1 day before IronMan Western Australia: Daddy is Proud

The nerves are kicking in… The 1000 questions and scenario how things could go wrong hit home….but actually, it is too late too worry now. The bike is racked in transition zone, the transition bags are hung in the transition areas, the training is done, it is actually all about not worrying and relax AND enjoy. Well…that is easier said the done, but there are 2 things that helped me taking my thoughts of the race: The talking with fellow athletes and Pros as well as my daughter participating in The IronKids Race.

1. I met some very inspiring people: a 60-65 lady age grouper, who answered me after asking her what was her goal for this race. She said ¨this year is all about not getting a glow stick before the finishing line¨. A glow stick is something you receive after darkness as settled over the running course in order for the helpers to identify the athletes still in the race. I hope I will also be fighting the glow stick receival at 60!
I also met Luke McKenzie and his wife. Luke is a 5 time Ironman Champ, 6 time Hawaii finisher (ranked 9th in 2011) and is currently 37th on the 2012 IronMan Pro Ranking Male (http://www.lukemckenzie.com). We chatted for about 10 min. Totally relaxed accessible pro (like many others). He took time to give me some advise on the course, his wife was playing with our kids, etc.. There is just no other sport where pro, all age groupers, male, female, disabled, etc…are all racing together at the same time and share the experience in such a way. The 3rd person is Paul Perrett. He lost his father at the age of 13 from skin cancer, took on weight up to 130kg, became a chain-smoker and workoholic on the border of exhaustion. Then he realised ,that he would not re-produce the same story and have 3 fatherless kids. So, he got out of his couch (and office chair) and started training for Ironman. What made it more difficult is that he was born with clubbed feet. Multiple operations left him with a big challenge to run, but he still did took on the challenge and finished his first Ironman a year ago. We checked in together and I will drive tomorrow morning with him at the start (planned at 5:45…aaaarrrghh!). What willpower (not the early wake up part…)! Simply Inspiring.

2.  We supported our older daughter to start her first triathlon.

At the beginning, she was not sure whether it was a good idea but she gradually became more and more excited as the day came. IronKids age limit is 7, so she was one of the youngest in the race and she did awesome as you can see in the pictures. The swim was the toughest piece for her. Surrounded by Aussie kids, most of them butterflying their way out of the womb, it was difficult to compete,. Once one the bike though (after a very comfy break in transition chatting with her wonderful helper), she was flying, overtaking a few and giving it all.

The run, like dad, was her best discipline. A dash from start to finish under the real arch of the Ironman finish chute. She finished as her starting number indicated: As number 1 in Mom’s and Dad’s heart. We are so proud of our daughter.

She cannot wait to go back to school after the break and show here finisher T-shirt and her medal to all her 1st grader friends (a special greeting to Ann and her class here!).

So tomorrow is the big day… I don’t think I will be able to blog much afterwards…

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Rudy Project Wingspan + KarbonEye = 7 min gain with NO training

I just could not resist! and went back to the candy store for some extra biking gears, that would give me 7 min over a course of 180km and this without any addtional training. Here comes the Rudy Project Wingspan.

That little sperm helmet is indeed suppose to shave 1min and 30 sec. against a regular helmet measured over a 40km course. Not only is this thing less ugly than the others (I find) but on top of it fits my head extremely well.

I hesitated a long time before buying one of those. The main reason being the slightly embarrassing feeling when getting passed by people with regular helmets. But at the last half-iron, I realised that I was riding mostly with cyclists that had one of those things on their heads. This is when I told to myself, that I would not look completly ridiculous with this point hat. So here it is.

That helmet would actually further improve its aerodynamics when you wear the right well eyewear. And I chose new KarbonEye from Rudy Project. Now these are glasses! My vision has been hindered by the top rim of the glasses when sitting in aero position. Those glasses have NO rims and it is truly a new experience. With a clear vision it also increases safety. And no fogging issue of course as condensation cannot get stuck anywhere. The best thing though is thephotocromic lenses. The lenses react to UV and get dark in an instant. In other words the most perfect eyewear I ever had. Let’s see how long they last.

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The Grimselpass Ride…or How a Windmill Warrior Takes on Cars

Had we known that we would ride in a 35 degree furnace, battle head wind for 60km and for Joel to crash into a car 100m before the end of the ride, would we have started riding on that foggy Monday at 07:30, the 9th of May from Saas-Fee to the Grimselpass? Probably not, but that’s what an adventure is about, I guess (and that’s why I do not understand people reading the last pages of a book before actually starting to read it).

I had been thinking to ride to the Grimsel Pass for the past three years.  Joel – a training partner and founder member of our Windmill Warriors Triathlon Club – and I could not have picked a better day to do this ride.  It all started the evening before, with some serious carb/protein-loading with our families in front of the chalet. Joel, is a Masterchef when it comes to marinating meat and BBQing. We limited our beer consumption and went up to bed fairly early.

We started to ride with a 26km long descent from Saas-Fee (1800m) to Visp (500) before taking a right turn and started a 65km climb towards the Grimselpass (2164m). The climb was gentle at first along the river Rhone. We passed Brig and were surprised how fast the temperature was rising. It was 11 in Saas-Fee, 15 in Visp and already 23 in Brig. The first “hills” showed up after Brig. Quads were warmed up by then to tackle the first serious climb until Bellwald. 800 m elevation gain in 16km. Joel was quite surprised to hear, that this was the “easy” part of the climb. From then on his requests for short stops increased . The real deal started after Oberwald. There is even a sign warning cyclists of the 1000m upcoming climb averaging at 7.6%. It is long and it is quite hard but the view is breathtaking and seeing for the first time from a “saddle perspective” the famous switchbacks of  the Grimsel were very rewarding.

And because every ride has its loads of surprises, we suddenly encountered, crossing the road, the first trains constructed to pass the Furka Pass (same road as the Grimsel).

We manages those switchbacks without problems and finally arrived to the Pass after riding for 4 hours and 1800m of elevation gain. It was a perfect day to be up there. No violent winds, no snow, nearly no clouds. Just Perfect. We quickly ate something before moving to our main activity of the day: photo-shooting.

Now that the battery of my camera was empty, we could get back on the saddle and ride down. Joel acquired his downhill riding skills in The Netherlands. Going down the Grimsel was slightly out of his zone of comfort, but after training twice down from Saas-Fee to Visp he managed pretty well (although it took him a while to unclasp his hands from the drops afterwards).

We thought we had done the hardest bit, but the weather decided otherwise. The wind picked-up together with the heat and every km we rode down we faced more heat and more wind. We ended up in the valley with the watch registering 35 degrees in the shade. I believe we each drank about 3 liters for the 6h45min ride. It was thougher than expected, especially for my fellow riders who challenged a car in the last 100m before our arrival to the bus station in Visp. Joel does not know exactly what happened. I was in the front, unclipping my shoes when I heard a metallic thump about 80m behind me. I hoped for the best but feared the worst. And yes, it came out to be the worst. Joel on the ground with a bruised shoulder. But the car was bruised too! A good dent in the side door and a broken mirror. Joel 1 – Car 1.

I have a bit of a reputation back where I train in The Netherlands. “They” call me the Swiss Assassin, because I provoked a fall of 2 fellow bikers by braking in front of the group without (a lot of clear) advance warnings. I just would like to clearly state, that Joel decided to take on this car on his own free will. Namaste.

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Ironman Frankfurt: The Closing of a Long Chapter

My friends told me to race hard, to kick butts, so I did my best and enjoyed every minute. It was Ironman Day. I am over the moon.
I stayed the last 3 hours in the public at the finish line, cheering fellow competitors and I seldom felt such true simple joy, without any selfishness at greeting them with my guts and heart. I cheered every one of them, until the last. What a party. This distance is magic. I love it.

But back now to 07:00 on July 4th 2010 in Frankfurt.

It was a big surprise for all of us at the pre-race meeting. No wetsuit because of a high water temperature was one thing. But also, as of July 1st this year NO tri-race suit with any neoprene or plastic of any sort. And you know what: it WAS GREAT!!! The good old way, most of us, like in the early 90′s just with a Speedo. Apart from the fact that I had a great swim, taking all corners rather wide from the buoys to avoid contact with the other 2351 athletes, the most interesting thing about this swim was to realise exactly how much the difference a wetsuit makes. I exited the water after 1:14 in 827th position. With the same time last year with neoprene I would be 1550!!! Now, last year the 827th position swam in 1:06:35. (I had planned 1:07). So it is confirmed. I swim close to 2min faster with a wetsuit per km! For all who asked my how big the difference is, this is it. It is huge in my view.

And now to the bike after a rather lengthy transition. The weather conditions were perfect for the bike course. Heavy clouds, low 20C, light North-West wind blowing 10-15k. The course itself is a relatively hilly one with 1000 meters of elevation over 4 hills: the Beast, the Hell, the Hünerberg and the real bad one; the Heartbreak Hill). Two loops (8 hills and exceptionally, an additional 5K because of road works, hence 185 instead of 180. I had very good legs. I paced myself and stayed for the entire bike course at 144 avg bpm, NEVER going in the red. 31km avg over 185km is an excellent result for me BUT it was only the 1250th time. I lost basically 400 positions during the ride. OK, I derailed twice, went to the loo, had to unclip my front wheel due to a stone that was stuck between the wheel and the fork. But apart from that cycling remains my weak discipline and I need stronger legs. Morale was great all the way apart from KM120 to KM140, but I pushed through that too. I had excellent support from my former osteopath, who flew especially from Vienna and motivated me the whole time.

I had a good transition, the helpers were fantastic and when the one that was taking care of me asked me, whether she should hand-over the Garmin watch to me, I said: “ditch it in the transition bag”. I had paced myself during the swim and the bike, now it was time to run and listen to my body and to feel how much it could take for the marathon. So there goes the heart rate, the pace, etc…I had never done that before and yet it felt just right to do that. The first 10K went very well. Slow and easy. I was still kind of checking how my legs would take the rest of the distance. Just as I wanted to accelerate, I realise with shock that I have lost my chip/transponder. Will I get a total time? will I get a DNF? what’s next? So I run (fast) to the closest penalty box. The ref tells me to stay cool. I just need to check-in at every loop, in the meantime they will inform the data centre, get me a new chip and will scan the bar code at the finish line behind my bib number (so…this is what it’s for, this little piece of paper attached to the bib number..). I “lose” about 10 minutes in the process…but you know what. Great break and plenty of time to rehydrate (very well organised those penalty boxes). By the 2nd round the sun is back. And it is pounding. 29 degrees (86F) and the trend is up. With all these emotions I am out of my rhythm and I try to concentrate. Just then, I see Andreas, my support taking pictures, and this of course, vain as I am, puts me right back on my feet . Now I have a good rhythm, I guess around 5:30 per km. I do not stop at the aid stations, just take every time water and ice to pour over my head and soak my entire body. The last round is the hottest one. the last 5K are hard, but I don’t stop, I have lost enough time in the penalty boxes and posing for pictures. No it is all about thinking of the red carpet, the people, the music, the finish line. I start thanking in my head all people who have helped me in the last 12 months, especially Isabel. I think of our daughters. I also see myself in the hospital and realise where I am now. Behind my cool Rudy Project glasses a few tears come out. But now it is time to go over the red carpet. The noise from the crowd is deafening, I start shouting myself, raised arms, I am overwhelmed by emotions, I jump around, slow down, enjoy the finish line. It feels I stayed for ever in the arrival arena. I cross it with the time of 11 hours and 38 min. Better than I thought I would do. I covered the marathon in 4:13. Not great but good enough to make up for most of the 400 positions lost during the bike. End result 913th out of 2351. I could not ask for more. The Catcher at the arrival said that I looked fresh, I told him that I just looked happy, (and to myself: happy to have never given up in the last 13 months following the crash). The IM Frankfurt is a day to remember as the closure of a long chapter. But it is also a day to remember because the organisers, the helpers, my friend as support where just unbelievable. I could start again tomorrow. Realistically though I think, I will only do another IM in 2012. I think Madison, Wisconsin.

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FATWorld 9th Destination: Rving across USA & Canada…and Another Dream Come True

In December 1997, I wrote from Gulu, Uganda (while I was still working for the International Committee of the Red Cross)  to a friend, that we should take a year off  in 1998, buy an RV and cross the USofA and Canada while training for triathlon. In the end, it did not happen. I left alone for a year in South East Asia and he joined me for a month in Bali. 13 years later: Another Dream Comes True. I am riding a time trial down the US255 direction the Great Sand Dunes Nat. Park in Colorado and Isabel is driving ahead with the RV!

This cruise with the RV is the last episode of our trip around the world. It takes us from Denver, CO  to Vancouver BC, via New Mexico, Arizona, South Utah, Wyoming, Montana & Washington.

We are all excited and fear this episode with the RV. On one hand it gives us unmatched flexibility and children have always the same home where ever we are. On the other hand, although we have rented a 10 meter long rig with slide-out, it still is nothing more than a sophisticated shoebox.

After 10 days riding this monster, we have learned the following: RVing is a great way to understand what we, as a family, consume daily in terms of Propane for heating, Gas for cooking & Driving and Water for Washing (all kind) and Dumping (all kind). RVing is a great way to build a hands-on knowledge of sewage and waste management. (A small note here on waste management; there is one thing you do not want: a leaking sewage hose…Well, I have now that one sorted). RVing is also a great way to keep things tidy at their right place. RVing is therefore great, right? Well, it is great as long as all those things do not start to go on your nerves.

Our first joint crisis comes after 8 days. Shoebox Fever! Very, very luckily we make contact at the same time with a wonderful French-European-American family in Taos. Their boundless hospitality and generosity gives us a unique opportunity to breathe outside the RV and discover the “Not-For-Tourists-Taos”.

So far so good. we have now crossed the cold, snowy but utterly beautiful Colorado and its famous Rockies and are relaxing in “springful” Taos, New Mexico. So far, so good…

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Lavaman Triathlon – Hawaii: A Liberating Moment

I waited (and trained) for that day since December 20th, day of my registration for the Lavaman. This triathlon is the second biggest tri event on the Big Island after the Ironman World championship. It is an Olympic distance and happens every year at the end of March. Chris McCormack describes it as follows in his last entry of his blog (April 2nd) “It is a tough, windy bike course and a super hot and difficult run. The entire bike course takes in the most difficult section of the bike course at the Ironman World Championships, and the run is mostly off road and through the thick Lava flows. It really reminds me of some of the early races I did in my career, when these ingredients seemed to be a prerequisite of a triathlon” . 1020 athletes coming mostly from Hawaii and the West Coast of Canada and the USA were gathered for this event. Chris McCormack, 2 times IM world champion was also at the starting line. The race starts at the Waikoloa Beach Resort onthe west coast and the bike course is a segment of the World Championship on the famous Queen K. Highway.

This race was for me the big test whether I had trained enough and done enough rehabilitation after the accident on June 8th the previous year. It would tell me, whether I was ready to train for longer distance and be able to be on the starting line of the Ironman of Frankfurt later this year.

I thought the race would be hard, but it turned out that it was getting there that cost me most energy. My family and I are currently staying on Kauai and I had to take 2 planes (via Honolulu) to get there. The first plane had 4 hours delay, the second was cancelled and the company had lost my reservation…In the end, I just made it in time to retrieve my starting packet, to put my bike together and to test it before sunset. I nonetheless could go early to bed and have a surprisingly good night sleep.

I wake up at 5:00 AM and take a short breakfast in bed. The weirdest thing after taking a shower is to put sunscreen when it is still pitch dark outside. I do that nonetheless, because I know that today’s forecast is 30 degrees, low wind and 86% humidity. I get out of my hotel room, the sun greets me and I take a picture of it in return. Coming to the transition zone, most of the athletes are already there… loud house music is blaring through big loudspeakers and a commentator repeats with eagerness the do’s and dont’s of the day. I get myself ready in the transition zone, get body marked with the No480 and walk slowly to the start at the A-Bay, a beautiful little cove. I enter the water at 07:10 and swim 4o0m to warm-up the shoulders. At 7:36 I start in the 3rd waves (that are Male Athletes 40 and Oooolder). I don’t pace myself. Feeling strong I aggressively make my way to the front of the pack. The real good swimmers are ahead and I can keep a good pace (around 15:30 per km) for the entire 1500 with the pack. I exit the water after 23:20′ and make a 300m dash to the transition zone. The enter of T1 comes at 15:24. I exit 1:31 later to start the bike. At this time, my position is in the  first 75 or 80 athletes. The bike leg starts very well with a 37kmh for the first 8km and suddenly the wind changes. Everyone gets it strong in the face for the next 12km. The average speed drops to less than 32kmh and legs are sore. The mid-point turn comes at the right moment. From then on, it is tail wind and I finish the bike leg in 1 hour 11 minutes, which is above 34kmh avg. I run through transition very fast. So fast that I forget my helmet and have to return to deposit it next to the bike. In the end it is 1:41 in T2. The first 500m run go well and suddenly stomach cramps are coming. Strong ones. I immediately know that it comes from a new sports drink I had during the bike. I work through these cramps for the next 3km. It is hot, I cannot breathe regularly. I am smiling thinking that my knee would hurt, but no, it is my stomach that slows me down. I finally find my rhythm after 5k and start running at a 4:45 pace between km 6 and 8.5. The last mile: it is not hard surface but all lava stones and broken corals. Worse, the last 400m are in soft sand but at this point I see the 2 athletes in front of me pick up the pace and I decide to hang on, which I can and do until the finish line. 20 meters before the finish line, I raise my arms, fist closed, throat thightened. It is a great liberating moment. At this point the total time does not matter anymore. It is the knowledge that my knee held the shock of the race, it is the knowledge that I can race again, that my sports days are not over. I do the run in 50:12′.

Time overall is 2:30’10”. Position 122 out of 1020. Chris McCormack wins the race for the 2nd consecutive year.

The Lavaman triathlon is the best organised and most scenic tri-event I have done. Compare to Europe, I found many athletes very relaxed ready to enjoy the race. The quota of female athletes was incredible, something I have never seen in Europe. All in all, this triathlon is maybe not worth the trip from Europe, but it is a must do, if you are around in March in Hawaii.

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FATWorld 8th Destination – Family Time in Hawaii

The only reason we left Wanaka and New Zealand was the planned family reunion on February 17th on the Big Island in Hawaii. We had planned this in August last year already! 2 weeks of vacation with Isa’s sister and her family as the only fixed point during our year around the world. It took us 3 days to get the from the South of New Zealand. No need to mention that M. & Z. were quite disoriented, confused and cranky for the first few days.

The Big Island is something like Lanzarote at first sight, just bigger. But after a while one discovers that it has  multiple climate zone and that it encapsulates all climate and geographies of an entire continent. Deep waters, high mountains, green pasture with huge ranches, lava fields, lush sub-tropical forest, lush English rainy regions, etc…

The best for me was of course to be on THE triathlon Island, the place where the Ironman World championship takes place every year. Not necessary to mention that I assembled my TT-bike on the first day to hit the mythical Queen K. already on the second day! What a feeling to ride on this highway where all the best triathletes in the world have sweated their guts out.  I feel very motivated, all the more that I will be competing in the Lavaman Triathlon on March 28th on the very same road. It will be my first race since May 2009.

Apart from Training and Sightseeing, we spend most of the time at the pools of the vacation resort. It is the best family friendly pools I have seen, with small beaches for kids, 4 different water slides for kids and adults, hot pools, pools with Dolphins, protect natural lagoon, etc, etc… amazing. Perfect to spend 2 weeks with the family with 4 young children. The other great thing at the resort is the BBQ place. We have already used it a couple of times to sear delicious american steaks and others treats. Will I lose any weight during this period? I think I have trained 12 hours this week and increased my belly buoy by an inch!

Anyway, that’s part of family meets. You talk, you eat you drink and you start all over again….and you celebrate birthdays! That’s right we took advantage of this reunion to anticipate Zoé’s 3rd birthday…but that is a different story.

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New Black Stallion in the Stable – Avanti Chrono 2.0

Last August, while still walking with a brace on my left knee and 2 crutches, I decided that I would not replace my “feu” hybrid Canyon bike (hybrid = road bike fitted with a tri-bar and 2-3 other accessories to do triathlon) with a new hybrid bike but to indulge in luxury and to buy 2 specific bikes. Reasons are multiple. Change regularly position to keep the body far away from the injury zone. Take the bike that is most adapted to the course. Get an aero position that is a true aero position with a seat post at 75 degrees at least, different cranks, be able to race different race types without having to modify the bike every time, etc, etc..

I wrote in my 19th August 2009 post “Cannondale Hi-Mod Synapse 2010 ordered” that I would wait to be in the US in 2010 to get a cool, small, local US time trial brands. Well, I think I found a cool, small, local time trial brand but not from the US but from New Zealand. I saw this Avanti Chrono 2.0 model 2009 in a shop in Wanaka and eyed it for 2 weeks. The third week I dared to enter the shop to look at the price tag. Upsy Daisy, a bit steep!  I start talking to Scott the guy in charge of the Outside Sports cycling shop, he tells me to be ready to get the price down as he want to sell this 2009 model. To make a long story short, I take it for 4 test rides and after changing the length of the stem and made zillions of small adjustments I decide to actually acquire this silent, slippery black stallion together with a slick Grammo Bike Case and a few accessories like a double Profile Design Bottle cage for the seat post.

Why did I buy it? Well, first the size and the geometry is good for me. Second, the components are first class (apart from the 53 Ultegra Crank, which I will change over time). The other components are great, the full carbon Oval aero bar with Dura Ace shifter. The incredible ADT front fork, the Quartz Tektro brake BEHIND the front fork, the all internal cables, the ZERO wheels manufactured by Zipp, the Dura Ace Derailleur. The first time I saw an Avanti bike was in Noosa but I thought it was an Italian brand until I got to New Zealand. I have now done 250km with this racing machine on the Queen K. Highway of the Big Island in  Hawaii and I have never been so fast. It must be the bike.

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6th FATWorld Destination: Everybody is Surfing…Surfing in Noosa

Arrival in Noosa, Queensland, Australia. It strikes me first how much freedom of movement I am getting compared to Bali. In Bali, it is suicidal to cycle, it is nearly impossible to jog on non existant trails, you cannot walk to do your groceries (non existant or damage curb), etc… In Noosa, cycling lanes, first class beaches, perfect road conditions, modern aquatic centres and SPACE to move. In just a few days, I have tried to surf on a long board and on a body board, I have made a short run on the beach (and built sand castles as well as digging big holes), cycled along the coast, got a swim course in a renowned Aquatic Centre and attempted to walk on a slackline.

Noosa is an outdoor and sport paradise. I just feel being at the right place to complete recovery after my knee injury last june. In short, I have never been to a place where climate and infrastructure were both so good to give perfect conditions to practice literally any sport. I enjoy it so much, that I have not thought of spending a day in the National Parks, to see kangaroos or Koalas or do a city trip to Brisbane.

The whole family feels good and relaxed. We have rediscovered how to spend great days at the beach. Beach are just awesome in the area. Just sand and waves. No sea urchin, no plastic bags swimming on the surface, no broken glass…Ok…a few nasty sharks…but that’s it. I never defined myself as being a person that likes to spend days at the beach. But here, I found out that one needs a good list a gadget to enjoy a day at beach. The list starts with a beach shelter providing enough shade and protecting from the wind (and the sound of the wind), a good picnic box, enough fluid, a body board, a long board, a bucket, a shovel. Armed with all this, we do not see time passes and suddenly lifeguards are leaving the beach, telling us that it is 16:30, time to go home for the aperitif.

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Biking Amidst Rice Paddies Around Ubud, Bali

After looking for the best possible Moutain Bike to rent in Bali, I found a flashy green Yokota (probably not more than 100 USD). 2 days after, I upload a bike course around Ubud from “Garmin Connect” on my GPS watch, put my gear on and hit the dirt roads. What started as a boring course became the best MTB trail I have ever done (note that I have done 3 in my life….). The road profile gets challenging, the view more and more scenic. After 1 hour I am in the middle of rice paddies, with not a soul around. This is Bali in all its splendor. I happily keep pedaling following the course on my watch. I am a bit overenthusiastic and do not feel surprise, when the track gets really step and actually impossible to pass with a bike. I am thinking, well, the course must contain some bike-carrying…nothing to worry about. But after 20 min. I find myself in a idyllic dead end, deep down the Sayan River bed. It has only one way up: the same way I came down earlier. A liter of sweat later, I find the bike course again and finish after 2H30 a trail that I will keep in my memory for a very long time.

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