Race Report. Oman 70.3.
Oman 70.3 was my first time doing a half distance race, stepping up from the T100 in November and 12 months on from my first ever triathlon.
The race appealed to me not only to do a 70.3, but also to travel to new country/city that has been recommended to me by many to go and visit.
Travel/Logistics
I decided to fly on the Thursday before the race (Saturday) and back the Sunday evening in order to get some more time in the city. I used a Bike Box Alan with Fly Dubai and had no issues (except for a bit of youtube-ing at the hotel to reassemble - it held together during the race thankfully!).
Training
I had a solid 4 weeks of training in the lead up before race week after returning from Ireland for 2 weeks over the Christmas period, with the emphasis on the bike given the distance and the course elevation involved.
I did a specific session with the Velo Presto Monthly Mountain ride in Hatta on 'Generator Hill' two weeks beforehand which gave me a massive confidence boost going in to the race, primarily with descending (I only started cycling in Dubai) but also on pacing the uphill efforts which I found paid dividends on race day.
I have also been doing the TriDubai open water sea swims regularly which I found hugely beneficial for confidence in the water, sighting and trying to draft other swimmers (still a massive work in progress). I also did a swim programme with Rory Buck in the lead up to the T100 which was great.
Race Day
Swim:
The water was very calm on race morning and I was really happy with my swim. I thought I seeded myself appropriately but had to pass a lot of swimmers at the beginning. Once I got through this I settled in to a good rhythm and it was pretty smooth sailing from there. It is hard to compare the swim times as the tide was out a little and the beginning was a bit of a swim/run, but I came out in just over 34 mins which I was thrilled with (especially considering I could barely tread water 16 months ago).
Bike:
Out on the bike was a bit of a love/hate relationship. The bike course was brilliant, the first 30km or so was incredibly scenic going through Old Muscat and other little villages with the road conditions being excellent throughout. The big climb around the 35km mark was a great challenge, I tried my best to stick to my target power range but maybe got a little over excited at times. I began to struggle a little from the long climb at around 55km, legs were tiring and was having some stomach issues from my nutrition. I found a big difference in the additional 10km versus the T100 bike split (80km). I was glad to get off the bike at the end, but it was an incredible experience.
Run:
I ended up having a very good run after initially struggling with my stomach. My plan was to go out a bit easier for the first 3km and then settle into my target pace, aiming to take on about 100-110g of carbs via gels. With my stomach in bother I scrapped the carbs/gels and just drank water at the aid stations, keeping at my initial pace. My stomach eventually sorted itself around 6/7km mark and I was able to up my effort, I did this again for the final lap.
I thought the run course was really good, it was 3 loops (3 x 7km) with great support out throughout. It did get quiet hot towards the end but the aid stations were well manned and well stocked.
Final Thoughts
Overall it was a brilliant experience, the event was incredibly well organised and outside of the race we got to explore the city and surrounding areas on the Friday and Sunday. I was taken away by how great it was from an architecture, nature and cultural perspective. It was a great few days and I would highly recommend it.
I am planning to do the race again next year all going well but I would stay closer to the race venue (Intercontinental or W Hotel), have a better nutrition plan, and hopefully I can find a way to knock 30 mins off my bike time...