Things that happen because they should happen!

As most of you might know I had a quite bad and serious accident when I was bike training back in 2008. I was run down by a car and had mutiple fractures in my whole body, the worste being four broken vertebrae bringing me closest to a spinat tap! This had happened on Lanzarote. This blog you are actually reading is a direct result of this accident. I wanted to show up what you can achieve if you never give up on yourself.
But of course you do not achieve a recovery like this (my chances of surviving a crash like this were 1 : 1.000.000 as the medics said) without the help of special people!
And now here what happend today (me being on Lanzarote): this morning I was speaking to a physio about my crash and mentioned the medic who made all the magic start. Two hours later one of me MOVE-MENT athletes asked me about my recovery and I mentioned the medic again... and then this: I was just doing some supermarket shopping and guess who stood outside the parking lot exactly next to my car...??? Mr. MD PhD Dariusz Chmielewski.... the medic who had done all the magic of getting me back on track without any surgery...! Wow!!! I had not seen him in three years now... Great joy on both sides added to a really nice chat! I mentioned that I had no pain or problems and even became vice european Ironman champeon in my age group this year! He shook his head and said "I still don't believe this... we must sit down on a beer and you must tell me the story!" (I like the part with the beer;-)))
Well.. I will do so! But what a strange curcumstance....
Check this and say "thanks" to all the good medics out there...:
http://www.hospiten.es/hospiten/HOSPITEN/published/DEFAULT/cuadro_med.jsp?PRDID=45498&STEP=0&PAGEFROM=7203
CHAKA!!!!!!!

Night shifts...

Hi everyone... It took a time but now I am back!

After a good set of rest after IM Frankfurt I am full in motion founding my new company "MOVE-MENT" The reactions are great. It is always difficult to advertise something like coaching. You never know what you get as customer until you have tried it. And there are a lot of companys offering "coaching". There are goods, bads and The one for you! I will convince and show that I am good at what I do and will do all step by step. Convince by action and not by talk. By time I will let the people who have experienced MOVE-MENT have the word.


I have been doing quite some nicht shifts to finish the first PERSONALIZED DVD for a client in Swizerland. Good fun for both of ua because in that way he always has a cool feedback and control on when he trains back home. We had a good set of coaching here on Lanzarote. All the rest will be on distance until he comes back to Lanza.


Other to that I don not have true ambitions yet to train for something. I am not looking for a challenge... the challenge will find me!!!!
That's it for the moment. Take care and *CHAKA!!!!

*I will tell all one day what the "CHAKA" means.....

IRONMAN FRANKFURT: entering the fourth dimension…

Sunday the 24th July was THE day of my project: „Ich habe ein Ziel… das Ziel möchte ich erreichen“ which means as much as: „I have a goal… I want to achieve the goal“

I can say: mission accomplished! I did not win the championship but I came second. I am now Vice European Ironman Champion age group 45 -49. I wanted the title and missed it by 1 minute. But why do I say: mission accomplished???

Here is the story:

Getting ready...

Even in good old Germany you would expect warm temperatures in the month of July. At least something like 18 – 20 °C or so… On this special day, the 24^th July 2011 everything was different and made this Ironman to a very special challenge having effect on almost everybody competing and driving most athletes to dig deeper into themselves than ever!

Race day morning the thermometer was showing only 9°C, it was overcast and there was the smell of rain in the air. I had brought my beloved GIANT Trinity into the transition zone the day before and it had been wrapped up in plastic to shelter it from moisture during the night. Taking off this cover I was already thinking of the task coming up to me: 3,8km swim – 180 k bike and 42,2 k run! I felt very confident to have done everything possible to be prepared for this challenge. My training and race results before had been very good!  The pre race atmosphere is always stunning: people are mumbling and talking with low voices; you can hear this “pfffft” of the pumps being taken off the valve when the tire has been inflated; slowly daylight comes to the scene and shadows become fact.



BANG! And we are off!



15 minutes before the race I put on my wet suit. I had to take off my warm up clothes and could feel the cold the first time this day! I quickly put on the suit not to loose body temperature. Blime me… it was cold! Walking down to the swim start I was encouraged by a lot of people wrapped up in thick clothes. I am still no quite sure if it was pity or sorry ness in the eyes of these people. They knew what was coming up: a true battle against the elements!



I already feel the cold...



The water was some what 18°C “warm” and was the warmest I would experience up to the shower I took long after the race! I did my warm up routine and felt good. I was in the first of two starting groups together with the PROs and faster age groupers. Best about it: we where only some 350 athletes. The second group: 2300….!

BANG…! And we where sent off. I got into my stroke very easily and could stay in my group until we had to exit the swim after some 2000m for a quick run on land and then back into the water for the second leg of 1800m. I could keep my pace very steady and did not have to push hard at any moment. It was not my idea to swim flat out… more swim solid! I did so and left the water after 56:27 which is not spectacular but still the 121th split of the day. I charged up the sand ramp to transition and had a good change to the bike.

Scary conditions: wet and cold!

I had done my homework before and had analysed the bike course: there is a 13k leg from the “Langener Waldsee” to Frankfurt city which EVERYBODY does extremely fast (too fast for most of them) so I concentrated on my own pace which was high anyway. Entering Frankfurt it started raining the first time. My average speed was at 40,5 km/h and I could ride that speed comfortably. I took a sharp right turn and my front tire slipped away strongly…! I could just avoid slipping away and crashing! “Tricky thing coming up” I thought.

The road conditions in Frankfurt itself and on the following 30 km were very poor: lots of pot holes, patches and rail road crossings. Hmmmm! The climbs are very short and up to 7% steep. Not the big deal if you normally train on Lanzarote. I grouped up with two other athletes and kept the speed at an average of about 38 km/h. After 70k I decided to speed up a little and dropped the small group. It was now about 3 hours into the race and it was raining heavily with the temperatures “rising” to 12 °C. The cold was slowly creeping into my body and I was trying to eat as much as possible because the amount of energy the body needs to keep its core temperature stable at 37 °C is amazingly high! The biggest problem was that my fingers where getting so cold that I couldn’t grab food at the aid stations and if I managed to do so, I could not open any energy bars or according gels.

HARDCORE...!

Entering the second lap I was still very fresh and could still keep the speed up high. Now I was picking up all the athletes who had started up too fast! Fun!!! But when the fun starts, the party blocker is never far away: WIND… head wind… strong head wind. After 160 k I had to ride against hunger, energy lack, rain, cold and a vicious head wind. Too much for me: I battled the last 20k. My eyes where flickering and I started seeing white dots bouncing in my sight. The last climb “Heartbreak hill” I climbed subconsciously because I can’t remember until today. Fortunately the last 15k led down to Frankfurt but my speed had decreased strongly. I was off the bike after 4:53:41 which was the 34^th fastest bike split of the day. Not too bad and what I am able to ride.

The transition Bike – Run was “easy peasy”…: socks, running shoes, cap and gels… off I went.

Still in the top 30 and under control!

Entering the marathon on an Ironman is always something very special. You start running with no feeling for speed and stride. I started not only like so but also with frozen toes. I had no feeling in them! I had brought along a GARMIN Forerunner to give me an idea of my pace and kept it steady at 4:25 per K. It felt good and right. The first of four laps was not very hard (it never is by the way). But I was not warming up… the exact opposite was happening: I was getting colder and colder.



Entering the third lap...!



During the second lap I had to run alongside to the “Main” river and the wind was blowing into my face lowering the temperature even more. It started raining heavily and I felt my energy escaping my body. My hands where close to being ice. After the second lap (21 k) I entered on of the biggest challenges I have had in my life as triathlet! My energy balance was so low that I again started seeing stars flashing in my sight. My hands where not able to hold anything anymore.

My body is waisted!!! Border lining...!

Draining myself...

Suddenly after 22k I stood still. Everything in me was pleading me to stop this nonsense! I bent over and held my knees. I walked a few steps. My body and my mind where battling each other! I started trotting again. I had to stop again because my knees were now hurting very badly because they had swollen immediately after me stopping: the cold did a good job! Again I started running with the aim to reach the next aid station and then try and refill as good as I could! With strong pain I made it only to realize I couldn’t open anything or hold anything. Someone opened me an energy gel which I swallowed. “What now”…?!? I saw someone with a thermos can and asked him if he had something hot in it and would kindly pour it over my hands: it was warm coffee (never loved coffee so much)! I ran to the far turn point and was due to withdraw from the race: no energy and no motivation!

If you can’t do it yourself you need people to help you! One of the athletes I coach (million thanks Fränky!!!) stood at the 30k sign. He walked up to me and asked what’s up. I said “ I am so cold” He took my hands and felt my legs. They were freezing! He looked at his watch and said ”Hey Foli, if you just run the last 12,5 k at “mini-max” (that is what we call the fastest speed you can achieve easily) you will get to the finish line with a time of 9:25:00! Decide: fly or die?!?”

I chose the “mini-max-fly” version and started running step by step. My body was shouting ”NO” but my mind was telling him to carry on. The most stressful situation I can imagine. I was digging very deep into myself. I was not thinking anything anymore. I started looking for the distance signs: 7 k to go…. that is like my training loop in Hamburg… 5 k to go…. that is like the mini triathlon at Club La Santa… 3 k to go…. that is like the transition runs I do after bike sessions… 1 k to go… I am home….!

The fourth dimension...!!!!

I ran up the finish cute and was too weak to be really happy. I stretched up my arms but I did not feel the success. I had done the marathon in 3:30:00. I finished after 9:24:46 being 76^th overall. I had “lost” the title during the third lap… but I had “won” the experience of how deep I can dig into myself to achieve a goal. I had entered the fourth dimension!

BUT

I also say that I would never repeat this experience because there is a limit for me between challenge and over charge. This was over charge for me and that is not the reason why I do such a fantastic sport like triathlon.

I did not take my slot for the world champs on Hawaii because I know I can recover physically but I will not recover mentally in such a short time. I am honest to myself and would rather stand at the start line of Kona one day thinking “yes… this feels right”…!

Thanks for reading all this and you never know: some time some place….

CHAKA!!!!   

 

P.S.: If I my say so… from mid August I will launch my newly named company: MOVE-MENT. It’s all about endurance sports, seminars and workshops. I have the knowledge and the experience to share. I have the people and companies which have experienced!

Three of the MOVE-MENT boys: Foli, Fränky & Lenni

Contact: info@move-ment.net and web www.move-ment.net (will be fired up till mid August).    

Lennart Hoffmann (trained by MOVE-MENT) finishing after running a stunning 3:03:46 Marathon: no magic... just training the right thing at the right moment...! Finishing time: 9:30:59

A new star alliance…

LANZA...!!!

I have finished my little training camp on Lanzarote and was reminded what it means to train on such a cool island: wind, windier, windiest. Biking was really tough but it gave me very strong legs. I had some fantastic 180+ rides and was able to generate some extraordinary speed averages (Kim will know…hihihi…). Other to that I did some good running and worked on my swim.

I am not the fastest swimmer but TRI 11 makes me swim faster!!!

By the way: I am not (and will never be) the fastest swimmer BUT I have found a wetsuit brand which makes me swim faster: TRI 11. I have now tried them since this season and as you have seen on my swim results, I didn’t do too bad. So it was ME asking TRI 11 if they would like to support me on my way to IM Frankfurt and IM Hawaii. Thanks to Michael the decision was quickly made. The TRI 11 AIR feels right and elevates my position in the water. That is what I (and a lot of other swimmers need!!!). One more reason now to call me “FoliFlipper”…

Fast?!?

What else: on Sunday (26^th June) I will be racing in Bad Bodenteich (GER). That is a 2 -90 -21km triathlon and I am going to try and generate the speed and power I had on Lanzarote. I must say a big “Thanks” to Edgar Strauß for having me at his race and for the help he handed!

I want that Titel!!!!

Four and a bit weeks to go to IM Frankfurt: time is flying! One more good block of training and then it’s “longest day”. I really wonder if I am going to be able to put everything together on race day and achieve my set goal. But to be honest: I am the only one who can beat himself by doubting too much. So it will be the belief in my own strength which will do the magic of going forward even when the pain gets stronger and stronger. The marathon is never an easy thing to do especially if you want to run fast (what ever that is in Ironman).

Spanish seminar on "Training and Recovery"

Anyway… just another thing: I have now very often been asked on my training vids…: I will post new ones after and after on YOU TUBE and will put the link into my (this) blog. I will also link them to my new company coming up (August 2011) on www.move-ment.net . So it’s up to you out there to find out if I am doing you any good in inspiration and guidance.

See you all...

Race report Hamburg Championships 05.06.2011

The race facts:

2k swim in 29:54 / 83k bike in 2:07:23 / 20,5 k run in 1:18:55 = 3:56:13 finishing time. 2^nd overall / 1^st age group

What's it going to be today?!?

The story:

One day before the race I was still a little concerned about my legs: they felt tired and without dynamics. I had been doing quite some training for IM Frankfurt and next to that a lot of work obligations. Well, Sunday morning when I got up I did my usual warm up routine and started smiling more and more: good legs!!!! I even posted my idea on how I want to do my bike leg tactics… and that was taken notice of as I was told later!

FoliFlipper goes for second lap...

The swim was a 500m triangle followed by a 1500m triangle. Something very simple if the organizers are able to explain the athletes in a proper way on where to swim along. No one really had understood on how to swim (which bouys) but we where sent on the trip at 8 o’clock sharp. As I had done a little homework on who was racing that day I knew the Marc-Andre Hages (the later winner) was a good swimmer. So I swam as hard as I could to keep to his legs. We headed towards the first bouy (us two thought) only to notice it was the wrong one. The canoe didn’t give us notice either so we had to swim back about 80m to get around the right bouy. We had lost the leading position. After the first triangle I saw I was 6^th and was quite happy with that. The second triangle (1500m) was steady cruising along.

"Which position and how much...?"

The transition was quite long and took about 2:30 minutes. When hopping on my bike my “dream team” shouted at me saying I was 5^th (I had passed one in the transition) and 2:30 minutes down on lead. Fine…: no worries!

Bike POWER on GIANT...

As I had posted I wanted to do the first 40k defensive and then attack on the second 40k. I had taken a speedometer along (which I normally never do) to keep me from speeding too much. After 20 k I had caught the second and was passed the info of being 3 minutes down on first. Still no worries: I had an average of 39,6 km/h after 40 k and new it’s not too bad but…! Now I put down the hammer. I was still 2:45 minutes behind lead after 42ks but the knowledge of having far more in the tank made me feel confident. After 62 ks it was only 40 seconds to lead and after 75 ks I took the lead! Marc-Andre followed me and we hit the transition zone. I had at no time reached my biking limit and felt under control at every moment! NICE!

We ran down the ramp to the transition. 1:30 for that and I had a little struggle with my socks. Marc-Andre changed a little faster and we (really) charged out of transition as if we where doing a sprint triathlon.

The heat is on...

Marc-Andre had a lead of about 15m on me and was running very hard. I thought “I’m going to blow at this pace…!!!” After 2,5k the lead was up to 20 seconds and Marc-Andre also realized that the pace was too high. I caught up to him and we finished the first 5ks together.

I should mention it was about 30°C warm and no shade. That was not the problem but there were only two aid stations after every 2,5ks. That was too far apart!

...5k and 15k to go!!!

I needed to reduce my speed and had no clue on how fast I was running. The gap to Marc-Andre grew steadily but I was focused on myself. I always said running long distances in triathlon is a mind thing… it is!!! I imagined for myself running the marathon in IM Frankfurt. It’s going to be far worse and harder and my goal is to become European Champion in my age group. So where is the reason to moan on this race???

I came into finish well exhausted but very happy to have done a good race. The finishing time is very good and the bike split makes me happy: 83ks in 2:03:25 = 40,2 km/h but I am even more surprised about the 1:18:55 on the run. That is the actual good news.

Myself (http://www.move-ment.net/)  & Marc-Andre HAGES

Biggest respect to Marc-Andre Hages: he ran a 1:16:32 to finish off and ended in 3:53:45. Good job and thanks for the running pain! And to all the other finishers! Well done! 



Support...!



IM Frankfurt can come. BUT I now know where I still have to improve. Homework time…







...more support!!!!



See you all and thanks for reading this. Thanks for all the support and sorry if I sometimes don’t react to you cheering (Britta)…: it’s because I am in a strange own world at that moment: ZONE-LAND    

By the way: to enlarge the pics just click on them...!!!

Two hours to go…

All set for the race in two and a half hours…! 2 k swim, 80 k bbike and 20 k run… that’s the menu of the “Vierlanden Triathlon”.

I am just breakfasting right now and will drive over to the race at 6 o’clock. Then I’ll bring my stuff to the transition zone and warm up. 8 o’clock we are gunned off.

I will try and do the first part of the bike a little controlled to then go offensive in the second. The run will be hot as temperatures will rise to about 30°C.

Foli, Frank the tank, my "boss" & SKINFIT...!

Yesterday I was at the opening of the SKINFIT showroom of Hamburg. Good stuff and good fun!

Alright…: this is it! I will report.

“Hasta la vista, baby…”

My coming out…

Next Sunday will be the day I will be racing the first time in Germany since about 15 years. On the 5^th June I will be racing a half distance Triathlon with 2k swim, 80 k bike and 20k run. Kick off will be at 8 o’clock in the morning.

I am really looking forward to this race as I have been training well and am getting fitter every day for my actual main goal: the Euro Champs Ironman Frankfurt in July. So it’s going to be a pass through for me. I just want to see how strong I actually am.

Flat...

The swim will be a new experience for me: I will be swimming in a lake with zero sight under water. In the past I have always been swimming either in the ocean or in lakes with clear water. My test swimming today was better than I had thought but I came out the water dizzy as I had no reference points underwater. AND the water was cold… very cold!

...flatter...

Biking will be harder than thought as it’s absolutely flat. The wind is not the problem but you need to push the pedals for 80k without a break which leaves it to 2 hour plus of hard work. It’s a 10k in and out loop so one can see what the other athletes are doing. I am looking forward taking my GIANT trinity for a hard ride along the channel.

...as flat as can be...!!!!

Finally the run: 2,5k out and the same way back and that four times on a gravel path. Mentally that might get tough but that’s only mind game which you can control yourself. I can see the biggest problem on the run course of a lot of other athletes of the various other, shorter distances mingling in the run.

Wish me luck and if you want to cheer me / us on this is the place to go:

Hohendeicher See, Overwerder Weg
21037 Hamburg (Oortkaten)

Race start at 8:00 am for us….!!!

...with a little help of my friends: RELOADED...!

Time is ticking on and I am back in good old Germany. After a very solid running week I will now focus on my bike and swim abilities.

I am very happy to announce that SKINFIT Hamburg has joined the pool of companys and friends who will be at my side to achieve my goals this year.

I have had some time to think about what my goal will be after the Frankfurt Ironman. Well... I have actually decided to go for the qualification for Hawaii. That would be the final highlight of my ambition to round up my long term recovery from February 2008. After more than 20 long distance triathlons it may set the crown to all.



So for Ironman Frankfurt I will have two things to do: go HARD and FAST...! Heppa...!

A few more pics: friends after the Volcano Race....

Good you are back, Bert...!

Me together with Bert Jaemmer (BEL) the two time champion of the Ironman Lanzarote and runner up last year. He will be racing Ironman Frankfurt and we have arranged to meet there for some training. Bert and I have had LOTS of good and hard bike sessions (right Ben...?!?). He is someone to look for at the Frankfurt race...!

Two local heros on Lanzarote and dear friends of mine:

Left Gregorio Caceres Morales: he is spanish champion on the longdistance race series and has had top five performances in the Ironman Lanzarote. He is one of the fastes runners on the long distance. On the right is Cristian Moya, only 17 years old who has just won the bronze medal in the world championships in cross triathlon. He raced his first olympic distance at the volcano. He is the man of the future...

Kim: U R still A STAR...!

Good fun with you and thanks for you company...!

„It’s hammer time…!“ VOLCANO Triathlon 2011 Lanzarote

Here are the facts…:

Transition Zone

1.5K swim in 21:30 / 40K bike in 1:04:47 (incl. 410 Hm) / 10K run in 36:20. Overall position 9^th and winner age group. Find the result list at http://www.clublasanta.com/Volcano%20Triathlon-10259.aspx

All alone...

And here is the story…:

The Volcano Triathlon is the oldest Triathlon in Spain and is definitely one of my favorite Olympic distance races.

The swim is in a lagoon and very cool for spectators to watch the race. I think there were over 350 participants sent on their way to race against a hard wind and a hilly bike course followed by a hot run.

The heat is on...!

When Kenneth Gasque (race director of the IRONMAN Lanzarote) cracked the gun I tried hardest to find a good position straight from the beginning but everybody starts the swim at full power.

 The first 400m were a nightmare. I was more under water than swimming and I felt very slow. It took to the far end turning buoy to find myself swimming normal. I had no idea on how fast I was swimming and thought I’d be really slow but when charging out of the water I saw some familiar faces.

The run up to the transition zone was long… very long with a steep climb which I hate having for a start. I snatched my bike and ran out of transition.

Hammering the 40 Ks...

Now it was time to put down the hammer. I had trained the bike course three days before the race and new I could bike something like 1:06 for the 40Ks keeping in mind we had to climb 410 m of height on the way. The good thing about the bike course is that there are no steep climbs and lots of wind. I put my head down and took profit of my new and more aggressive position on my GIANT Trinity. I was flying past other triathletes and counted only 10 in front of me at the turn point… good news! The way back to transition was just pushing “all in” and defending my position. Do you know how it is to wreck yourself on 40 Ks bike and have pain all over your legs (especially because I had biked 220Ks two days before as training…) and not knowing if and how fast you can run 10 Ks because your last Olympic distance triathlon you did was two years ago….!?!

Back to earth...

Well… now you know with which doubt I pushed my bike into transition. We were four athletes coming in more or less at the same time…

...dirt track to start off...!

I ran out of transition with “no legs”…! I had absolutely no clue how fast I was running. I could just see the two guys in front of me even running away from me… guaaah…! On the piece of dirt track outside the stadium my feeling for my legs got even worse! I pulled my cap deep into my face to not have to see how the boys in front of me ran away!

Flying towards the finish line!

But hey….just after one more K the first of the two blew… bang… gone… and after the turn point (2,5 K) the other one blew… bang…! I got company from someone a little later and he just ran past me… too fast! On the second lap I felt my legs and started running hard. No one behind me and no one to catch… Cool…!

I ran into the finish and already saw my finishing time… only half a minute slower than 2009 when I came 21nd at the IRONMAN Lanzarote overall and became Spanish Campion on the long distance age group 40-44 and 6^th overall). When I saw my run split I was very surprised as I had not thought running that pace.

DONE...!!!

My build up for IRONMAN Frankfurt (24^th July) is working well and I still have the declared goal of becoming IRONMAN European Champion in the age group 45-49 because I say I will never be “so young so old”…! The Hamburg Vierlander Triathlon (2-80-20) is my next goal and it will be my “coming out” in Hamburg. No one has ever seen me race there and I am looking forward racing the people of the city in which I live.

HAMBURG…: I am prepared… are you too…?!?

Thanks for the support to OAKLEY (in particular the Store in Hamburg… you rock and are the best Team I know!!!), to GIANT (you made me fly on the bike) and to SKINFIT Hamburg (Gunther… wir müssen mal zusammen nach ZA…!).

Never forget: I started at zero after my accident 2008 and was given no chance but I believe in my friends and myself and am on my way to achieve my set goals… I wish and hope I can inspire you just a little to do the same in your life…!

Respect to you all out there….

Foli

Race Report Fuerteventura…: a true challenge!!!

Here are the facts:

I came 22-nd overall entering the finish as second non Professional. I came first in my category beating ex-European Champion Morton Fenger. I finished in 4:41:24 only 28 minutes behind the winner, no one less than Rasmus Henning having an Ironman best time of 7:52:00 in Roth.  

I swam 27:03 for 1.9 km (30^th split) / biked 2:48:13 for 94 km (1600 Hm and transition times included; 21^st split) and ran 1:26:09 for 21.1 km (350 Hm and 22^nd split).

I am more than proud and happy!

And here is the race report:

I got up at 5:00 a.m. to warm up and have some breakfast: white bread with honey and a goooood coffee. The transition zone opened at 6:30 a.m. so I brought my bags and drinks to the bike, checked everything and focused on what was going to come.

My biggest concern was still the bike course! I have only trained some 500 km in the flat around Hamburg and haven’t climbed a hill longer than 500m. I know I am a good biker but I didn’t know if my muscles would be able to tolerate all this climbing and then run a half marathon. I said to myself: “have respect but don’t be scared…” and went down to the swim start.

Out of the water

At 8 a.m. we were sent on our journey. The Pros had a front start of about 20m and everybody dashed down the beach. To the first buoy it was only 150 m and I got badly smacked when I swam around it. I could feel the missing routine of open water swimming and couldn’t find my rhythm. It took half the swim course to get relaxed and I noticed I was swimming with Nicole Leder (European Champion long distance). I thought “If she is here I am doing fine…”

I dash out of the water leading a rather big pack of athletes. The run from the beach to the transition zone was 500 m (!) uphill. My lungs were busting and my legs full of lactates. I snatched my bike and off I went only to enter the first climb. I was passed but a few athletes and next Erika Csomor passed me. I felt really weak… I had planned to start the bike defensive and stuck to the plan (it was not easy if you know you are behind the leading woman!!!). After 20 Ks came the first major climb…: gaauuh…! Very long and very steep. For all who know: 39/23…

Often after climbs like that my legs “open up” as I call it. The downhill and following flatter section was my terrain. I flew passed all the people who had passed me at the beginning (including Erika) and was happy to have decided right on starting defensive. Then I hit the next climb: a very long “drag” which got VERY steep at the end. The problem about this climb was that you could look 5 km ahead and see where you still have to climb to. Not very motivating! The downhill was fast and technical. After 54 km I reached the turn point and had to ride all the way over the island again… Normally (I was told) the last 25 km are slightly downhill and you “always” have a tail wind. Not so today. I put my head down to escape the wind and rode the last Ks to transition zone.

Still smiling...!

I was looking forward to the run because I know I have trained that well (always a mind thing!!!).  I did a quick change into my running shoes and off I went.

The running course was a real killer…: uphill, downhill, dirt tracks, dry river beds…. After 5 Ks I had a BIG smile in my face: I caught Morton Fenger and passed him (old story but Ingrid will know ;-)). My legs felt very springy (boys and girls I train: the feet are the secret!) and could keep a good speed. I was very focused and didn’t have a single “dead spot”. At the turn point I saw there was no one close behind me and I just needed to defend my position because the boys in front of me where too far away.

Yo......!

Good and hard but finished

I came into the finish with a big smile and the rest you have read at the beginning.

Resume: Ironman Frankfurt can come!!!

Thanks for reading all this. I hope it was not too much…

C.U.