It's been a while since I last told you about myself. I just wasn't ready to speak about it. My last blog post was in July 2023; a lot has happened.
I made significant progress in July, successfully started training, and my performance improved steadily.
I was able to prove this directly at the Allgäu Triathlon 2023. There, I competed in the Olympic distance. It was a very hot day with a swimsuit ban in the Alpsee! It was only my second Olympic distance, so I was still pretty inexperienced going into the race. The inexperience was also noticeable.
1. lack of food. I had enough with me but was struggling with the lack of implementation. I'm still not used to eating at races, so I was already dehydrated halfway through the course.
2. lack of tactics. Analyzing and planning the race during the race was new to me. I lost my head, which cost me the win.
But apart from that, I had a damn good day at the Allgäu Triathlon. My swim was even "okay" by my standards; I got a few times hit by the group of men we swam up to. Cycling was all the more fun - no wonder with this fantastic course. I felt like I was flying up the hills - just great. Compared to all the TT and aero equipment, I did pretty well with my road bike.
The competition gave me a lot of confidence. I was hyped and looking forward to the rest of the season. There were big things to come.......until corona struck again. The 3rd time - It was August 31st when I was positive again. I wanted to stay positive mentally, but I found it difficult as the weeks passed.
Three weeks of more or less bed rest. It was up and down. Attempts at training failed again and again. It was jinxed. :(
7 days before my first middle distance, I slowly started to feel better. By now, it was already the end of September. I could get my body moving a bit, but it was soooo slow and soooo hard. I felt horrible and not ready for a race.
Challenge Sanremo (24.9.) was supposed to be my entry into the middle distance. I knew it was risky, and I didn't know if my body could take the strain - but I'd give it a go if I had confidence in myself. It wasn't a question of taking a vacation, booking accommodation, paying the entry fee, and so on - that would have hurt my heart.
Challenge Sanremo
Enjoying the last summer days of the year :)
My supporter number 1, aka Mom, and I left for Italy on Thursday. The starting shot was fired on Sunday. I liked that so I could give my body some time to rest. I was definitely nervous - a lot was buzzing around in my head. The abnormal swell, in particular, had been terrifying the days before. Just the thought of swimming in there made me nauseous.
Sunday morning - the sea view and I breathed a sigh of relief. The weather gods had heard us, after all. The water was calm and serene.
My first middle-distance goal is to finish and to do so in good health. Admittedly, I didn't know whether I would manage both, and I didn't expect to.
Swimming - There were several starting waves, each with four starters. I bravely positioned myself at the front and started the race in the first wave. There were two laps to swim. Lap number 1 was quite good - the extended shore leave was crazy, but lap 2 took some energy.
Cycling - The course should play into my hands. In total, there are over 1000 m of altitude to conquer. But I couldn't play to my strengths. I had already lost too much energy on the swim and would describe the route as scenic. The condition of the course was catastrophic. I rode very carefully. In hindsight, it was the right decision because there were a lot of bad crashes. The fueling worked quite well this time, my learning from the Allgäu Triathlon ;). Unfortunately, I was unlucky because, at km 60, a very stupid pothole catapulted my bottle out of its holder. ...then, unfortunately, everything was empty.
Running - "run at a 5 km pace, easy"; sorry Julia, I knew I wasn't fit, but that's in the lowest basement of my dignity. :D My motto was to run how I felt comfortable, could talk, and still laugh. (I couldn't laugh for the last few km), I felt like I had died in the previous 6 km - it was just too long and too much.
Finish - 1st place in all age groups and 9th place, including the pros. That was good for the circumstances. I am still overwhelmed by the experience and infinitely happy to have finished. The exhaustion was written all over my face.
The result gives me hope that something can happen when I'm fit ;)
As expected, the competition was no walk in the park for my body, and after the illness is before the disease. Unfortunately, I still couldn't get back on my feet, which was no surprise after the extra strain.
It also dragged on for a few more weeks.
Now, in week 6, there was at least a change of location. 1st vacation - vacation for years! A week in Söll with my parents. Good food, relaxation, and simply doing NOTHING and thinking NOTHING. That felt so good.
I also had to admit that mental stress 24/7 from work is not beneficial for recovery, even if there is a break from sports. The body also needs rest for the mind.
Things are now looking up, and I'm slowly getting back into relaxed training. I'm looking forward to the first week when things return to normal. :)
The plans for the coming season are already in full swing... there's a lot on the agenda, and goal number 1 has been set. But I'm looking forward to a few weeks of training and nothing else.
Thanks to mom and dad for their endless support. I am grateful for every single moment with you.
Thank you, Julia; it was a bumpy start back home, but you always gave me the best support - here's to a somewhat calmer and more successful next year ;)
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