New light

today I bought the Petzl "Zipka Plus" free hands lighting. It is really comfortable to wear during the running I never thought it is so convinient. Now I really enjoy the jogging in the night.

Zueri Marathon

Today I got registered for the Zueri-Marathon: 20.04.2008

Moving on...

influenza shot and year's review

Last tuesday I got an influenza vaccination, which knocked me out this week. No training so far. Today I will restart with a little running and tomorrow, if the zuerich weather keeps to be sunny I go for a tri-training.

This year so far I reached the following levels (according to my polar stats):
- swim: 47 km
- bike: 1100 km
- run: 772 km

I am happy with these figures, also because I did not record all training sessions and know I did a little more. However, for the Ironman next year I have to reach new levels. Exciting.

http://esamultimedia.esa.int/images/EarthObservation/pri_fuji_H.jpg

If ain't raining - I am ain't training

Right now there is awful weather in Zuerich. Heavy wind combined with gentle, but steady rain. Winter is approaching. However, I did 1 h biking and 1 h running right after the biking. Luckily I took some lights along, since the sun sets early. Bad thing: I gained some weight over the last weeks. Good thing: It doesn't seem to be fat only. I have to cut down my daily food rations.

So long

Ironman day!

Today is Ironman day. Very interesting race in Hawaii, since a lot of new girls/guys turned up. My personal training is still low-level. I am still recovering from the marathon in Berlin. Today I went jogging with Irina. It feels, if my legs are different ones after the marathon. Anyhow, it is getting time to get serious into training.

the week after

Monday: both legs are still hurting, I am limping, shoulder tension
Tuesday: walking stairs becomes normal
Wednesday: legs are fine, jumping possible
Thursday: Shoulders become more relaxed
Friday: First swimming session, shoulders fine
Saturday: Resting
Sunday: First jogging session, back to normal ;- )

My first marathon finished

http://88.151.64.106/events/berlin_marathon/2007/

Start Number: 17288
Rank: 24423
Class Rank (M30): 2528

Two days after my first marathon my legs still feel weak; at least my spirit is strong. It made a lot of fun, although the last 4 km were very tough. After the first 38 km it didn't seem too hard. However, at the last 4 k I suffered. It feels good to have it finished. One step closer to Ironman! ;- )

2 days to marathon

today I fly to Berlin. tomorrow I will get registered. the day after tomorrow I will run 42.195 km or a bit more... ;- >
yesterday and today I feel strong. My muscles are waiting for the race. Hopefully the stretching I did was enough to prepare my sinews (Sehnen).
Lost my cap the last week and I have to by a new one first.

The results can be seen at: http://www.real-berlin-marathon.com/events/berlin_marathon/2007/ergebnisse.php

The weatherforecast for Berlin on sunday: 17 °C max 10 °C min. Sun and rain.

If ain't raining, I ain't training.
Cheers, Tim

One week to go for my first marathon

I feel excited. Today I told Irina it was just 6 months ago in Jakarta, when I said to her: "Now it is time for a marathon". Now, 6 months later it becomes reality. One week to go. I am confident to get the distance finished. How long was it again? I forget it all the time. Maybe my brain doesn't like to remember the 42.195 kilometres (26 miles 385 yards). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon

By all means I have to prepare:
1. my body: stretching every day from now on
2. organize the travelling (print out hotel, route, flight, ...)
3. mentally: go through the race distance again.

To quote John Maynard Keynes (1883–1946), British economist:
"In the long run we are all dead."

cheers, Tim

Quotes - RAIN & Train

Found two nice quotes on a website:

"If it ain't raining - we ain't training!" (Marines)
"Mess with the best - die like the rest" (Marines)

No fun with the training & Job pressure

This week I recognized, that I lost fun while training. I found 3 reasons why I don't get my gear on and complete the training sessions:

1. Too much focus on running
Since there are only 36 days to go for the marathon in berlin, I was focused only and too much on running. I neglected biking and swimming totally, so there were no balance. After two days picking up the normal training (swim and bike), I saw, that my generell stamina isn't there anymore.
=> Action: Balance the training, do more swims and bike sesssions!

2. No stretching
I had some serious problems with my achilles tendon. No stretching and wrong nutrition (higher weight) contributed to pain in the muscles, who are responsible for the force transmission of pushing the foot from the ground.
=> Action: Do stretchings!!!

3. Work and training not in sync
I skipped a lot of trainings during the last 3 weeks. Terrible.
=> Train together with a trainingspartner!

4. Wrong nutrition
While working my eating habits become irregular. I have to make a nutrition plan every evening before the next day!
=> Plan your nutrition!

move it!

Again a week closer to the marathon race. I have to get up and go training! 42 days to the marathon. Highest risks/needed actions:
1. I am too fat right now: 90 kg. - Goal: 83!!!
=> no sweets, alc and junkfood - instead regular fruits! & water
2. I am not trained well enough: I need long runs during the week!!!
=> go for the training: intensity and length/quantity
3. frequency training
4. Stretching
5. Swimming

Training Grip

Last week was great. I had training sessions and a first long run after some time(16km). I learned the following lessons:
* use 2 T-shirts to stand the wind
* never run without your running hat
* take a power-bar with you.
I needed two hours while taking it easy. The biggest improvement I have to make: STRETCHING. I skip it always, but it has to be done to protect my ankles, strings and muscles.

Rob, great to hear Vero & you are running the Berlin marathon! We will have a great time there!

Last test @ the university & light-training

10 times training at the university. biking until the lactat is running through the venes. alright, done. today was the last test.

Meanwhile training is not really peaking right now. I have to change my thoughts. I need to be challenged....

wearing training

Still I struggle to get my training togehter. See the records of the last two weeks:

The Hamster or Laktat-Testing

Tomorrow is Laktat-Testing again at the university. Course 8 out of 10. The fotos you see below were made at the last exercise session I had. I had to bike constantly 85 rpms, which was not so easy with increasing resistance. I feel like a hamster in a running wheel. ;-)See the fotos:



Dominik is checking the data.



me on the bike.

1 hr easy bikin

During the weak I got no motivation to train so far. I have to think, how I can overcame that. At least I went for a ride toadaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay.

Run Training started

today: 11 k, 1:05h (3rd bridge)
yesterday: 8k, 0:52h (2nd bridge)

At both runs I improved my frequency. Normally I am running with about 88 beats per minute. I read, that professionals go with 92 - 95 beats p m. The frequency depends largely on the arm movement. So I adjusted my frequency over small distances to a higher level by pushing the arms faster back and forth in a gentle way. The arms should actually never cross the body midst and should move really back and forth not up and down. Combining this with the optimal running position (flexed stumach muscles, upright head position, relaxed shoulders, leaning forward) it makes you really focus on the individual elements to get it right. There is still a long way to run!

"Sempacher Olympic Triathlon"

Long time no blog-entry. That actually discribes my training situation very good. No time, headaches, no real training at all during the last 2 weeks.

After this "break" I made today my 2nd olympic triathlon nearly without preparation. The Sempacher Olympic Triathlon belongs to the VW Curcuit and is located in the middle of Switzerland between Zürich and Bern. http://www.sempacherseetri.ch/



The race was intense and very fast!

Swim-1.5k: The guys hit the waves like sharks. I was left behind with 5 other guys and needed like 500m to find my swim rythm. Otherwise it was a nice swimcourse in the Sempacher Lake.

Bike-42k: Actually the whole time I saw just one other guy overtaking me. Fair enough. Little hilly course, nice views on the Alps.

Run-10k: It hurt and for 400m I had tummy-pains in the 2nd of the 4 rounds. I thought 10k is not so much. But still the whole distance was still work. In the 3rd loop I had a really nice conservation with someone, who lost 30 kilo and quitted smoking (20 cigarettes a day). Very impressive.

A great motivation was a very nice finisher shirt:



















On top the whole event was at a medical center and the people in wheelchairs cheered at the athletes. Very motivating.

Back at home, I watched the Ironman-European Championships in Frankfurt via www.ironmanlive.com. Faschinating Race! Great Finish of Nicole Leder and Andrea Brede (woman - place one and two)!

New Projekt

Last weekend there was the Ironman Switzerland. It was very inspiring to see and to read the reports! I guess it is worth a try for a new project: ;- )