Every road to Ironman has bumps, and mine was no different. In fact, it was full of obstacles. Three times I tried, three times I failed. But thankfully failure wasn`t my destiny ð
First, it was Cascais, where my hopes were taken by race cancellation from IM due to Corona. Then came the broken ulna and radius, halting my second attempt â. And when I finally got into my third attempt in Spain, Corona struck again ð·
Amid my preparation for what I`d sworn would be my last attempt, all in, a nasty bike accident shattered my hip/femur. Immobilized for 6 weeks, bound to my bed, agony with every motion, sleepless nights â it was as if the universe was against me ð
A month in, my feet swelled and reddened, itching in discomfort from thrombosis. After 2 more grueling weeks, I entered rehab with a total of 3 dedicated physiotherapists and 2 osteopaths who breathed new life into me and my legs started moving again slowly ð My days were dictated by painkillers, medical exams, physiotherapy sessions, frustration, hope and tears.
Around Xmas, 12 weeks post-accident, I tried to run again very slowly. Each attempt, a painful reminder of the long road ahead. Half a year later, around my birthday, I experienced my first pain-free day. What a gift! ð
Fear of an accident led me to train mostly indoors despite pleasant weather ðīââïļ I eliminated all distractions for the upcoming months before Frankfurt Ironman race. Rising before dawn and 15-hour weekly training plan become the norm.
Surprisingly, I became a better athlete than ever before, as I didn`t focus on the event or race day, but rather on becoming the healthiest and fittest person, I`ve ever been.
While 70.3 IM Kraichgau was some lessons learned and good for preparation, finishing the Berlin Olympic distance triathlon one month before the Ironnman FFM event, in 2:11 h was a testament to my readiness. The big day was approaching, and I was more prepared than ever... and it turned out to be perfect ð ...see other posts for a full description on each discipline ððīð
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