Sérgio Marques Blog

I had this poster waiting for me at the airport,

Mr Helder Milheiras is the best

With this in mind I just wanted to have a regular prerace week where I just stress about….the race. It happened in Austria, I was sure I didn’t want to try anything new for the race, I didn’t had a place in Hawaii and that was my goal, I was aiming for another podium finish and of course the slot.

What can I say, I got to the start line without any problem, finally. The swim started in a weird way, I didn’t heard the cannon and don’t think anyone heard, all of the sudden the pros where starting one by one, almost as if the marshals would stop them for a false start. As I finally see that the big bulk of the pack where already swimming I began as well. Body contact, punch, kick, the usual, nothing new there for a race start, I got a pretty big one around 1km that took my right google out of place so I had to make a really quick adjustment that didn’t take more than 3-4 seconds, I was feeling a bit sluggish, my stroke was kinda slow but I didn’t make any importance out of it. A few meters before the canal entry I got another punch, this one definitely with a elbow and that HURTED, with the goggles filled with water I just wanted to get out of the water, the canal part of the course its nice, you see the crowds around you but for me it took like forever to get to the exit, maybe it was because I thought it was a lot shorter that it really was. I left with 53 min and a pair of after race spotted black eyes. Like I usually say, I don’t care much about the time, more to the time I loose to the leaders, and I had no idea at first, after getting to my bike I realized that most of the bikes where gone, especially the ones I taught would be behind me in T1. It wasn’t like looking for each bike with the startlist at hand, a blink is enough for that.

Onto the bike, my prerace plan was to ride around 260W average, my training and especially key training sessions with my ergomo where pointing in that direction. After dealing with the crowds in the beginning of the bike I established that rhythm but soon the “number” was hard to maintain, and I pretty much was being passed by a lot of athletes, I tried to keep calm, eat and ride, but I wasn’t feeling any better and it was more and more difficult to produce some decent wattage. At the end of the first lap I was already far far away from everyone, ridind alone, around 2:22 for the first lap that wasn’t good news at all. I was keeping myself motivated hoping that I could at least negative split for the second lap, something that I have done in other laped courses (IMAZ for instance), but I got nothing but empty roads (the whle course is closed to traffic, that is very cool) and from time to time I spoted an athlete or other, some that blew up other that passed me. I wasn’t having a good day in the saddle I got into transition with around 4:50 of riding witch is waaaay to much time and averaged 243W, a lot lower (11w) than in my last race,IM hawaii and of course not even close of the 260 that I had in mind.

As I got my red shoes on, finally after 2 tries, I didn’t have a clue of what was happening, where was I, gaps etc. I knew one thing for sure, with 4:50 I was miles away from the action. I made a decision in the first km of running, I had nothing to loose so I got into a really fast pace and hoped that I could at least maintain for the majority of the marathon and pull something out of the race. I started pumping coke, gels, water etc right from the beginning, and was running at around 3:40/km pace steadily, in a “normal” day I would perhaps hold back a little but this time my only thought was eat and run till I couldn’t anymore. The course is fast of course, totally flat, I passed half marathon at around 1:18, that is of course ridiculous fast even if its only an half Ironman, I knew that somewhere in the second lap I would probably blow up but I risk it anyway and took my chances. Again I had no idea where I was, I passed a lot of athletes in the first lap and that was what I knew  with the second lap of course is a lot more difficult to spot the competition in the middle of the crowd. At km 27 I was still running under 4min/km and at around 31-32km where you pass the transition area one lat time I blew up, really hard, so after that it was all about getting to the line, and I got there with nothing to spare in that day. What I didn’t knew was that I was 7^th and surely didn’t know that 5^th was kind of close. After all, with a piece of information early on I would definitely start more coservetaly the run and probably end up with low 2:40’s, but that really doesn’t matter now.

I was really happy that I finished this one, it certainly gives me back the motivation, it wasn’t a perfect day, not even close in my opinion, I didn’t match my objectives for the race but I am back to racing and this is pretty much the first race I finished this season. The season starts here for me. I honestely don’t know what im going to do next…

Just a quick report on yesterdays race.

I was happy, like i wrote before to be at the start line with everything under control. no problems at all before the race.

I had a pretty flat day in Austria, the swim was a bit slower than i woiuld expect, but it obviously that is a bit of a lottery when you are not a lead swimmer.

Bike was a disaster, i was aiming to average 260W, that was of course an indicator of the training i have done till now not just a “hey lets try this and see what happens”. I was only abble to average 243W that comparing to my last performance with a powermeter (IM hawaii) was a full 11W lower, ok i may be a bit to geeky but that is facts, i was having a kinda bad day. 4:50 is way too much to be in contention for a podium.

So run…i was way way back, like i never been before so i decided to risk everything on the run. I started running really really fast, 3:40 per km was the splits i was having, i knew that i would eventually blow but i need to risk, keep eating keep running was my focus. Acording to my watch my half marathon slpit was around 1:18, that is of course ridiculous fast, i knew that i wouldt be abble to hold that for the second one and i didnt, around 32km i was toasted (tottaly)after that it was a matter of getting to the line. 7th

Overall a flat day, now i think that i should have hold back a bit on the run, it would be better and i would probably run low 2:40´s this of course in a totally flat and fast run course.

Im happy to get back on track after a dreadfull season start, 7th place isnt bad especially after a “not so good” day.

a bigger more annoying report will be next

Just a normal day today…

I went for the press conference early in the morning, where i have been considered as a favorit for the race…uuuuuh hmmmm. Actually all the people around the organization, television Etc knew almost every detail of my carrer, especially about my season so far, that was really surprising for me and to be considered a favorit even more :P.

After that a few interviews for the Austrian TV and pro meeting next. around noon i went for some food and a walk in the expo, a few camera shots later i was back in the bus to the hotel to have a real good meal, bread is delicious here!!!

 a small tv session in my room to get my stomach working and then a 20 min run. I was glad to feel the heat outside, at least its a lot better than yesterday and wednesday.

Shower and internet cafe again for another capuccino

later ill be in a pasta party that i was invited too, cool.

a shot from the press conference

Stefan Petschnig, Marino Vanhoenacker, Alexander Taubert, Stefan Riesen, Steffen Liebetrau, me, Hans Mühlbauer

AAAAAH, What a fantastic city klagenfurt is, Amazing!!!

I got here yesterday, bike didnt by the way, aaaah the dejavu feeling is weird. But i got it today. I think it would be IMPOSSIBLE to happen twice…

Im about 4-5km from the race site, i walked there in the morning, dumb idea, had my swim done, registred and then went back, by bus this time. Had the Exciting  feeling of puting my bike together and went for it, a ride.

This area as i said is absolutely beautiful, i rode a bit of the bike course, that goes at the side of the lake, if someone is dehidrated im sure it is possible to stop and drink a bit of water from the lake, you get the point dont you?

I love Klagenfurt, it is very bike friendly, bike paths all over the place and people riding their cruiser to the grocery shop, that is so cool. Its not a big city, 100000 people i have been told. Surounded by moutains and green fields, too bad it snows in the winter or it would be the perfect place to live

Relaxing in the internet cafe drinking a capuccino, its so cool to just relax a bit.