The racing fever is slowly but surely rising in me. Again a new rucksack in my luggage, the credit card ‘pained’ in the merchandise store, small talk with other athletes about their motivation and expectations in the race.
My question that keeps going through my head, why, why, and how should I do it. A fair question. But seriously, 5 years ago I started here at almost 40 degrees Celsius, with titanium in my shoulder and swimming without neoprene, and finished in just under the best time.
And there they are, the top athletes who film themselves with their cell phones while running on the promenade, the Americans who look forward to the race in their relaxed and enthusiastic manner. It is a colorful mixture of Ironman and Ironman 70.3 athletes who cavort here in the city and enjoy the lovingly offered Ironman buffets.
If you think adventures are dangerous, try routine, that’s deadly!
I think the hardest work is probably a mental thing. If I put my demands aside and see it simply as a sports trip, then I’ll have half the battle in it.
And then there are the many motivations of my loved ones, my sports friends, my athletes in the club – I can’t help but rock the thing. After all, if I finish this Vichy, then I’ll have my 12th triathlon in my pocket and can redeem my loyalty bonus – pick up the start in Hawaii for 2022!
Yesterday I did a lap of the bike course and draw my parallels to Ironman Nice, a demanding bike course with a rough road surface, enthusiastic French people who spoke to me from the car and wished me a good race.
Impressions Ironman 70.3 Vichy
