Was not the best race, not even close.
Fears, demons and doubts…
Morning started early, not cold, not warm… windy as expected.
Calmed down. Just as I were going to do a hard training and not a race…
Talking with friends and strangers. Feeling alone…
Sea showed up its bravery, we showed it our courage.
Swim was tough, rough hard… whatever you want to call it… waves everywhere.
People trying not to drown.
I swam relaxed, trying to control the waves, not easy but not impossible.
Going ahead slowly, breast stroke, free stroke… style didn’t matter…
Head up and enjoying the feeling. It was wild. Just me, and a bunch of people, against the sea…
Got to the beach, found me running towards first transition. Feeling was great!!! I WAS RUNNING with no pain!!! (NB: Alvaro has been struggling with a calf injury for the last 2 months which has led to 2 DNFs)
Put my bike gear on… run towards the bike, got it, run towards the mount line… yeah!! I was running and running even before I needed to!! And it felt great!!!
Started the bike, the tail wind helped me to get a good pace…
Controlling the power, controlling the heart…
It was me against the wind but I made team with it and got its power to head me to the city centre…
Feelings on the bike were amazing, always smiling and looking ahead…
Got to km 60 and had a break down… physical break down… legs felt like I had no more energy…
But was not afraid… I knew it was not true… kept going and in a couple of minutes was better than ok… my head was focused on the finish line… my heart was beating stronger than ever…
Suddenly I found myself climbing up Arthur’s Seat… bike was over and I had plenty of energy left.
Got lost in transition… had to RUN with my bike to get to my rack number…
Put on my compression socks, just in case. Didn’t want to stop running just by any reason…
Start running, felt great. Always smiling as I did while cycling…
Plenty of people cheering me up… I recognised some…
First lap was almost over… felt really hot until I got into the Innocent tunnel…
Second lap and calf was perfect!!!
I was running again… and not just a few kilometres… had done more than 10 already…
Started crying… I was so HAPPY!!! Excited!!!
Second lap was over but legs started feeling wrong. Luckily problem was in the hamstrings… lack of training? Change of running style due to the injury? Will never know!!
Had to walk… it didn’t matter at all…
Even walking felt good…
Speaking with fellow competitors…
Stopping a bit to speak with my coach… needed to tell him my feelings…
It was the last lap… less than 4 kms to go…
Heading towards the finish line… downhill…
My legs followed my heart and started running faster… must faster than I should…
But the Finish Line was less than 2 kms ahead…
Pain didn’t matter… nothing really mattered…
It was just me… just finishing a race… finishing a Half Ironman again…
It was me, fighting against my demons, against my fears…
Crossing the finish line and feeling relieved… screaming out loud.
Keeping my feelings and my thoughts for myself…
I won… not the race…
I won… it was not even my best time or performance…
I won… my fears and my demons…
They will be there always, but now I won other battle!!!