Ironman Frankfurt
The long-awaited day had finally arrived! Since the end of 2023, I had this date firmly in my mind: Ironman European Championships in Frankfurt. If I had a chance for a comeback, I wanted it to happen in Frankfurt. But when my fever persisted through December and into January and February, my dream of a comeback started to fade. I felt like I would never recover, and I began to think the Ironman in Thun might have been the last race of my career.
Instead of focusing on the illness, I shifted my focus to training. It started with a cycle: three days of training, two days sick. After several weeks, I could suddenly train for four days straight and was only sick for one day. Then, on July 3rd, the fever was completely gone. Suddenly, Frankfurt and the IRONMAN became realistic again! By August 18, I had reached a fantastic level of fitness and felt confident at the start. My coach, Ben Reszel, was also convinced by my recent training sessions and the training camp in St. Moritz.
It was simply amazing to embark on another Ironman adventure! Everything was still dark as I walked to the start line with hundreds of other athletes. With headlamps in the rain and mud, we checked our bikes. Everything was in top shape and ready to go! And I was too, 100% hyped.
The start was hectic! About 80 athletes in the water, all nervous and determined to be up front. I had a fantastic start and swam right next to Hirsch, who led the swim. I managed to keep up with him, swimming at a good pace. Coming out of the water in second place, I was incredibly motivated to get on the bike!
However, once on the bike, something felt off, like I was riding with the brakes on. My power output wasn’t high, but I still couldn’t push my full potential. I stayed behind the leaders, just trying to keep up with the group, but with each kilometer, I felt more fatigued. My energy levels were running low, and I had to constantly refuel. At some point, I realized I had forgotten to take off my swim skin in transition—such a silly mistake! The compression was pressing on my thighs and stomach, but I refocused on the ride because I had to keep fighting.
After 110 km, I hit the wall. I couldn’t keep up with the surges anymore. My muscles were exhausted, and my nutrition wasn’t enough. My goal became simply reaching T2. I already knew I had no chance of running at my best. My team was excited, thinking I was holding back to unleash my strength on the run, but they had no idea what I was feeling inside.
In T2, I was so drained I could barely rack my bike or put on my running shoes. Each step was a struggle, but I stood up and started running. Carried by the amazing spectators and my team's loud cheers, I made it to the first aid station, where I downed three cups of Coke and a few gels. Suddenly, I was able to run a 3:50 pace! Maybe I could finish the race after all!
But after 10 minutes, the energy vanished again. I had to refuel, even though my stomach was full. Something was wrong, and I had to stop, exhausted, while forcing down two more gels. The race turned into a constant battle of ups and downs. I knew it wasn’t wise to push through just to finish. So, I decided to complete the first loop and accept a DNF.
It was a tough decision, but the right one, especially given my recent history. This wasn’t my last Ironman! I’ll make my real comeback, maybe even later this year 😉, and I’ll show you that I can come back stronger! I won’t give up!