70.3 Oceanside
Oceanside 70.3 – Pro Series
I was really looking forward to finally showing my fitness at the first race of the season in Oceanside. After some great training camps with Patrick Lange in Mallorca, I arrived in California early to be well-prepared. The build-up and training went smoothly, and I was ready to give it everything – especially since this season is the most important of my career.
Race Morning – 4 AM
It was cold and still dark, but I woke up quickly – alert and focused on the task ahead. My goal: a top-10 finish in this stacked field and to stay within striking distance of the front for valuable points in the Pro Series ranking. My training had been more Ironman-focused than 70.3, so I was slightly concerned about my speed over the shorter distance.
Swim Start
Still dark. The air freezing. The water even worse. I was shivering and desperately needed a warm-up – but that was tough in these conditions. I lined up well in the middle of the ~70 pro men at the start. A huge field, many big names – including one Olympic champion and three Ironman world champions. I thought, “Let’s see if I can make that top 10…”
Right from the start, I actually felt good. In an Ironman, I'm usually alone after 150m, but here there were still tons of guys around me. It was clear: this swim would be a big battle. I couldn’t see much – it was still too dark – and I had no feet to follow. After just 200m, I was already cooked. I had to slow down. Guys were flying past me, and I was just trying to hang on. I was breathing like crazy but not moving well. After about 1km, the sun finally came out – which somehow made it worse, as now I was blinded and still struggling. I was just hoping to finish that deadly swim!
I exited the water far off the front, breathing heavily – but determined to chase. I started the run to T1 fast, knowing I had to catch that first bike group. That was my shot. My mistake? Putting on socks. Those few seconds cost me. I just missed the first group, and the pace was so brutal that I couldn’t close the gap – even though I was pushing hard.
To make matters worse, my Garmin didn’t connect to the power meter at the start. I had to manually pair it after about 15 minutes, and by then I was already in no man’s land – just focusing on power and heart rate.
The Bike
At a U-turn, I spotted Lionel Sanders just behind me. That was my chance. I prepared to jump on his wheel – the only way back into the race. I was riding around 320 watts with a heart rate of 160, but once I latched on, it jumped to 360 watts and 168 bpm for about 15–20 minutes. It was brutal, but we were flying. It was the perfect ride – until we hit the first hill. Lionel just rode away. I tried everything to stay with him, but on the climb, there was zero benefit from the draft. He was gone.
I rode the rest of the loop solo and gave it everything, still hoping to stay as close to the front as possible for the Pro Series points.
Getting off the bike, I was really tired. Heavy legs. I honestly wasn’t sure if I could even finish. But as soon as I slipped into my ON Strikes, something changed. I felt good. The power came back. I found a smooth stride and started pushing.
I reeled in athlete after athlete and moved closer to the top 10. For how wrecked my legs were from the bike, they still carried me surprisingly well. I could feel the pace was fast. On the last lap, I moved into 8th place and just focused on holding it to the finish. I was starting to fade, and my legs began cramping badly with 2km to go. I was worried I might have to stop, but I kept pushing, step by painful step, until the finish line finally came into view.
Every step hurt, but it was absolutely worth it.
Result: 8th Place
Considering the rough start in the water, this top 10 felt amazing! The big focus has always been Ironman Texas, but this result gave me a huge motivation boost for the next one – just three weeks to go. Wish me luck!
