Comeback to running

stats of the week: run 45 km, cycled 70 km

The half marathon was a surprising success. Without any problems I was able to keep the pace until the finish although my longest run before was 16 km. I reckon it was good to have two rest days before the race. I clocked 1 h 58 min and was very happy about this result. I guess I could even have run 1 or 2 minutes faster but it was best to finish in a proper posture and smiling. This days makes me feeling like a runner again and I feel fun to get back to more running.

Alas, the next event will be cycling up Mont Ventoux and I have to focus on cycling for the next couple of weeks.

Increased running

stats of the week: run 20 km, cycled 215 km, hiked 10 km

Spending the 3rd week in the Ventoux area I tried to combine frequent cycling with increasing running what turned out to be difficult. However I managed to increase my longest running distance to 14 km. So I know the half marathon next Sunday will hurt but I am confident that I will be able to finish.

Across my limits

stats of the week: run 31 km, cycled 84 km, walked 20 km
stats of the previous week: run 5 km, cycled 224 km, walked 8 km

Participating at the new Gran Fondo Provence Occitane I chose the short route of just 75 km, but I still got the chance to cross my limits. Mont Bouquet is a rather short climb of 5 km, but starts with 11% ascent, culminates half way at 16% and finishes at 11% again. 

The photo gives a wrong impression. At the steep middle part of the ascent I also had to dismount my bike to avoid falling down due to exhaustion.

Luckily the finish was relaxed again.

C won a big cup for being second lady older than 60.

Bike ready again after crash

stats of the week: run 29 km, cycled 100 km

Participating at a local cycling event (RTF Waltrop) I fell at very low speed without being injured severely but surprisingly my bike crashed. Luckily I found an expert to repair it within a few days so the bike got ready for our visit to France and the Gran Fondo Occitane on 1st of May. This offers 2 routes of 120 and 75 km. I chose the short option as I don't feel ready for the long one and more than 2,000 m of climbing. The short version contains just 1,100 m but a short steep hill (Mont Bouquet) with an ascent of 16%.

Feet work still to do

stats of the week: run 28 km, cycled 131 km, walked 10 km
stats of the previous week: run 12 km, cycled 15 km, zwift cycled 30 km, gym 1 h

My running performance is still very low. On the 10K lap around the Mindelsee I had to walk several times in between and was not able to keep running. It's now 5 weeks to the Vivawest Run where I aim to finish the half marathon distance. I am not convinced I will make it. Some work remains to do. I will only start if I am sure to be able to finish.

We spent a week at the west end of Lake Bodensee. Little time was left for cycling but enough to see how beautiful the landscape is and - even more important - that the streets and cycle paths are in perfect condition. A rare experience for somebody living in the Ruhr area.

Cold cycling weeks

stats of the week: cycled 587 km
stats of the recent week: cycled 509 km

This was the first part of my German border cycling tour. I hoped to complete the whole lap by 3 stages. Alas, I cut the first part down to 11 days of cycling due to cold and now rainy weather. It will now probably take 4 stages to complete the circle.

The full report is just in German at https://deutsche-grenzerfahrung.blogspot.com/

More walking than cycling

stats of the week: run 20 km, cycled 96 km, hill walked 25 km

This was the first time within 9 visits to Lanzarote that there was rain. And it was a lot. So we abstained from cycling as there were strong winds, too. A good experience is that the island's streets are getting improved.

Luckily hill walking was possible and a welcome change.