Open water season has begun!

Yo! I am happy to anounce the opening of the open water season in the Ruhr Area in western germany.
Went lakeswimming today for the second time after yesterday. It feels so so good. Not for my pal who was with me (first time swimming in a lake in a wetsuit), but I love to swim there again. My hotspot is the 6-Seen-Platte in Duisburg-Wedau (close to the Stadium of MSV Duisburg). 6-Seen-Platte means 6 lakes area. I usually go for the Wolfssee. Where I usually hang out, there is a nice, small sandy beach. You can also have barbecues there, it has supergood running routes. It just pleases all my needs.

I have been interviewed for another nice blog you should check out called beVegt. It will be online in the first week of June!

I am very happy of having done a few trainings with a guy from my Triathlon Club "Nordtriathleten" and finding a new buddy with whom I did quite a few trainings already. Luckily he is also vegan, so we're now the vegan triathlete power duo, when we're running, cycling or swimming around.
Actually he is the only other real vegan triathlete near my hometown I know, and the other way round, so we're quite happy. This might sound homosexual to some, but it is not... Just happy of having a trainingbuddy with a similar ethical mindset!

This is how to make healthy Kartoffelpuffer/Reibekuchen (potato pancakes):
grate potatoes
add wheat flour, wheat germs, soy flour, onions, nutmeg and oatflakes and make a dough out of it.
Fry the dough (in the size of the palm of a hand) in a pan.
Wait until it is golden.
Eat with apple puree!

Two of my 4th grade schoolboys thought more critically towards vegetarianism. I have strengthened their thoughts and now they claim to be veggies. I ahve brought them a few things to try out (schnitzel, meat slices) and they even made the schools canteen go veggie for one week. I am happy and proud.
Another kdi just told me today that he and his father went to a sheeps slaughterhouse a few days ago and he doesn't want to eat meat again. We'll see if they will maintain, but at least they got an image of how cruel the meat industry is and how easy it is to live an alternative and healthy way.

Training April 29th- May 12th
29th: Went to the RTF in Dorsten with dudes from my Triathlon club. In total 200km cycling.
30th: 5km running as quickly as possible in 18.26min.
1st of May: 1h exercises at home (stability and strength) and then 30km to Herne and 30km back on my roadbike
2nd: 57 min running incl. 4 sprints
3rd: 3.2km swimming, then exercises for stability and strength
4th: 28km to Herne and 28 km back to Oberhausen
5th: 3.2km swimming in the morning, 1 h spinning, 5 min rowing, 40 min hillrun intervalls and 3 min rowing.

6th: 65 min cycling on my fitnessbike (endurance strength), then 106 min running incl. 3 sprints
7th: 10 sprints, then 5km running in 18.46min
8th: 3.2km swimming
9th: 10 sprints, then 5km running in 8.53min, then lifting weights
10th: Badminton with my daughter
11th: 2.7km swimming, then a few nice exercises (stability and strength)
12th: 64 min running incl. 3 sprints, 1.5h cycling on my fitnessbike

Cycling 200km, recovery music

I have read about the results of music after races. Scientist say that you can recover 20% faster with your fave music playing right after your competition. american runnersworld german article

 When I come back home after a tough training or race I always like to put this on and it makes me chill out:

On Sunday April 28th I have joined my first ever RTF in Dorsten. Me and my clubmates went there by bike, cycled the 151km route and cycled back. The food provided on the route was nice (vegan müslibars, apples, breadrolls with seeds and tea) and the whole thing was totally worth the 6€. I will definitely take part in one of these RTFs more often. It was also my longest bikeride ever, but it felt good, although I couldn't hang on with the faster dudes on my team. Anyways... I can really recommend RTFs. Might not be news to anyone, but was to me.

On mondays I do take part on a testing by a sports scientist in Duisburg. I have to warm up differently every monday and then run a 5km race. Last week I ran my personal best (only ran 5km once in some hilly wood race) in 18.23min.

A friend of mine's friend had just created a vegan protein powder and needs some financial help before it will see the light of day. Here's the link to his advertisment. I hope it will see the light of day soon!

Training April 18th - 28th

18th: Did 2h of spinning (fatburner and power cycling)

19th: Swam 3,4km

20th: Training with my kids from school for their Halfmarathon Relay in Herne: 25min plus 5 min, slow pace

21st: Ran the Bleilochlauf in Schleiz (24km) in 1.39h. Ended 2.25min faster than last year. Climbed two routes later on in the climbing hall of the SEZ. Muscles sore!

22nd: Had to support my schoolkids on the HM relay so after these 21km my muscle got even more sore. Went to the Sauna and slept there for an hour.

23rd: Had a Thaimassage. Felt better. At the testing I had to run 5km in 20min and then 5km all out. Needless to say my muscles were still sore.

24th: Went swimming early in the morning. Training was exhausting. Muscles felt better.

25th: Lifted weights and did exercises for stability. Not much else. Tired!

26th: 53 min running incl. 3 sprints

27th: 63 min cycling on my fitnessbike for strength endurance, 2.8km swimming

28th: 90 min running incl. sprints, exercises, 6x3 min hillruns.