This year I decided to do the races I like or I always wanted to do. Ironman Frankfurt was the second case. I was kind of spectating the race three years ago and I was very impressed with amount of people watching it.
But closer to the race, it seemed like worst and worst idea. Ironman Frankfurt had 4000 points for Kona pro ranking and it meant that pro start list was packed with really good athletes. So much for my enjoyment of Ironman.
I arrived to Frankfurt on Thursday, together with my dad. It was very special for me to have him there. He doesn’t like to travel far and not at all by plane so it is very difficult for me to get him to watch Ironman races. My dad was and always will be my sport hero. He never really race competitively but he loves sport and he never ever gives up. At 60 he is still very active and he either run, cycle or windsurf every day. Sometimes even all three of it. Lately he discovered wetsuit and his favourite become open water swimming! I really hoped to have good race knowing it might be only one ironman he will watch.
My dad
Germans are super organised and precise with everything. So whole pre race preparation went smooth, including blood doping test for all pro triathletes.
Days before the race were filled in with nonstop eating – my favourite chocolate, pre race briefing and few visit of expo. Huge thanks to Blueseventy for my goodies and guy from Slime for his help with my wheel at last moment!
Race day came quicker then I would like and it was time to wake up bright and early. I didn’t feel overly confident going to the race. My preparation after Ironman Brazil wasn’t ideal. Race in Brazil took a lot out of me and on my way home from Sao Paulo I caught some virus and spent about two weeks sick in the bed. But I was excited to race and as always to do my best and to fight as hard as I can! Being fighter and pushing myself to the limit (or even behind it), was always my strong point.
Ready to race 
Swimming was two laps with wetsuit. Because I spent last three weeks swimming only in the dam – open water and I really feel comfortably in my Bluseventy Helix, I was actually very happy with that. I had good start and was right there with top guys. After that my first lap was bit struggle, I had problem to get into the rhythm and hold to faster swimmers. I wasnt very happy with that. Luckily second lap felt much better and I was actually able to catch back to faster guys and came 8th overall and 1st female out of the water.
Weather forecast for the day was around 19 degrees and partly cloudy….it just didn’t work out at all. During cycling it was very cold, after the race I heard it was 11 degrees, raining and windy. I was getting more and more frozen and I was just trying to continue. All I was thinking whole time was that other girls are even skinnier then I am and they must suffer even more then I do. Not sure what kept me going, probably my trusted nutrition First Endurance. Their vanilla gels taste really delicious and in that German cold, even better then ever. And bonus is, I have no GI issues since i started using First Endurance nutrition. I was keeping 2nd position – after Swiss machine Caroline passed me very soon after swimming, all the way to second transition.
4 laps of run around Main river is real treat. There is so many people cheering that they actually get you through whole marathon very quickly. I knew there is many good runners not far behind me and that if I have my “normal” marathon, they will probably pass me very soon. So I decided to go flat out from beginning and see how long I can last…sounds good in theory, but very painful in real life, I can tell you that. But it worked and I was even able to get closer and closer to Caroline. With very painful last few kms and cramps in my whole body, I managed to get to finish line in 2nd place, only 1:30min behind 1st place. But also only 28s ahead of Sonja in 3rd place after she pushed me to sprint last one kilometer.
Very happy Luc!
I had absolutely nothing left in me when I finished.
Exhausted in finish
I was really over the moon, proud and happy. Even sweeter was that my dad could be there and see my probably best Ironman race and result!
Special thank you to all my sponsors, supporters and Ingo Kutsche for pictures!
