WHERE EAGLES DARE

With little heat prep, the wrong gear choice and a course-recce mistake, would experienced extreme triathlete Sean McFarlane soar like an eagle or drop like a stone in Italy?

- SEAN MCFARLANE

MEET SEAN

Sean McFarlane was runner-up in the inaugural Celtman, City to Summit and Brutal extreme triathlons. He runs This Way Up Media, a film production company, and Athletico Management with Dougie Vipond and Andy McCandlish.

I've been descending for quite some time. As I do, that familiar insect thrum you hear in warmer climates gets louder and louder. I'm reliably informed these insects are called cicadas, and I seem to be heading to their annual conference.

The previously warm breeze now feels like a hairdryer on the highest setting and on the tighter corners I can hear the crash barriers cracking in the heat.

At just under 400 metres above sea level, I'm approaching the lowest and therefore hottest part of the bike leg of the Eaglexman extreme triathlon in Italy.

I know from the course profile that thankfully I'm not at this altitude for long, and no sooner have I reached the bottom of the descent that it levels, and quickly starts to rise again. My pace drops like a stone, and I feel the full impact of the heat. Yup, this is hot. Mercifully there's a breeze and while it's far from cool, it does help.

My loyal supporter Giulio joins the queue at a water fountain and asks if I want a head shower. Using an expletive or two, I answer in the affirmative and he pours an entire bottle through my helmet. It feels good but the respite is all too brief. Looking ahead and behind me, I see other competitors, all in that familiar head down pose and zig zagging up the ascent, just like me.