Reproduced from Yvonne’s official web page (http://www.yvonnevanvlerken.eu)
It feels like it’s many weeks ago that I raced Challenge Roth, but when we really count it’s only 3,5 weeks since one of my favorite races. In this time I haven’t found the energy or desire to write a story, so this time the update appears a little later. After winning Challenge Roth in 2007 and 2008 I was very focussed on doing the same this year. My preperation for the big day had gone splended. Five and three weeks before the big day I did two half Distance races as a preperation. You can read about both Challenge Kraichgau and Triathlon Stein, in my earlier story. With two wins under my belt I felt very confident for my return to Roth. Training at my parents place in the Netherlands had gone very well well. My dad even noticed that he had to go faster to walk along while I was doing my long open water swims. While running he acompanied me several times on the bike and also there, he found it ridicilous how much effort he had to put in to keep up. Thanks for all the help dad, your awesome! And thank you mum as well for spoiling me to dead with food and attention.
So getting to Roth as fresh and well trained as never I knew I was going to have a great day. I loved seeing many friends that I hadn’t seen for a long time. One of them was Guido Vroemen. He has helped me from the beginning of my carreer and still works for the Dutch Triathlon Federation. I did my Saturday race preps with him and like old times we had tons of fun! The race started with a strong swim. I was not even three minutes down on the leading girls. It really looks like all the hard work on my weakest discipline is paying off. I can’t tell you guys how happy I’m with this! Siri promised me that she would improve my swim. Well she keeps her promises! So just keep believing, trying hard and even when you get dissapointed over and over again, believe that one day you will get it right, because you will! Back to the race, I must have been smiling all over starting the bike leg. I even shouted to people that I had a great swim.
I felt so proud and knew I was totally on schedule. As my biking has been so strong the whole year, I hoped I would catch Caroline. It seems I’ve made the best discission ever, to change to Simplon. Everybody expected Caroline coming off the bike first, but I had my doubts abouth that, and so it was. After km. 155 I overtook the leading Steffen, I do have to admit that I didn’t know what to do at that moment. Do I overtake or stay behind her. I even asked Jurgen Zack and Lothar Leder what to do. Well maybe I should have listened to them, but I just couldn’t. I wanted to ride the speed I had been riding all day and there were still a lot of good runners in the field. Maybe not evenfar behind me, so I didn’t want to take any risk.
Totally relying on my run skills I changed as a mad girl and ran out of T2 as first lady with a 40 second gap, smiling from ear to ear as Caroline normally wouldn’t run a faster marathon then me. I really thought I had this in the pocket. I still don’t know why I got the problems that I had, but I had to go to the toilet several times. Something that hasn’t happened in ages. The plan had gone so well. I swam as scheduled, biked a 4.39, that was a little faster then my 4.45, that I had in my head, but there was hardly any wind and it just felt smooth. My 2.55 scheduled marathon was in my hands. The first 10 km I ran the pace that I needed to stick to this schedule. Then the problems started. Looking back, I am a little dissapointed. I wanted to win this race, do a 8.35 and get as much money as possible for my good cause ‘Running for Kids‘. At the other hand I’m happy for Caroline. She had a good race and wanted to win as badly as I. It was also amazing to be back in Roth, awesome to not only race for myself, but for a good cause as well. All my friends in Hilpoltstein were amazing. They suported me in every way they could. They even surprised me with many signs on the course, which made me laugh everytime I passed them.
A week after Challenge Roth I raced an event that I already wanted to do last year. I didn’t make it then, but this year it worked out perfect. I recoverd very fast from Roth, swam every day and felt ready to go by Friday. So after doing a team Relay with my sponsor Chin Min on Saturday I raced the Olympic Distance race The Mostiman on Sunday. Another good swim, strong bike ride and a fun run whit crazy people all over the course. It was a very special day, winning this amazing event and not only that, but also winning together with my boyfriend Per. It was an amazing experience and I do hope to plan this race again next year. I always like racing in this part of Austria. Nieder Österreich is a beautiful area, the people are very nice and the food is sooooo good. It’s definitely a race to put on your schedule for the next year!
After another Triathlon weekend at IM Zurich – not racing for me, but coaching is as tyering as racing yourself – I was ready for a brake. But before I could really fully enjoy my time off I started to not feel so good. As I haven’t been sick for over two years, my body probably tought to just pull the plug. Stuborn as I am I neglected the pains I was feeling, but this is something I will not do again. I’ve learned my lesson. I ended up in the hospital for several days, but all is good and I think this extra rest will work out positive in the end. The season is long and as I want to do some more races, it’s all good.
I just started the build up for Kona, still taking it a bit easy and listening to my body. The Austrian summer makes the training very easy. It’s a joy to sit on my bike and enjoy all the beautiful scenery here in Vorarlberg! Two races are coming up and then I’m already packing my stuff for the big day on the beautiful Island of Hawaii.
Big hug, Yvonne
