Training around X-mas

On wednesday I went to the gym to lift weights whilst standing on a balance board and did exercises with my own body weight and a swissball.

Not my socks! But this is some kind of balance board.

After that I did two hours of indoor cycling.
I was pretty exhausted on thursday after this and due to X-mas preparations and feeling tired I rested that day.

On friday the 23rd I went running for 50 min. incl. 5 sprints and some running exercises plus 3 times 800 m. in my 10k racepace. In the evening I went to my triathlon clubs swimming pool, but I confused training times and could only swim for 25 minutes.

Saturday= Christmas eve, the day on which most X-mas rituals take place in this part of Germany. We went to my girlfriends parents. Before that we had to go shopping for some final presents, so I went running to the shopping with my daughter on the bike. Just around 30 minutes, but alright for a christmas eves run. Did some minutes of exercises after getting home.
Then off to Brittas parents and to the feast. Ate some very delicious traditional german "Rouladen" made of soyprotein, "Knödel" and "Rotkohl".

Rouladen, Knödel, Rotkohl

Had a pea soup as starter and some creamy whip with oranges as dessert. Amazing! I was very full and me and my daughter had to go running for 5 minutes to level out. Presents: I got this book which translates to "Long distance triathlon once in a lifetime".

 

 So I guess my family has coped with my decision.
On the first day of Christmas we went to my parents. I just did 1.30h on my fitnessbike before we went there. Got some money there that I definitely need for some triathlon gear or the application for my long distance once. While on my bike my daughter supported me with Christmas music on her new piano. Awesome!
Dec 26th we had invited my bandmates as well as a few friends to have brunch with us. Me and Firat went running before that. We went to the "Gesundheitspark Quellenbusch" and did a barefeet run there. There is some sort of route which is not really taken care of in wintertime, but it was an experience.
After that we got to the feast, prepared a little more and started eating. All was vegan. My girlfriends "Donauwelle" (translates with "wave of Danube" is a very creamy cherry-chocolate sort of cake).

Donauwelle

I made baguettes with tomatoes and herbalgarlic oil. We also had a chickpeas spread, fruits, potatoeballs, beans, my daughter baked wafers, a friend brought "Mett" (which usually is raw mince used as a spread for bread), another self baked baguette with pepper. It was a real feast!

Mett

"Veggie Athletes" Shirts available soon

Here you can see pics of the "Veggie Athletes" Shirts, which will soon be up for sale. More info will follow soon and on the website of Alles-vegetarisch.de.

Girlshirt backside

Girlshirt front

Tanktop backside

Tanktop front

shirt backside

shirt front

Meanwhile you can check their webshop anyways, as it is just great!

Training sat-tuesday
On saturday noon I started to ride my fitnessbike at home for 30 minutes and later on I went into the gym to do indoor cycling. Unluckily the instructor was sick, so I went on the fitnessbike there and on the rowboat machine. In the end I have spent 1.40h cycling + some more minutes rowing. Almost two hours of sports.
On sunday me and a friend wanted to go running at the Schloss Burg in Solingen, but we just walked around, did a tour in the castle, which is one of the best presevered ones in the west of Germany and then went drinking a tea. Later on I was trying to move a piano (X-mas present for my daughter) from the other stret to our house, but we couldn't. So we went eating at Cakes 'n' Treats in Dortmund again. Had a nice Hawaiiburger. Picked up my daughter later this evening from her friend in Dortmund and drove back home. Had loads of stuff to do for the X-mas party at school as well as the usual stuff for the week, so I ended up doing NOTHING! Crazy, but yeah... muscles can only grow in a period of resting.
On monday I ran to the dentist of my little one with her (her on a bike). In the evening I cycled to the gym to go running on the treadmill, but it had been shut down. No nice gym in my hometown anymore. Shiat!
Cycled back and went on my fitnessbike for another 30 minutes. So in total I did 1.10h on bikes and 40 running.
This tuesday morning I went to the pool near the Centro "Aquapark" where I usually swim on tuesdays, but that one was closed, too, due to a control of the whole building. Went as fast as possible to Herne to swim in the Südpool. Could only do 40 minutes before heading to school. At school I also did the sports around noon with a big group of kids and showed them some exercises with swiss- and fitnessballs. Was much fun. After that I had to grab some food and prepare for the X-mas party. Before getting home from the party I was happy to get some nice white cherry chocolate from my girl. It is very delicious.

I guess all of them are tasty but the right one kills it!

 I had friends coming to help me moving the piano from the other street to our house, but I can tell you it wasn't as easy as here, although we were four persons. It was heavy as f***. Thanks to my bros Ingo and Kiki and my uncle for helping me!