Tadhg Cronin has written a report of his week in Hamburg at the World Championships...
WEDNESDAY 29TH OF AUGUST 2007: AER LINGUS FLIGHT EI 392
"Headin' into twilight
Spreadin out her wings tonight
She got you Jumpin' off the track
And Shovin into overdrive"
We’ve just left the tarmac at Dublin airport....
WEDNESDAY 29TH OF AUGUST 2007: AER LINGUS FLIGHT EI 392
"Headin' into twilight
Spreadin out her wings tonight
She got you Jumpin' off the track
And Shovin into overdrive"
We’ve just left the tarmac at Dublin airport and "Highway to the Danger Zone" is ringing in my ears ... TOP GUN…Brilliant! Preparation has been hectic. Work, DCT and sorting out my bike have dominated the last week. Thankfully the latter is being shipped to Hamburg with DHL, one less thing to worry about when we touch down. This is going to sound corny but the past year has been an incredible experience. Since joining the club I've made loads of new friends, traveled the country and enjoyed training and racing. It is a testament to those involved in running the club that everything runs so seamlessly. The last twelve months has been punctuated with highs and lows, from finishing seventh in Athlone to falling off my bike in Blessington, but to be honest I wouldn't have wanted it any other way (apart from the road rash that is!). It's a steep learning curve this triathlon business but the challenge, I feel, is not necessarily to win but to always outdo yourself. Most people will never take the first step, let alone finish. In that sense this year has been a major success. I never would have fathomed being able to swim 1500 meters a year ago. All the coaches, in particular, Jack and Chantal, have to be commended for their expertise and persistence. The Captain of the plane has just announced that members of the Irish Triathlon team are onboard the plane ... APPLAUSE ... this is pretty cool, roll on Sunday.
THURSDAY 30TH OF AUGUST 2007: Maritim Hotel Reichshof Hamburg
“Hell is gone and heaven's here
There's nothing left for you to fear
Shake your arse come over here
Now scream
I'm a burning effigy
Of everything I used to be
You're my rock of empathy, my dear
So come on let me entertain you
Let me entertain you”
I’m just back from the opening ceremony which took place on the banks of the Alster Lake in the centre of Hamburg. The majority of the Irish team met before the ceremony for a meal and a briefing from Jag and Neil who make up the Irish Team management. Gavin Noble joined us and everyone wished him well for his race on Sunday. It’s an incredible achievement to race in an Elite World Championships. I sat beside David Graham for the meal. David is due to race in the Under-23 Elite race tomorrow and here’s hoping it goes well for him. Apart from the steady downpour which greeted us the opening ceremony was fantastic. It gives you a tiny indication of what it must be like at the Olympic opening ceremony. Still not sure what was better, the fireworks display set to the tune of Robbie Williams “Let me Entertain You” or the roar that welcomed the Irish team when we were introduced by the MC. Looking at the number of Wicklow Tri Club members (16 I think) that are here, myself and Sharon both agreed that its a shame that there aren’t more from Piranha. There’s always next year though.
Today was all about familiarizing myself with Hamburg, its surroundings and the course. I did a really light run and stretch along the run section of the course this evening – its almost completely flat and basically follows the Alster lake along a tree lined street. Being a “Pale Paddy” I was concerned before we arrived as the average temperature in Hamburg in September tends to be in the mid-twenties – since we’ve been here though it hasn’t stopped raining so I’m sure I’ll cope! As we didn’t register until late in the evening I wasn’t able to get in to the lake and have a swim but from what I can make out it should be pretty OK for navigation. The first turn is almost 500 meters from the pontoon so we should be well spread out at that stage. The course is well marked and thankfully as it stands the water temperature will mean it will be a wetsuit swim.
Friday 31st August 2007: Starbucks (they’re everywhere), Europa Passage Hamburg.
"Just a small town girl, livin in a lonely world
She took the midnight train goin anywhere
Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit
He took the midnight train goin anywhere ...
I’m looking across the table enviously at my Father and Brother having a creamy latte and a muffin. DHL arrived with our bikes today. It’s great to have a bike mechanic here with us. I had managed, much to my surprise, to get the bike back together properly but at the same time it was great to get the all clear from an expert (Many thanks to Rob and Fernando from Wheelworx who packed my bike for me). As its two days before my race I’m trying to rest as much as possible so, aside from watching David Graham and Junior Heffernan race in the U-23 and Junior Elites respectively, I’ve spent my time relaxing. I have, however, learned some interesting things about the German people
1) German people love Journey/Power Ballads – the song (above) has been following me around all day
2) They will patiently wait for the green man before proceeding across a disserted road … o and you’re the “mad” one should you attempt to cross.
3) It’s perfectly acceptable to shout at the bus driver if he arrives 2 minutes late … hate to see Germans trying to get the 19A!
It was great to see two Irish guys competing against the best the world has to offer. David Graham had a good race but unfortunately ended up coming in towards the back of the field. He still put in a great time and I reckon he’ll be back next year even stronger. His lack of strength on the bike told early on as the pace was frenetic. Junior Heffernan came in a fantastic 48th only 3 minutes off the winning time. It just goes to show the tiny margins that separate winning and loosing at the top level. Alistair Brownlee the defending Junior World Champion put in what surely will be one the greatest performances of the weekend. After receiving a punch to the face in the swim he was off the lead pack by some 60 seconds coming out of the Water. He managed, however, to single handedly close the gap to the main bunch on the tight bike course - Putting in a blistering sub -15 minute 5 km to outsprint Vincent Luis to the line to claim second place. Fantastic stuff! Brownlee was beaten into second by a very credible performance from Aureien Raphael of France. His superior bike spilt of 28 minutes 27 seconds proved to be the difference.
SATURDAY 1st OF SEPTEMBER 2007: Maritim Hotel Reichshof Hamburg
“Risin' up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive
So many times, it happens too fast
You change your passion for glory
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past
You must fight just to keep them alive”
Breakfast was followed by a massage from the team masseuse Neal Byrne. It’s a real luxury having a team masseuse. Neal is a World Class rower and he passed on a few tips on getting myself mentally ready for the race tomorrow. Think the Rocky music might just do the trick.
For the first time this week I managed to get to see some of Hamburg from the saddle of my bike. The Open Hamburg City Man, the annual triathlon staged in the Hamburg, was run today on the same bike course we will use tomorrow. I took the opportunity to get my pre–race session in whilst taking a look at the course. There is one or two long drags with one very fast decent but apart from those the course is quite flat. For the most part the road surface is excellent although there is one or two very tight corners that I spent some time looking at (Don’t want a repeat of Blessington!!).
Following a mid afternoon nap it was off to the Alster for a quick dip. Because of our late registration we were unable to swim during the other allotted practice time on Thursday. The first thing that struck me was the water visibility, or lack there of. You literally couldn’t see your hand when it was fully extended. The course, however, is basically an inverted ‘V’ so as I mentioned above, navigation shouldn’t be a factor. I’m sure there will be plenty of people to follow.
The penultimate meal was preceded by body marking and check-in to transition. The Irish Team Age 20-24 is racked together in Block B almost a kilometer from the swim exit. I’d love to know what the value of all the bikes here in Hamburg comes too?! Carbon frame after carbon frame line the huge transition zone that’s hugs the southern bank of the Alster. It was here – standing amongst hundreds of other athletes - that it sank in that I’ll be racing in the Worlds tomorrow. The nerves begin to creep in but are soon forgotten with final preparations taking centre stage. Early start tomorrow morning as my race gets under way at 8:00 am local time. 
MONDAY 3RD OF SEPTEMBER 2007: Aer Lingus Flight EI 393
“Champions aren't made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them - a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina, they have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill.”
Muhammad Ali
Yesterday didn’t exactly go to plan. As we all know technique is paramount in swimming … of course, this went completely out the window for the first half of the swim … think a little bit of nerves and the aggression of the start got the better of me. I thought swim starts were frantic at home but nothing like the scrum that ensued for the first 50 meters. My lack of experience definitely showed and it wasn’t until the second half of the swim that I started to stretch out properly. The most frustrating thing was that I actually did a faster swim in Lough Neagh two weeks previously with a bandaged hand. I exited the water in 27 minutes 40 seconds which was my slowest swim for 1500 metres this year.
I knew exiting the water that I was towards the back of the field. The run from the swim exit to T1 was just over a kilometer long. I focused on getting through transition as smoothly and quickly as possible. Once on the bike I could see that my heart rate was way above where it should have been. I gradually built a good rhythm on the bike and my heart rate returned to a more normal level. The closed roads and the excellent surface was a welcome change from what we usually experience in Ireland. I tried to push on knowing all the time that I had to leave a little in the tank for the run. There was one hairy moment on the bike when I left it a bit late to brake going into a corner and nearly became one with a rather fancy looking barrier. Coming off the bike in 1 hour 10 minutes I knew that I had put in a decent performance by my own standards although again still slower than Lough Neagh. Running into T2 it was great to get cheers of encouragement from the large Irish contingent dotted along the barrier.
Out on the run I felt good – or at least as good as you can in a race – so I tried to stride out and pace myself properly. Seeing the athletes with a disability (AWAD) along the course was inspirational stuff - here were people competing in triathlons while overcoming obstacles that you or I could barely comprehend. You have to hand it to the German organizers too - every volunteer along the course enthusiastically applauded and cheered each competitor as they passed. I ran well and managed to pass one or two guys along the way. My initial feelings crossing the line in a little over 38 minutes was one of disappointment. I had wanted and expected a better performance. In hindsight though I’m pretty pleased with the race, after all it was only my fourth Olympic distance race and my first year in the sport. I finished in 101st position in a time of 2 hrs 22 minutes and 6 seconds.
At breakfast this morning I happened to meet a guy from the USA team called Ben Collins. He was in my race and we talked briefly about our respective races. I told him it was my first year in the sport and that I was gutted it hadn’t gone better. He commented that he was a little disappointed in his performance. Little did I know at the time that I was looking at a World Champion.
I have left Hamburg with a feeling of unfinished business. I will ultimately though, take many positives out of the experience. It was a fantastic feeling to pull on the “geansai glas” and represent Ireland, even if it was only at age group level. I’ve also been motivated to raise the bar for next year and fight for those inches. Perhaps though more than anything else, and this will sound really sad, I‘ve learned that you have to enjoy days like yesterday or they’ll pass you by.
Big congratulations to Sharon Dolan who had a fantastic race despite struggling with an injury. It was also a real pleasure to see the men’s elite race on Sunday particularly to
witness Gavin Noble mixing it up with the likes of Potts, Don and Gomez. He certainly did his country proud in Hamburg and I reckon we still haven’t seen the best of him yet
PiranhaTri
http://www.piranhatri.com/article.php/20071020140525830