My preparation in the transition zone was
quick, not a lot to prepare, my helmet and race number had slept on the bike,
we had no transition bags, just a basket, sprint triathlon style. Shoes in the
basket, my white a bit superstitious race cap, 2 gels for the run and that was
it.
The swim: my swim goal was: find some good
feet, follow them. The start was really relaxing, for quite a long time I’ve
not had a wave start. I found some nice feet quickly and followed them along
the 22 buoys that marked the course. The sea was calm, the water warm and I was
comfortable (not like in Marbella, where the swim was a nightmare for me). The
water is very shallow for many meters, so we had to walk/jump/run a bit, when I
got on my feet my watch said that I was in the time I had to be in. Smile on,
and on my way to the reeeeeaaaally long transition zone. T1 was very quick,
besides the long run, wetsuit off, helmet on, race number, sunnies bike and let’s
go for the 90k.
Since IM Austria I had not raced with Powertap
and I knew immediately that my decision to buy it was the right one. It keeps
you from going too hard at the beginning and not too slow at the end. I was
impressed that the Italians had somehow managed it to take all the cars off the
roads! Riding was going smooth; I was only overtaken by one girl of my AG, when
I said to myself: make your own race. I should catch her again at the end of
the bike leg. The only thing I was missing: the officials. We had lots of
police motor cycles with us, but no referees. The first I saw at km 60, and
another one around k70, that was it. My tubes made their way thru the 90km
without a puncture; my neck didn’t, because of a wasp who wasn’t very amused to
land there… The bike course is really nice, but I was quite afraid to get a
flat because the roads are not good. I went thru a lot of holes and bad
asphalt. The last 10k were mine, headwind, flat, highway. There I got my
position back, overtaking the girl that had caught me before.
T2: A short chat with JJ when I was putting on
my super socks (superstition rocks), he told me that the first AG girl was
about 8min in front. No way to get her, my run is good but not AS good ;)
And here I went for the 21km, 2,5 loops with 3
times over a lovely bridge that hurts the 3rd time you pass it.
Every triathlon race I’m grateful when I park my bike at T2, every time I
think: now it’s only you, no more preoccupations for flat tires, stupid
co-competitors, only running (or walking sometimes, but since2010 not even that
;)
Running felt great, so great I forgot to start
the garmin, so I didn’t know exactly what km I was at, but I didn’t care a lot
either. I held my pace until I guess until km 17 or 18. The girl I had caught
at the end of the bike leg was so far behind I didn’t see her on the way to and
back from the 180º turns. The one in front was too far away to go for. Maybe
that’s why the pace went down a bit. I had a super day out there. Enjoyed the
swim, the bike and the run and the most important to me: I was happy and proud
when I passed the finish line, this feeling I was missing lately…
I had no idea which place I had made. My Spanish
friends had told me third (which I would have liked a lot!) but finally it was
fifth. 1 Slot. Fifth place.
The award ceremony started late and the slots
even later. So many times we heard “slot gone”, sitting there, watching the English
girl from my AG getting it. She had left her money on the table and went for a
chat with some friends over there. I confess I had thought about taking it ;)
just kidding.
Well, after more than 2hours most people had
left. It was dark already outside. I was veeery hungry and needed to pee. When the
speaker said: we have 2 slots left, just a moment please, we have to see where
they go. One slot for the boys, one for the girls. “ And the girls’ slot is for
the AG: 35-39”. The best was: My concentration was so bad already that I didn’t
even get that it was my AG. He called the second girl… first time…. Second time…
third time… slot gone. The third girl… first time… my heart rate went up, the
IM Austria situation was back!... second time… my hands started to shake… third
time… slot gone… Oh my god. Only one girl between me and Las Vegas. My heart’s
racing. The speaker looks up and asks: is there anybody left from AG female
35-39??? YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS, MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, people behind me
started to laugh… he read me name: Kirsten Mangelsdorf. I: “yeeeees,
heeeeeeeeeere”!!!! “Kirsten goes to Las Vegas “.
I paid the 280€ with an enormous smile on my
face. I had already given up the Vegas dream during this long evening. I was
okay with it, but that moment was great. Something I had not expected. I have
to confess, I was about to leave already, when JJ said: no, we stay here! Thank
you JJ!! For everything!!
And the ladies will be back together
soon!!!!!!!!!!
