I really don't feel like getting on my new bike in this weather. But my coach Jo sits next to me in the car and says that this is a track that I should do before Ironman Lanzarote. I reluctantly get out and get my Fuji Norcom out of the trunk. Although I chose a conservative set-up (thanks to DTSwiss for sending me a flat 39er front wheel at the last second), the wind tugs at the wheel and makes it flap back and forth. But I have to ride this section of the competition route - on the day of the race, wind peaks of up to 50 km/h are also announced.
So I'm all the more astonished that on the bike I'm struggling in some places, but I expected a lot more difficulties. However, when I drive up the Feuerberge, I don't want to anymore: no wattmeter, uphill, 40km/h headwind, I can hardly move. But the coach insists that I complete the planned 90 minutes, there is also an important descent to come. So I just keep going. The last few meters it starts to rain - now I'm finally fed up. My poor coach has to put up with an annoyed athlete for the next 20 minutes by car, who still has no idea how the race should go in three days.
After this experience, it was completely clear to me again why I said two years ago at the Lanzarote training camp that I would never do this race. Never say Never! My view of Lanzarote has changed a bit due to my new adopted country of Spain, 😉 I want to bring the title to Mallorca!
Three days later, I'm standing at the starting line, agitated. The new Sailfish stuff (Race one-piece suit in pink and the One-Neo) fit perfectly. Everything feels good. The starting shot is fired. 1800 athletes jump into the water. It's quite a fight, but after 1000 meters it finally calms down and I find my rhythm. However, I had to let the leading women go in the crowd. 2:20min behind the first woman, I get on my bike in fourth place. The wind is as strong as announced. When there is a cross wind I lie at an angle, when there is a head wind I almost stand up, but head down and through. I follow the instructions of my coach exactly. Jo and I looked at each stretch of the bike course in the days leading up to the race and set wattage values for me to pedal for each section. The plan works: After 60km I take the lead and from there I rush across the island alone and collect the professional men in front of me. Back in Puerto del Carmen I was overwhelmed by the cheers from the spectators - whatever comes next I figure the enthusiastic reception at the track alone was worth the trip!
I don't know yet how far away the second woman is. Nobody can tell me. At kilometer four, Jo is standing with the camera. It occurs to me that we agreed beforehand that he would only take photos if I was doing well in the race. He yells at me that I'm 18 minutes ahead of the runner-up. I almost stopped in shock. At best, I would have expected 10 minutes. The lead is reassuring, I've found a good rhythm and just keep going at my pace. After 20km the gap is only slightly smaller, a minute less, but what's a minute, I'm leading by 17 minutes. So not much can happen anymore. Now I just have to go through it, somehow. The cheers are gigantic. On the last three kilometers, tears welled up in my eyes. I'm really on my way to my second Ironman win and secure Hawaii qualifiers. I cross the finish line happily.
Only afterwards do I really realize that I have won one of the oldest and most difficult races in the Ironman series. The media frenzy was five times greater than when I won the Ironman in Malaysia seven months ago. Everyone asks me what's next. I don't know it! Sure, Hawaii. Hopefully I'll remain accident-free and injury-free until then. And of course I need a few more competitions before the World Championships on the Big Island in October. I don't know yet what that will be. First of all, I want to enjoy my victory in Lanzarote a little longer.
I had two surprises after the race. Misha (you have already met him), his sister Hanna and her parents gave us a wonderful evening among friends in Bad Tölz. And back in Felanitx, our friend and President of the Triathlon Club Portocolom asked me if I could come over to his place in the evening. I stroll down the street with him. Silence. We're just about to cross a side street when a commotion erupts: the whole club is there making a commotion, confetti is flying, corks are popping: the most loving welcome I've ever had! Thanks!
Now we are still three weeks in Mallorca before we go back to Germany for the summer. We want, or rather need to, hone our swimming and running a little.
Sunny greetings from a hot Mallorca,
Your Diana