On June 29, Fabien Belloni took the start of the 70.3 triathlon in Les Sables d’Olonne. At the finish, after 4h56’05 of effort, he obtained his first qualification for the Ironman world championships, in his category (55 – 59 years old). The date was set for December 15, on the other side of the planet, around the town of Taupo in New Zealand.
Since then, the man has continued training, just to be ready for this new challenge (1.9 km of swimming, 91 km of cycling, 21.2 km of running). “My preparation lasted five months, punctuated by competitions like the Ironman in Vichy and Marbella, explains Fabien Belloni, who has been practicing triathlon since 2018 after a career as a marathon runner. On average, there are two swimming sessions, five running sessions and four to five cycling sessions per week, using the home trainer in particular. It’s not easy to prepare for a triathlon in fall and winter. »
A couple’s trip
Not stopping at any effort, the triathlete even dared to take part in the last La Rochelle marathon, completed in 3 hours 16 minutes. “I felt good throughout the preparation”he adds.
Enough to fly to the Pacific “in the best conditions” and face tough competition, among professionals and the best triathletes on the planet. “The race went well, in summer weather. I swam at my level. The bike part was difficult with a bit of elevation gain but mostly roads with very poor surface. I finished with a good run with a half marathon in 1h37. I had set myself the ambition of being a finisher on the one hand and trying to be in the middle of the ranking in my category (55 – 59 years old). It’s done (107e out of 285), summarizes Fabien Belloni, who was once again accompanied by Nathalie on this long-term event. It was a great joy on arrival and a certain relief given the heaviness of the logistical preparations. In the end, I feel good physically and mentally, because this logistical preparation was a mental load. »
Time for vacation
The 56-year-old triathlete from Niort was also able to benefit “a beautiful atmosphere on race day, in a dream location, Lake Taupo, the second largest freshwater lake in the world, completed by Fabien Belloni. There was a lot of atmosphere and encouragement in a cosmopolitan universe (around 120 nationalities). But the most striking thing is the very high general level. »
After the effort, time for comfort. The athlete will pass “a week’s vacation in this magnificent country with breathtaking landscapes”. It will then be time to plan on the future objective, the Ironman des Sables d’Olonne consists of 3.8 km of swimming, 180 of cycling and a marathon in conclusion.
