Alexandre started running in 2014. The spark came during a walk by the lake in Aix-les-Bains, when he saw exhausted runners crossing the finish line. It was the InterLac race, a now-defunct ultra-trail that linked Lake Annecy to Lake Bourget via Semnoz, covering 75 km with around 3,500 m of elevation gain. Intrigued and inspired, he thought it could be an incredible adventure to take on… and signed up the following year! Today, a very different challenge awaits him: finishing his first IRONMAN. And it will be IRONMAN Portugal Cascais!
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How did your IRONMAN Portugal Cascais go?
IRONMAN Portugal Cascais went wonderfully. My goal was to finish in around 11:30, and I beat it comfortably with a final time of 10:56. I felt good throughout the race, although during the swim my goggles fogged up and I had to switch to breaststroke to clean the inside of them. Despite that issue, the swim went well, and I then headed out for the 180 km bike leg. That went well too, although the final part of the ride was tough with a headwind.
Over the final 30 km, I was wondering how I would possibly be able to run a marathon, as my quads were already starting to feel heavy with lactate. Since it was my first IRONMAN, aside from the stress of such a huge challenge, I went into the race with relatively little pressure and plenty of motivation to improve my final time as much as possible!
How did you manage your training for IRONMAN Portugal Cascais?
I trained specifically for around two months, knowing that I had completed several trail races at the start and in the middle of the season, so I wasn’t starting from scratch! Swimming was really what kicked off my focused endurance training block. I also took four swimming lessons at Aqualac to rebuild solid foundations. With around two swim sessions per week, three to four running sessions per week, and one long bike ride at the weekend, my overall training preparation went well. During the final month, I still increased my training load with the Chambéry Fair 10K, followed immediately by a 15 km run.
I then followed that up over the next two Saturdays with two “test” triathlons: 3 km of swimming in Lake Bourget, 150 km of cycling and 25 km of running. It was during those final two big training sessions that I decided to prepare a proper meal for race day at the bike-to-run transition, because I had been absolutely starving each time! And I was right to do it, because on IRONMAN race day I was very glad to have my meal in my transition bag. I really needed to sit down and eat before starting the marathon!
What motivates you to run?
My main motivation is achieving goals. I’m increasingly drawn to major endurance events such as the UTMB and the Diagonale des Fous. The IRONMAN was another huge challenge for me!
How did you discover the RunMotion Coach app?
I discovered the RunMotion Coach app while running with an athletics club.
What encouraged you to download and try the app?
The professionalism of the app’s founders, and an app that adapts to each runner to help them achieve their goals.
What do you like most about the app?
The design is very practical and intuitive. I also like the variety of workout types and the ability to adapt the plan around time constraints.
After IRONMAN Portugal Cascais, what is your next sporting challenge?
After IRONMAN Portugal Cascais, I have several goals in mind, with the UTMB in 2025 as the main one. After completing the CCC and TDS, only the UTMB remains. It would be the ultimate achievement.
Congratulations Alex on this outstanding performance at IRONMAN Portugal Cascais. You can be proud of yourself! 👏