Giro Photo Gallery

I have published a collection of 3LänderGiro photos in a small gallery for those of you who want to have a look.

And there is also a short low-quality video at yahoo.

Still alive

22/06/2008 Drei Laender Giro (3 countries Giro)
168K, 3450 meters of ascent
9:34 hours, place 565 in age group of 705

When I woke up in the morning of the race I had a well known feeling. It was the same feeling I had when I was going to climb my highest mounains. "Will I still be living tonight?" was the question I asked myself before getting out of bed.

There were so many casualties which I thought about. I had no experiences with this sort of adventure I was going to attend. My first bike race ever. Amidst a field of more than 3,000 participants. Crossing the third highest Alpine pass, Stelvio with 2,757 meters. Two more passes, combined with steep descents and high speed.

Already half way in the race I was so excited I knew I would do this again. Brilliant weather and high temperature even on the tops, we had perfect conditions. I enjoyed every mile of the race - or to be honest, there was a short stretch of real pain: I had to push my bike for 300 meters just 2K in front of the finish - with no more energy left. I would have fallen off if I had tried to go on. No joke I saw a fellow biker before me falling when he lost all his speed at a very steep part. I had cramps in my toes, my back was hurtind, I felt my heart struggling. I got off and pushed my bike - and wasn't overtaken by anybody! As you see it was pure fun! I will do it again.

One week left to meet the Alpine Queen

training stats
Su 15/06: run, 9K, 0:50 hrs
Sa 14/06: hilly bike, 111K, 1200hm, 4:40 hrs
Fr 13/06: run, 8K, 0:45 hrs
Th 12/06: gym 2 hrs
We 11/06: bike, 67K, 500hm, 2:38 hrs
Tu 10/06: hilly bike, 45K, 800hm, 1:55 hrs
Mo 09/06: hilly bike, 69K, 700hm, 2:50 hrs
Su 08/06: jog/walk, 10K, 1:05 hrs

Mid of the week I seemed to have lost any motivation to do any more biking. The weather was fine but I was fed up with hills to wind up. So I end up with less mileage than I intended to do to be prepared for next Sunday's bike race. I still hope to be fit enough to climb the "Queen of Alpine passes", Stelvio Pass with a height of 2,757 meters. I have never done anything like this. Our local hills have not more than 150 meters of height difference. So I always try to collect a good number of them on my tours but it will be sort of different to climb for 3 hours without any chance to recover.



(wiki photo)

Anyway, the week's best news is that today I was able to run 9K and 50 minutes without any knee pain - and without diclo!

More Stockholm Marathon Videos

training stats:
Sa 07/06: long hilly bike, 104K, 1350hm, 5:00 hrs
Fr 06/06: bike, 55K, 630hm, 2:10 hrs / gym 1.5 hrs
Th 05/06: gym 2 hrs

Focus concentrates on biking now with just 2 weeks to go to the 3LaenderGiro.

Watch more videos of Bettina running Stockholm Marathon. I especially like the one at 40K.

If you like to have a look there is also a gallery of beautiful photos. Please abstain from love letters and proposals.

Fun Run

We finished. We got our medals. Not a big time but we had a great time for nearly 5 hours. It was the funniest marathon I ever did.

Watch B's final lap in the Olympic Stadium of Stockholm 1912:



And getting the medal: