Comeback stronger, I would say!?!
Winner of the Widderstein Trail 2022! After my victories in 2017 and 2019, with respective course records, this would probably not have surprised many. However, today this victory was anything but possible - at least I thought.
But from the beginning: In my last blog post, I was still in the USA and told about my Conference Championships, where I, unfortunately, got sick with a strong "flu". After a horrible week, I flew sick home. I remember it clearly; I felt really bad at the airport - chills, aching limbs, etc. Finally arrived, my mother looked at me "You look terrible. Let's do a test at home first". I didn't think about covid. On the contrary, I scolded myself for not taking care of myself after the race (open window). The covid test was positive. I had corona. Ufff.....that was a heavy punch. My triathlon season would have started the next week - directly with participation in the 1st Triathlon Bundesliga. That was canceled. With disappointment, I could not hold back my tears. Thank God I wore an FFP2 mask completely during the flight (I didn't want to infect myself).
Healthwise, I felt awful. Day and night torture. I was completely bedridden for 20 days, even going to the toilet was too much for me. After that, I hardly made any progress - covid symptoms at their best. I tried to exercise, but it was a disaster. I couldn't get on my feet, which went on for a few weeks. At some point, I was in bed for another 7 days with a flu-like infection - "the days don't matter now" were my thoughts. After that week, some of my covid symptoms were fortunately reduced; I had hope.
In the meantime, it's mid-July - and I can finally say: that it feels like I've arrived home. Health is uphill, and training is progressing. Training can start again, of course, everything under best control and with caution. The fitness is gone, and I don't even want to talk about the muscular problems.
The main thing is that I can move again and have fun moving. I missed that so much. My immediate challenge: Come back stronger. Step by step to the old, or even better me.
Widderstein Trail 30.07.2022.
A cancellation was out of the question for me. My basic idea was that if I am 100 percent sure I can do it healthwise, then I am at the start. I don't care about the rest. So, let's go! My body needs the competition feeling again, and the Widderstein Trail as part of the Walser Trail Challenge was and is one of my very favorite competitions (maybe I will become a trail runner after all?! 😉).
The nervousness was there. The weather was a bit of a dichotomy. Luckily it was dry, just had enough precipitation last night. The distance is 15km and 1000hm, so once up and back down the mountain. My preference: only up, leave out the running down.
At the start, I started like normal. I didn't run that pace for months. :D It went into the climb, and I leveled my pace. Admittedly I had to walk a bit more than in previous years; my calves were burning. Limit from start to finish - the joy was there anyway. I was thrilled.
Finally arrived at the top; it should go right around a hut - actually. Madlen, typical, runs left down the mountain. At some point, I see down cows, and I wonder why I see no more. I look right up - hä the run up there. I stop and try to sort my thoughts. Shit, I have to go back again. Sooooo, up the mountain again, around the hut, and back on the normal route. Shit happens - but: we add up at the end.
Up on the mountain, it was then already from time to time cold and windy. Disgusting, you don't care much anyway.
Then it went down. Yeii! One after the other overtook me, as usual. Well, without technical training, I prefer to shift down a gear - better safe than sorry. Should practice :D Partly it was also very slippery. Relieved I was when it went on the wide gravel road; still, good 2km were thereafter!
I was ready. But not much longer, and I had arrived at the bottom. The finish line is in sight! The emotions came up. I knew I was still in the lead - what's going on?!
Target !!!!! It all went through with me; I was perplexed and speechless. What was happening? What a race. Happy and full of tears, I lay in the arms of my mom. Without words.
I can't believe my finishing time. If I hadn't lost the 5 minutes due to my stupid detour, it would have been another course record. Mega.
Bilder: Dominic Berchtold
When I regained my composure, the shoes had to come off first. Ouch. Already from the half, I had damn pain. I knew: that will 2 big, fat blisters. Admittedly: self-inflicted. Never worn the shoes, and they were unknown to me. At least they were trail shoes 😉 .
The ice bath may not be missing ;)
The award ceremony was once again super. Great atmosphere, and quickly pulled through, just like the rest of the event. Great organization. Thanks to the organization team and the whole team of helpers. Always a pleasure to be there.
Congratulations to Feli and Charlotte! The course record was pulverized by Marc Dürr. Simply a machine 😊
Soo, and now is properly recovered. Hope that the muscle soreness does not last a whole week as usual, and that the wounds heal quickly. In 14 days, it's already back in America. Last and best year.
