Yvonne (29) is training for the Zuiderzee Classic. On September 28, 2013, she cycled 220 kilometers. She blogs about her preparations for Sante.nl.
Yvonne: I've covered quite a few more kilometers since then. Last week, I fell short of my mileage goals. After a 120-kilometer ride from Soest last weekend, I arrived home to a house full of family and friends—a surprise party! I'd just turned 30, and Werner had pulled off an amazing gathering with my closest friends. It ran late, so I skipped cycling on Sunday.
Four Weeks to the Grand Finale
On Monday, I hit the spin bike hard with a workout, followed by some running. The off-road duathlon season restarts in October—a blend of mountain biking and running—so my running muscles need attention too. But cycling is the priority. Four weeks until race day. Will it be headwinds on the dike? Rain or shine? Strong legs or not? We'll push through with my teammates.
They're grinding too. As I write, Jacomina is conquering the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc: 168 km running with 9,600 vertical meters. Incredible! Eline nailed her first full triathlon in Roth, Germany, on July 22—180 km bike leg. Add 40 km, and it's Zuiderzee distance. She has two 1/8th triathlons upcoming. Sigrid's ramped up mountain biking, finishing mid-pack against the men recently, and logged a 200 km IJsselmeer loop as training.
Putting it all down makes me think I need to up my game—but it'll be fine. Last night after work, I rode 97 km; now a trail run. Saddle time's on hold with a chafed inner thigh from last week's sweat and friction. Cross-training it is. Time to lock in the next four weeks: long rides, spin classes, and Hellas triathlon club sessions. We're nearly ready!
