4:40 am. The alarm clock goes off and I`m on my feet. Last check, everything is done and then we`re in the car and on the airport. It`s the day I waited for since winter. I`ll be racing in the 2nd Bundesliga in Germany! I am so excited! After 1,5h we arrived in Frankfurt and after an additional 30min we got to Darmstadt, where we stayed during the trip. At the race location everything was prepared for the next days races. Unfortunately the weather god didn`t play along and I couldn`t check out the swim course because of thunderstorms. I had a run cours familiarization and felt good. I met my teammates from SV Würzburg 05 and was more than happy I got the opportunity to experience this high class event.
As I went to bed 10000 different thoughts swirled through my head, excitement as well as worries and concerns, but most of all I was thankful.
6:50 am. RACEDAY. Racekit on, Race-breakfast in, Racemode on! Meet up with the team, Check In and then the final hour before the start began. Everything at this race was organized carefully and very professional. The teams stick together the whole time, which was a nice but different experience to my normal races were I am alone by myself.
30min to the start. The boys already took off, while we went down to the warm up zone.
10min to the start. All teams got together and called out. We lined up and then the countdown began.
On your marks. peng! And we took off!!
The water was boiling and every stroke was a fight. Everytime I took a breath I got hit by someone. We were 40 women that tried to swim the best route to the first turning point. All of a sudden I got kicked on the head severely, it took me a few seconds to get going again. I kept swimming and got out of the water in the 2nd pack. I felt a bit dizzy but usually it takes a few meters and I´m good again. This didnt happen here. I took my bike and hopped on, but nearly fell off. I kept going but after 500m I had no energy left in my body, I tried to stop but it went black and I fell. I woke up to a young man talking to me and holding me up. After a few minutes the paramedics came and took me to the hospital. I spent several hours in there. The doc made the diagnosis: Concussion & exsiccosis, and suspicion on heart stumbling. Well great, right?
If I werent feeling like shit already I would have kicked my butt. I was and still am so pissed off. I do not understand why it had to be me? I am persecuted by misfortune for a while now and it makes me angry and weakens my energy levels. You might think: it was just a race, dont overreact, but its more than that. And I am getting tired of getting up, going all the way up just to be thrown to the ground again and do it all over again. Next weeks race is cancelled and I need to rest for a week.
We`ll see what the future brings but I really hope it will be something good.
