It's been a long time since I wrote my last blog post. It's now October, and the season is officially over. It was a turbulent year that challenged me in many ways - and not just in sports. But there are always some positives to take away; even if there were ups and downs, I learned a lot and was able to celebrate some successes.
This year, I have repeatedly pushed myself to my limits. It was exhausting. And that's okay. Sometimes, you must stop and realize that your body and mind are not machines running tirelessly.
I noticed early on in the year that work stress increasingly overwhelmed me until I almost became burned out. The sport that usually gives me so much pleasure suddenly became an additional burden. From infections to not being in the mood to simply taking a break from training or dropping out - it was a constant up and down.
But here, too, I learned how important it is to pull the ripcord. Even if it was a little later than it should have been, I really had to bang my head against the wall once.
Mindfulness and insight are the first steps toward improvement. After that, change must come.
After a stop, things slowly started to pick up again, even if the strain remained noticeable until the end of the season. Ultimately, you must be honest with yourself and act sensibly - it's not easy, but sometimes it's the only right decision. I ended my season early.
Despite all this, 2024 was by no means a lost year. Quite the opposite: there were some great moments that I'm really proud of :).
The year started with the SkySnow World Championships, where I felt more than comfortable and achieved incredible results. As Double Vice World Champion, I achieved several podium places:
2nd place Vertical SkySnow World Championships (3.6 km, 974 hm in 42:44 minutes)
2nd place Classic SkySnow World Championships (17.3 km, 630 m elevation gain in 1:22 hours)
2nd place in the combined ranking
2nd place in the team ranking
These successes gave me an incredible boost of motivation, and the year started so promisingly that I felt really excited about the upcoming competitions.
I also delivered a solid performance in my first competition in the elite category at the European Duathlon Championships - despite a few rookie mistakes and a fall that finally cost me a lot of time. Ultimately, I ended up in 7th place at the European Championships and even took 3rd place at the German Championships.
The Ironman 70.3 in Rapperswil-Jona was a special moment - my first professional start! Although it was ultra cold and disgusting, I had a lot of fun and finished in 10th place.
Over the summer, I realized that trail running was a way back to joy and me. That's why I had a somewhat chaotic season with a few off-road excursions.
I took 2nd place at the Kaiserkrone Speed Trail and came first at the Nebelhornberglauf - even though my performance here was worse than the previous year. But I didn't want to demonize this. I know that competition doesn't mark my worth or performance.
Over the year, I noticed how I tried to keep going despite my broken inner self. My performance was generally far below my ability, and the fun and desire continued diminishing. My mind couldn't cope with the additional stress. Sport became a burden.
I tried to find ways to do this. The trail competitions, in particular, became a kind of therapy for me, helping me to clear my head. This also led to the odd spontaneous action. The Walser Trail was one of those moments when I just wanted to run - without pressure, without competitive thoughts. And although the race was actually beyond my limits (distance and elevation), I felt perfect. Ultimately, I took 2nd place in the Walser Trail Challenge and even a shared victory in the Widderstein Trail.
Things also went surprisingly well at the Pitzalpin: 6th place in a strong field, and here I was in 3rd place for a long time....if only it weren't for the technical part. LOL - who would have thought that?
But I couldn't miss out on the Allgäu Triathlon. Come what may. I wasn't fit at the start, and the weather left much to be desired. But the good atmosphere made up for everything. 3rd place at the Allgäu Triathlon, behind Anne Reischmann and Kati Krüger. :)
Allerdings spürte ich, dass ich am Ende war. I was working hard on the idea that everything was better and would be fine, but the year was just long and sucked. I didn't want any more.
The half marathon in Hamburg was when I realized that enough was enough. But I went through with it :)
P.S. Losing a shoe after the start, searching, playing ghost driver - that's suicidal thinking with a starting field of 3000. 22nd place at the German Championships was the end of the season for me.
I canceled my last competition.
Now, in the off-season, I'm giving myself some much-needed rest - both physically and, above all, mentally. Stress is poison for your health, and this year, I've learned more than ever how important it is to look after yourself.
There have been so many lessons, and I'm grateful for that. I am thankful that my body can do so much, even if the rest around it isn't always proper. I thank everyone who supports me - especially my parents and trainer. None of this would be possible without you. I know I like to give you guys a hard time, too.
After a three-week break from the sport, I've found my inner drive, joie de vivre, and motivation again. I started training again two days ago (11.10.24). My entire focus is now on 2025.
The planning is already in full swing, and I'm incredibly excited about everything coming. :)
Thank you, thank you for all the support!
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