Cycling to the sky

stats of the week: run 10km, cycled 280km, gym 2hrs

With the 3LänderGiro done  including Stelvio pass my body needed nothing more than rest.

The week started less promising as the calf muscle problem had turned back and I had to stop the Tuesday jog and havn't jogged a step since then.

However, with a taped leg cycling was possible and I surprisingly set a new pb of 8.34 hrs in the 168km race - some 15 minutes faster than 2 years ago but this was eased by a convenient back wind in the Engadin valley.

This week saw some cautious biking on Timmelsjoch and Jaufen pass before the next race -

Maratona dles Dolomites - takes place tomorrow. But to get back to running it will take another couple of weeks.

Stelvio waiting

stats of the week: run 23km, cycled 156km, gym 3hrs

2 weeks made a long time of waiting to get back to running and first steps were very very cautious. Now the calf problem seems to be solved but concentration has to focus on cycling for next 3 weeks.

I am not as fit as last year and there are doubts if I will be able to climb to Stelvio Pass in time next Sunday. But when the weather is fine I'll try.

Back on Bike

stats of the fortnight: run 13km, cycled 301km, gym 6hrs

With 2 weeks gone I am still recovering from the last marathon. The calf muscle didn't appreciate running again and I was forced to have a full week of rest. Now I am happy to be back on the bike at least.

We had a jolly 2-day-journey to Westphalia's second highest mountain, Kahler Asten 841m, and back home again - overall distance 300K and 3300 vertical meters. I have to admit it was high time to get some hill training and get fit for Stelvio Pass in 2 weeks.

A decent one at long last

stats of the week: run 70km, cycled 56km, gym 3hrs

To prepare for oncoming summer challenges I considered running another marathon as a good idea. So I chose a small event in the far German East but not too far away to be reached by day tour: Ever heared of Arolsen?

Anyway the story ended by my first decent marathon since 18 months. No cramps, no weakness! I was able to keep the pace right to the finish line that I crossed after 3:56:20 hrs. And like always I don't really know why this one worked well and the previous ones were flops. May be my body just prefers hilly trail courses.

Because I didn't prepare for the run like a serious race I forgot to place protective plasters. After 20K my nipples began to hurt and to rescue them I decided to run the second part of the race half naked. Shortly after I stripped off it happened that I accompanied the leading lady for most of the remaining route. Kindly she didn't complain nor did she seem to be outraged.

My new GPS device shows the workout.

Danish Runamite

stats of the week: run 71km, cycled 145km, gym 2hrs

Copenhagen, Denmark, is a beautiful coastal city and its marathon is really recommendable. More than 9,000 finishers enjoyed an entertaining route, excited crowds and the sunshine. It's a very cool organisation as runners are allowed to push prams or be accompanied by bikers. Everything is easy going and many runners took their children by their hand to cross the finish line together.

Unfortunately my job was just to support the runners while I would have loved to run myself. One day I will do it.

Nevertheless I enjoyed daily training runs along the promenades and this week's mileage ended up unexpectedly high.

All sports

stats of the week: run 43km, cycled 180km, gym 4 hrs

I am counting a strike of 12 consecutive days of training now and those days were not easy. Yesterday's 5K race was fairly close to suicide at the finish. Having crossed the line I dropped down to the meadow but had to notice that life goes on. According to Fauja Singh 5K is too short to die.

However, my struggle was successful at 21:30 min and I cut 7 seconds off last year's time what let me be sort of happy when I was able to smile again.

Today's bike ride was the first one over 100K this year and the local hills made me so tired that I could hardly steer home free of crashs.

As you see it was a good week as long as sports is concerned.

2013 Game Over

stats of the week: run 33km, cycled 157km, gym 2hrs

It took just 17 hours this time until the online ballot entry for next year's London Marathon had been closed again. Last year 120,000 national and 50,000 overseas applicants were allowed to enter the lottery, probably there are the same figures this time. Luckily there are still other ways how to enter.

For me it was a cautious week back to regular training again. Plans are to focus on running rather than cycling this early summer. However, I still hope to finish three challinging alpine bike races. On the other hand I aim for a very special running highlight which should become my toughest run ever. Will I succeed?