RACING » SPAIN
sea was not as rough as we’re used to
in South Africa, but there was some
choppiness to make you work hard.
The bike course is beautiful. It starts
on the town’s ‘Gold Mile’, then heads
straight up into the Sierra Blanca
mountains, taking you through some
picturesque villages before bringing you
back down the seafront. The first 20km
is literally a climb from the start. It’s
challenging but do-able, with around a
5-6% incline – just enough to slow you
down. After that big climb, we had nice
rolling hills until the turnaround point,
where you then start to climb your way
back to the summit. At least I knew the
last 20km was going to be fast downhill!
The roads are smooth and so nice to
cycle on. There was a moment when
I approached the top of the mountain
and felt like I was cycling into heaven.
The skies were clear and blue, and the
beautiful ocean stretched ahead, as we
made our way back down to transition.
The two-lap run course along the
promenade was also spectacular. You
run next to the beach, in between all
the small restaurants. There was live
entertainment along the road, and a
section where you actually run on a
specially constructed pathway along
the beach.
It’s the first race of the European
season, and I think it’s a must-do for
anyone who likes to travel and race. I
spent a couple of extra days in Marbella,
simply lying on the beach and soaking
up the vibe.
IRONMAN 70.3
MARBELL A
WHERE
Costa del Sol,
Andalusia, Spain
Laura Philipp, Nina
Derron and Marta
Barnardi (above) were
the top 3 women,
while Magda (far left)
came in 8th.
NEX T RACE
April 2020 tbc
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