From sweep-up to finish

stats of the week: run 21km, cycled 363km

My first Nove Colli Race was a very special experience. Due to heavy rain we waited too long to get to the start. When we finally found the area everybody was gone and no start line present. We set off while it was raining cats and dogs. Dozens of cyclists turned and drove back to their hotels. It took me 48km to overtake the sweep-up bus and another 20km to catch the very last 20 bikers. First time when ascending the 3rd colle after 80km I felt within a race although the food stations were already finished. However, I enjoyed my day on the empty roads and managed to reach the finish within cut-off time after 132km and 6:21h while my somehow produced official time is 7:13h.

Photo: With the ambulance at my back wheel

Enjoying Italy

stats of the week: run 9km, cycled 336km, gym 2h

Cycling in the region of Italian region Piemonte is pure enjoyment. Calm roads, beautiful landscape, pretty villages, numerous hills, last not least: tasty food and superb vino rosso. The perfect way to prepare for the Nove Colli bike race, alas if there weren't such old man shortcomings like back pain! We'll see what is possible.

Body limit

stats of the week: run 30km, cycled 200km, gym 3h

For me there will be rather "quattro colli" than nove colli next week. I tried a longish tour of 130km and 1800 altitude meters what also are the dates of the shorter Nove Colli variant. My body revealed that this amount of strain is close to its limit. So trying the longer route of 200km and 4,000 altitude meters should be out of the question. But one should never say no ...

Tired sportsman

stats of the week: run 18km, cycled 130km, gym 3h

Recovery from the marathon worked as usual with being ready for a slow jog on Thursday again. However, after a fast flat cycling tour on Saturday I got so exhausted that I fell asleep after arriving home. Aim for oncoming weeks is to switch to regular cycling without neglecting running too much.

 

Proud champions and a happy amateur

stats of the week: run 63km, gym 3h
London Marathon result: 3:52:52

The 35th London Marathon was another great day of running. Crowds were bigger than ever, elite fields strongest ever and the new champions happy, proud and extremly likeable. Tigist Tufa is the first Ethopian female winner since Derartu Tulu in 2001. Eliud Kipchoge confirms to be the world's best marathon runner of the year beating world record holder Dennis Kimetto and two-times London champion Wilson Kipsang.

My personal race was fairly successful not only because it was my age-graded best marathon since 5 years but also I fulfilled the Boston qualification time for M60. It follows that next year I have to run 2 marathons within 6 days.

I was also very happy we had two-times London Champion Irina Mikitenko with us who affectionately cared for all the runners in our group.

Step of aging

stats of the week: run 43km, cycled 60km, gym 3h

Legs felt tired two weeks before the London and I got the impression that another step of sudden aging hit me. Or was it just the amount of racing this spring?

However, on Sunday I put another 10K race in the box. Without reaching personal limits I clocked 47:04 what hopefully is just a wake-up for the muscles one week before the marathon.

Counting my recent half marathon time I theoretically should be able to run sub 3:40 h. I know this will be out of my bounds of possibility. I will be happy with a sub 4 h. And I have to admit I will try a sub 3:50.

Mucky paradise

stats of the week: run 31km, cycled 352km

Sardinia offers numerous low-traffic hill roads with breathtaking views and is a paradise for cyclists. On the other hand I have never seen so much rubbish alongside the streets. It is surprising how the residents painstakingly separate their waste into half a dozen boxes while many others throw their trash right into nature.