FRA-CLT-LAX, the longest friday

Ki is on the road again, or better: in the air.

It was time to get on holidays already and I was really looking forward to the flight, but there was again this strange feeling before getting on board that only happens when I travel alone. It is a mixture of why am I doing this, excitement, curiosity and relax.

I realized that for a long time I have not seen a movie I really liked. Or any movie actually. I have someone close who tells me that I am obsessed with training, well, maybe, yes. The point is not the training. The point is the training, plus work and house and other things that makes about 13 or 14h a day between leaving and coming home. And there is not a lot of time left for movies. I know that but I haven’t felt it until I started to watch “The best exotic m… hotel” which I absolutely loved. That might sound really mad when you read it. But the fact to be in a place with nothing but sleeping and watching movies felt absolutely amazing.

The past few weeks training were good, but requiring a lot of mental strength. The pool was cold many days, the bike hurt and sometimes I wasn’t able to get the averages I was meant to do. But I have discovered a run training mode which I’m not sure I have had reached before.

Since I learned to deal with Jaime’s training, the run is where I most can focus, push and hurt. And here is where I’m always curious, when I get my plan every Monday: will I be able to do that? I had some really long runs last year before IM, but I’ve never done more than 10x1000m on the track. Now I did. 13 on a Friday for lunch and 12 last Sunday brick session. I always divide the efforts, 12 are 3x4. 13 are 3x4 plus one getting back to the clinic. Every 1000 are 2,5 loops on the track, or 5 half loops. But lately I have been able not to think at all about what I still have to do. Only repetitive movement, running circles, over and over again, and in my head: white snow. 

place for no thinking

I am not sure if this is good or totally mad. It depends of the point of view. If I tell that to a “normal” person, it is totally mad. “Normal” I consider a person who doesn’t think from training to training, does no sports or some for fun.

On one hand it gives me a lot of satisfaction to accomplish these sessions I’m scared of when I see them on the plan. It feels amazing to win the battle against myself every day. Actually I think the competition is not the competition on race day. The hard part of getting better is in the day a day.

On the other hand, there are many things I let on the side, because there is no time or energy left for them. And that’s the way I’m not getting bored by being on a plane right now. Movies, sleep, write.

I have written so many posts for my blog during my training, but have never written them actually. That will change the next 2 weeks.

I have 3h left on this plane, then a taxi ride and hug Jules and catch up on things. I am excited to see my aussie family Luke and Amanda and Dan (still don’t know), next week Lu and Jaime and the race, crazy Las Vegas…

After the race I have 1 week left and I still have no idea what I will do. No plans. No stress. No schedule. 

 travelling light...

 there she goes, Frankfurt Airport...

I still dont get it: I slept 6h of this friday, got up at 6am, took the train at 7am, the first fligth at 12.30pm, got to Charlotte after 9h 45min at 4pm, 2h stay, flying out to LA at 6pm, 5h flight time, landed in LA at 8pm, got to Jules place at 9pm and there were still 3h left of that friday.... I've never been good in maths.... ;)

Arriving to LA, 25min lights, lights, lights... stunning!

Las Vegas calling, Pescara 70.3 Race

8:50am is a nice time to start a race, not too early, not too late, just right! Our so lovely hotel made us breakfast (even without being a race hotel), I got up at 6 to get everything ready without a hurry, had breakfast with lovely Italian coffee, woke JJ up, got dressed, grabbed the bag and off to Pescara.

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 3^rd 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!!!!!!!!!!

Pre 70.3 Pescara, a screwed week

Pescara Italy, 26ºC, sunny perfect. Racing on Sunday has to be perfect too, as the whole week is screwed. Frankly, my last week is all about screws.

First screw problem, changing the number plates of my car, I couldn’t fix them due to the screws, but that’s not very interesting…

So: on Tuesday, preparing the travel I cleaned my bike and was about to change the brake shoes. The first one went well, the second didn’t. I had been too lazy to get some pliers, so I took the bike multi tool, well, the screwdriver to push the old one out the screwdriver slipped and aaaaaaaaaaaaah, it went directly into my left forefinger. I was scared, because that finger didn’t look very nice and hurt a lot. My thoughts went directly to the swim leg on Sunday.

One of the nurses at my work cleaned it on Wednesday morning said: igh, that doesn’t look very good, but she also gave me back some confidence telling me that it was not too bad. Anyway it still looks ugly and hurts.

So, yesterday we took the plane to Rome, we, me and JJ who I’d surprised on Monday with the ticket to Italy.

We arrived late in Montesilvano, had a gelato and went to bed at 12pm. I slept in, got up at 10am and could have slept 2 more hours, I needed a good rest and had a perfect night. 

So, this morning, we had some awesome Italian coffee on the hotel terrace and made plans: I’d put together my bike, ride 2h to know the race course, have lunch, some beach and a swim in the afternoon. But life is what happens when you make other plans: when I was fixing the seat post and screwing down tight, I heard a “clack” and thought: that was NOT good. Result: the thread is a bit tired already and wasn’t willed to catch the screw. So, instead of riding and resting we spent the morning and parts of the afternoon driving around Montesilvano in search of bike shops and hardware shops. We had some nice lunch and after that we found a corresponding screw and could put together the bike.

My worst  thought was, if the thread was really screwed up, I’d had to buy a new frame and after my last purchase, new wheels with Powertap my bank consultant would give me an upset call. 

 

hilarious, tired and making jokes, better like that than to preocupy

At 4.30pm I went out to get to know the bike course. To Pescara I have to ride approximately 5k and had the way painted on a paper. But I was not prepared to what I was about to find out there. Heaps of traffic, no street names, or wrong ones, until I thought: that’s impossible, I have to have passed the crossroad where I’d to turn right. I had a roaming look on google maps and had passed the road I had to take. So I went back, passed it again (because the road was called Via d’Illo and not Via Po like in google maps…) When I finally had found the right way and the place where the loop starts I was riding 25k already and was really angry. The roads were really bad, the police at the airport had made me to throw away the CO2 cartridges, my back wheel has a 65cm profile, not a 45 like before and the tube has no long valve, so with the lucky week I’m having I decided to return to the hotel and not risk any more accidents. Tomorrow I will get up early, grab my bike, put it in the car, get to the spot where the loop starts, and ride the loop relaxed and with good mood, not swearing like today.

 a bike bridge, and a pedestrian bridge, separated!

At the end, I have ridden 40km in 1h43m (great average), but fixed my bike, had a run with short efforts which felt good, had a nice shower, a lovely dinner and I’m glad that I have inverted some € in another flight ticket.

Things came out nice today, tomorrow will be even better, and on Sunday: prepare!

Never enough...

Between my last post and today are 6 weeks, 1 travel, 1 triathlon, 1 10k competition and many doubts. I’m having problems to find motivation, even though I’m training, because I know, if I don’t, I’m feeling worse… I was about to write about Ican Marbella, a race I was so much looking forward to, was so excited and nervous to race back home with all my friends around and it hit me in an unexpected way. I got so cold in the swim that I didn’t get to race that race until almost T2. Then I had a great half marathon, feeling strong and personal best but I don’t know why, but my proud cloud that normally involves me after a race and stays with me for at least a couple of days, was missing.

I had many other clouds obscuring my day a day, training without focus, looking for excuses why not to go, bad weather, a lot of stuff on the work schedule.

Last week I had yet another test of 5k which I made in a township where I was due to my job, I could cut off 8sec/km respect to the last test and on Monday I raced a 10k run in a village close to here. The average pace was the same as in my 5k test and I won. But something’s still missing: My proud cloud. At least I had found my tiger for that one, but no pride, no happy days after.

The question is: what do I have to achieve to get back into my proud cloud? I think it’s not what I have to achieve, but the way to look at it. I know perfectly what I want and I’m working for it. And if I get it: will it be enough?

Probably today I made one step towards the joy of training. Well, this morning, first swim in the open water pool, too cold, wetsuit on, but not focused. I was about to meet a group of boys to cycle with at 2pm, half an hour before I heard something I’m not used to: my door bell, they where there, to go out for a 3h ride. Only 10min into the ride it started to rain really badly, so we turned into a gas station, had coffee and a chat and went out again, without rain. Good pace, all flat, windy but at least a ride I came home from with tired legs and with the feeling that I’d done well. It took us 4,5h to ride 3, but we did it and I recognized my riding self today and got to know some new roads and a loop I really like!

I’m missing the long rides with Marbella’s Elite ;) But today I can say: there is some nice cycling company over here to ride with. Unfortunately it takes time to make friends, but last week I’ve seen some new things that are telling me: you’re on the right way. And I hope this way wears the sign: motivation!

And between dark clouds and sunny weather sometimes you find something really nice to walk on...

ICAN Training Camp Mallorca

Writing in an plane with sore muscles… This last 5 days I went a bit back to my last year’s life, training, eating, hanging out with good friends, just a few clothes in a backpack and my bike. It still feels more normal than my “new life” in Germany.

About 3 weeks ago my dear friend Lu asked me to come to Mallorca, “we will be a bunch of girls training there, will be great for you for the ICAN Marbella”, what I didn’t know, that it was THE training camp of ICAN, my first official training camp. First I thought I couldn’t go, because of work (yes, I do work again ;) , but I could convince my boss, change meetings and booked a flight. Last Friday, the morning of my travel to Mallorca, I got the great news, that it wouldn’t be only Lu and Jenny training there, but also, Santi e Idoya, my coach Jaime and some other dear friends.

So this german girl made her way to Mallorca, the Spanish german island. I swear, I never saw so many bikes coming out of the special baggage claim, I guess there were 40? 50? Bike tourism in Mallorca is huge! Rebeca, from the Ican picked me up on the airport to take me to the hotel Palmira in Paguera, in the west of Palma, about 25min from the airport. I was surprised about the nice hotel and was received so kindly by Sunil (Mr. Ican). And there they were finishing dinner, not my real family but the one I chose some years ago, these people who make their way into your life without noticing it, the ones who share good and bad moments with you, the ones you can laugh with, the ones who love you despite your failures and scars. I knew that I had missed them a lot, but even more I knew it when I saw them. It felt like I’ve never been away, and I loved it.

So, quick dinner, a glass of cava with the crowd and hitting the hay to get ready for some good training sessions the next morning.

After breakfast our ride started with delay due to some more (Idoya) or less serious mechanical problems on the bikes, climbing some hills thru Sierra de Tramuntana. It still isn’t summer, but we had great weather, could sit outside on a stop in “I don’t remember where” for a quick bite. The new SOAS kit feels great and comfy, important to know for long distance racing.

3h20min ride on the first day and a 2thousand something swim in the afternoon and a quick spa session in the hotel, dinner buffet (good one!) and good night.

Day 2: 5h ride (planned 4h, but we know Jaime), not as hilly as the first one, but awesome training! Sunny day, nice ride, perfect company! The afternoon run dropped because of the long ride and a circuit training in the hotel gym, abs, shoulders and run (on a funny treadmill with proper will, got faster without telling her).

Day 3: solid swim session in the morning and run in the afternoon. Was planned to be an easy run, but its never how you think it is… Lu had an accident during the run; she went down and hit the ground roughly. Luckily she “only” has a bad elbow now, so legs are working and she’s okay.

Day 4: planned: 4h ride, weather: stormy, pouring rain, no riding. So, plans changed, heading to the pool to get a swim session designed by Ivan Tejero, technique exercises and filming by coach Jaime, thanks to Pablo Cabeza for making the pace for me ;) After swimming another funny circuit training in the gym next to the pool, so much fun and, hello, I have muscles who are not working! Hahaha.

Our buddy Nico didn’t join us in the gym, he went for a ride and in the afternoon we got the message that he had an accident with the bike and is in the hospital. Everyone was worried, but when we got back from the run we got the message that nothing broke, “only” shoulder out and bruises. Unfortunately he didn’t just have the crash but also his bike was stolen! The guy who picked him off the road to get him to the hospital, hided it, but either he came back for it or he did it so badly that someone else took it. I really hope for Nico that they find the bike! Despite a lot of pain he is always smiling, an example to follow!

After dinner we got our feedback about the swim techniques, now I know what to work on and that there’s still a lot to improve (I knew that before, but it’s great to see where the problems are)!!

Well, and today, day 5, only half bike ride for me. I could only do 2h and said goodbye to my folks, Lu came back with me, lucky to be able to do 2h rides already with her sore arm.

I can’t believe that the 5 days are over already, but my batteries are charged by spending time with best friends, I’m motivated to hit the painbox the next 3 weeks for IcanMarbella.

And I forgot: the dinner invitation from the local politics who see Ican and Icantrainingcamps as an oportunity for the area! WE LOVE THAT!!! Nice people, great place, awesome food, thank you Paguera!!

An unexpected title

I think my season now is definitely over and I have to say: what a season! On thing is for sure: I improved a lot due to hard training, no working and believing in myself, my body and my coach.

I thought that my season had finished with the Doñana Challenge, but it hasn’t. In between squeezed a sprint triathlon in (Malaga, where I got 2^nd and was quite surprised about that result) and then I followed the advice of Jaime and signed up for the Spanish long distance triathlon championships, which originally had been organized in Ibiza but changed to Orihuela, Alicante. That made the race more accessible for me. I grabbed an invitation for the elite category from the Andalusian federation and followed the express training plan, 3 weeks, the first one 11h, second 20h, third 18h, dropped about 1,5 kg, noticed that I had missed swimming lots of meters, love running sessions on the track and need a powertap.

Thursday 3 I picked up the huge rental car Kia Picanto, headed to Marbella, did some training and shopping, slept @ Jaime and Lu’s place and Friday morning on the road again, 5h to the province of Alicante.

Friday and Saturday passed by quickly, with lovely company of Carlos 46 times IM, Alex, Fernando and Saleta, aka “what are the you 4 doing there?” à foto cafeteria moviles

Race preparation, pasta dinner, not so early to bed and as usual not sleeping too deeply the night before the race. I wasn’t nervous. Or better I had no concern about none of the disciplines, just a bit about the wind maybe. The only thing that was crusing thru my mind was the prediction that I would make podium in this race and even more because Eva Ledesma was ill in bed. I have to say: well, I have raced an under 10h IM this year, but I still don’t see me as such a good athlete. I mean, when I started with triathlon, I always got 3^rd from the end…

Anyway, I concentrated on my skills, what has to be would be…

Race morning started at 5am with breakfast in the room and coffee of the machine. I arrived really early to T1, prepared bike and bags ad myself and the wind was heavy already. The elite boys went first thru the 200m canal to the imaginary startline. In the race meeting we were told that the swim would be a go out and come back, once at the start line, we were told to swim a triangle, first buoy, then second on the left from the first one and back to the start buoy. Well, if you think in a quiet lake, that’s okay, but it wasn’t. The gun came off and I swam next to Anne, we had met just that morning preparing the bikes. Same pace and same orientation style, will say, stop every now and then to get the buoy spotted well. Before we reached the first one we had to cross a small forest in the middle of the lake, made it, first buoy done, second as well (crossing with athletes already, strange!),  35minutes. And then the big “????” started. We turned in the second buoy and I had absolutely NO idea where to go. By the time we were 3, Anne, an age grouper and I, and Anne said: the village is over there, lets go there. And so we did. About 10minutes later I started to spot the 3^rd buoy and felt much more comfortable. I came out of the water about 5m behind Anne, grabbed the bag, changed quickly and was first girl on the bike, with a funny strong headwind. Uphill, then downhill, the official behind me all the time. After the first turn to the right riding felt much better, headwind had turned into light side wind but already helping a bit. We were flying on this part of the leg, tailwind and perfect roads.

Around km 35 I was overtaken by another girl, spotted her powertap and thought: you don’t go too far lady, and she didn’t. She was in front of me for a long time, I became first again about at km 50 or 60 but not for long. And that second time she went away and I was not willed to force too much to get her. I’m quite sure she passed her set watts at that moment of the race ;)

The last part of the bike leg was easier than expected, T2 went well despite I forgot to take off the cycling jersey. Out on the run, 2 loops kind of a Y and good to control the first one. When we crossed the first time I took the time to the turning point, doubled it and that meant that I was about 3min behind. At the second turn same difference. She looked strong and so did I. Running didn’t feel as easy as it did in Austria, but it was okay. I could force, but had no real idea about my pace; Garmin is still sitting in hospital… on the third part of the loop I couldn’t spot the first girl and none of the helpers was able to give any reference of time between me and her. I only thought, go tiger, everything is possible, 30k is a long way to run and everything can happen. I knew that there was no danger coming from behind, that’s why my focus was completely on the first girl.

The next reference I got was kind of smashing. What has been 3minutes had turned into 10minutes. And the wind! Can’t you shut the f… up???? On the way out to the turning points the headwind was devastating. Imagine a invisible hand holding you back… that’s what it was sometimes. But the same way as we say on the bike: what goes up must come down, if you run the same way out and back, the wind will help you. I still haven’t seen the third girl, knew that the first was almost out of reach, but kept forcing, you never know, everything can happen. Anyway, sometimes the idea hopped into my mind: second. Second elite woman in the Spanish long distance championships. Second. That’s more than I had ever imagined. There might be people saying: she came second because the good ones did not race. No. I got second because I raced. Second. 4k to go I crossed with the Gurutze, the first girl, animated her, looked at my watch and kept going, 4k to go. 20minutes later I crossed the finish line. Second!

Finisher medal, hug from Ximo and drug testing. Wow! That’s what it’s like to race elite. No problem at all. Later the ceremony of the elite category, a hot shower and something to eat, back to the hostel and relax.

Now I can name myself vice champion (although I am not vice champion, because I’m not Spanish). This is unreal. I was the one that got into T1 with 3 bikes left there. I was the one that always was one loop behind on the run. The slow one…

I think I should start to believe it. But I prefer understatement. Because the moment you think you know it all, you gained this or that, the race will give you a lesson to learn. I believe in me, in my training and in my mental capacity, which is a good one I have to say. And I have a goal. Next year maybe or the other, or the other, but I will get it. The base is set, but it will be hard to work and train again.

I got an invitation as a nominee for the annual sports gala of Marbella. Meanwhile I can tell you that I did not get the title, it is hard to compete with the number 25 world ranking golf player… but hey, my legs are faster ;)

A bunch ride, a watered Garmin and a beach run

17.09.11 another long distance race, just a bit different than normal…

I had decided to do this race short term and the preparation hasn’t felt very specific, neither many long bike rides nor long runs, swimming was difficult as well, but that wasn’t my main concern, 1k was not too far…

A big thank you to my cousin’s husband, who did me the huge favor to send me my road bike to Spain, the poor Specialized has been sitting in storage since February. I’m still a nomad and lucky to have friends and family around who keep sending me stuff I need, without them I wouldn’t have been able to race! (And yes, Ellen I’m referring to you ;)

7a.m.

Challenge Doñana is different as I said, to start with cycling is something new and I was a bit concerned about the big bunch… As I’m riding alone a lot, finding me in a 300 cyclist’s bunch intimidated a bit. The gun came off and we started (neutralized), riding out of Sanlucar, the group was slowing down a lot at the beginning, so nothing to fear about. The moment when the front car opened the race, the first group went away quite quickly, I knew this before; I had almost 180k to ride so I decided to stay with the second one, not wanting to blow up after 20k. When we left the main road to the right in direction Jerez, I wasn’t too concentrated and just a few moments later my group was 10m away and hell, no way to catch them…

Next step: waiting for the next group, but this one wasn’t ideal because: hey men, aren’t you able to lead a bit????? I was riding with 10 or 12 guys, but not the pace I’d liked, so I went away, on the 3k “off road”, a section with very bad ground, I was happy not to be in a bunch. I could avoid the big holes and went out of the danger zone without puncture. It was impressive to see how many people flatted there! On both sides of the road heaps of people changing tubes, as I said: lucky me I wasn’t one of them!

On the next steep but short hill a guy from Huelva passed me, thanks for that wheel that made the km between El Cuervo and the next crossroad far easier! Until another one who has had a flat before passed us, and he went away…

Alone again, no groups coming from behind, but always with the group in front of me, observing them but not able to reach them, until Arcos, where I picked up some mates from Jerez… I had heard about the historical centre of Arcos before, but I did NOT expect that climb, cobblestones, 17+% climb and a very small plain strip in the middle to ride on… Anyway, I made my way up there, and from the top on I never rode alone, these funny mates from Jerez made it lot easier, but long way to go, very few aid stations and nooooooo water.

Arcos de la frontera

I reached transition after 5h40min, grabbed the bag, made it into my neo, because I did not know the current or no current I would have in the water. At the beginning of the swim I was drawn to the left by the current but later I think I made my more or less straight way to the other side of the river. Out of the water JJ was waiting there, telling me that I was 2^nd of the amateur women and I knew that I could do it, because my running is good.

yep, thats me ;)

T2: the worst in a long time. Get out of the neo, clear feet with the water bottle in the transition bag (no water on the way to T2), put the socks on (wet legs), grab gels and salt sticks, cap, another small water bottle to carry on, shoes, neo in the bag, swim goggles and cap…  it took me forever to get the heck out of there.

During the first meters of running, I was willed to change my garmin into run mode, but, hello! A plain display and a strange beeping made me know that: he had decided to get a portion of Guadalquivir water and it didn’t feel very well! My first thought: I need to know the hour of the day to get the gels in on time… It is not an Ironman, but I have to run 30km, its hot and windy and this combination is a nice one for dehydration. I asked some people on the beach what time it is and from that moment on, at every aid station and some competitors I met. The first 10k felt really good, the tide was still low and the sand hard, perfect to run a nice pace (no idea what pace it was, Garmin was beeping, but no useful information). I got the first girl on k4 or 5, or maybe 6… I reached Dani from my club and kept running. Bit by bit the water came in, forming little creeks I tried to avoid (wet shoes are not my favorite). Around k15 the running started to feel worse. The sand became softer, my legs more tired, but I kept going. I couldn’t help start to sing a Manu Chao song “la marea va subiendo, subiendo mama…” (high tide is coming in, it’s coming Mom….).

km1

I had 2 things in my mind, Manu Chao’s song and JJ’s words: look for the hard sand, always look for the hard parts to run on. On km 27 I got angry, hell, there IS NO HARD sand!!!!

On the last aid station I said something like: “please, no more sand” to the guys there and the surprising answer was: just one more km, you get off the beach then and have the last two on the road. I did not know that, and was released, even though the way up to the costal walk was hard, the last 2k lonely but okay.

Finish line was nice, I didn’t feel the same like in Austria and it will be hard to repeat what I did there, but it was okay. Lucky to go over it as the first amateur woman, thinking that it was the season final. Maybe it wasn’t but that’s about to decide. JJ was waiting for me there, with my finisher medal. I can’t say why but I didn’t enjoy this finish as I should have… Maybe Austria was too good, maybe I underestimate this race. I enjoyed the race, the beautiful surroundings, the different design, the run in the national park Doñana, but there was something missing. I definitely didn’t spend the dedication, time and love I spent on my IM preparation this year. For me it was one more race, a long one, 8h 45min to be exact. After a week or so I started to realize what I did. I know now that there is way to go on my bike performance. I know now that I did a really good swim and I knew before that I love running and I do quite well on that; At least in long distance races.

My special thanks to 3 J’s, the double for being there, for making me company on the training rides, runs and swims, for believing in me and everything else.

And the single one to my coach, good work mate ;)

beautiful views on the way back