Larache Conti Cup
Heading to Morocco for my first race on an African continent, I had heard a few stories
about the rather 'relaxed' attitude at the race and the basic advice was to "just roll
with it", so with this in mind I arrived in Morocco hoping for the best, but prepared
for the worst.
As it turns out, the worst had nothing to do with the race, unfortunate timing meant
I received the results of an MRI scan on my foot only once I had already arrived in
Morocco and the news was not good.
Stress fracture
At this point I was obviously upset but figured as this race would now be my last for
a while, and I could at least end on a high note with a result I wanted.
More bad news came the next day; "Egg, you must not run"
A decision was made to not risk putting the fracture under excess stress and cause
further damage, a decision I agree with completely, but really not something you
want to hear the afternoon before race day.
The good news though; I was still allowed to race the swim and bike. This put me in
the unique position of being able to do basically whatever I wanted on the bikeattack, pull massive turns- anything, as I didn't have to think about the repercussions
on the run.
So with this in mind I made the decision to swim and ride hard and see what I could
do.
The next morning race time came... And went. We were supposed to start at 11am,
but at 10:50, the age group race before us still hadn't started and we weren't
allowed to begin until the last age grouper had finished the 20k bike course.
Thereafter followed a 30min block of confusion and discussion where the female
field stood around looking at each other and trying to figure out when exactly we
might begin.
The swim course was a point to point course, meaning from transition to swim start
meant we either had a direct swim across to the start line or catch the bus across.. A
bus which I don't think ever showed up.
Group consensus finally dictated we swim across with the general belief we would
start at 11:30.
11:30 came... And went.
The atmosphere at the start line was completely unexpected, officials getting group
photos, everyone lounging around talking and laughing- pretty much the complete
opposite of the usual pre-race atmosphere. No one had any idea when we were
starting.
"Umm... Maybe 15 minutes? The race director is still at transition on the other side"
...
He did eventually show up... On a dingy. And I'm fairly sure that that dingy was a
random fisherman's who just happened to be passing at the time he needed a lift
across.
We all just stood in random placement on the start line and stared in amused
bewilderment as he hoped off the boat, said something completely calm in Spanish
and the race started.
"Huh? Wait, what??!"
Seriously; no line up, no horn, no warning and absolutely no clues in his voice that he
had just said "Go!".
This is why I need to learn Spanish.
Fortunately race instinct kicked in and I was able to start only a couple of strides
behind. I quickly latched onto the front swimmers just as we reached a barely
submerged pile of rocks.
You could almost feel the entire field flinch as hands unexpectedly grazed the rocks
below.
Up to the first buoy and another obstacle presented itself in the way of a taunt rope
stretched over the swim course.
Clamber over that, keep calm and carry on.
The second half of the swim passed pretty uneventfully, I didn't feel good but was
able to stay with four other girls and exited the water with a 30 second lead to the
next group.
A literal 5 second run from the swim exit to the bike rack meant quick transition out
of the wetsuit was vital. Fortunately, getting out of wetsuits quickly happens to be a
talent of mine and I was comfortably into the front pack.
Onto the bike and the course we were presented with consisted of a 5 x 3.5k laps
with an additional 6th lap of 2.5k of only part of the same course, because the
second transition from bike to run was in a different place to T1. Confused? Yeah.
Add to that the addition of more potholes than any road I've ever seen, a trip
through a fish market, a dodgy corner with crash matts in literally the only spot on
that corner you wouldn't hit and the threat of dogs, prams and rickshaws around
every corner and it was an interesting ride.
Oh, and a 1km long hill on all 6 laps that no one knew about until the day before the
race, which was shown to the athletes during course familiarisation, which again, no
one knew about.
"Course familiarisation at 12? Who said that? But everyone already went this
morning? Is anybody doing it? Oh, the other hotel got told at 11:50?"
Strangely, the course was actually so much fun!
As I knew I wasn't running, I decided to do as much work as I could and with our
group of 5 and only 3 of us working, I told training partner, Anel Radford, to save her
legs for the run. I'm pretty proud to say that after doing about 90% of the work, our
group gained 2 minutes on the chasers.
Described as "a bit hilly, flat and technical" in briefing the course featured a total of
one short flat section, but a long descent after the climb meant it was very easy for
dropped riders to get back on to the group and I wasn't strong enough to put in and
hold attacks off the front so we finished the ride with our group of 5 intact.
Coming into T2, casually putting on training shoes and then pulling out of the race
was incredibly disappointing, it's hard to watch a guaranteed podium slip away but it
is more important that I didn't put my injury at a higher level.
Overall it was easily one of the most interesting races I've been in and an experience
I'm glad I've had- I’ve now got another whole collection of stories!
But for now, my foot injury dictates it's time for me to head back to Australia and
begin my recovery and rehab.
I'm obviously upset to have to leave Spain and the Wollongong Wizards, end my
European racing season and miss the U/23 World Champs in Edmonton, but
Australia is the best place for me now and I'm hoping to race again in Tongyeong,
Nepean and Noosa at the end of the year. This may even mean I'll be fit enough to
race the Australian domestic season for the first time since 2012! There's always a
silver lining :)
Tamsyn