We had a great time in Australia and felt like home. For the first time we had a homestay and were so lucky. Never met before, but just some days later felt like being friends (or even more family!). For me it was the first time in Australia and I immediately felt in love with the people, the country and the style of living. Good and healthy food, even better coffee and perfect training conditions. We not only enjoyed the lapped 50m pool but also attended the swim squad (thanks for the warm welcome!). If this wasn’t enough, we met with Mel Hausschildt who showed us around on her training routes. From the first day on we were getting familiar with the area around Noosa. Last trainings went perfect except running felt strange, my stride felt somehow different. Having one of my best massages ever we found out that this was caused by a sore glute. We worked on it and I felt fine and fresh, ready to race:

My day did not start well, I somehow got stopped at the swim start and it felt like ever to manage it to swim to the front, just to realize I missed the group. Kind of trying to not make it even worse, I put lots of effort into the swim, so I was more than surprised when Chris told me it was a PB in the swim. Good way to start a race.

Now I was ready to rock it on the bike, that was at least the plan, but sometimes it comes different. The run in T1 took forever. Just thinking if they maybe changed the rules and I didn’t know, I finally got to my red bull. In short distance to Laura I started the bike. Closing my shoes, approaching the turnaround, my left hamstring shot down, I had a cramp I never had before. Trying to get rid of it with just moving and pedaling did not work at all, every time I bent my knee it got worse. So I had to rest and stretch, I clapped and massaged it and all the other did pass me. Rolling like this for already 5 minutes I just thought that I am not coming all the way to DNF and no matter what, I will finish the race. Some minutes later I was able to push again with both legs. It still was there and it felt strange but surprisingly I was able to stay with my expected watts. I caught back the other girls, just to take them with me until the 50k mark. I spent a few k’s riding at second weighing up my options, riding in second, saving some power and saving energy for the run but going slower or making my own race. I went for the second and I am glad I made a fair race. I pushed really hard on the last 20k to make a move from the group and finally did. When I jumped off my red bull at the dismount line, well I didn’t jump due to my sore hamstring,  I was already on the run course trying to catch as many girls as possible and having one of those runs I had in my other races this year. I wasn’t with myself in that moment and so it happened that I did open my helmet some seconds too early, but that’s the rule and I got to close it again and again to first rack my bike. Loosing again some seconds… what a day, I stayed calm.

Starting into the run I immediately felt that I had to work hard. It did not feel like running that day, my stride was short,  I could not push. I never felt the rhythm, it was just hard work and I guess it did look as horrible as it felt. Don’t give up and keep pushing and smiling was what was in my mind and so I kept fighting and even passing some girls, finishing 14th.

Breaking into tears cause of being dissapointed by such a black day due to what happened during the race. It took me some days, exactly 3, when I was back at work on the preterm intensive care and all my colleagues where nothing but happy for me. Now I am proud of what I achieved, PB in the swim, the bike and overall, placing 14th in the pro field at the 70.3 world championship.

Thanks to everyone who believes in me and helps me make my dream come true, for this I work hard, every day.

Thanks to our families, the Stienens, the Deckers and the Hamblins!!! Thanks to Chris for pushing me, understanding me, loving me!

And of course thank you to all my partners.