Villacidro, training and racing in Sardegna

Villacidro, Sardegna

this little, lovely village is organising one of the best offroad triathlon in Europe.

I arrived yesterday and will stay a couple of days to train and to join the races.

On Sunday is the offroad triathlon, on Saturday is the kids race, the duathlon and the aquathlon.

The worlds in Maui are in less than 8 weeks. I like to get ready for it.

Villacidro is a good place to train for it. Mtbiking here is similar and the heat is defently like in Maui. Just no beach, but a beautiful lake, and you can drink this water without problem.

People are very nice and helpful. Today a young local, called Claudio, rode with me for a while (till he had to go to work !?!).

a presto

ps. on the pic it is Julia. I'm her biggest fan!

Eigerbike Challenge Grindelwald, 4.Rang

and it was raining, raining and
raining again!

together with my brother I went to the Eigerbike Challenge in Grindelwald this morning, to race the 55km / 2500hm mtb marathon.
planed for this weekend was to race Xterra Germany, but unfortunately this race has been cancelled, because of the big rain the week before.
we had an early start, so we had to leave the house while it was still dark outside, and it was raining.
it's never easy to leave the heated car, to warm up, to get out on the course and to get wet, dirty and cold. it was good to had my big bro with me, he throw me out of the car!!!
right after the start we nearly had a big crash, because one person was not awake !
the first big hill took me about 55min, and I felt not so good.
when my brother passed me on the uphill, I recognised, ups I should hurry up ! I tried to go harder, but I could not. had frozen fingers and feet. no really an excuse, I was not the only one suffering of the cold.
in my mind I started to give up and to return to the warm car, to have a nice coffee and a nap. then my brother looked back a few times. it looked like he was waiting for me. I could not give up and had to keep riding. after 2,5hours I started to feel better and started to pass other athlets, also my brother. he looked not good at all, but I could not tell him that. a smile and a quick comment about his muddy face and the warm shower at the finish was enough for that moment.
finally we both finished under 4hours and have been happy. Baenz placed 94th, I finished 4th. my Stoeckli team mates raced very well; Urs won, Thomas 4th on the long course (88km), Koni 2th on the 55km course.
was very tired after the race and everything was dirty, wet.... and asked myself, why I'm doing that;
now being back home, after a warm shower, a nice dinner, I can answer it; It makes me happy. I love racing and riding, having great people around me, like my brother Baenz!

more news of living and racing in Switzerland soon.
just please send me some sun!

Renata

Sieg in Spindleruv, Xterra Czech

regen, wasser ueberall, schlamm
schwimmen war 1000m lang, knappe 15 grad war es im kleinen fischersee von spindleruv.
zwei runden biken ueber stock und stein im skigebiet, inklusiv ein teil auf der downhillstrecke.
mit dem starken regen war es oft glatt und nicht einfach.
drei runden auf der laufstrecke mit flussdurchquerrung, holzbruecke hinueber balancieren,
waldpassagen, wiesen, strasse... von allem ein wenig.

top drei frauen; 2.Marion Lorblanchet, 3. Emma Ruth Smith

mir hat das rennen sehr gut gefallen, nicht nur weil ich gewonnen habe.
nein, die tschechen sind immer mit herzblut bei den offroad aktivitaeten dabei und das Xterra Tschechei existiert bereits seit 9 jahren.
(und ich glaube, sie schwimmen auch nicht so gerne !)

die menschen hier sind ein wenig anderst, aber nett. leider verstehe ich kein tschechisch, was nicht immer einfach ist.
die gegend ist sehr abwechslungsreich mit vielen freizeit angeboten, abseilen, downhill biken, golf, das wellness angebot ist riesig und die preise sehr tief, vor allem auch fuer gutes essen.

ich werde noch ein paar tage in dieser gegend bleiben und mich auf das Xterra Germany vorbereiten. bereits in einer woche geht es weiter in Zittau.
bis dann scheint dann hoffentlich auch die sonne wieder.

liebe gruesse
renata