My ending of 2010

Another 20km and I did more kilometers running than on the bike, not counting the couple of times on the roll. Enough time till end of the year, this should not be a problem.

Update: The year is not yet finished and made more km during running with exactly 1500km for now ;).

My Perfect Temperature: -8 °C

Great run in the winter in Prague. Since the Marathon I was not really running a lot and it really felt good to get back into my running shoes. First day with Tato - try to figure this one out - and on the second day a nice fast run at -8 degrees celsius.

Still it does not seem that I am back in form, since my pace was not quite what I hoped for.

My First Berlin Marathon

An early flight and fit for my third Marathon. Three mad guys from Klagenfurt joined to come along, Wolki my trainer and two friends, Alex and Chris. The three men cheer group grew to 6, since my sister and my parents were coming to Berlin as well.The weather did not play along since it was already raining a day before the start, but at least the temperature was perfect for me. Sunday 9 a.m. a shot was fired and the run started. The first km was hard to get through, but then I managed to keep a nice pace. I knew it was going to be hard but I could keep the pace just right. But then out of nowhere my thighs had enough, they just did not want to go any further. Already after 22km the energy was gone. Damn, how could this happen. This should be my day, what should I do? I just did not want to lose to much time and keep under 3h, that was still possible. But one runner after another overtook me. This was bad and it just kept on getting worse. The pain just grew and nothing helped. I soon realised that all these annoying phrases:"pain is temporary, glory is for ever", "pain is weakness leaving the body" are just hollow words - just nonsense. They do not help they just make you realise that you are in pain. It was either to give up or keep going, not more and not less. Maybe next time I would have a fresh start, next time I would be fitter. Or should there even be a next time? This is just a big fight and withstanding the pain. Slowly the kilometres passed, one after another. At about 34km it got a little better and at 37km I got my coke. Sugar helps. Passing this point, it would not be far to the end so on I went. I could hardly move my legs but I kept running. Just before the 42km mark the watch said 3h. What a frustration but no stopping now and just get it to the end. In Berlin running "Unter den Linden" through the Brandeburger Tor is just great and lets you forget for a second that everything burns. Then comes the finish line and I made it. As soon as I started walking the pain tripled. About 3:04h a good improvement to my last marathon but I have a to learn.
Big thanks to: Thomas Wolkensdorfer (Trainer)
My Parents who made it to at least 7 Positions each along the route - Just great, it really helped me to keep going.
Thorsten Rasch (Gruru and Sponsor)
Chris and Alex (Fans)
My Sister (Fan)
Again Thanks to all of you

Damn, the rush does not stop I think I need another Marathon :)

My First Sponsor - Mein Erster Sponsor

Thorsten Rasch (Sione Bikes) always supported me. The service is just great, even though I am a complete amateur he give the best support one could get. It just is more than a bike service. Fast repairs, we train together and who gets his bike picked up from home - just great. So technically he already was my Sponsor. But now he got me a running shirt from x-bionics, I already had it on and it is great. Nice and comfy. It kept me nice and warm although it was quite fresh outside. Since my trainer also emphasise the importance if compression clothing I just can recommend it.

Now I just need to get the Logo onto the shirt. Big THANKS!!!

Thorsten Rasch (Sione Bikes) hat mich schon immer unterstützt. Der Service ist einfach der Hammer, obwohl ich ein kompletter Amateur bin kriegt man den besten Support den man sich wünschen kann. Es ist einfach mehr als ein Bike Service. Schnelle Reparaturen, gemeinsames Training und wer kriegt denn sein Rad von daheim abgeholt - der Wahnsinn. Also Technisch gesehen, war er schon immer mein Sponsor. Aber nun hat er mir noch ein x-bionics Lauf Shirt gesponsert, welches ich schon ausprobiert hab - es ist klasse. Es hat mich gut warm gehalten obwohl es sehr frisch draußen war. Und da meine Trainer auch auf Kompressionsklamotten viel Wert liegt, kann ich es nur jeden empfehlen. Jetzt muss ich nur noch das Sione Logo aufs Shirt kriegen. Ein riesen DANKE!!!

My First Heat Stroke - Mein Erster Hitzeschlag

Time for another Kärnten Läuft. Last year was quite a good weather and I did a nice time, but not a very consistent run. I was looking forward to this run, since it is my preparation for the upcoming marathon and I would have a direct comparison of my progress. But it should not be. It was one hell of a hot day and the run started half an hour later than last year - nobody liked it.

So 10min before, one dextrose water supply and a carbohydrate bar and of we went. My trainer gave me instruction to run a 4min pace which I started with. But pretty soon I fought against the heat and I slowed down a little. At about 7th km I was quite frustrated since I just could not keep the pace it was just one big fight. And it got worse and worse, the pace got up to 4:25min. This nearly brought me to giving up - later on I found out that the km markings were wrong. At km 15 I got back and started to push a little and it worked.

21.097km in 1:27:21h, not quite the time I wanted but considering the circumstance it was a great run. And no I did not stroke.

Zeit für einen weiteren Kärnten Läuft. Letztes Jahr war gutes Wetter und ich hab es in einer guten Zeit geschafft, allerdings war der Lauf nicht sehr konsistent. So hab ich mich gefreut auf diesen Lauf, da es die Vorbereitung für den kommenden Marathon sein wird und ferner hätte ich einen direkten Vergleich meines Fortschrittes. Allerdings sollte das nicht sein. Es war sehr heiß und der Lauf startete eine halbe Stunde später als letztes Jahr - das gefielt niemanden.

Also 10min vorher, Wasser mit Traubenzucker und einen Kohlenhydrate Riegel und los ging es. Mein Trainer hat mir 4min/km vorgegeben und so ging ich es auch an. Doch sehr schnell kämpfe ich gegen die Hitze und hab das Tempo gedrosselt. Bei km 7 war ich frustriert da ich das Tempo einfach nicht halten konnte und es war einfach nur ein großer Kampf. Es wurde nur noch schlimmer und schlimmer, bis ich auf 4:25min/km war. Das brachte mich fast zum aufgeben - es hat sich später herausgestellt, dass die km Anzeigen komplett falsch waren. Bei km 15 war ich wieder da und hab das Tempo bisschen hoch gebracht

21.097km in 1:27:21h, nicht ganz mein Ziel aber unter den Umständen war es ein klasse Lauf. Und nein, ich hatte keinen Hitzeschlag.

My First Long Distance Swim

The Schwimm Aktiv Club training season has ended and as a nice finish we did a long distance swim. Of course we were divide into 3 groups, me taking part in the longest swim which should be 3.6km. From Krumpendorf along the bank the to the other lake side along that shore and then across the lake back to Krumpendorf. Seeing this only as a social event, although speaking during swimming does not work, I took it easy. Hannes M. as usual did not use a Neoprene, the madman. So on it went and a long time it took. My good, it is really hard but not really physically but mentally, you can not shut of your brain and you can not really drift away into ones fantasy world since you always have to stay on course. It took long and I was really tired and I got hungry. It is just tedious, but at least I know now that I will keep away from long distance triahtlon. It took us 1:30h and as I measure the distance again, it was a little longer..... nearly 5km. What a swim!!!

My First Satisfaction

First off, before the Rosentaler Triathlon I was on third place of the Kärnten-Cup in my age group Elite I. Next year I will be in Elite II which will not be so easy anymore. I know the guy, Markus G., who is on second place and to catch up I need 5 points.

Weather was perfect, slightly cold and some drops of rain. A small 350m swim, which is just to short for me but I tried to get some speed. Since the starting line was quite broad I had a lot of space and no struggle with the crowed. On the other hand I had no one in front of me for drafting. So I got out of the water and I saw in front of me the Markus. Bad news and due to my bad bike riding I will lose him. Nevertheless, I tried to keep up with the other, since drafting was allowed. I had to struggle so hard, and just wave after wave of men overtook me. I just could not keep up and lost one group after the other and therefore had to ride on my own. So I tried to give my best.

Off the bike, super fast transition and onto the run. I had to catch up the guys which overtook me and if really lucky get Markus. I caught up some places very fast, one after another, a brutal but great run. After about 4km I gave up on getting Markus but still wanted my 4min/km. So I ran and ran... but what do I see there, that guy seems familiar, it was Markus 100m in front of me and still 500m to go. I caught up fast and already warned him that I was coming and he should better pick up the pace. But not a chance, I just slammed passed and put a sprint at the finished to make it a sure thing.

Not quite sure what place I am now at the Kärnten-Cup but I should at least keep my position. 3 weeks and the last event will take place at Faakersee with an Olympic distance - my kind of race distance.

I was so dame happy, because for the first time I pulled it through and nice fast race in all three disciplines.

So all in all 0:06:43/0:41:58/ca.24min (350m/32km/6.1km)

(The timekeeping did not work in the second transition)

And a big thanks to Thorsten who checked my bike at a very tight schedule. I rode to often in rain and some dirt got into the bearings. He cleaned my beloved K11.5 Sione-Bike and as usaul did a great job! THX Thorsten.

Vorerst, for dem Rosentaler Triathlon war ich auf dem dritten Platz im Kärnten-Cup in meiner Altersklasse Elite I. Nächstes Jahr bin ich in Elite II, da wird es nicht mehr so leicht. Ich kannte den zweit platzierten, Markus G., der mit 5 Punkte führte.

Das Wetter war perfekt, leicht kalt und ein paar Regentropfen. Ein kurzes 350m schwimmen, was zu kurz für mich ist aber ich versuchte möglichst schnell zu sein. Da die Startlinie sehr breit war hatte ich sehr viel Platz und musste mich nicht mit der Menge abkämpfen. Allerdings auch keinen vor mir um den "Schwimmschatten" zu nutzen. Ich kam aus dem Wasser und sah Markus vor mir. Schlechte Nachrichten da ich mit meinem schlechten Radfahren nicht hinter her kommen werde. Trotzdem, ich versuchte mitzuhalten, da Windschattenfahren erlaubt war. Ich musste kämpfen. Eine Radgruppe nach der anderen überholte mich. Ich konnte einfach nicht mithalten und verlor eine Radgruppe nach der anderen und musste daher alleine fahren. Doch ich gab alles.

Runter vom Rad, schneller Wechsel und ab zum Lauf. Ich musste die Jungs nun alle wieder aufsammeln die mich vorher überholt haben und mit etwas Glück auch Markus. Sehr schnell habe ich einige Plätze gut gemacht, einen nach den anderen, ein brutaler aber geiler Lauf. Nach ca. 4km hab ich es aufgegeben Markus einzuholen aber ich musste unter 4min/km bleiben. So rannte und rannte ich.. aber was war da, den kenne ich doch, Markus war 100m vor mir und noch ca. 500m ins Ziel. Ich hab ihn gewarnt, dass ich ihn gleich überhole und er lieber bissl Gas geben sollte. Doch keine Chance, ich hämmerte vorbei und um es noch abzusichern noch ein Endsprint ins Ziel.

Ich bin meiner jetzigen Plazierung im Kärnten-Cup nicht sicher aber ich sollte den dritten Platz noch habe. 3 Wochen noch dann kommt der letzte Wettkampf, die Olypmpische Distanz am Faakersee - das ist schon eher meine Distanz.

Ich war so glücklich, da ich es endlich geschafft habe alle drei Disziplinen Gas zu geben.

Alles in allem 0:06:43/0:41:58/ca.24min (350m/32km/6.1km)

(Die Zeiterfassung hat in der zweiten Wechselzone nicht funktioniert)

Ein riesen Danke an Thorsten der mein Rad nochmal durchcheckte und das sehr kruzfristig. Ich bin paar mal im Regen unterwegs gewesen und Dreck kam in die Lager hinein. Er hat mein geliebtes K11.5 Sione-Bike gesäubert. DANKE!!!