The first race of the Baden-Württemberg Triathlon Liga was a sprint race (500-20-5,4) with a "chase-start". Every 20 seconds an athlete goes on the course and does the course on his own without drafting on the bike.

Our newly composed team of VfL Waiblingen included Steffi Fischer, Manuela Heimerl, Kirstin Buser and myself. I started as second last.

I think the principe of a "chase-start" is a good solution when doing a Triathlon in the outdoor pool. One never knows during the race how's the standing but the chaos of the start is avoided. Already during the swim I could overtake some girls. The selective profile, the big roads and the long curves made the bike course a dream. But obviously also hard. So I was looking forward to the flat run course along the Rems-River. The race was also a test for me to check my momentary run performance. At the beginning of the second lap, a male athlete went on his first lap and actually pulled me until the finish line. So I run much faster and finished in 1:01,07 h which was also the fastest time over all.

A big surprise was our team result. Thanks to a great performance of Manuela, Kirstin and Steffi we made the second place. That was a good start!

Results: baden-wuerttembergischer-triathlonverband.de/news/aktuelle-news/news-details/

At 3:40 am the alarm went on, which wasn't to bad as I arrived on Wednesday and was still on European time. For breakfast I had some Ultra Sports bars, a banana and bred. After that I got changed and off in the dark to the race venue. At 6:00 am the last shuttle departed to Pier 3 where the "Francisco Bell" left at 6:30 am full of 2000 triathletes.

Just 100 m away from Alcatraz the boat stopped and we got ready to jump. The water had this milky light blue cold colour, the waves got foam on there tops and the wind was blowing around us. Does anyone knows where to swim to?? That was the general question. Actually we didn't had to swim straight to the shore, but to a beach close to the Golden Gate Bridge. Which was not to be seen. Beside that I realised that we had to swim against and not like announced with the current. Great. Well, at least I was not alone.

Short before the start they told us to go back inside the boat. A massive cruise ship just appeared underneath the Gold Gate Bridge and crossed our swim course. Ups...we better let it go first.

But then the horn blew for the start. Half a can of Vaseline, my race suit, an Asics warming T-shirt and a neoprene wetsuit and cap, that was all what I was wearing as I threw myself into the water. I wonder what the two prisoners were wearing as they successfully escaped Alcatraz. I definitely was cold.

After only a couple of meters my usually short stroke got even shorter. When I swam on top of a wave I saw the boys swimming further and further away. After a while I was alone with four girls. I got on ones feed and fell into a mantra. Breathe,stroke, breathe, stroke. After some minutes which felt like an hour, I dared to look back. The boat was gone but the shore didn't come closer. In those moments you asked yourself if you are not a little bit crazy. Breathe, stroke...

After another "hour" an age group passed our little group. I got colder and colder. Breathe, stroke....

How much longer is it going to take??? Breathe, stroke...

Now...could that be?? The beach! There it was. Wow, that came quickly.

Greeted with load cheering of the spectators I stumbled after nearly 31 min swimming over the beach. My feed felt like two wooden stumps. Actually I wanted to put on shoes for the 800 m run to the transition but I didn't got them on. So I run bare-feed. What an odd running feeling.

Arriving at my bike I also wanted to put on a jersey and gloves. No choice, I had to go without, otherwise I lost to much time. I put on the helmet and jumped on the bike. Front wind blew in my face. Cold front wind.

The bike course went, beside the first two and last two miles, only up and down. As easily as I passed the girls uphill as brutal fast they overtook me on the downhill. Not sure if it was because of them riding their TT-bikes. I was quite happy about my light Stevens SLC road bike.

How did I look forward to the run part. Finally getting warm. I started running, stopped and turned around. I forgot my race number. After 400m I had to stop again. My left carve was so cramped that I had to take off the timing chip. But then I got into a decent rhythm and quickly passed two girls. Underneath the Gold Gate Bridge came the stairs which was great as I could stretch my cramped carves while running. We run through a tunnel under the bridge and on the other side down to the beach then about one kilometre across the sand. The view was spectacular! A the end of the beach I came to the famous sand ladder. I don't know how many stairs it has but the last part I walked as it continued going uphill and it was better to save the strength for it.

At that moment I realised that I could be in third position. I didn't know well the other competitor and always thought that Leanda Cave (Ironman and 70.3 World Champion) is way in front of me. So the last flat kilometres I run as fast as I could and yes, I crossed the finish line in third position after Heather Jackson and Sarah Groff (both USA) in 2h 23 min.

If I would do the whole thing again?? Of course, now I know where to go!

Results: edge.raceresults360.com/rr360/race/nwzep2/

As we were very lucky with the weather, the temperature of the pool was fine, so we not just got very tanned but also had some very good swim sessions. But more important are the gym sessions before dinner. I am pretty sure I got some more muscles!

On the rest day we made our traditional pilgrimage to Cofete, a beach in the south of Fuerteventura. The highlight is rather the way as there is nothing at all. But exactly this is very special. Drive there and find out for yourself!

Last week I went home/Germany for four days to celebrate three birthdays. First my one the 1st of February, then on the 2nd of February the one of my brother and finally the one of my dad on the 3rd of February. If someone ask himself when my mother's one is, it's the 24th o February. :-)

It were very relaxing days even I had to quit the cakes after I got an upset stomach. Well, who knows for what it was good.

Now I am back in Fuerteventura for another 2,5 weeks to fight against the wind. But with my fast Stevens SLC he doesn't have any chance!!!