Personal notice

Dear folks,

I've started running again. It doesn't make sense to stop it. Just like there's no sense to keep on running. Therefore the better choice is to run.

Did you ever think about the fact that every day many thousands of people and creatures pass away? Several religious theories try to help around reality. I admit faith might be helpful to cope with facts we find hard to accept. As an act of courtesy I visited a couple of religious services during recent days. I'm still convinced life is just a chemical process and soul is missionary's invention. However I can't explain feelings after suddenly having lost the person I spent half of my life with.

Those of you knowing me personally may have a look at Angelika's memorial page.

All the best for 2011. Have fun and run!

Age Group: MOM

stats of the week: 2hrs indoor cycling, 5hrs gym, no running!

Wednesday noon, I'm sitting in front of the computer. I'm nervous. What I intend to do is mad. Two minutes later it's done.

I'm in. We're in. Frank and me have entered the Transalp Tour 2011.
7 days of cycling, 935km, 20,000 altitude meters. Life is best when doing crazy things, isn't it?

Our class is called "Grand Masters", for two men counting at least 100 years. Thx for this, more accurate would be "Mad Old Men".

Photo: Stelvio Pass is part of the route. I did it twice, but this time I'll have to be fit the next day, too ...

Focussing on 2011

stats of the week: indoor cycling 3hrs, gym 1hr

Until yesterday I'd have said that I don't miss running. After a sunny Sunday it's a different thing. I can't stand Sundays without running.

Much the worse the pain didn't lessen as the enormous bruise has nearly disappeared what is a sign that bone or joint is damaged. I guess there will be no more running this year.

To cope with frustration I entered two 2011 bike races: Maratona dles Dolomites and the 2nd leg of L'etape du tour.

No Sports

stats of the week: run 10km, indoor cycled 45min

Back home I intended to have some days of rest but not that many. Not enough I caught a cold but I accidentily damaged my toe when kicking the stubborn hoover - alas, the machine turned out to be heavier than expected.


Looks like it'll take some more days to get back to the roads. I still hope that nothing is broken.

Sunny degeneration

stats of the week: run 30km

For running in shorts last time of the year I was sent to Miami Beach by interAir.


In Miami Beach everybody's main ambition is looking good. It's amazing how far people can degenerate in overdeveloped civilisation.


Nature is not too far away, a trip to the touristic Gator Park showed. A white egret.


Baby alligators measure only a few inches.


50 years later they look like this one. Adults grow up to 6 meters and get nearly 100 years old.
They always seem to be smiling. Really self-reliant animals.



A kind of swamp hen is the Purple Gallinule:

Art Deco night life at Ocean Drive, Miami Beach:


Don't worry, it's a veggie burger, of course.

A decent one

stats of the week: run 63km
NYC marathon 3:41:42 hrs

New York City still is the world's runners' home. Almost 45,000 finishers on a chilly but sunny day, sadly not including Haile Gebrselassie but luckily including me! Well, I didn't need to win it, I only hoped for a decent race. It turned out to be one of my better ones. I set off on 3:40 speed and was able to keep to it nearly to the end. I only lost a couple of minutes during the final 5km.

Waiting early morning at Fort Wadsworth for the start at 9.40am:


The photo everyone takes. Run off at blue start along Verrazano bridge. Haile was just 50meter ahead - until the gun shot.


Crossing Polaski bridge at halfway point, with a view of Manhattan:


Proudly presenting my sixth NYC medal. It will be the last one for a while.

Memorial Marathon

stats of the week: run 21km

After last Sunday's long run in Dublin my thigh once again hardened and forced me to rest. I don't worry any more ... I'll just give it a try next Sunday in New York City. We'll see what happens.

Regards from Washington where I again guide an interAir group of runners around the marathon. It's quite a big event with 22,000 finishers on the classic distance and additional 7,000 on the 10K. With very few people from abroad it's a very American day. The race is organised by the Marines ... I have never seen so many wheel chair participants in a marathon. It's truly the army's day.

Washington appears to me as the world's capital of heroism and patriotism. It's not a common city - it's a museum of war glorification. As a European visitor you try hard to get along with it.

Marine Corps Marathon

A friendly place to be

stats of the week: run 41km, gym 2hrs

With more visits to the hospital my mileage kept rather limited. I now got the feeling I had to reduce my NYC target in direction of 4 hrs. A 10-mile-run today let my legs hurt quite a lot and I don't think I'm in the state of running a satisfying marathon. However, I'm not really focussed on running these days.

Regards from Dublin where I guide a group of interair runners doing the 31st Dublin Marathon. It's promoted "the friendly marathon" and I admit that's perfectly right. Irish people are the most friendliest at least within Europe, the event is very well organised without being restrictive in any way. From the expo via friendship run to the marathon and the post race party, it's easy going all the way. It's my 4th time to watch it. Next year I want to run it!

Is there any other place in the world but Dublin where people queue to get into a bookshop?!

Today's Dublin is modern and vivid.

Next year the marathon takes place on Halloween!

Race the training

stats of the week: run 42km, gym 3hrs

It was a week of obstacles with a happy end. It took my muscles half the week to recover from last weekend's half marathon. Then I caught my first cold of the year but got over it in time to be fit again to do another race! I intended to do it as the scheduled long training run. Alas - like most times when training within a race the run resulted in higher speed than it was planned. However, I enjoyed 2.5 hrs of running through the beautiful countryside of the Teutoburger Wald.

This photo was taken after 6km. Interesting to see that the young lady to the very left is the one who finished just behind me after 29km.

Finishing 11th in my age group is nothing to be proud of ... but is reason enough to be very happy. There were just 41 chaps of my age doing the distance on a rather tough route. You are even more grateful being that fit when you see a person close to you struggling to be able to walk.

Run and move

stats of the week: run 41km, cycled 118km, gym 2hrs

With 4 weeks to go to New York it was a convienent weekend to test my speed on half the distance at our home town event, the Ruhrtal-Marathon. There was even a group from UK at the start, some runners from the Cambridge area.

Finishing after 1:38:35 I was just 1 minute slower than 2 years ago. Projecting this to a full distance leads to time of around 3:35 hrs. This allows another 10 min for the hills of Manhattan and my target of 3:45. I still have to build up more performance to be on a safer side.

Yesterday's photos - Fighting to the finish line (it was downhill):

It wasn't my ranking what made me standing on the podium! The audiance serenaded to celebrate 10 years of http://www.laufen-in-witten.de/! I was moved but didn't feel really comfortable ...

Preparing for the Blue Day

stats of the week: run 49km, cycled 103km, gym 4hrs

Finally it was my first somewhat good week since long. Completed an interval workout on the treadmill and a long run on Sunday morning.

Only 5 weeks left until New York City Marathon! I am happy to be placed at the Blue Start, 1st wave. Blue is best, it is the one where the professionals start and where you experience the opening ceremonial at its best.

Beginner's excuses

stats of the week: run 24km, cycled 100km

I'm very unhappy with this week's schedule. The kind of excuses reminds of beginners: bad weather and lack of time. Organising our charity run, helping with school homework and A still staying at the hospital, all this let me seek in vain for time to do some training.

At least I was able to adjust my new bike successfully and enjoyed a speedy ride. I was pleased to feel more safe on the new bike than on the old one. Freehand driving is much easier. The frame seems to be firmer and more smooth. I look forward now to racing the Alps next season.

Setback

stats of the week: run 20km, cycled 30km, gym 5hrs

Reviewing the recent week I have to admit running a sudden marathon was a setback while preparing for New York. My muscels are still complaining and my overall fitness hasn't come back, nor has my mood recovered.

It's only 7 weeks to go and I was hoping to run a decent time on Nov 7. The 3 recent ones at NYC were 3:39 - 3:41 - 3:43. Logically I am aiming for a 3:45 this time.

It even didn't help my mood to buy a new race bike:

A first 30k-ride left me behind feeling not really happy with it. The new Ultegra Group seems to need more adjustment and the carbon finish doesn't look perfectly done. There have to come bad times sometimes ...

Neat and enjoyable

Stats of the week: run 72km, gym 1hr

Running a marathon on the top of our heads turned out to be doable. Conceding a couple of walking breaks we finished after a neat time of 4:09 hours and I was happy to be able to stay at B's side. After 20 K I had to disappear for a pit stop and lost almost 2 minutes. I took me more than 2km to catch up. Then I felt better for the second half and had no problems to keep close to her heels.

We enjoyed the Muenster Marathon - a perfectly organised and staightforward event with a flat route through a beautiful city and nice landscape.

However my muscels now ask for some days to recover. I doubt this was the best way of preparing for New York.

Almost finished B is the one to keep smiling:


Michel Descombes is a familiar face along Europe's marathon routes:

Germany's fastest female boss

Flying along the final lap at Berlin's Olympic Stadium:

Presenting the cup awarded Germany's fastest female boss:


I have to admit this blog is becoming a B-blog ... But there is reason to do so. B ran a fabulous race around the capital's Olympic stadium, finished 6.2 km after 27:48 min and made it 32th woman among 1,000 ladies started. Being the very first female boss she entered the stage mid of the stadium and was given this enourmous cup. A day to remember!

Still excited B affirmed to run a marathon on Sunday. A crazy idea to do without proper training. However - the more crazy the more good is life. - I won't wonder if she outruns me once more.

Onions done - Championships to come

stats of the week: run 25km, cycled 130km, gym 3h

Too little running this week, having in mind that there are only 9 weeks left to New York. I'm not concerned but it was not the kind of schedule to let me feel satisfied. Expecially as it was just lack of time that kept me from training properly.

Our traditional Onion Relay Race is always good fun. The distance everybody has to cover is just 800 meters, but the veggie burden lets hurt one's muscles for a couple of days.

I am curious about my own next weekend's activities. It's going to be B's decision. She's weird ideas sometimes ...

Midweek B'll run the so called German Championships of Companies. She qualified for the final of Germany's fastest bosses. And I look forward to following her to the finish in the Olympic Stadium. An exciting week to come!

Slow Switch to Running

stats of the week: run 36km, cycled 220km, gym 2hrs

Since long it has been a proper and sensibly mixed training week. I am still keen on doing more bike tours but gradually should build up more runs to get fit for autumn events.

On a very rainy Saturday I enjoyed my most beautiful tourist bike tour (RTF) ever. The route at Gevelsberg is situated at my doorstep but I finally managed to cycle it for the first time. It's green and hilly and follows lovely minor roads all the way. If I don't get a number for the Oetztaler next year I will do the Gevelsberg Bike Marathon next year which takes place at the same weekend.

Grand Prix Run

stats of the week: run 37km, cycled 138km

I never intended to take part in the popular run along Germany's historic Formula 1 course at the Nuerburgring. That is because I am not a fan of any kind of "motorsports" - I only do accept moving by muscle power as proper sports.

Alas - this time I was asked by B to assist as her escort. No question I would go and enjoy the race course. Since May my longest run has been just 12km - this was a race of 24.4km on a tough route. Luckily I managed to keep close on her heels and we finished after 2:28 hrs. Grand Prix drivers made it within 6 min!

Run am Ring

More than Chemistry

stats of the week: run 10km, cycled 203km, gym 3hrs

With the company of two very good friends I spent the weekend to care for Uwe's memorial plate on the Zugspitze. We were happy to find that his bronze shield was in perfect state. Just a bit of cleaning and polishing was to do to make it look like being new.

I don't believe in anything regarding religious beliefs. Technically I see any kind of life just as a chemical process. Sense and soul is just part of faith. Nevertheless there are lives which mean much more to me especially the one of those who departed this world far too early.

More Caucasian Views

stats of the week: run 20km, gym 2hrs

Now back home since 3 days I'm still working on putting in my Russian impressions.


Big buildings: Living in Baksan valley


Main street at Azan: Cable car village for Elbrus


Café Svetlana: Even small Russian children keep thinker's position

Garabashi station: Snow and ice are environment's best friend

Diesel Hut: Highest welcome on Elbrus at 4,050m

Top of Europe

stats of the week: no sports, just hill walking

My first visit to Russia led me to its highest point which is also the highest point of Europe.
I flew my home town's flag on the top of Elbrus at 5,642m - don't worry I took it with me on the way down.

Once you cross the mountain's snow border at the barrels huts at 3,700m the heavily littered moon like landscape changes to the vast glacial cover. The normal route is not technically difficult although long and strenuous - a whole day spent on crampons. Dangers of the weather should not to be underestimated. 15 to 30 fatalities are counted per year. As you see we were very lucky with the conditions and no problems occurred.

Let me start with the more beautiful views of Elbrus. A lot is to be told about my first impressions of Russia - ugly villages, abundant flora, meditarrenian towns, slopes of rubbish, multitude of monuments, people always ready to smile - more photos to come.

Another Tackle

stats of the week: run 22km, cycled 65km

Bye for now, dear folks, I'm off for nearly a fortnight to tackle my personal mountain of the year.
On Monday, August 2nd, I hope to be swinging my home town's flag on the top of this one.
It'll need some luck to be successful ...

Day of Records

stats of the week: run 17km, cycled 274 km
L'etape du Tour: 181km, 10:14 h, 1060th of 1502 in age group, 5082nd of 6888 overall

As expected this year's L'etape turned out to be my toughest day ever. And it was a day of personal records:

- my longest competition ever, lasting 10 hours and 14 minutes
- longest distance cycled ever with 214km completed, included the way home to our bus
- biggest ascent ever done, Col de Marie Blanque, Col de Soulor and Col de Tourmalet added up to 4,350 meters of climbing
- highest speed ever ridden on the bike 70.1km/h (43.8mph)

Col de Marie Blanque 1035m:


Col de Soulor 1474m:


Col de Tourmalet 2115m:


On the final ascent to the very steep Marie Blanque we had to push our bikes for nearly a mile due to a traffic jam caused by walking cyclists - I lost about 25 minutes. The route was beautiful and I enjoyed every part of it. Although my performance wasn't as good as last year and I didn't feel as fit as in recent races. Anyway it was still a day I'll be dreaming of frequently.
Now I look forward to watching the professionals doing the same stage on Thursday.

Worn out by heat

stats of the week: run 17km, cycled 158km

Call me crazy, I know I am, but midweek I had to squeeze in a 5km track race. Our local town championships took place so I had to be there. After weeks of long distance cycling it was no use to take part in a 5km run. As expected my performance was limited. I finished after 22:02 min, under different circumstances a disappointing time. Nevertheless I was the only finisher of my age group what let me take home a champion title ...

To keep fit on the bike I completed a popular bike event in the nearby mountain area Sauerland. It's a challenging route of 158km and 1800 meters of ascent.

It was the unbearable heat what made the day more than tough. Reaching the finish after 6:20 hours of cycling I was so worn out that I wasn't able to eat anything and it took me until Sunday evening to recover reasonably. The result is that I don't feel really fit for Tourmalet - next Sunday will be the most challenging day of my 2010 sports year.

Day of Sweat

stats of the week: cycled 210km

Maratona dles Dolomites: result see below

The Maratona dles Dolomites is Italy's most popular cycling event, with this year's 24th race finished by 8,800 thrilled cyclists. More than 20,000 applied to get a bib. The whole day is broadcoasted live on TV, 140km of road are closed for the bikers - and nobody bothers. 3 routes can be chosen during the race - 55km/106km/138km, the longest distance covering 4,100 meters of height difference.

See and feel the sweat:

It was the hottest day of the year to go up Pass Giau. It made me feel my head being close to burst and I had to concentrate to stay on my bike. Smiling is just a second's window dressing.

At my third year of Alpine cycling I am still passing my apprenticeship as the result unmistakably shows:

Name Ulrich Sauer
BIB 9600
Land/Town D-Witten
Category 138km Uomini/Men 50-57 anni
Start time 6:53.42,5
Finish Time 14:55.48,3
Race Time 8:02.05,8
Ave Speed 17,174 km/h
Rank Overall 3016. M of 4151 (73%)
Rank Category 479. M50-57 of 753 (64%)

Splits on route
Place Hour Time Rank Overall
Gardena 9:53.51,0 3:00.08,5 587. 3447.
Corvara 10:08.14,2 3:14.31,7 578. 3426.
Campolongo 10:34.28,5 3:40.46,0 537. 3285.
Selva Cadore 11:38.31,0 4:44.48,5 529. 3230.
Passo Giau 12:51.41,6 5:57.59,1 496. 3131.
Falzarego 14:09.41,8 7:15.59,3 476. 3009.

Hill Time Trial Corvara - Campolongo 6.4km, Height diff 353m
Time 26.14,3
Ave Speed 14,635 km/h
Rank Overall 2179.
Rank Category 279.

Hill Time Trial Passo Giau 10.6km, Height diff 900m
Time 1:13.10,6
Ave Speed 8,691 km/h
Rank Overall 2879.
Rank Category 429.

A Biker's Smile

stats of the week: run 12km, cycled 276km

3LaenderGiro (Austria-Italy-Switzerland)
168km, 3,500hm, 8:49 hrs, 1,315th of 1,681 men, 519th of 721 men aged 50-57

Being 2 years older but with 2 more years of cycling experience I managed to cut 47 minutes off my recent time on this challenging route, passing Stelvio and Oven Pass. Two years ago I had to dismount my bike with just 1km to the finish, this time I made it to the end by a constant smile. Smiling was undoubtedly increased by overtaking the unconcerned novice race biker Holger K. just at the same point where I had to walk last time.

My Local Alps

stats of the week: run 22km, cycled 278km, 2 gyms

Most people who have never been to the industrial region where I live, the "Ruhrgebiet", think it's a rather flat piece of land.

However, on my Wednesday bike ride I managed to collect 970 meters of height difference over a distance of only 53 kilometers!

The surprising awareness is that it would be possible to add up the same amount of gained height like biking in the Alps. Anyway, next Sunday's elevation map is still looking more demanding:
(official pic by dreilaendergiro)