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The finals are the annual big show in draft-legal triathlon. Everyone comes out on top of what they have and it’s a race to cement the world title and rank. I’ve never been to the Elite Finals so far. I can’t wait to try it out. This game in Abu Dhabi has been on my mind all year. Now that it’s all over, I want to share my experience and hear from others out there. After such a long time, it is very special to compete again in all U23, Elites, Para and Age Group events.
I’ve been asked what “homework” the pros do in preparation for competition. Given that the Abu Dhabi Finals was something I really wanted to play, I did my homework for it. It’s a whole new class, so I couldn’t watch the previous game and visualize it accurately before it came out. All I know is that the swim will be in warm water, so I’ll need caloric preparation and stamina. I knew from the map that the bike was mostly level and could ride on different surfaces, but I didn’t know the intricacies of that, or how it would affect pack dynamics until we got familiar with the routing. I can also tell the run will be flat. Also, with the heat, I’m not sure running supports endurance more than raw speed. In any other race, I’d probably also look at which athletes are coming, what their strengths are, and think about how that might affect the game dynamics or who to look for on the track. However, in the Finals, you know every athlete will show up.
It’s safe to say that everyone’s biggest concern is getting ready for the heat. We are all happy that the game has been postponed to Thanksgiving, as the weather was significantly less hot and humid than when we played in Abu Dhabi in early November last year. Still, there is a performance hit. I train in the heat for most of the spring and summer. About two months before the finals, I started sauna sessions. They’re not my favorite, but I’ll try to live with them. I take 15 to 30 minutes in the sauna a few times a week, either after a swim or at the end of the day. If you read my last articleI also did a couple of bike rides in the temperature and altitude controlled room while I was at the US Olympic Training Center in October.
For anyone else going to the Grand Final, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the Abu Dhabi game week. This is a huge cultural change from America. You can go to the mall on Yas Island for Cheesecake Factory (or Vapiano, our group favorite), but you’ll see a lot of people in traditional robes. It is not uncommon to see women showing only their eyes. As triathletes, we stand out everywhere we go, walking through hotel lobbies in our cycling gear. Competing in swimsuits for triathlons is particularly prominent in the UAE, though, a country that has traditionally disliked any tight or revealing clothing. I also don’t think the races are scheduled around Islamic prayer times, I noticed the support staff in the registration lounge prayed while I was registering for the races. Funny enough, from what I’ve read, going out as a woman is actually a pretty safe place to be. There also appears to be a push to create women-only exercise spaces. Last year the track was set up for evening cycling when there were no F1 drivers around. One night a week is reserved exclusively for women, allowing them to have their own space to show up and ride.
My family in the US was awake at 2am after Thanksgiving dinner to watch my game. I dived and was sucked in by a group of athletes within the first 100m. People were swimming around me, paddling on me, stomping on my face, and some were pressing on my feet. I had the same trouble with WTCS in Bermuda a few weeks ago. Once you’re there, it’s hard to make any progress. Earlier this year I got better at leading the mob and swimming, which I’m proud of, so I’m not sure what changed or if it was just bad luck. Unfortunately the situation resulted in poor swimming and I had a lot of time to make up for my bike.
I quickly got into the biggest bike bag on the road. With no big signs and no backing on the bike lanes, it was difficult to know exactly how many people were in front of us and behind us. Our efforts to maintain stability throughout the bike, I mainly focused on staying hydrated and staying out of trouble. There were a few crashes and I was happy to get ahead of all of them so as not to get caught up. My mouth was very dry when we kept running laps. In the final few laps I used up both bottles and anxiously waited for the run to come so I could get more water at the aid station. We finally started running and the first lap I felt like I was just pushing myself from one fuel station to another to drink as much as I could. Then I started to relax and find my pace.
When I’m healthy, I’m able to get into this unbelievably focused state of mind where I can run hard and not think about anything. No emotion, just feel my rhythm and count the laps. I have two girls running on me, but am content to be the one controlling the pace. One of my goals was to finish in the top 20 and going into the last lap I knew I was somewhere around that. I slowly picked up speed, determined to race as hard as I could, as I felt the two girls I was with pull back. I finished 18th, not my dream race, but still solid.
Whether or not you achieved all your goals and expectations this year, happy off-season. I hope everyone is as happy as I am to finally get an off-season that coincides with the holidays. I’d love to hear other people’s stories about racing in Abu Dhabi. Hope not too many of you head-butt those giant jellyfish in the water before a race like I did!
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