19.06.2017: Sitting in the train I found some time to reflect on my race exactely a week ago at IM 70.3 Rapperswil. This time the train does not quite reach an average speed of 300km/h and beautiful words like „the wildly romantic albula valley to your left“ come out of the speakers.  Yes, I am on my way back to our summer camp in St. Moritz.

So, to be honest, I was really quite nervous during the week leading up to the race in Rapperswil. I knew I was well prepared and there was no reason why I should not have a good race. However, it being our “home race” and knowing the majority of my competitors definitely added some extra nervosity into the mix of things. Full credit to my coach Susie for keeping me calm and focused.

Sunday 7:57am the gun went off and I sprinted as quickly as possible. I saw Catherine (Jameson) and Daniela (Ryf) overtaking me soon and then the orange cap, meaning my sister Michelle. Out of reflex from our many sessions together I knew this was the moment I must jump onto her feet and then never lose them again. I am very happy I was able to do exactly that and exit the water at the front of the race. Hopping onto the bike, losing my back bottle on the way, I soon found myself riding behind Daniela – So, awesome, right. But I saw Jameson was moving further away at the front. After few minutes of debates going on in my head, my gut and especially my legs just said: Nina, let’s go. So, I did. In hindsight, I think I really just take after my mum – she hates riding behind someone. In the first climb I closed the gap to Jameson and after a bit cat & mouse games, I must have pulled away at the top of the hill on the first lap. From then on, I just kept pushing, not thinking about being at the front, just pedal, pedal, pedal. Of course, I was expecting Daniela or others would eventually catch and overtake me. With 3km to go, Regula (Rohrbach) then came past me and honestly I was like “why now, I’m nearly there”. But no time for thinking, I accelerated and followed her into transition.

Again, not wanting to be behind someone, I ran out first and soon found a good rhythm. I think I’ve learnt from Challenge Rimini that I cannot spend time being scared about who is behind me or not, there were more important things to do. Like: drinking – water over head – water down the top – down gel – drink some more - grab sponge – grab another sponge and follow the guy on the bike – repeat every 2km or so.  The temperatures must have risen to about 30°C by now. The first 10km were no problem, I think I was even pulling away. Then eventually the critical kilometers were coming up. At 14km into the run Daniela came flying past me and even told me to keep going. Back on the concrete section, I tried to gain back some speed all the way up to the stairway to heaven. Thank god, there was some reeling thingy which helped to pull myself up.

Now I really felt the heat affecting me and I had to dig very deep, grabing some coke on the last aid station. That was when my stomach had up enough and I am sorry for everyone who had to watch me actually being sick. The last km I was not my finest hour of running technique and I did not even really realized Emma(Bilham) coming past me in the last 500m. Stumbling across the finish line, I was just very glad to have made it. Then looking up to my mum’s face I realized I made the podium and was just really happy I guess. Obviously, next time I will try to move further up on the podium. ;)

Thanks to the coverage about the race in the Swiss Sport Show, I have now about 10 friends who would like to teach me how to open champagne, saying finally there is something I can do better than you! But no jokes, thanks to everyone for cheering and supporting me!

Next big race will be Alpe d’Huez Long Distance, catch you then.

10.5.17: Sitting in the high-speed train (300km/h) from Rimini back to Zurich, I decided to reflect on my race on the weekend. Also my sisters and I chose to write our reports in English this year, so that our friends from abroad could understand something as well :)

Coming back from a great training camp in Cyprus three weeks ago, I knew it was time to dive into my long course racing season. My coach Susie and I decided to sign up for Challenge Rimini. Back in Zurich I was not only shocked by the revival of winter but also got the cold, like everyone else. Therefore it was not easy to prepare, both physically and mentally, for this race. Nevertheless I was ready to give it my best shot.

Being in Italy the race didn’t start till 10am. I got up for a little wake-up ran, ate my prerace-potatoes, checked into transition and put my wetsuit on. Only when arriving at the beach, I realized that I haven’t really done a beach start before and that the waves really looked quite big. Watching the pro men struggling to get across the waves, I tried to remember how my sisters and I jumped over the waves for fun when we were little. The horn went off only two minutes later and I was first to arrive in the water, but quite soon I found myself somewhere caught in the middle of several waves, gulping seawater. Somehow a few competitors and I arrived at the first turn-around, but I knew we did not exactely take the direct way. I then decided to quickly stop and navigate to find the next buoy and swim off myself as the others (in my opinion) went the wrong way again. Coming out of the water in 5th position was quite good and I was happy I could put all the swimming I’ve done into practice. Overtaking another girl in transition, I was heading out on my new trek speed concept. My first race on a time trial bike! I pushed right from the start as I knew it would be roughly 1000 meters in altitude uphill until the turnaround and then all the way back down. Overtaking competitors always fires me up to keep pushing and suddenly I realized a motorbike is staying infront of me. Why is it not going up and down the field? Why is there an orange flag on the back of it? Focus Nina. At the turn-around I saw the leader about a minute ahead of me, so that must mean I am in second position and the motorbike is leading the way for the second female, me? Not expecting to be upfront so early in the race, I was determined to keep the chasers off my back but still tried to use the downhill sections to recover my legs. With about 15km to go on the bike I felt like I was losing power, the strong headwind was not helping and I had to dig quite deep.

Into transition and into socks and running shoes. Starting the run I was feeling quite comfortable and knew, I had to control myself on the first of four laps. At the first turn-around I saw the third girl a good distance behind me: but I got nervous (scared shitless mum would say!). I knew these were good runners coming from behind.  Being chased like this was actually a new feeling for me. Usually it was me trying to chase. I tried to focus on getting the nutrition in and keeping the rythm. Second lap, no problem. Then towards the end of the third lap, my body shut down, no more power, no more rythm. The third girl came past me too fast and it wasn’t long until another girl, an italian runner who made up 14 minutes after the bike, came past me too. By that time I could only focus on putting one leg in front of the other, they felt all wobbly. I was glad to see the finish line to say the least.

Being second for 90% of the race to then come 4th was not what I wanted. However looking at my times, I have to be content. What felt like the worst blow-up was actually my fastest half-marathon in a triathlon race. Having learnt a great deal from this race, I am taking the good and am ready to improve the bad. Next up: homerace at 70.3 Rapperswil. See you out there!