2.5 more weeks and I will be on my way to the US. I already filled out the online document that allows foreigners to enter the US :-) Now I have to wait for 72 hours to get approved (by the way, every German and other countries have to do that now...but only to enter the USA).
My first race of the season, the DESERT CLASSIC DUATHLON is coming up and I have 3.5 weeks to add some spice to my training. It will be funny to see the athletes who train in snow and ice compete against Arizonan's!!! I bet there is a big difference in where everyone is trainingwise. For me this is only the beginning, I am excited and take it as a great workout that will hopefully make me hurt and maybe even puke:-)
It will be a full season with racing from February until October (off course with some breaks).
I am really excited for it!!!
Oh, I got punshed in the stomach 3 times today because this guy in my lane did not want me to pass him...and the best part: he did it on purpose (some people don't know that you can see very clear with those goggles on your face!!!)
...it is all practice for open water starts, right?
Angi
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
German Wintertriathlon Championships
Wintertriathlon- this is the first time that I watched a Wintertriathlon. It is a pretty new sport and I think Germany has had Championships 9 times now, I think the it was the first time in 2008 in the US. The race was in the Black Forest, in Kniebis. The race organizers had the girls and guys start together because they didn't have that many people at the start. It will probably change over the next few years.
Off course I was cheering for the Germans but also the one girl from the US :-) Renata Bucher (4th at Xterra Worlds) from Switzerland started too and looked like the winner until the German girl passed her during the final lap on the skate skis. I have to be honest: I didn't watch the American girl finish...I was tooo frozen and the storm started blowing away the barriers...poor girl, but I bet she did fine and had fun:-)
Off course I was cheering for the Germans but also the one girl from the US :-) Renata Bucher (4th at Xterra Worlds) from Switzerland started too and looked like the winner until the German girl passed her during the final lap on the skate skis. I have to be honest: I didn't watch the American girl finish...I was tooo frozen and the storm started blowing away the barriers...poor girl, but I bet she did fine and had fun:-)
It was freezing, but at least there was now snow at first, but half way through it started snowing and me and my family were, with a hand full of other spectators, the only people cheering (at least we stayed as long as we could in the freezing cold)-and we didn't even have anybody we knew in the race!!! Just to support the sport:-) It made me realize that watching an event can be hard work and tiring too!!!
We (here in Rutesheim, 1 hour away from where the race was) barely have any snow left outside (I heard someone say we are supposed to get fresh snow next week), for now I am very excited to run in a snow-free area again and maybe even bike outside (after spending almost every day since mid December on the trainer).
The 70.3 South Africa just finished and I am thinking about doing that race next year. It sounds like a lot of fun.
Can't wait to be in tip top shape and go out and race this year:-) It will be fun!!!
Friday, January 9, 2009
Birthday with surprises from Genuine Innovations
Holly cow, now I am 25 years old!!! Time goes by so fast. But I am so excited for this year because I have big plans and all the support I need.
On my birthday I went to a town near by to relax in Hot Springs. It felt soooo good-swimming from one warm pool in the next one and spending some time in the steam room:-)
In the afternoon I got a blueberry-cheesecake-birthdaycake and in the evening my family and I went out to dinner to have some Greek food.
Today it was back to training: Running, swimming and aquajogging. The pool was full of people but I was lucky and at the time I was swimming no one was in the swimmer lanes!!! That is how I like my lanes:-) There is nothing worse then having a ton of people in the lane, especially if they cannot get coordinated.
Then I got home and I saw a package on the table-for me:-) Birthday present? It was this huge package from GENUINE INNOVATIONS. They send me a package which will get me through my training and races over here in Europe...it included tons of CO2, patching things...just everything you need if you bike!!! THANKS GENUINE INNOVATIONS!!!
When I get back to Flagstaff I will receive another package from them that will get me through the season in the US.
It is great to have Genuine Innovations support me for 2009, they have everything that helps me out of miserable flat-tire situations for racing and everything is made of light material that is easy to carry with!!!
Travelling with CO2 is nearly impossible nowadays, because they take all of that stuff out of your suitcase. Crazy-what if you go to a race and maybe even in a country where barely anyone speaks English and the customs people took your repair kit for the race out of your bikebox...
The snow is melting slowly and only in the sun-we still have freezing temps...I haven't seen a roadie out there for a really long time:-)
It is great how you can always watch sports on TV in Germany...not only on Eurosport or so, but on the main Channels too...ALL DAY...today is Biathlon and Ski jumping :-) Fun.
I am hoping that I can bike outside tomorrow, maybe I will take the cross bike out, do some crossing in the snow:-)
On my birthday I went to a town near by to relax in Hot Springs. It felt soooo good-swimming from one warm pool in the next one and spending some time in the steam room:-)
In the afternoon I got a blueberry-cheesecake-birthdaycake and in the evening my family and I went out to dinner to have some Greek food.
Today it was back to training: Running, swimming and aquajogging. The pool was full of people but I was lucky and at the time I was swimming no one was in the swimmer lanes!!! That is how I like my lanes:-) There is nothing worse then having a ton of people in the lane, especially if they cannot get coordinated.
Then I got home and I saw a package on the table-for me:-) Birthday present? It was this huge package from GENUINE INNOVATIONS. They send me a package which will get me through my training and races over here in Europe...it included tons of CO2, patching things...just everything you need if you bike!!! THANKS GENUINE INNOVATIONS!!!
When I get back to Flagstaff I will receive another package from them that will get me through the season in the US.
It is great to have Genuine Innovations support me for 2009, they have everything that helps me out of miserable flat-tire situations for racing and everything is made of light material that is easy to carry with!!!
Travelling with CO2 is nearly impossible nowadays, because they take all of that stuff out of your suitcase. Crazy-what if you go to a race and maybe even in a country where barely anyone speaks English and the customs people took your repair kit for the race out of your bikebox...
The snow is melting slowly and only in the sun-we still have freezing temps...I haven't seen a roadie out there for a really long time:-)
It is great how you can always watch sports on TV in Germany...not only on Eurosport or so, but on the main Channels too...ALL DAY...today is Biathlon and Ski jumping :-) Fun.
I am hoping that I can bike outside tomorrow, maybe I will take the cross bike out, do some crossing in the snow:-)
Monday, January 5, 2009
Germany = Freezer
Wow, I almost feel like I am in Russia, not in Germany. It has been so cold here. The streets are still frozen and there is no way to ride a roadbike outside. Not only am I running out of cold weather gear, but there is no way that your tires will stick on the pavement!!! I think if I would try to ride outside I would land on my butt right away.
Therefore I spend every day on the trainer and I am starting to like the trainer. Riding on a TT bike on the trainer is actually really comfortable:-) It is so relaxing to have your arms rest on the handlebars- I remember riding the Roadbike on a trainer and it was punishment pure...no fun at all...but the TT bike is great. But let's be honest...I am a little jealous of JR who gets to ride in the sun in Sedona.
I am booking my flight to Flagstaff today. 3 months of training and racing in the US. Time goes by wayyyyyyyyyyyyy to fast. It is already 2009, my birthday is in 3 days and February and travel time is just around the corner!!!
Therefore I spend every day on the trainer and I am starting to like the trainer. Riding on a TT bike on the trainer is actually really comfortable:-) It is so relaxing to have your arms rest on the handlebars- I remember riding the Roadbike on a trainer and it was punishment pure...no fun at all...but the TT bike is great. But let's be honest...I am a little jealous of JR who gets to ride in the sun in Sedona.
I am booking my flight to Flagstaff today. 3 months of training and racing in the US. Time goes by wayyyyyyyyyyyyy to fast. It is already 2009, my birthday is in 3 days and February and travel time is just around the corner!!!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Merry christmas and a happy new year
It has been a while since I wrote last, so here is what I have been up to. I had no internet for about a week, which made me realize how addicted we are to internet!!! What to do if you want to check your emails...how am I supposed to let JR and my friends in the US know what I am doing? Can't order things online...Skype is only working with internet...but fortunately it is back up now:-)
Tonight is New Years eve. I won't be doing much except for watching a huge explosion: my town is blowing up 350 kilograms of fireworks tonight!!! CRAZY!!!
Training has been OK, I have been riding and swimming a lot. I had to put on many many layers when I went riding...base layer, skiing sweatshirt, fleece jacket, and something on top...2 pairs of gloves...headmask and a hat and a helmet, toewarmers and shoe-neopren-covers!!! And my bottle turned from hot tea into frozen slush in a half an hour!!! But it is fun...and you never know what weather conditions you will have during a race...so bring it on, I am prepared for the cold temperatures:-)
Swimming is going well too. I am swimming in a 26 degree Celcius warm (or very cold if you don't swim) 50 meter pool-Ian Thorpe used to train here during his training camp-and I get to watch sports that are going on next to me, because there is a diving pool and more room in the pool where I swim in, so I get to see...waterpolo, which is really interesting and they have those cute hats on...and snorchlers practicing for their snorchling vacation...but the best part is the under water rugby team!!! They have cute hats on and funny looking suits, they have 2 under water goals, about 7 meters deep (or so: whatever depth diving pools have), and they have a really heavy ball that they move around deep under the water while holding their breath!!! Crazy people, but I heard that our team is known internationally!!!
So there is lots to see in your break or under water during the warm up.
I just got accepted for the 70.3 Austria race in May 2009 which will be my first Triathlon in Austria ever:-) The fun part is that you swim in 2 lakes. You swim in one, run to the next one and keep on swimming there.
OK, hope everyone will have a great New Years eve!!! GUTEN RUTSCH INS NEUE JAHR!!!
Angi
Tonight is New Years eve. I won't be doing much except for watching a huge explosion: my town is blowing up 350 kilograms of fireworks tonight!!! CRAZY!!!
Training has been OK, I have been riding and swimming a lot. I had to put on many many layers when I went riding...base layer, skiing sweatshirt, fleece jacket, and something on top...2 pairs of gloves...headmask and a hat and a helmet, toewarmers and shoe-neopren-covers!!! And my bottle turned from hot tea into frozen slush in a half an hour!!! But it is fun...and you never know what weather conditions you will have during a race...so bring it on, I am prepared for the cold temperatures:-)
Swimming is going well too. I am swimming in a 26 degree Celcius warm (or very cold if you don't swim) 50 meter pool-Ian Thorpe used to train here during his training camp-and I get to watch sports that are going on next to me, because there is a diving pool and more room in the pool where I swim in, so I get to see...waterpolo, which is really interesting and they have those cute hats on...and snorchlers practicing for their snorchling vacation...but the best part is the under water rugby team!!! They have cute hats on and funny looking suits, they have 2 under water goals, about 7 meters deep (or so: whatever depth diving pools have), and they have a really heavy ball that they move around deep under the water while holding their breath!!! Crazy people, but I heard that our team is known internationally!!!
So there is lots to see in your break or under water during the warm up.
I just got accepted for the 70.3 Austria race in May 2009 which will be my first Triathlon in Austria ever:-) The fun part is that you swim in 2 lakes. You swim in one, run to the next one and keep on swimming there.
OK, hope everyone will have a great New Years eve!!! GUTEN RUTSCH INS NEUE JAHR!!!
Angi
Sunday, December 21, 2008
No white Christmas??? WHAAATTTT?
Great, we got snowed in for the last week and we had sooo much snow...now yesterday the weather changed and it started to rain. And ALL the snow melted or turned into slush...and on top of that the weather man said it will be getting colder again on Tuesday, but there is not going to be any snow coming down.
I have 1 1/2 days of work left (today I only have to work for 4 hours) until I am DONE!!! I am so excited to focuse on training and recovering only. On Tuesday evening I will be moving away from the Alps and Bavaria...back to civilization:-)
My company had their Christmas celebration yesterday and we went up to Spitzingsee, which is a really pretty area for skiing...mhhh, unfortunatelly it was raining soooo hard and it was dark... it was fun to get to know everyone a little better outside of work. We had dinner for about 4 hours and then we went to a club in the mountains for another 2 hours. The plan was actually that we could get a ride home if we wanted to, but guess what: I got home around 2am and that was the FIRST chance to get a ride home...I was planing on running in a local race today, where I would have had to get up at 6 am...good preparation...but I think the race got cancelled because of the weather issues anyway.
I will try to compete in a race next weekend then, when I am back in Stuttgart-hopefully it won't get rained out...
Tuesday is another cookie baking day and I am really excited!!! I think we are going to make 3 more types of cookies...mhhhh...yummie!!!
Gotta go wrap christmas presents.
I have 1 1/2 days of work left (today I only have to work for 4 hours) until I am DONE!!! I am so excited to focuse on training and recovering only. On Tuesday evening I will be moving away from the Alps and Bavaria...back to civilization:-)
My company had their Christmas celebration yesterday and we went up to Spitzingsee, which is a really pretty area for skiing...mhhh, unfortunatelly it was raining soooo hard and it was dark... it was fun to get to know everyone a little better outside of work. We had dinner for about 4 hours and then we went to a club in the mountains for another 2 hours. The plan was actually that we could get a ride home if we wanted to, but guess what: I got home around 2am and that was the FIRST chance to get a ride home...I was planing on running in a local race today, where I would have had to get up at 6 am...good preparation...but I think the race got cancelled because of the weather issues anyway.
I will try to compete in a race next weekend then, when I am back in Stuttgart-hopefully it won't get rained out...
Tuesday is another cookie baking day and I am really excited!!! I think we are going to make 3 more types of cookies...mhhhh...yummie!!!
Gotta go wrap christmas presents.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
6 more days of work...
Have you ever heard of Flexi Bar? It is this swinging stick, which is supposed to make even the deepest muscles in your upper body contract. It is used in rehabilitation and guess what...I am teaching one of the classes for it:-)
So here I am on Monday at the 5 star plus hotel where I work once a week and I am trying new exercises. Oh, and I have to dress all in white which makes me feel like a doctor:-)
The great thing about the hotel is that I have a 4 hour break- enough time to train, eat and take a nap - I love naps!!!
Yesterday I went to Munich to get Christmas presents, and yes, I was successful. The weather in Munich was really foggy, and in Tegernsee it was beautiful-weird how the weather in the mountains and around can change so fast...so here is a picture of a church and part of the Christmas market downtown Munich.
Shopping gets exhausting and after 4 hours, I needed a coffee, so I went to Starbucks. It is funny, just a few years ago there were no coffee shops in Germany and now there are 3 Starbucks really close to each other downtown Munich and many other coffee shops. I was sooo happy to get coffee. The funny thing is that I went into another coffee shop right after I got my coffee at Starbucks, to get a Christmas present and then I got a free coffee with it- so I had to drink 2 Lattes on the train on my way home:-) (I really love coffee, so 2 is better than 1-and I drank them completely). That evening I had to teach one Flexi Bar class and 2 hours of spinning, it went by in no time...mhhh...due to the large amount of coffee??? Nooooooooooooooo...can't be.
Back to work today...6 more days befor I am done working. But today Anastasia (our Nutritionist - and the person who makes work exciting with new stories:-) and I performed a Lactate Test on her neighbor...no, it is not painful when I poke!!! He is just a great actor:-)
We filled about 8 tubes with the blood we squeezed out of his ear!!! I had to poke 3 holes because his blood dries so fast!!! Crazy.
We did it, he was exhausted and we got what we wanted...
So now I am on my break and I am going to the track to do a workout - thank good for my Ipod which always has a ton of good music for me...because I will be running all by myself...anyone want to join me?
So here I am on Monday at the 5 star plus hotel where I work once a week and I am trying new exercises. Oh, and I have to dress all in white which makes me feel like a doctor:-)
The great thing about the hotel is that I have a 4 hour break- enough time to train, eat and take a nap - I love naps!!!
Yesterday I went to Munich to get Christmas presents, and yes, I was successful. The weather in Munich was really foggy, and in Tegernsee it was beautiful-weird how the weather in the mountains and around can change so fast...so here is a picture of a church and part of the Christmas market downtown Munich.
Shopping gets exhausting and after 4 hours, I needed a coffee, so I went to Starbucks. It is funny, just a few years ago there were no coffee shops in Germany and now there are 3 Starbucks really close to each other downtown Munich and many other coffee shops. I was sooo happy to get coffee. The funny thing is that I went into another coffee shop right after I got my coffee at Starbucks, to get a Christmas present and then I got a free coffee with it- so I had to drink 2 Lattes on the train on my way home:-) (I really love coffee, so 2 is better than 1-and I drank them completely). That evening I had to teach one Flexi Bar class and 2 hours of spinning, it went by in no time...mhhh...due to the large amount of coffee??? Nooooooooooooooo...can't be.
Back to work today...6 more days befor I am done working. But today Anastasia (our Nutritionist - and the person who makes work exciting with new stories:-) and I performed a Lactate Test on her neighbor...no, it is not painful when I poke!!! He is just a great actor:-)
We filled about 8 tubes with the blood we squeezed out of his ear!!! I had to poke 3 holes because his blood dries so fast!!! Crazy.
We did it, he was exhausted and we got what we wanted...
So now I am on my break and I am going to the track to do a workout - thank good for my Ipod which always has a ton of good music for me...because I will be running all by myself...anyone want to join me?
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