Nathan's Triathlon

...after returning from the Splash and Dash on Thursday night, I ended up driving back down to Phoenix on Friday afternoon for the Nathan's Triathlon :-)

The race was in Tempe/Phoenix, and the predicted temperature was 107!!! degrees.
I spend Saturday getting my bike checked out by the TRIBE Crew, and they did a great job - the shifters worked great.

I heard that about 4 professional females will race in the event, but when I went into transition on Saturday evening to put my bike on the rack, I was THE ONLY ONE on the rack. Confusion confusion confusion.

After a little "research" I found out that Katie Ellis (a local pro) is also competing in the race.

My friends Pam and Shannon and I had a hotel room about 2 blocks away from the start: PERFECT!!! No searching for parking!!!

We got up and got going.

My race started at 6:46 am and the mixed elite wave was fast!!! We swam right into the sun, I just followed feet, because I wasn't able to see any bouyes.

I raced without a watch, so I had no clue if I was fast or slow (as it turned out all the times were slow, because the course was about 400 m longer). I jumped on the bike and started passing a lot of the Sprint Distance Triathletes. I have to say it was a little chaotic out there with that many people (1600 is the cut off). Many people also didn't know that you shoudl stay on the right unless you pass athletes. Mhhh...
I thought my time was pretty slow, because the effort-level didn't feel too high, but I ended up having the fastest female bikesplit by 2 min. (13th fastes in the guys race).
I passed Katie Ellies with about 5 km to go and was hoping to keep it like that until the finish.

The run felt great!!! The first lap was just awesome and I felt really fast. But this is Phoenix and it is hot, so going into lap two I got a little thirsty. I kept dumping water on myself, and tried to drink as much as I could, but ou know how much you actually get into your mouth :-)

I finished in 1st place overall females, including pros and amateurs, and 8th or 9th in the guys (pro and amateurs). Too bad the race announcer didn't see me cross the line about a minute ahead of Katie. So he announced her as the winner, but it ended up being right on the results.

RED ROCK RACING did a great job putting on the race and taking care of our equipment, us and all the spectators.
I can only highly recommend the events they are putting on.

After the race we drove back to Flagstaff immediately, I kept falling asleep the entire time. Early wakeup calls do that.

I am planning on racing in a Halfmarathon next weekend. It will be great training for the upcoming Longhorn 70.3.

HAPPY TRAINING!!!

Splash and Dash

Pam and I made our way down to Phoenix (again) to get some good training in by competing in the Splash and Dash. It consits of a 1000 m swim and a 3km run. Phoenix was, as always, HOT, but it is getting cooler everyday and in the evening at 6:30 pm, when the race started, it was actually really nice. The water was warm though (84 degrees), and most people swam without a wetsuit. We started 2 min behind the guys, but after about 400 m we had caught up to some of them. The next 600 m were like a washing machine, with people all over, going left right, doing breast and backstroke :-) Luckily I got a good line and a good stroke going and I was out of the water first. The run was a 3k out and back and I finished it in 10 min, which makes me think it might have been a little short. But then again, with all the modern technology they should beable to measure the course down to the centimeter :-)

After the race it was back up the hill to Flagstaff, just so we can drive back down today for the next race.

It was a lot of fun, and great practice for this weekends Nathan's Triathlon. I am really excited to race as the course is completely flat swim (hahaha), bike, as well as run. Time to test out the speed. I hope the temperature will stay under 100 degrees.

JR will be competing in the Pines to the Mines, 80 mile, MTB race sponsored by PAY and TAKE. I bet it will be a lot of fun. Hopefully next year all the events will be on different weekends and then I can race a MTB race as well.

Off to do some packing for the weekend.

Some great training days...

Friday night JR and I drove to Phoenix for a Saturday morning swim race in Saguaro Lake. I haven't been in my wetsuit OR in a Lake/Open water for some time now...mhhh...actually I can't remember the last time :-) Well it was time!!!

Squeezing into the wetsuit when the outside temperature is 100 degrees is a great warm up.

Then it was off into the lake which felt really nice. The gun went off for the 2 k wetsuit swim and I decided to go the shortest distance instead of following this guy who went a little off course. Turns out that I should have drafted off him. I was all alone and it would have been great draft training. Oh well. I enjoyed every second of the swim. I finished second (behind the guy) overall and first in the women's division!!! Whohoo, I won my first swim race!!!

The race organizers (DCB ADVENTURES) did a great job putting on the event. WHat a great way to get a good effort in!!! Thanks a lot again for the great venue and the support. I can't wait to race the next one!!!

My friends Pam and Shannon had a blast too. With the boats making HUGE waves, it was great practice of sighting and breathing when you go up and down :-)

Here they are after the swim:

It was nice to have JR at the race helping us get ready for the swim and being there after the race. THANKS JR!!!

Good bye Saguaro Lake!!!

Yesterday I enjoyed a long ride on my Parkpre TT bike, all by myself, only listening to music, which by the way is a very interesting combination if you put it on "shuffle all songs".

This morning I ran with JR. It was my long run. I was a little scared to run with him. HE IS FAST!!! But I didn't show weakness and ended up having a great run.

Now I am off to the pool. For a LONG workout.

I am already looking forward to the appointment I have with my pillow at around 9:30 pm :-)

DCB Adventures - Saguaro Lake OW Swim

DCB Adventure puts on great races, including this weekend's SAGUARO LAKE OPEN WATER SWIM.
You have the option of entering the 2 km wetsuit, 2 km non-wetsuit, 4 km wetsuit and 4 km non-wetsuit swim.
This is great preparation for athelets who train for Olympic Distances, Halfironman or Ironman distances but also for athletes trying to get used to open water swimming.

Thanks DCB for providing us with such a great race!!!

For more information about this weeks and upcoming DCB Adventure Open Water swim visit:

http://www.dcbadventures.com/DCB/AZOWS_3.html

Aunt Angi and Uncle JR

Whohooo, my brother and his wife just had a baby!!! Everyone is super excited, because it is the first baby on the Axmann-side of the family!!!

That makes me an aunt :-)

WELCOME LITTLE PHILIPP!!!

Updates

What have I been up to and where did time go? It is already September!!! Over the last few weeks I have been getting back into the pool as often as possible (after it was closed for 3 weeks), I have been building my running miles and I have taken my TT bike out of its 4 week retirement.

With the AZ TT Championships coming up next weekend, I thought it would be good to practice on the TT bike :-) I am thinking about running a 10 k race up here in Flagstaff the day before the TT, it would make it a great training weekend.

I am super excited to start up with triathlon's again, with the Nathan's Triathlon coming up the end of September (AZ summerbreak is OVER!!!). Not so stoked about swimming in Tempe Town Lake without a wetsuit...the water is not exactly nice-looking.

Something crazy happened yesterday: WE HAD OUR FIRST FRESH SNOW IN THE MOUNTAINS!!!

Also yesterday it was my brother Sven's birthday!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! Ich vermisse Euch alle ganz doll und I au will Bananenkuchen :-)

Fossil Creek Adventure

Checking out what is swimming around in here :-)

Pam showed me all the native fish, they decided to swim with us but disappear for the pics!!!

Me swimming against the current.

Pam swimming against the current.

The "Pool".

Unbelievable clear water, it was 20-30 feet deep depending on the season.

A huge spider, but I googled it, not dangerous!!!

The rope workout!!!

Inside a waterfall!!! Looks like in the jungle!!!

Pam and me!!!

Looks like paradise.

Scout!!!

This is one of the most beautiful places I have EVER seen. And it is in the middle of the desert in AZ!!! CRAZY!!!