off season

it's exactly 3 weeks now after IM hawaii...first of all...I'm still enjoying recovery time :-)

but let's start well behind: april 2008, with my 2nd place at IM south africa, this was the beginning of a really good race period lasting more than 2 years with the following results:

2008: 2nd place IM south africa

3rd place IM austria (pb: 8:59.45)

3rd place IM arizona

2009: 2nd place IM china

8th place IM coeur d'alene

2nd place ETU european championship long distance

15th place IM hawaii

3rd place IM cozumel

2010: 2nd place IM malaysia

3rd place ETU european championship long distance

3rd place challenge walchsee

and finally 31.place IM hawaii!

and here we are: in 2 years I did 8 IM races, 2 long distance races (4-120-30) and several half distance races, placing top 3 in 9 races out of 12 starts :-)

after my disappointing race at kona this year, I had a good conversation with my coach and it's simple: at the age of 39 years my body needs a proper recovery period now!

what a cognition! :-)

this means no more races for 2010, recovery workouts for october/november and of course paying full attention to the recovery key points:

like sleeping and eating well, choosing mostly naturally and untreated foods (and with my good friend adi I have the very best nutritionist beside :-)

but also working to strenghten my immune system, keeping in mind that during european winter months there is always a flu waiting behind the corner! and also here I'm glad to have friends beside...it's now almost 1 year I'm taking biestmilch and I strongly believe in it's power to stabilize/strenghten the immune system.

another mostly underestimated fact is the mental relaxation! after more than 2 years rushing all around the world trying to compete at my best level, focusing 100% on the triathlon thing, it's important to open eyes and mind to hobbies, which had to cut back during this long race period!

of course there are a lot of people I want to thank for staying at my side for this last 2-3 years, from family, friends, coach to sponsors and supporters, many of them becoming also friends, sharing the passion for sport!

this all would'n have happen without you!

and last but not least...off season is not about "loose fitness", it's all about "gain forces" and during this recovery journey I have plenty of time to make plans for 2011 :-) - because one thing is sure: I'll be back :-)