04 / 22 / 2010

Arrival in Las Vegas - USA

After my return from Australia I only had a week to get adapted in Europe and to get used to the clock change. Hardly suited the next travel to USA had to be prepared.
My first training units after my return from Australia in Austria showed remarkable progress in all triathlon disciplines. Training with my Australian an Scottish friends in Down-Under was really efficient.

Until a couple of hours to my departure to USA it was not clear if it would be possible fly because airspace was closed for days in Europe. A couple of days ago the Iceland volcano Eyjafjallajökull erupted and created a huge cloud of dangerous ash. About 90% of European flights were cancelled for days! My booked flight from Vienna to Frankfurt was cancelled and the next one was delayed for an hour. I had to run to the international gate across the hole Frankfurt airport and to pass all security checkpoints. But I made it as very last passenger to get on board. I was really surprised that my whole luggage (mountainbike and all other equipment for my four weeks stay in US) made it, too.

TShort after my arrival in Las Vegas in the afternoon I absolved a first easy training unit.

Sunday morning the XTERRA Las Vegas takes place. It belongs to US-West Championships.
On Monday I go to Utah, Salt Lake City by car. I will spend there the next weeks at my friends house.

XTERRA news:
http://www.xterraplanet.com/news/press_article.cfm?id=2701

04 / 15 / 2010

Australia, the trip was worth it - back in Vienna

My five-weeks stay in Australia was incredibly valuable. By changing my swimming style I need much less power and I'm even faster by almost 10%. My training partners were Australian and Scottish top athletes. To train with strong people is really fun and it is also extremely efficient. Beside swimming, running and biking (MTB and road) didn't miss out. From time to time I played some golf.

A little isolated, about 9 km from the town Bairnsdale (5000 inhabitants), Mount Taylor, I found good training conditions and plenty of time for recreation. I learned a lot about country and people. Australia is a nearly uninhabited continent with so many possibilities. Why is it so far away...?

The trip back from Melbourne via Singapore and Dubai to Vienna - took me about 1 1/2 days. I really can recommend Emirates Airlines. Everything went perfect. Due to their great entertainment program time passed really fast and the bike transport was absolutely no problem.

The training goes on. A few hours after the return to Austria I did my first swim training at home.

Next journey:
I'm back on the plane on 22nd April, I'll go to Las Vegas / USA, where I race XTERRA on 25th April, my first competition as a professional. At XTERRA West Championships several world elite athletes are on the start. However my goal: a top ten position at the pros. On 23th May I will be back home. In addition to XTERRA Las Vegas more competitions in Utah are on my agenda.

I'm looking forward this summer where I will get a visit from Australia to Europe (Austria, France).

XTERRA news:
http://www.xterraplanet.com/news/press_article.cfm?id=2701

03 / 08 / 2010

Arrived safely in Australia

After a two days travel I arrived in Bairnsdale, Victoria in my host's house.

It was really a trip around the world.

A 6-hours flight from Vienna to Dubai with a Boeing 777 from Emirates was delightful. I had an 10-hours stop in Dubai but I could not see too much due to night and rain. A 14-hours flight to Melbourne I passed the jungle of India, the oceans and the uninhabited part of Australia. I was able to relax on this long flight. Food and entertainment program on board was very good.

Arrived in Melbourne I had my first adventure. Australian customs control was interested in my bike tires to check if there was any „European soil” on them.

My first action in Australia was to get rid of my winter clothes and to change it to shorts and T-shirt.

Since a had to stay a couple of hours in Melbourne I took the opportunity for sightseeing. I was really impressed of the size of this town an how clean everything was. An 3-hours ride by train took me to Bairnsdale where Charlotte's mum picked me up.

A couple of hours later I did my first running training in Down-Under.

My internet page will be updated weekly with pictures and reports, provided I have a stable internet access where I live in the rural area. My internet communication via Skype from Melbourne to Vienna was excellent.

02 / 28 / 2010

Farewell to the Austrian Armed Forces - Training in Australia

On 7 March ends my time in the army. The basic training in Carinthia was a tough time. I had no opportunity for training and a focused preparation for the XTERRA World Championships (in October 2009 on Maui / Hawaii).

The rest of my military service I spent in the Army Sports Center in Vienna, where I found much better training conditions.
3 hours of daily exercise (running, biking, swimming, strength training) should be a good base for a hopefully successful 2010 season.

The bad weather (cold, snow, fog) in Austrian winter is for a efficient triathlon training not really conducive. So I do it like many top triathletes: Leaving Austria and go south for 5 1 / 2 weeks to Australia.

On Sun, 7 March at 14.30 I fly from Vienna via Dubai to Melbourne. After a 19 hours flight there will be a 3 hour train ride to Bairnsdale.
I'm staying with my triathlon colleague Charlotte McShane www.charlottemcshane.com, who won like me 2008 on Maui, the XTERRA World Championships in the juniors categories. Charlotte is now a professional triathlete in Australia.

The goal for my training in Australia is clearly defined: Improve my swimming performance by at least 10%. Running and biking is good - but it is necessary to enhance the high level and to stabilize.
After Australia there will be further training in the U.S. from 22.4. to 23.5. including XTERRA in Las Vegas

My homepage will be updated weekly with interesting pictures and reports from „Down Under”.