Ironman 70.3 Wiesbaden

Time for our sporting holiday break! Only 10 days but, packed with activity. And fun stuff we want to share with you.

The first stop was in Germany. In Wiesbaden, close to Frankfurt. Here I, Anneke, was going to undertake my first real Half Ironman, the Wiesbaden 70.3 Ironman. I picked this half at the beginning of the year for several reasons, far away in the season (plenty of time to train), a hilly course, and well organised. It was a good choice, if not perfect for me to have my debut.

We left on a Friday morning to Wiesbaden, where the race was on the Sunday, we have a cute little hotel close to the start of the race. From the Tri team (Hellas) there were a number of other participants, all staying close by, so that was good. I even had my own cheer squad, my sister with the little one, Sven and a good friend of my sisters Linzy came down to cheer me on. They were camping just outside of Wiesbaden. The first night, Friday, we had dinner with them a the campsite. Saturday was the day of registration and getting organised and familiar with the course. As there were 2 transitions (one swim bike) and one bike run, we have to put our bikes in transition overnight. It was well orgnised; we were given bags to put our stuff in and assisted with friendly only German speaking volunteers! I was start number 511, first wave after the pro’s, so bike was raked all the way at transition entry. Then I gave away my white bag with run gear, which they took to the city centre for transition. It was the first time I didn’t get to set up my own transition, but I trusted the experience of the organisation, and all went smooth. Sat night we had dinner with the tri team and slowly the nerves were starting! I had done a bit of the bike course that afternoon, and the temperature had been warm, it was going to be a hot race! The expectations were, feel strong on the swim and ride really well… ! The time expectation wasn’t really there. Of course close to 6 hours was something in my head, but I wasn’t pinned down to it. It was expected for me to swim 45 min, ride 3 45, and run 2 hours or more.

Race day
A reasonable start at 8:10. Woke up at 6 for breakfast! Down at transition at 7 to set up the bike. Taped my gels and bars, the whole mission was eat and drink plenty and more! :-) . The Swim was out and back. 300 girls at the start, all in pretty pink caps. I found the start remarkable calm, not as much turmoil as I had expected. I got a good rhythm and to my surprise I was constantly close to other swimmers. I started to fell my shoulders are the turn around, but as I was on the way back, keep the arms going. I got out the water feeling great! Transition went smooth no problems and on the bike. I had done the swim in 41 minutes, to everyone’s surprise! One the bike my whole focus was eat, drink and don’t go to hard! Within the first 5 min I had eaten my first bar, and in the first 15 km, had finished my first bottle. The km were flying, I was surprised and just kept going. It was uphill for the first 15 km, and from there down to the first feedzone, it was like a supermarket! And there was my support crew! Nice to see them. The course was up and down, with some real down hill, with sharp turns and bouncy tarmac. It was still feeling good, the point between 60-70 got harder, but still feeling good. The temperature was rising as well. At the 70 km point was the hammer, 10% climb. Not too hard, but filled with support! Which was great, crazy men with swords and all dressed up giving the Tour de France feeling! Then I saw my support crew again, and had the last 20km to go. This was hard, lots of long slow climbs, real up and down. Then a turn right and 8km down hill! Over 70 km/h. The last energy gel and getting focused on transition and the run. I had done a great time, 3 17, way faster than anticipated! Transition was well organised, off the bike, which someone racked, a friendly lady who go my bag and set out my gear. I took my time, so I could refocus. As for my mental preparation I had always kinda stopped after the bike, thinking if I get there I am there. This is of course not true, and the 20 km were a long way to go. It has become hot, over 30 degrees, close to 36, which I didn’t train in much, as it never gets that nice and warm in Holland. The run was a 5 km lap, which we did 4 times. The first lap I almost cried! But I go through, decided I need to eat and drink, which I did and that helped. On the second lap, all went better, I decided I didn’t need to go fast, I just needed to go. I was so relieved to see my sister and Dirk at the side! Something to look forward to every lap! Every lap we were given a coloured bracelet, this became so exciting, that I never new I could get such energy from thinking I have 2 bracelets and you only 1, HA! This was how it went each lap, and once I had all 4 colours I felt like the queen! I had done it! Just the last lap! And I did! I did do it, in 6 17 total with the urn in 2 12…. Indeed no flying time, but good enough for me, and there should always be something to improve for next time :-)


In the athletes area, showered, found my fellow team friends! All had had a remarkable race, saw some out on the bike course and some on the run! A true effort for all. It has become hot and my support team deserved some attention, and I had a shower, picked up my medal! I am now an official 70.3 finisher. We went to the hotel to relax and that evening enjoyed pizza on the campsite of my sister!

A wonderful experience. Sport is great, when well prepared! Don’t worry I was sore the next couple of days, but recovered great on the holiday to Switserland which followed.

Holiday Swiss

Monday after the race we drove down to Switzerland and camped out near Le Landeron, where my family used to live. We had 2 quiet days. Did my recover ride in the hills!! And Dirk got to get some hills in his legs for the race in Verbier, which we were heading too.
We arrived in Le Chable, at the foot of Verbier, where we had a studio, with the Family Gaillant. A lovely spot on the hills, with the cows across the road and beautiful view of the valley and the mountains. It was all very steep, so a real effort on the bike!
We arrived Wednesday and Saturday was Dirks race. These days were filled, with our tradition ride up to verbier, (yes as the Tour did this year). Which was fun, with all the names on the tarmac! At the top I enjoyed a coffee and dirk continued. We also like always visited the Patagonia store and the icebreaker outlet, to get some good discounts! As the weather was still great, Dirk’s race was still planned for Saturday! Which he has written about himself… ! A great day, with for me lots of driving up and down winding roads!
(Photo Link)

Grand Raid Cristalp 2009

It has been a busy year until now with not too much time for some decent competition mountain biking. Some where in July I decided I wanted to compete in my 10th anniversary of the Grand Raid Cristalp. I really had to motivate myself to train because of the weather, rain seems to be coming down on me especially when I had to do my endurance rides. I don’t know how many times I had to go out with my rain jacket. On one day I went out for 5 hours when it started to rain after half an hour and it didn’t stop for the remaining 4 and a half! At least it made me tough!
Anneke had her half ironman the weekend before mine, so we packed the car and left for her race in Germany first, after which we drove to Switzerland where I still had five days to prepare myself for one of the toughest mountain bike races in the world. Summer was full on by now with temperatures between 35 and 40 degrees, really warm for this part of Europe, but nevertheless good for me to do some descend riding uphill. After a week of perfect warm weather the prediction for the race was cooler and cloudy weather with a chance of a shower. Race day we had to get out early 4.30 or so with the race start at 6.30. When we came to the starting area the temperature was really mild, I think around 14 degrees instead of the 5 degrees last year which meant the temperature on the first mountain top was below zero. After the start I went for a steady good pace and did overtake some riders on the wide starting road which leads to the upper part of the town of Verbier. From there I maintained my steady pace all the way to the top where I did arrive between place 20 and 25 or so. In the first descend I was expecting to be overtaken by some really fast, crazy riders as always, but that didn’t happen and I noticed I was the one going faster down the hill than the rest. So I picked a wheel and stayed there for the 16 minutes of fast down hill. After the descend I was together with 4 riders to set a pace. I felt the strongest of the 4 and after half an hour I had to leave my group behind to make sure I didn’t lose too much ground on the group in front of me. In the village of Nendaz, down one of my favorite parts the ski-slope which leads in to town, with at the end a sharp lefthander which brings you straight on to a steep staircase.

2.25 hours:
After some more ski-slopes I arrived in the village of Hérémence where I got some fresh bottles from Anneke who was following me by car. From here you have to keep your head cool and make sure getting over the next mountain named the Mandelon fast with not too much energy loss. I was only 10 minutes behind the leading group so still on a good pace. The top part of the Mandelon is a bit tricky with fast single tracks along the edge of the mountain and rocky parts up and down. Most of the time it is wet up there, which makes it more slippery, this year there were dry and wet parts. My ride went smooth.

4.10 hours:
After a fast descend I arrived in the town of Evolène, Again fresh bottles and some lube and I was feeling better than ever before. From Evolène it is up hill again, the last one but also the toughest, it goes up to almost 3000 meter. With this pace it would probably take me 3 hours to get to the other end. This last clime is a bit tricky with moving obstacles on the track, called slower riders! There are two shorter distances to compete in, where the competitors start in the villages of respectively Hérémence and Evolène. So eventually the faster riders from Verbier will bump into slower riders of the shorter distances. A free pass is most of the times guaranteed by shouting “VERBIER“. Reactions of rider on hearing “VERBIER” are really different, you have the ones that jump to the side to let you pass, than there are the riders who want to go to the side but are already so tired they go to the side reeeeeealy sloooowly, and there are the ones you have to tell three times and then have to push to the side.

5.45 hours:
I arrived in La Vieille at 2400 meters which is the last post before this horrifying clime to the Pas-de-Lona (2800m). I just got passed by two riders, but was able to keep one of them in sight. The first bit after La Vieille it is still possible to cycle, but soon after you have to get off your bike and push it up hill, this climb is fighting against gravity, lack of oxygen and steepness! I felt really good fighting my way to the top, and just before the top I got a really fast push by this sporty lady.

6.19 hours:
Pas-de-Lona. A short descend and then again up to 2800m, but this one you can cycle. I had never felt this good so far in the race and on the top of the climb I did overtake a rider. From here it is 25 minutes down hill to the finish. I was flying and finished in 7 hours and 4 minutes, almost 40 minutes faster than my second fasted time ever. So the next edition of the Grand Raid is already on my agenda.
(Photo Link)