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Thank you for spreading the word about this site and project: If you're returning, you already know it's a worthy cause to support.

And if you kindly decide to donate, please do so via my pages introducing the beneficiaries (you will get there through the links in the articles or in the menu on the left): Your money will safely and directly go to them in any case but this procedure ensures that your donation can be traced back to my project by the recipients and will show in the donation counter on my homepage. Thank you! 

All photos mine unless otherwise indicated.

Does stuff matter?  (Sunday, 07-18-2010)

Triathlon can be every gear geek's dream come true. There is so much special equipment, there are so many exotic gadgets that you could splurge your entire income and then make your bank happy by asking about their loan plans.

You could, but there's no need to. If you don't believe me, try to get a look at some photos of the first Hawaii Ironman finishers: the one on the right shows Bob Babbit in 1980. In his own words:

Before I left San Diego, I had racks put on my sixty-dollar police auction Centurion with the charred rear triangle, so I could hang my newly acquired panniers on them. Inside would be my sleeping bag and provisions. (Bob had, reasonably, assumed it to be a two-day event and planned to camp during the night). I was totally set up for the road. A red Radio Shack radio mounted on the handlebars and held in place with a bungee cord, solid rubber tires to prevent those annoying flats, and a little black electric tape to cover up the charred stuff. I was ready to roll! 

[Photo and quotation from: Terri Schneider, Triathlon Revolution (2008), with kind permission.]

Can you even imagine that, 112 miles on solid rubber tyres??? Ouch... (But I like the radio...)

Nevertheless, for ordinary humans without Ironman potential a bit of stuff can make a difference. It can make you more comfortable (and safer, too), which will allow you to enjoy your workouts more, which will in turn reduce the temptation to cut them short or skip some altogether.

Here are some of my favourite items (please keep in mind that I'm doing this for fun - serious speedy athletes will have different needs): 

Visit Bob's website

- Multi-purpose pedals allow you to ride clipped in and out, with cleats and with regular shoes. While the latter may be a negligible option, being able to unclip in places where you know (or fear) to expect cats, chickens, small children or other creatures immune to shouts or rings of warning to dash out in front of you is an immense safety gain. At worst you can come to an immediate stop without toppling over - at best you can gently coast or pedal by and clip in again when your path is clear. Besides, they're also great for the kind of steep incline that will force you to give up and walk at some point. You won't find a more graceful way to keep going hard as long as you can and then opt out. Here is the most detailed product description I could find.  

- Cleat sandals not only keep your feet nicely aired and look cool on a café terrace, they also solve the socks-or-no-socks dilemma on race day. In T1 you slip your soggy bare feet into the sandals and ride off, in T2 you can quickly put socks on now completely dry and un-swollen feet for the run. Check out the men's model, too; their fit is much tighter than with normal Keens.

- A key pouch for your running shoe will put an end to unflattering bumps and maddening jingles.

- And Camelbak bottles allow you to drink on the bike without taking your eyes off the road (and they come in wicked colours now).

None of that is necessary, not at all. But it's good quality, down-to-earth material for everyday training or commuting, as well as for your races should you do them.

The basics that you truly need to become a triathlete are simpler still: good running shoes that fit your feet, a helmet that fits your head, un-leaky goggles that fit your face, and a bike saddle that fits your backside and gender-specific anatomy. And off you go.

On getting comfortable on the bike, I'll write some other time.

School's out  (Wednesday, 07-14-2010)

Today may be the happiest day of the school year for all but the youngest and most enthusiastic pupils in my federal state, as it marks the beginning of their six-week summer holiday. And who doesn't remember the childhood feeling of dizzying freedom on this day: no more alarm clock (school usually begins by 8am here), no ride on a crowded school bus, no canteen lunch, no homework, no sun-lit, blue-skied mornings spent sitting inside? Even for those who love learning new things and meeting their friends, holidays are a welcome change especially in this season.

But there are children for whom school is much more than a place for study and socialising. Their world was ripped apart on January 12th by an earthquake that sent their country, already among the poorest in the world, into abject misery and destroyed large parts of their capital Port-au-Prince.

Montessori pre-schoolers in Port-au-Prince

Haiti Care e.V.

Has there been a lot of change in the months since? Sadly, not much at all. The infrastructure is still lying down, help is painfully slow to arrive where it's needed - even the rubble has only been cleared by the tiniest of fractions. Over 1.5 million people still live in camps, with no perspective of returning to a "normal" life any time soon. Too many of them are children. 

There is a series of reports from Haiti right now on the German radio program of WDR 5, all parts of which are available as free podcasts and manuscripts on their website. 

What to do? Sometimes, a small spark of hope is easier to light than a big fire. Of course all the large charities are present in Haiti, with their experience, their resources, their well-trained specialists, the millions of dollars raised in the past months. Of course they are doing incredible work there while struggling against the windmills of too many challenges, too little reliability and time running by.

As for the spark... Over twenty-five years ago, Barbara and Michael Kaasch from Berlin took responsibility for a small Haitian child through the SOS Children's Village program. In 1992 they founded their charity HaitiCare to advance German-Haitian friendship and arrange private and corporate sponsorships for individuals and projects. In the years since, they have founded an orphanage, a Montessori kindergarten and school as well as various projects providing vocational training and student scholarships. Their comprehensive school offers literacy classes for adults, too.

All of this is realised by only a handful of people - with Natacha, the Kaaschs' former sponsored child and today a trained Montessori principal, directing operations in Haiti. There are no advertising campaigns, no office staff, no large structure in the background. Their organisation is recognised by the German state and meets all requirements of trustworthy fundraising and investing. Every single cent donated goes directly where it is needed.

The Montessori school building

Haiti Care e.V.

Right now, it is needed most urgently to rebuild parts of the school that were destroyed by the earthquake and are in danger of collapsing, as well as a bridge leading there, over which all building material will have to be transported. With the hurricane season approaching, time is growing short - and one of the new school building's functions will be to provide hurricane- and earthquake-proof shelter for the people in its neighbourhood.

Later this month, the children there will have summer break, too - and unlike ours they aren't happy about the idea of missing school. But they will be taken care of throughout these weeks with activities, excursions and even a small summer camp - and they will all be fed.  

Perhaps you feel, like me, that making a tangible difference in a few people's lives can help a little against the sorrow of being powerless to do more. If you do, please consider supporting HaitiCare with a donation, and please recommend this project to many friends and acquaintances.

And if you can read any German at all, do e-mail Michael in order to be sent their weekly newsletter and see for yourself what an amazing job they all do.

Escaping indoors  (Sunday, 07-11-2010)

With temperatures approaching historic highs, our one public outdoor pool is crowded even in the mornings. And for some reason, against all common sense and consideration, the more people there are, the more thoroughly do personal hygiene habits seem to deteriorate. Taking a shower, between basking in the sun greased up like a Thanksgiving turkey and plunging in? No way, for many.

In the hour before closing, there would be enough water surface again for swimming... theoretically. Let's just say that the remaining, umm, liquid has by then acquired such unfathomable layers of dubiousness that I would not even want to dip my foot in, let alone fully immerse myself, mouth and nose included. But I need to train, and the nearest lake is too far to cycle to at 120+°F in the sun.

I had the terrific idea yesterday to try the indoor pool - and it was wonderful, a haven of blue tranquillity with hardly twenty people there, some placidly doing laps, others taking their water-winged little ones for their first rounds in the grown-up pool. Everyone was friendly, everyone was showered, and the building itself was the coolest I've been in for days.

So yes, outdoor pools are among the joys of summer. But there is a critical people-per-gallon ratio, when flight becomes the only sane option. 

Girl running with Peace flag

Christiane Paulussen / pax christi Aachen

Running for peace  (Friday, 07-09-2010)

In the ninth year now, always on the last Friday before the summer holidays, I could just burst with pride of the children and teachers in my home town and region. They prepare for weeks, with workshops, lesson projects and school visits ranging from a pantomime actor training pupils in non-aggressive behaviour to international students of the university sharing their personal experiences of "otherness" in a foreign country. 

And today they will run. No matter how hot it is (and it is hot indeed even at 8am), no matter how hard it might rain (and it did rain hard in some years), several thousand will dash along the cobblestone streets in the old town wearing their white "Run for Peace" T-shirts (not all that white with most, but covered in greetings and funny cartoons drawn by their friends) and carrying rainbow flags of peace - which always bring tears to my eyes due to their other meaning, which even here, even today would never draw as many supporters and allies.

But at least the word "diversity" will appear on many banners, and the group of organisers spans such different backgrounds as the churches, many local businesses and initiatives, and Amnesty International.

To the race site, the children will bring cards with the signatures of their sponsors, who have promised to pay a certain amount for every round completed. The money, a huge sum by the end of the day, will then go to various regional and international projects working to overcome violence, racism and hatred in all its forms. If you read German, you can find a lot more information on the Run for Peace  website. 

In many parts of the world, such an event could never happen. Just as school hardly ever happens, just as peace itself is just a far-away dream. And it is always the women and children who suffer most. If you want to see true change come about in our lifetime, please consider supporting the peace-building work of medica mondiale  with a donation. And of course you could organise a sponsored race, too, and feel the elation of literally sweating for something you believe in... 

In the papers  (Wednesday, 07-07-2010)

I came across such an abundance of fascinating reading matter today that I thought I'd share some with you.

Runner Caster Semenya was cleared by the IAAF to compete again without restriction. Good for her!

A very funny account of a marathon runner's triathlon premiere. And the guy's frickin fast, too!

According to a new study, just about everything published on the subject of (training) heart rates may be wrong - for women.

Short and to the point (though quite ambitious in its time frame), another article on staying fit through exercise.
I like the inclusion of yoga and intervals, and the Elizabeth Barrett Browning reference in the second paragraph...

Some quite original thoughts on moving with your ears open.

It's official: Being outdoors in nature is good for you! (Now who'd have thunk it...)  

And have you seen, and tried, this series of delicious recipes? Yes they're healthy - but they are yummy and really doable, too! 

Heat wave  (Friday, 07-02-2010)

The forecasts predict over 95°F for the weekend... And while air-conditioned cars have become fairly frequent (mine isn't), no one I know lives in an air-conditioned home. In fact, I'm enjoying a cosy 80° as I write this, at 8am!

I like warmth, I do... But right now I wish I could jump into my current wallpaper image and stay there all day... Unfortunately, that place is too far for a day trip.

Update:  At 4pm, it's 93°F inside and simply scorching outside. And the municipal pool was sooo crowded even this morning. Boy would I love a wallpaper jump... :-) 

Wouldn't you like to cycle to work here, too?

Bike-commuting to work  (Tuesday, 06-29-2010)

Of all my workouts, cycling is the least organised or planned activity because it's what comes most easily after a lifetime of bike commutes and weekend/holiday trips. In each of the triathlons I've done there was a sweet moment after clipping into my pedals and shifting into just the right gear, when I thought that yes, now this felt like racing rather than persevering or even plodding (not that there's anything wrong with those). But still, going fast and pacing myself sensibly for 40k does need some foundation and practice.

I've toyed for quite some time with the idea of cycling to work on some days. The main challenge there is not the rather scenic 15+k (< 10 miles) distance but the fact that we start so early that I have to be on my way by 6.35... that is precious morning sleep being cut short. But I tried it today, and in spite of the earliness and the hilliness (but then it's always hilly here) it was great. I saw rabbits, pheasants, horses, cows, friendly dogs and people, all before 7am (and there were dozens of linden trees on the way, too)... I was rather swift even though I had forgotten to allow for traffic light waits, which made me arrive - barely - on time. 

And I felt so awake and breeze-blown and oxygen-satiated all morning that it more than made up for a little missed sleep. Oh, and did I mention that petrol prices being what they are here, I saved almost five dollars in fuel on one single day even for my tiny car?

On the challenges of commuting by bicycle in the real world (and even in the USA), I find this article quite inspiring - and I just discovered that there's an entire website dedicated to the topic. Of course much of Europe is very idyllic in this respect, featuring cycle lanes and sign-posted bike routes and freely accessible tarmac farm roads, and we're lucky there. But even 8-million metropolis London now encourages commuters to cycle to work and offers online route-finders (try this one) and similar infrastructural support. As for restoring post-ride presentability and odoriferousness, showers are obviously the choice solution, but a wet towel and a change of clothes will do the job, too.    

And one thing's for sure: in addition to basking in the pride in your athletic and environmental virtuousness, you'll be amazed at how clear-headed and energised you'll start into our working day. 

Smells of summer  (Sunday, 06-27-2010)

Temperatures have gone up quite a bit in the past days, the sun is shining, and since June 27 is our German version of Groundhog Day, said to anticipate the weather for the next seven weeks, summer looks promising indeed.

It certainly smells promising already. The jasmine and the last elder bushes are in flower, there are roses everywhere, and with more and more people protecting them from aphid infestation by planting lavender around their roots, these two scents blend beautifully in lots of gardens and add motivation for running or cycling through the neighbourhood.

But the ultimate fragrance of summer, for me personally, are the linden blossoms opening all over town. No wonder aromatherapy recommends them for their soothing, uplifting, harmonising properties. Their perfume is fresh and sweet, warm and lemony, and while it will drift inside through any open window, it is among the strongest incentives for going outdoors right now. There it will enfold you, like a dear old friend who can only be around for a short while every year.

When I began my run yesterday evening, the day's intense warmth and light had mellowed to a soft golden glow and there was a hush of Sunday morning peacefulness thanks to many people having barbecues or watching soccer rather than being out and about. And coming home an hour later down a street lined with linden trees on both sides felt like being hugged goodnight.     

Why the Gay Games?  (Thursday, 06-24-2010)

Apart from obvious conclusions that you may or may not wish to draw, this question can be answered very easily with a few lines from the Wikipedia article:

[This event] was started in San Francisco in 1982 [...] to promote the spirit of inclusion and participation, as well as the pursuit of personal growth in a sporting event.

The Gay Games is open to all who wish to participate, without regard to sexual orientation. There are no qualifying standards to compete in the Gay Games. It brings together people from all over the world.

To read how it all began, have a look at this lengthy 1982 article by Gay Games founder Tom Waddle (no I didn't nick my heading but only came across this some time after I had written this post).

And here's a quote from the Cologne Games homepage:

The motto is “Be part of it!” And the invitation is open to everyone – regardless whether you are heterosexual or homosexual, male, female, transgender or transsexual, and regardless of religion, nationality, ethnic heritage, political convictions, athletic skills, physical capabilities, age or physical condition.

For me as an amateur (derived, after all, from Latin "to love") and dilettante (from Italian "to enjoy" or "delight"), being part of it is what this is all about. I'm not fast, I won't "win", I very probably won't get a medal unless there are only about three women in my age group. But I'll be there, and you bet I will enjoy every moment of it.

From being part of something they love, nobody should be excluded on any pretext whatsoever - yet we all know that it doesn't often work that way in sports. I'm sure you remember last summer's voyeuristic controversy over the gender of then 18-year-old South African runner Caster Semenya (if you're interested, read Amby Burfoot's wonderfully kind and level-headed article in Runner's World), or the endless snide remarks about tennis players Martina Navratilova's or Amélie Mauresmo's "unwomanly" physiques. And how many gay soccer stars are taking part in the World Championship right now and being open about it, offering themselves as role models to confused adolescents?

I am thrilled with the idea that everyone is welcome at the Gay Games. If you are, too, please consider supporting LGBT youth work with a donation to the Matthew Shepard Foundation or the Lambda Youth Network. Things have changed a lot (at least in Western countries), but it is still a challenge for many young people to come to terms with diversity in themselves or others. They all deserve the feeling that society cares.

And should you be in Cologne in the first week of August: With only a couple of exceptions, there will be no entry fees for watching the competitions. You can also visit Against the Rules, "a travelling exhibition about discrimination, angst and chances" there, as well as take part in many other cultural and social events.

Learning to swim for a second time  (Sunday, 06-20-2010)

I first learned to swim around the age of seven, and loved it almost instantly. There is no memory of ever being afraid of water, of ever not enjoying the sensation of being suspended, the closest thing to flying an earthbound life form can experience all by itself.

But I’m German. We breaststroke. That’s what we’re taught as children, that’s what three quarters of any average swimming pool population are doing regardless of age or athleticism. Which is fine… no water up your nostrils while inhaling even in waves that might sink the Titanic, a nice regular rhythm, the wonderful feeling of simply floating effortlessly between strokes, an unhindered view of what’s happening ahead of you… You even get to enjoy the scenery in an open water swim. Yeah, breaststroke is just fine – as long as all you do is swim.

But in triathlon, there’s your bike waiting, and your running shoes after that. And breaststroke is leg effort, mostly… not even exactly knee-friendly leg effort at that. So for all its assets, it isn’t really an option, for most, to breaststroke through a triathlon swim. (Plus, freestyle looks just so much cooler :-).

And have you ever tried to do breaststroke while wearing a long-legged wetsuit? After all, one of their effects is buoyancy, keeping your legs afloat all by themselves. Which means that every attempt to lean into the water with your upper body will get your legs up even higher… great for a leg-strength-preserving freestyle but resulting in a rather funny-looking version of breaststroke air-swimming for your calves and feet, making you feel like a frog hanging from a fishing rod.

Visit the TI website

So, I’m learning to swim freestyle. After spending the previous almost forty years of my swimming biography alternately trying it and almost drowning in a churning tumult of uncoordinated limbs struggling to stay near the surface, or resigning myself to a lifetime of competent but un-cool breaststroke.

Luckily there is Terry Laughlin. Having read his first “Total Immersion” book last summer, I almost immediately had the exhilarating experience of doing an entire lap of something that actually felt like freestyle swimming. And now that I've been practising for many months, and finally found a way not to become seasick after a dozen laps, this truly feels as good as breaststroke always has.

If you'd like to see what it looks like, you can find a number of videos on Youtube (search for "TI freestyle"). You can attend a weekend workshop, which is fun, and of course there are Terry's books and DVDs as well as his excellently maintained website, with articles, blogs and message boards and a very welcoming and knowledgeable community.

I for one am just so happy that it works.

At long last ! (Thursday, 06-17-2010)

If you have been returning to this website for a while, you may have noticed that we were struggling with linguistic obstacles of Babylonian proportions while getting all international donation options in place. Even opening a US bank account only for this project was seriously considered.

But then my gorgeous, generous and veritably versatile American friend D - who is way too modest to supply a depiction of herself - dug deeply into magic powers she hadn't even been aware of possessing, and unlocked The Secret of the International PayPal Form. It's so easy really, once you know. Only nobody was able to tell us.

Here it is: You have to type in a "unit price" first. That's it. No hocus-pocus, no wand-waving, no tongue-twisting spells. Once you've specified and confirmed a sum, you just select your country in the dropdown menu and, lo and behold, the form will be in your language. The entire form. Every single line. (Whereas, if you select your country first, nothing will happen at all).

Now if you and I were to design an online form like this, we might think that it could scare people off to be faced with a form in an exotic language. We would then make it a top priority to offer them a choice of languages before anything else, ideally through flag buttons rather than country names in that same exotic language. (We might even allow the amount to remain alterable, too, instead of requiring donors to call up the form again to enter a different sum...)

But hey, the world isn't perfect. There's a way now, and that's what counts.

If you'd like to see for yourself, click here to find instructions and make a credit card donation to HaitiCare. It's easy, once you know how. And it helps such a worthy cause, too.

Problem solved: Seasick through freestyle  (Monday, 06-14-2010)

A fun - or scary, depending on your state of mind - aspect of triathlon is its virtually limitless potential for embarrassment and inelegance.

You arrive at a race site lugging along more gear than an average volleyball team. After the swim, you try to take off (but not lose) your goggles, peel off your wetsuit, find your running legs and your bicycle, and project a modicum of confidence and control, all at the same time. And then you'll put on shoes, sunglasses and your race number and grab a last bite or drink while already wearing your helmet with the chin strap firmly in place because even touching your bike without the helmet being a) on your head and b) fastened can lead to immediate disqualification. And that's just a few examples...

My most mortifying challenge so far has been to swim more than a few hundred metres of freestyle without feeling seasick. (Yeah, I know it's ridiculous!) Somehow the rolling motion and breathing to alternate sides (not to mention occasional waves) messed with my inner ear and created a most unpleasant and helpless queasiness that could only be kept in check by reverting to breaststroke.

I tried thinking soothing thoughts. I tried keeping my eyes fixed on the black line below me (not really helpful in open water...). I tried silicone earplugs, which wouldn't stay in place. But now, finally, a solution appears in sight. Not only have I found ear plugs that stay stuck where they're supposed to, but I added some ginger to my pre-swim cereal, too. And hey, it worked! I could do almost 1000 metres of non-stop freestyle yesterday morning, and I'm more relieved than I can say. Now I'll finally be able to work on keeping up a steady rhythm, rather than dread the moment when the most urgent issue is settling my tummy...

Perfect morning - or: What do I do? Part II  (Saturday, 06-12-2010)

I woke up yesterday to sunshine, a light breeze and a sky the colour of my favourite running jacket. And I didn't have to be at work.

An ideal combination to crank up my training a bit and do the first triple brick of the year: I cycled to the pool (as usual, a beautiful 2.5 mile warm-up), swam 1000 metres, got out of the water and into my running clothes and shoes, ran 3 miles and returned to the pool to stretch, shower, catch my breath and fill up on water and a few calories. Then I cycled home, unpacked my stuff and... napped :-). Sleep is an essential part of triathlon preparation and I love that.

Today I woke up to fog and drizzle, which have moved on to steady rain, and I feel so happy to have been able to take advantage of yesterday's loveliness. Now I can tackle my desk and listen to a new CD without itching to be outside.

And the tiredness in my limbs reminds me that I've still got quite some work to do before I'm truly ready for the longer distance in August...

Visit Jayne's blog

Light reading  (Wednesday, 06-09-2010)

Alongside the many serious how-to books on triathlon there are two titles that offer a different perspective, describing the experience of taking up the sport as a female never-before-athlete well beyond adolescence.
Perhaps the most amusing thing about reading both is to see how very unalike such descriptions can be even in the same language, when the authors' native countries are separated by an ocean.

On the one hand, there's the American view in Jayne Williams' Slow Fat Triathlete. The title sets the tone, her writing is unashamed and graphic and she never hesitates to crack good-natured jokes at her own expense. She is also limitlessly optimistic and encouraging, offers sound, no-nonsense advice (including repeated reminders not to take the entire thing too seriously) and honestly shares the rocky stretches, too. And the "cautionary tale" of how she bought her first wetsuit, tearing a hole into it with a fingernail in the process, is simply hilarious. You can read excerpts on Jayne's website.

Personally I love her subtitle best, a fitting summary of what the book is all about: Live Your Athletic Dreams in the Body You Have Now. Considering how unlikely it is to find ourselves in a different one any time soon, that sounds like a terrific motto to me.

The second title is Transformed by Triathlon by Jane Booth. She has lived in the USA for a number of years but is English by birth, which makes her style and the general flavour of her book delightfully unique. Her triathlon story has moments of joy and accomplishment as does Jayne's, but there are also confusion, reluctance, apprehension and quite some agony.

It's really funny, too, in a dry, self-deprecating sort of way:
I started out as a not-particularly-overweight-but-could-lose-a-few-pounds sort of person leading a contented life. I hadn't ridden a bike for 31 years, and I detested running. Then my inner voice put on its best done-deal tone and informed me that I was about to become an endurance athlete. I told it to mind its own business. It told me to stop whining and buy running shoes. (You can read further on her website).

And like Jayne Williams, Jane Booth writes about overcoming obstacles, about almost wanting to give up but hanging in, with patience, stubbornness and the support of loved ones and generous triathlon friends. She is harder on herself and much less willing to pat herself on the back even in triumph, which makes her account almost painful at times but contributes to its intensity, too.

My favourite passages in her book may be her very first cycling experience after decades of abstinence. Even while feeling scared and wobbly, she was able to enjoy the ride on a forest path by a river so much that her description makes you want to be there.

Oh, and if the bug should bite you, her book and website are full of helpful triathlon information as well.

Visit Jane's site

Phew  (Sunday, 06-06-2010)

Finally, a breather. No papers, no Internet, nothing at all to take care of.

Just sea and sky and a loooong weekend of reading, sleeping, cooling my tooties for miles and miles on end while enjoying such breathtaking views... and cycling, too, almost 70k on Friday.

No swim though... It did look inviting, and the waves around my feet alternated enough between frigid and almost tepid to encourage serious contemplation of immersing higher body regions, too - but the fact that the only people entering the water for any length of time were teenagers of both genders racing in, screeching, and racing out again easily reconciled me to not having brought anything to swim in. Besides, I'm not all that keen on jellyfish even if it's the harmless Northern European variety...

So busy...  (Sunday, 05-30-2010)

With my desk (and me) groaning under what feels like tons of paper, I can't really think of much to post right now.

But on the topic of bicycles, let me share this photo with you. My sister took it in the Democratic Republic of the Congo last year, and it gives an entirely new dimension to the notions of athleticism and environmentally friendly transport, doesn't it?

And I just hope that, in the middle of a long day filled with a lot of very hard work, this lady is enjoying her very own moment of cycling serenity here, too - and that she will return home to a place of safety and dignity.

If you want to contribute to women like her being protected from violence and empowered to make decisions about their own lives, please have a look at medica mondiale's work there and support them with a donation.

Thank you, sis... :-)

Ruby Washington/The New York Times

Helmets save lives  (Sunday, 05-23-2010)

Please, always wear a helmet when you cycle.

Don't even start looking for excuses: No, they don't have to be expensive, or heavy, or too hot. No, they don't make you look stupid. And how are kids supposed to be sensible if you don't set an example?

You will always find a way to re-gel, re-comb, re-style or re-tousle. But in our lifetime, no one will come up with a miraculous cure to repair or replace a brain damaged by hitting a hard surface.

So, read Tara Parker-Pope's article from Friday's New York Times as well as the interesting comments (the lady on the cool road bike features in it, too). And then, if you haven't already got one, buy a helmet in a style and colour that make you happy, have it properly fitted (very important)...

... and WEAR it !

Bicycles  (Thursday, 05-20-2010)

Along with books, guitars, film and homemade pesto alla genovese (and yes, I could easily come up with many more...), bicycles rank high among the truly glorious inventions of mankind.

They are the most energy-efficient, as in calories-per-kilometre, means of transport on the planet. They are swift enough for exhilaration and slow enough not to frighten away other creatures. (Have you ever ridden next to an air-borne butterfly?)

Well-lubed, they are almost soundless (more so, sometimes, than my knees...). With a bit of TLC and moderate part replacements over the years, they can be in your life for decades. They feature impressive technology and sheer engineering genius, and can still be understood, maintained and, if necessary, dis- and reassembled by ordinary mortals.

And if you are lucky enough to have one that really fits, you will never tire of the incredible feeling when an inert object becomes a part of you and enables you to cross distances and move at speeds you could never achieve on your own.

Yes, that is a southpaw pen. We rock!

So, what do I do? Part I  (Monday, 05-17-2010)

A good friend asked me about my preparation schedule just yesterday, and her question made me wonder whether the reluctance to detailed training plans that I voiced a few posts ago may have sounded as though I just kind of dawdled - and well no, I don't.

I'm actually very fond of my training log, and enter my workouts conscientiously. It's great to see effort - and progress - recorded like this and be able to verify that my rather intuitive approach to all of this usually makes sense in retrospect.

Of course, the sad truth is that there are ideal, or rather: Utopian weeks, and real, I-have-a-job-and-need-to-sleep-too weeks, and the discrepancy between those two varieties can be disheartening. There haven't been many of the former in the past months...

In an ideal week, I'll run three times (once longish, once speedy-ish and once in a fartlek-y whatever-feels-good-that-day mindset) - and I guess I have to mention that I'm lucky enough to start several beautiful running routes from my very doorstep, and dozens of others require nothing more than a bit of a bus ride out or back. There's even a well-kept cinder track in a few minutes' biking distance (but it's honestly been a while since I went there).

I'll try to swim on two to three days (concentrating, right now, on my freestyle technique - I'll elaborate on the challenges this keeps posing to a breaststroke-raised German some time in the future). Since the outdoor pool is open this is almost pure bliss, notwith-standing air temperatures in the mid-50s°F in the past week. (Yes, there are hot showers, and the pool is heated, too).

And in order not to make this inordinately long, I'll pick up the subject again in a later post... :-)

Inspiration  (Thursday, 05-13-2010)

There are lots of good reasons for visiting the Runner's World  website.

Among them are their amazing stories not just about top athletes, but about people from all sorts of backgrounds accomplishing their own brand of heroic feat:

In last month's Boston Marathon, Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot set a sensational new course record, 2:05:52. Dr. Walter Bortz finished more than five hours later, but he too ran a peak performance.

Dr. Bortz did so a month after his 80th birthday...

You can read his Boston story in his own words here, and visit his website.

And I'll just say: Many happy returns, sir!

Runner's World

I'm online!  (Sunday, 05-09-2010)

... and I can hardly believe it...

And now I'll go for a celebratory run... :-)))

(And you bet I will feel tiggerific!)

Training plans  (Saturday, 05-08-2010)

I get the idea of training with a plan. In fact, I've learned a lot from reading dozens of training plans... there seems to be such comforting consensus on the general ideas: Work on all three disciplines, obviously (and don't forget the transitions, and do include stretching and strength training, too) - alternate longer and shorter, faster and slower, harder and easier days, weeks and months - keep a focus on good form - and rest abundantly. (And of course there's much more).

But beyond such guidelines, I can never get myself to actually tick off little coloured boxes on a spreadsheet, and go for a medium run on Tuesday evening just because said sheet features said box for said date. After all, it may be perfect biking weather, and the pool might be nicely uncrowded, too. (Or the piles of work on my desk may only leave time for a very short escape.)

I'm sure this is different for seriously ambitious, seriously athletic people. But my life is busy with other things, and those can be exhausting and time-consuming. So exercise should usually feel good, should sometimes just calm, relax, regenerate - and it should always be joyful, even on challenging days.

Just stepping outside and being surrounded by nature will work this magic time and time again...

Yep, those sparkles are sunshine -
and the forecast had announced major rains :-)

First outdoor swim of the year  (Saturday, 05-01-2010)

Where I live, swimming means indoor pools for most of the year.

Echoing noises, clinical tiled hallways never quite warm enough, and that pervasive chlorine smell from the moment you enter the building, that somehow always feels like breathing air recycled ten times over.

But then there are the sweet few months between May and early September when the outdoor pools are open... Now there is fresh air, and the entire sky above, and trees all around, and sunshine rippling on the water and creating curtains of light to swim through. And somehow those childhood memories are still there and always make this feel like a holiday rather than a "work"out. (Besides, have you ever felt like a post-swim ice-cream cone at an indoor pool?)

So, while open water still only tempts scuba divers wearing drysuits thick enough to make them look and move like Neil Armstrong, the outdoor pool is one more signal that the brighter part of the year is beginning.

And among the best days there is the very first one, May 1st every year again, swimming in brand-new water and thinking of all the weeks of this joy lying ahead.

Guess I don't have to tell you where I spent my morning today, do I?

And you know what? It was worth it anyway! 

Thank you, John Bingham: A slow runner’s salute to the Penguin  (Saturday, 04-24-2010)

There appear to be natural runners. People who tie their shoes for the first time and just keep going and three months later sign up for a marathon (which they finish way under four hours then, still looking great in the photo). I admire you guys, I envy you, and I wish you godspeed. Me, I’ll never get a place on your team.

I don’t remember how many times I started to run regularly, and loved it, too – only to go too "fast" (though it was never fast by any standards), too long, too often, and give up weeks or months later with my knees simply refusing to cooperate. I’ve been cycling and hiking and swimming my entire life, but running seemed to elude me.

But hey, I wanted to do a triathlon. And while there isn’t a rule against walking the entire third leg, I’d much rather save that option for when I’m truly old (and hope that by then there’ll be so many of us that race officials will extend time limits). So I began to look for books on the subject, and came across the promising title Running for Mortals by a guy named John Bingham, who called himself the Penguin, and his wife Jenny Hadfield.

Visit John's site

They said it was okay to be slow. They said taking five or six or more hours to finish a marathon was just fine. They said the important thing was to go for it. And yessss, they called us “runners”, too! I was intrigued, and smiled my way through a large part of their book, and just gave it a try. Starting out gently. Not as "fast" as I could have, not as long, not as often. And continuing to lift weights, too, to keep my knees strong. And here I am, a year later, with a finished half-marathon under my belt! (Yes, I was slow – but who cares?) I’m even beginning to think 42.2 – something I wouldn’t have dreamed of last year.

Of course this doesn't mean they don't have tips on how to do speed work, too - they do, and I'm devoting quite a bit of my run training now to un-slowing a little. But that is really not the first step, nor the most important one. I could spend half a lifetime beating myself up over my lack of natural athleticism in that regard, be frustrated by every race result list, glare at the back of every runner who overtakes me (not that they'd notice...). But how utterly stupid and ungrateful would it be to do that, rather than put on my shoes and get out and simply enjoy the world and myself and the fact that I can.

And the incredible thing is, I wrote John an e-mail last year as I was just starting out, asking about some details in his training plan – and he sent me a kind and encouraging personal reply although there must be tons of inquiries like this raining down on him every month.

So, what I’d like to say here is: Thank you, John (and Jenny, too), for helping me become a runner!

Spring is here!  (Saturday, 04-17-2010)

Boy, that was a long winter. Of all the years in which to plan my half-marathon debut in early March, I could hardly have picked a more challenging one: The snow began in the week before Christmas, and except for about a week in February, we all learned to be grateful for just-above-freezing temperatures well into March. And "long" runs do have a tendency to shrink when done ploughing through inches of snow...

(I know, Alaskans, Norwegians and polar bears will grin at such wimpishness...)

But now the seasons have truly moved on and nature is bursting with life and colour. There isn't a day without new sights and smells to discover, and while the Bahamas often seemed a more than tempting place to be in the past months, there may be nowhere I would rather live, at this time of year, than right here.