Am Wochenende kommt definitiv der Rest vom Rennen 2015 - bin dann wieder richtig in Germanien angekommen und finde endlich Zeit dafür!
Zur Überbrückung hier noch ein kurzer Report aus dem Jahr 2000. Markus Wiedemann kramte im Dezember dieses Bild aus, was mich dazu veranlasste, meine Erinnerungen niederzuschreiben
ULTRAMAN HAWAII 2000
WHY I'M NOT LAUGHING ON THE PIC ?
VERY LATE SHORT RACE REPORT !
Markus Wiedemann send that picture today (together with the 2000 Champ Velepec Uroš and the 1996 Champ Eric Seedhouse) End of Day 2 at the finish in Hawi!
Brings up very emotional and special memories to me !
SWIM
I was approx. at the 9k mark a bit under 2h30 - a little motorboat came along and told my paddler and me, we had to go around that one buoy maybe 200m ahead! My thoughts were already in the transition to bike and was sure to finish the swim under 2h50. I was already announced to come out of the water. I could see the buoy and the straight way to it was right against the current! I swam for 2 Hours at the same spot, like in an endless pool, always the same house at the shore! I was so focussed to reach that fucking buoy and had no Plan B! My paddler also, never comes up with the Idea to cross like sailors do! Then after 4,5h, without more food and less power, I agreed to jump onto the motor boat! The following 5min were the most desillusionate minutes in my live! I don't know how I found the motivation to start the bike - I guess there is something in the Ultra Endurance people, some special gene or skill! And for sure it was my Crew - Judith, my Southafrican friend Johan and his son Rudolph! Funny thing that it was my best bike on day 1 (under 5h35)! End of day 1 - I can remember a depressive evening at the wonderful Volcano House ! 7 athletes didn't finished the swim and 10 more didn't made the cutoff ! 4 or 5 came in close before 12 Hours. At dinner I was not sure if I will start day 2.
Day 2: I decided to race BUT the 17 'unofficial' athletes has to start 5 min after the remaining 18 'officials'
Again I had a strong Bike, came in a bit under 8h, 2 min behind Markus who claimed Pos 2. Uros was in his own league with 7h20! During the 8 hours biking I was able to get rid of the fact that I'm out of the race! BUT after the finish, as you can see in the pic, I fell into depression again and totally sure I will not run Day 3. No real appetite. Not enough drinking and salt tablets for the coming day - means no preperation for a Double Marathon through the Lava fields, as it was planned. And absolute no motivation to do that monster unofficially !
Day 3: Yes you guessed it already ;-)
I raced again - don't ask me how !?
Ask Judith, I refused Bananas, Gels and other stuff! I ran the damned course with water and some electrolytes in 7h40min and at the Finish had a Heat Stroke ! Collapsed half an hour after the finish under the indoor shower! I only recognized Judith by name, all other people are strangers to me! Judith fed me the whole night with vegetable Juice and Saltchips ! Next morning I was back :-)
I never wrote these memories down BUT they are so alive and strong after 15 years, while I'm sitting here in Kailua Kona again !
Overall my 2000 Performance was one of my Best - mentally maybe my outstanding one 👌
It was no official Finish BUT for me it was ! Believe me I swam more than 6.2 miles on that f.... Day 1. It was a Finish under the rules and the spirit of ULTRAMAN (which is propably the race of my Life)
THX Markus Wiedemann for bringing up these amazing year 2000 memories 😎
Mahalo nui loa
Joe