1 Week Out: Building Toward Challenge Almere-Amsterdam
One more week until Challenge Almere-Amsterdam — my first full-distance triathlon that I'll actually get to race at full length. I've switched my registration from open division to EC division, so I'll officially be racing the European and Dutch national championships for my age group. The goal hasn't changed — sub 9 hours — but it feels more achievable here than in Frankfurt, since the bike course is a lot flatter.
1 Week Out: Building Toward Challenge Almere-Amsterdam
One more week until Challenge Almere-Amsterdam — my first full-distance triathlon that I'll actually get to race at full length. Training has been going well, and there's some news to share: I've switched my registration from open division to EC division. So I'll officially be participating in the European and national championships for my age group, and I am really excited about that!
The goal remains the same though: sub 9 hours for my first full-distance triathlon. And it feels more achievable here than in Frankfurt, since the bike course is a lot flatter.
Where the training stands
I am currently in my final build week before starting the taper. This week has some key race pace sessions to rehearse race pace and fueling.
- Friday: 130km on the bike, 4 × 15km at race power
- Saturday: 30km run, 3 × 5km at race pace
Saturday's run is the one that matters for fueling: 9 Maurten gel 100s, roughly 75g an hour, the same run-day plan, and this is the last chance to test it before it has to work on race day itself. Then legs up, and time to taper.
The two sessions leading into this week gave me a good reason to trust the plan. Last Saturday's ride was 10 × (7 min at 190W / 12 min at 240W) — two full hours at 240W spread across the intervals. Heart rate sat at 143–146bpm through most of the reps and only drifted to 149 by the last one. Six bpm of drift over two hours of race power is the kind of number that makes a flat bike course feel very manageable.
The next day's run backed it up. 8 × 1km somewhat above race pace, 1km recovery between: every single rep landed within two seconds of the last, 4:18–4:20/km, heart rate 144–148bpm the whole way through. This session let me know the fitness is there.
This Friday and Saturday are the last chance to stack more race pace rehearsal on top of that before the taper takes volume away and leaves the fitness to do the talking.
I am very excited for this race!