ITU World's Countdown.

Well, the count down is on. Tomorrow I will fire up my muscles once more and then it will already be time for the Grande Finale on Saturday.
ITU World Championships 2009.
It will be my 4th World Championships, this time racing for the German National Team. The event is going to be huge; and I have a feeling of honor and appreciation for myself.
I went to Gary today; in order to get my race wheels on. He also put a good-luck (and good-looking, too) Carbon water bottle holder on as well, worth 120 bucks. I will be a race machine on Saturday. It’s going to be an exceptional experience no matter the outcome. The best athletes of the world are going to go beyond their limits; each and every one of them. It’s going to be a big pool of adrenalin and personal emotions. That’s what triathlon is – being the individuals best- as pure as it gets. LETS BITE!

Wilderness Riding Ipswich

Yesterday two friends of mine, Gary and Scott took me to Ipswitch, about 1 hour drive inland of Brisbane. Riding there was soul soothing!! It reminded me of going along Haleakala. There were no houses, hardly any cars, just a nicely paved road. I have missed “riding” since I arrived in Australia. I mean riding without constant up and down and stops due to stop signs or pedestrians. It was the nicest training day since being in Australia.
Gary is “my” bike fitter and Scott is “my” massage therapist. They have been my super supporter team for World’s.
Gary Land owns Pro Bike Fit, which uses the Retuel Bike Fitting System. He set me up on my Felt and even lent me his carbon Trek TT, which I have been riding for 2 weeks. He will even give me aerowheels and aerohelmet for ITU World’s. He is amazing! Scott Robinson, aka Mascott is a cyclist competing at World level and Massage Therapist at Uni Queensland and also operates out of his home. He has worked on athletes from the Australian Institute of Sport, Queensland Academy of Sport, New South Wales Institute of Sport, Victorian Institute of Sport, South Australian Institute of Sport and the West Australian Institute of Sport. Impressive list. He knows what he is doing!
Just as Aussis name their bikes, they give each other nick names. So Scott is Mascott when cycling and Gary is Grasshopper. I'll let you know what I will get stamped with ...

Enjoy the little videos for your entertainment!!

Music'ing my life

Music is great. Lots of songs oftentimes say it all, just shouting and crying it out.
If anybody would like to share their top 10 songs with me, I'd be happy!

Surf

In 2 weeks I will head to Oahu for a visit. I feel like coming back HOME! I have been thinking about surfing a lot recently. Within the first weeks after I had arrived on Oahu, a friend, Kurt, gave me a board, took me to Waikiki and told me to paddle around for now. I did not understand what he said and took off. It took me one try to stand up. I surfed wave after wave for about 15 minutes. I did not know how to take it from there so I paddled back in. I think being a gymnast makes it easy to learn surfing. Thereafter I surfed every morning for sunrise. I did so for about a year or so, then sold my boards, because triathlon took over. I think the biggest I have ever surfed was 5-6 foot Hawaiian measures. This picture was taken on Xmas Day 2008. Some friends were heading out for a morning MTB ride up St Louis with T1 to surfing and T2 for a drink at Hilton on the beach. Paradise!
The plans for my trip: Get a surf in!!

An Expert Needs To Know His/Her Field

One of the classes that I am attending is Anatomy of the human body. You might not have anticipated, but I have been a head rubbing expert for about 2 years now. If I ever happen to head rub again, I won't just "head rub". I will make sure to take care of the most favorite area, the nuchal lines; four curved lines on the external surface of the occipital bone: The highest is the nuchal line where the galea aponeurotica is attached.
Below the highest nuchal line is the superior nuchal line. To it is attached the Sternocleidomastoid muscle, Occipitalis muscle, and Splenius capitis muscle, and the trapezius muscle.
From the external occipital protuberance a ridge or crest, the median nuchal line, descends to the foramen magnum, and affords attachment to the ligamentum nuchæ.
Running from the middle of this line is the inferior nuchal line. Attached are the Obliquus capitis superior muscle, Rectus capitis posterior major muscle, and Rectus capitis posterior minor muscle.

NO WONDER IT FEELS SO GOOD TO GET RUBBED THERE.

MY new Car

I bought a car. It was a fantastic deal and I love it, except the steering.. Since all Aussis seem to name their bikes just as their name pets, I decided I put on a competition for naming my car. You will win something if your name suggestions is selected! So email me or comment here to submit your ideas!

Brissy

I am finally a bit settled in here in Brissy. This is the house I live in, together with Rod Cedaro and his family. Check out his site at crocsquad.com. Soon the pool will be finished as well as the gym. Also, Rod will make his own performance lab in the house, with trainer, treatmill and lactate measurements. A private Training School; that’s how it will feel like for me. I just have to head out the door and I am in the greens of the nicest hills in the area, Mt Cootha. It is nicest at Sunrise as you can see to the right. Looks like Tantalus, doesn’t it?