The timing for my second race of the year was actually not perfect. Just from a pure sports perspective. The preparation was too short. And it was slowed down by my accident during the „training camp in altitude“ (which I already could feel painfully in my legs during the Frankfurt half marathon), and a heavy workload during the past few weeks. I just couldn’t find the time for training.

However, I could reach my main goals – and that’s what counts:

• Our sponsors have actually donated the target amount of 104 x 25 EUR . That brings our current level of donations to 3.935 EUR.
• I made ​​it through the cycle race without falling 🙂
• And also had fun!

But let start at the beginning: on May 1^st , early in the morning I had a quick breakfast (maybe too “light”, more on that below…) and a cozy train ride to Eschborn , to the starting line.

The crowd and the atmosphere in Eschborn were great. 4,830 participants at the start of the various amateur distances. It’s incredible, that the German media tell us, that cycling has no future in Germany … If each participant just donate 1 EUR, then we would now be off the hook 🙂

But back to the race. The sky was gray and the air cool before the start . Partly raindrops reached the floor. Should my nightmare come true? A wet race on slippery roads? I would probably not have started with my “crash experience”.

But than we started very fast in a huge but nervous peleton about the direction of Frankfurt city center. With a speed of 45 km/h and more. I was riding very safely – not in the middle of the crowd , but often something with my nose in the wind (which costs some energy) . But I guess I was right, because I saw several crash in front of me. I came in any case neatly through the narrow curves of downtown Frankfurt and before I really realise we reached the Taunus . Bad Homburg, Oberursel . The large peleton has been already divided into smaller groups of 20-30 riders. And here, on the outskirts of Oberursel, the second chapter of the race day began.

The mountains were on the program. Well, the Taunus is not comparable to the Alps. However, it was now much more difficult. Constantly going up with 5-7%, in direction of the summit called Feldberg. The profile can be seen here:

But the higher we climbed through the forest, the darker was the sky. Finally, the rain began. What a sh…! And this even before I had to engage the steep road down to Niederreifenberg. 10% with curves and potholes. Actually, already a challenge in itself. But on a slippery road, during a competition ??? So – no choice – I went down very very cautious – using the brakes like a lorry driver. But it worked 🙂 So then slowly my confidence and courage came back.

In the following up and down passages I gave some more speed – especially since the rain stopped and the sun suddenly came out. Incredibly beautiful: in the middle of the Taunus, no cars and especially no motorcycles. Heavenly peace – except the breathing of the riders. So it went into the last violent ascent of the day: The Rupperthainer slope. Although not very long , but a real little Col with supposedly 16-17 %. Again, my energy reserve paid cash.

Energy reserves? There was something, right? Exactly: a “light” breakfast, some more moments in the wind. And suddenly the reserves became an issue! Started quite confidently into the last hill,  I got a cramp in my left thigh at the top of the hill. Aaaiiiiie. I did not know about that before. Luckily it goes just downwards from Ruppertshain to Hofheim. And so I hid myself in a group. „In put no pressure on the leg, have some water and eat something – it’ll get better, “ I told myself. And then came the first flat passage, the next little rise and … the cramp, this time in the right thigh. No chance to follow „my“ peleton.

When Jan Ullrich in 1997 weakened on the 18th stage of the Tour de France in the Vosges mountain in the yellow jersey, Udo Bölts shouted at him with the saying of „torture yourself, you pig!“ . Now I had not a yellow jersey and it was not Udo Bölts on my side to support me. But I tried to fight and find a reasonable rhythm. But under these conditions 20 km-to-go can be damn long. Especially when  smaller groups repeatedly pass and you can not keep the speed.

In the end, however, I finished the race. Sure. My „Udo“ incidentally were named Carsten (hazard), and Kristin. We have dragged us along . So I booked a race time of 3 hours 30 minutes. For 104 km with almost 1,400 meters of altitude. Not really exhilarating (I was hoping for a faster time, sniff). But in the end only one thing counts :

We have taken another important step forward with our project ! = 104 x 25 EUR for the donation account !

Therefore, at this point again thank you to all our sponsors and donors (here is the complete list).

But I already look forward:

The next competition will take place in the Kraichgau on June 15^th. A triathlon with a total distance of 113k. So far, we have financed only 32k. So there is still a lack of

81k x 25 EUR = 2.205 EUR

THAT looks like a hot race. Can we make it? If yes, then probably only together! Please tell your friends and business partners about our charity run – let them ask for our account number (here the LINK ).

KEEP HELPING!          ….      please.