Ironman Germany in the door: a Prerace Situation Report

Training camp Niederbronn, Alsace: If you want to stay focused I advise you to go there

2 weeks I spent all alone training in Niederbronn, Alsace, France. It is an excellent place for riding the bike, a hilly place with only very little traffic, and not very much else left to do. So I had a splendid time to get myself really fit for IRONMAN Germany in Frankfurt. I enjoyed the tasty French cuisine, even though I have to admit that I always felt a little bit hungry, the food is not that substantive.
You eat and it's gone. Yes, I learned to love white wine, before I only used to drink red. In the area people seem to leave on wine, wine is like water for them.

I miss my family

My family is back in Australia. I miss them, it was hard to get in touch with my girls, no phone, no wirless, no skype, only occasionally internet was available, tough times. Only slowly I get used to the fact that I'm travelling and staying alone. After two weeks of training, spending the evenings alone in my little cabine 31 in Oberbronn, with only French television programs and football left to my own devices, I really started counting the nights untill I was going to leave.
Don't get me wrong. I had a very good time and Guy Haemmerlin took good care of me. But I grew up in a big city and after a while the countryside affects my mood. I feel locked.

Susann picked me up to take me to Wiesbaden

Finally, the day had come. Susann from Biestmilch's Seven freed me from isolation. I planned to spend a few days in Wiesbaden before settling in in Frankfurt. Indulging my chili passion I enjoyed it to have some days in my home base in Germany. I got my bike fixed, and gave some interviews. The time left I relaxed with my friends.

On Sunday – a week before the big day –
a quick Olympic distance race in Darmstadt

This was a spontaneous decision I made. Instead of having the headache to organize my swim, bike and run myself, I thought better to do this race. I wanted to do a hard run this was my main aim. I called my friend Lothar Leder, he arranged things for me to able to race.
With  my bike ride I was not too happy, but the run was good. I came in second. There was another guy who had the chance to win the second time and thus, get the jack pot. I left him sprint away in the end.

Settling in in Frankfurt

By now I'm in a hotel in Frankfurt, very close to the run course. I had a look at the bike course – a very fast one – and sneak into my prerace routines, rising early, sleeping early... gettin my race tactics ready for retrieval.
The prerace press conference is already behind me. All the pros arrived and the atmosphere among us was amazingly mellow and polite.

I hope you could get an impression about my last weeks and why I have been so silent. This, you can be sure, will change after the Frankfurt race.