Forced to recover

stats of the week: run 17km

I would have loved to do more sports, alas! a nasty cold set me back since Thursday and I am not yet fully recovered. It's no surprise that my body demands rest now after a summer I strained myself more than ever.

My German readers might like to read the Helsinki marathon photo report and the short Berlin Championsrun race report.

No fixed plans for September. I hope to build up again by doing a couple of long runs to get prepared for the NYC marathon. Long runs have to be done in September because October will see me doing some hill walking.

Championships gallery

I found my favourite athlete. Allyson Felix undoubtedly is the most elegant runner of Berlin 2009. She won two gold medals: 200m and 4x400m relay.


Please don't hesitate to enjoy my Berlin 2009 gallery.

World Champions

The new Marathon world champion, Xue Bai (left), is still finding time and power to support her fellow Chinese runner with a sponge. This is the scene after 27km on the route.

Sabrina Mockenhaupt, nickname "Mocki", did a very good job finishing 17th after 2:30:07 on a very hot day in Berlin.


Germany's Susanne Hahn proved to be strong and finished 34th with 2:38:39.


My world championships gallery is to come on Tuesday evening.

Greetings from Berlin

Just a short message from Berlin and my visit to the IAAF World Championships. Today's most astonishing German achievement was the bronze medal of the 100m women's relay team. It is really a great moment to see the girls being so happy:

Please come back on Tuesday when I will have uploaded my championship gallery with the best of the champions photos.

Not Pacemaker but Follower!

Helsinki City Marathon: 3:59:43 hrs, 93rd M55 of 273, 1765th of ~5,000

Sorry folks I am delayed reporting of Helsinki City Marathon. You might think that's because I was overtaken by B. while I tried to work as her pacemaker .. probably you're right.

It was a tough day and I had to learn that running is different from cycling. With a lack of long running workouts I suffered from 30km onwards and struggled to reach the finish. After 2 or 3 short stretches of walking I was just able to perform a strong finish to beat the 4 hrs.

Right from the beginning the pace was made by B on her own. From shortly after the start I only managed to follow her until I lost her at one of the feeding stations at around 37km. I always have known that this kind of day would come once but I didn't expect it to be real today!

The photo shows B behind the finish line waiting for her pacemaker for 61 seconds:

Cycling still preferred

stats of the week: run 42km, cycled 297km, 1 gym

I know I should really concentrate on running in this last but one week before the marathon. But in brilliant sunshine and high temperatures I can't resist to ride my bike. It's simply because one can enjoy the whole day while cycling and have the highlight of a visit to another ice cream parlour to add to my collection.

On Friday I took the train to Finnentrop, a village in the nearby mountain range of the Sauerland. The way back home took me 138km along a beautiful green scenery with a view to the Sorpe Lake nearly midway:

Since two or three years my home town Witten on the Ruhr boasts a bikers' ferry. On Saturday I finally managed to use it for the first time. It's an idyllic place as you see:

Bike Watch

stats of the week: run 62 km, hill walking 11 hrs

I was really tempted to take part in the Bochum Giro, an open bike race in my home town. Alas I should concentrate on running now with only 2 weeks to go until Helsinki marathon.

The other option was to have a look at the professionals' race. My photo shows the top of the peloton lead by Columbia. With yellow sun glasses there is Tony Martin, Germany's new Tour de France shooting star, and behind him Marc Cavendish who won today's race as expected.

http://www.sparkassen-giro.de/

Mid of the week I did a spontaneous - although long intended - journey to the Zugspitze. I had to complete a sad project I will report about later.