3307/8634 (while on Gabilier I ranked 7276/8573 and Croix de Fer 7544/8597). And that was IT! 10:53:49 spent on the road, mostly on the saddle.
16,000 people signed up, 8685 crossed the finish line in time (before 20:19). Among them, I rank 6707.
My full results here: https://resultscui.active.com/participants/42430184

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Romain P

L'Étape du Tour de France 2022

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Berliner Firmenlauf 2024 🏅

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L'Étape du Tour de France 2022

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