Eclipse Fitness

It is no secret that I love to travel! Other loves in my life include food, beer, wine, exercising, socialising and the West Coast Eagles (granted, the last one is not giving me too much joy at the moment!). Taking all these things into consideration, the Quelle Challenge Roth in Germany seemed a natural choice when I decided I wanted to compete in a European Ironman. I had seen numerous reports and heard many stories billing it as the “best triathlon in the world”….and after experiencing first-hand the beautiful Bavarian countryside and local hospitality I can honestly say that this classic race well and truly deserves its reputation! So what makes it so unique?

Here are just a few aspects that make the “Challenge” such an awesome and very different race experience…and why you should add it to your must-do list:

The Friendly Germans: The major factor that seems to draw people back to the race year after year is the people. The boisterous support of the locals needs to be seen to be believed….and I’m not just talking about on race day when they line the course 150, 000 deep! From the second you get off the plane the Germans love of triathlon is obvious. They take great pride in their race and are most welcoming to any visitors…..if you are a “starter” you are a star!!!

They love Australia! Not only do the residents of Roth love triathletes, they have a particular soft spot for Australians! They think Chris McCormack in particular is a living god!! Anything to do with our country they love …and even though I got told so many times “You Australians…you so crazy!!” it was always said with a smile and an affectionate shake of the head.
Note: I do have some sad news for Mr McCormack. His title of Roth’s favourite Australian son is under threat….by my inflatable kangaroo “Skippy”! Skip loved his time in Roth and was all decked out for the trip in his lederhosen pants and beer fest hat….and he proved on race day his popularity with the German crowd by becoming the most photographed person since Princess Diana.

The Course Itself: The day starts with the swim in the picturesque Donau Canal, a narrow shipping lane running through central Bavaria. On race morning the banks of the canal are packed, as are the bridges that cross over the top, giving you the impression you are swimming in a fishbowl. How many Ironmans can you HEAR the crowd the whole way while you’re in the water? As for the bike, all I can say is “How’s the serenity?” It feels like you are in the Tour de France as you roll through twenty-two villages on super-smooth roads. Mind you, even though the bike has a reputation for being fast, it is not easy and not flat! If you pace yourself well and are cycling strong you will go fast, but as soon as you push too hard too early, or start to “lose it” in any way the course will sting you!! The run is mainly along the beautiful, tree-lined trails of the canal and is filled with spectators at each turn-around point. You even run through a Beer Garden!! Then to finish off the day, enter the U-shaped finishing chute with a purpose built stadium for 20,000 spectators!!

Beer in the recovery tent: Yes, you read correctly!! Straight after the race grab your little plastic cup and fill up. It’s non-alcoholic but that’s not the point!

Nudity: From the unisex transition change tent, group showers and athletes changing uninhibited on the shores of the Donau Canal….you are bound to see some interesting sights! Etched on my brain forever is the male athlete who decided stopping by a tree during the run leg was simply a waste of time…..it is much easier to just pull your old fella out of your tri shorts and aim it in the general direction of the bushes as he continued on his merry way!!

My Race Day
After spending the week prior to the race enjoying (maybe a little too much!) the quaint town of Hilpoltstein, race day dawned upon us. Bouts of Ross River and Parvo Virus over the Australian summer had sidelined me from racing since October 07, so I was absolutely jumping out of my skin with excitement at being allowed to race again! I awoke race morning with the usual butterflies of anticipation in my stomach and the constant rainfall only put a slight damper on my spirits as I set up my bike in transition.

With 30 minutes to go before race start I had my first stressful moment of the day, when I noticed that my timing chip was no longer attached to my leg!! I said “Bugger” (editored and censored version) and began a mad dash of running around transition trying to find a) someone who could speak English b) someone who could help me (and speak English!). With 10 minutes remaining I was all set to go with my new “transponder”….leaving me just enough time to shimmy into my wetsuit, dump my street clothes in the appropriate truck and make my way down to the start on time.

I left with the first wave of competitors at 6.20am, leaving with all females, the “Sub 9 Hour” group and all “Top Starters” (professionals). Possibly due to the fact my heart rate had already been at sky high levels for quite a while due to my timing-chip induced panic attack, I did not feel comfortable from the start. I really struggled in the swim which is normally a strength of mine. I felt like I was hyperventilating and actually pulled off to the side for a while to float on my back and try and clam down!! It was only after the turn-around buoy that I managed to find some rhythm and felt like I was breathing normally. By this stage I was stuck in a pack going quite a bit slower than I would have liked. I decided it would be easier to stay on some feet and conserve energy for later on in the day, rather than make a break for it! The highlight of the swim was when we passed under the bridge and you could see and hear the spectators roaring over the top of us!!

Now it was time for the amazing bike course I had heard so much about! The rain continued and apparently crowd numbers were down but you couldn’t tell. Spectators seemed to be everywhere yelling and screaming for you! The Bier Mile was packed, as were all the towns and major climbs with people screaming “Hop, hop, hop!!” “Super!” and “Give gas!” (put your foot on the gas pedal! ie go fast!). They also yelled a whole heap of other sayings I couldn’t understand but I presume they were positive!! Passing through the towns was a buzz, with music, local support and someone on the microphone making you sound a big deal…and the more you smiled the more cheers you got!

At the 70km mark I hit the Solar Berg for the first time and….WOW!! You hear the Berg before you see it….and when you turn the corner you are confronted with a noisy, crazy mob!! My first thought was “How the hell am I going to fit through them?”….but as you start to climb the crowd magically parts and the next 400m is people screaming in your face, pumping their fists at you and waving clappers in a form of organised European chaos 12000 people strong! No wonder Macca calls this the “best climb in triathlon”! To add to my delight, the Mayor of Hilpoltstein, who was on the microphone, called out “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!” I had taught him this saying at the Hilpoltstein “Strachen Fest” (street festival) on the Friday night and I was stoked he remembered!!

The crowd and beautiful scenery were my saving grace on the first lap of the bike as I struggled to cope with the cold and constant rain, both physically and mentally. I know I was not the only one who suffered…another Aussie athlete told me the next day that the highlight of his race was when he pissed on himself because it warmed his legs up!! I made a few mental commitments to myself to be better prepared with warmer clothing in the future.

Another aspect the rain added to the race was slippery roads and you had to make sure you were concentrating 100%, especially on the more tricky descents. The sound of ambulance wails throughout the day was quite common. I even had a “bonding experience” with a hay barrel at one stage and was lucky that both I and “Sheila Scott” (bike) came away from the incident unscathed.

It was on this second lap, about 120km into the bike that I found myself in a situation that I know many age-group girls find themselves in….having to deal with males who hate you passing them!!! As soon as you pass, they speed up and pass you straight back….and then slow down big time and hold you up!! I was in the middle of dealing with a few such egos when I got called for drafting for the first time ever!! What a croc...I still don’t believe that I was doing anything wrong. All you can do is cop it on the chin and serve your time.

This drafting penalty was pretty much the end of my day…not because it killed me mentally (trust me, I’ve been through worse in an Ironman!) but because I became that bloody cold standing in the tent and I never recovered! It seemed like forever I just stood there and I had no idea for how long because my watch had stopped working in the rain!! The next day Belinda Granger told me that drafting penalties in Roth are 8 minutes!!

By the time I got back on my bike I was shaking uncontrollably and everything felt like lead. I don’t deal well with cold. Anyone who rides with me will tell you my coffee breaks are limited in winter because I become borderline hyperthermic whenever I stop moving…and even my students could tell you that Miss Downs’s lips turn blue on the oval in the early morning chill!

The first thing I had to do after my penalty was a descent. This didn’t exactly warm me up! I made the turn to climb Greding (the biggest climb of the course!) and found I couldn’t do it! My legs were cramping too bad from the cold!! I stopped a few times going up the climb just to shake my legs out. To the spectators credit…they don’t let you give up!! Every time I got off my bike I was surrounded by the “German Army” yelling and screaming support at me and pumping their fists!! It was both an encouraging and scary experience!! One thing that was said to me that I did understand was “You are blue! You are blue!” Of course I was…. I was freezing!
After this my body began to shut down. I started throwing up my nutrition and my stomach was unable to take anything in. Where in the first lap I had felt strong, now all my muscles were numb and I felt quite pitiful and weak as I spun my way back into town.

By the time I got to the run I was struggling to hold anything down and was feeling quite dizzy and shaky….and I had changed colour! I was no longer “blue” but “white” (which I became aware of thanks to the observant ladies in the tent!). I ran past my support crew at the 5km mark and remarked how “shiten housen” I was feeling. I knew that from here on in it was going to be a matter of pressing the auto pilot button and keep moving forward.

I struggled through the first half of the run with vomiting, cramps and a thumping headache. I still couldn’t feel my feet, they had frozen during my drafting penalty and were like lumps of ice...contributing to a very public “stack” in front of the supporters in the town of Eckersmuhlen at the first run-turn around! This fall left me with blood gushing from my knee...adding a bit of red to my colour scheme!! At least now with my “blue” lips, “white” skin and “red” leg I was showing my love of my country…I was the same colours as an Aussie flag!! Despite the suffering, the scenic, tree-lined trails along the canal provided an escape. It had finally stopped raining! The view was beautiful and helped me remain positive about what I was doing.

At about the halfway mark of the run I started to feel slightly better and my running legs came back a little. I stopped throwing up, however it was becoming increasingly obvious that my lack of caloric intake was going to be a problem! By 30km, the petrol tank was well and truly empty. I was going have to rely on fumes to drag my sorry arse home!!

I was starting to “lose it” and have scattered memories from here on in, but I do remember the heavens opening again...big time!! Running into the horseshoe shaped stadium for the finishing chute and the ground was half underwater!! I was nearly home. Skippy was passed to me for the finish line and together we crossed for a 10.49 finish. I have always found it highly amusing when people can manage to run to the line…but as soon as they cross it they collapse! Well, it must be karma because on crossing the line at Roth I became that limp, rag-doll person who is unable to use their legs or hold up their neck! The volunteers caught me and were carrying me towards the recovery tent when my stubborn independent streak took over and I managed to persuade them I was actually fine and could walk by myself! Big mistake!! My spinning head meant I could barley stand let alone walk! The end result was me staggering into the recovery tent like a groom returning home from his buck’s night! I was quickly guided to the medical tent……where my rather adventurous day finished up under a thermal blanket!!

A comment I was to hear plenty of the next day...”I’ve raced here the last five years and it’s NEVER been cold and NEVER rained like that before” Well, good for you!

The question is, after a day like that, would I go back? Most definitely!! Apart from the weather (which I like to think would not happen again), the scenery is exceptional and the support you receive on course is hard to describe in words. I have raced Hawaii twice and as a race experience, Roth even tops the Big Island. I cannot wait to return to Roth at some stage in the future. I have not only promised Diana and Luggi (a Hilpoltstein couple) that I will come back and home stay with them….I also promised Diana that next time I will bring my “mother without a husband” for her “father without a wife!”