Thanks Floyd Landis we know now what it takes to get a terrific performance on the bike to accomplish: Training? Oh, nonsense! Doping? I'm clean! No, two beers and (at least) four whiskey, and you drive the next day as a young god. Since my one for participation in a cycling marathon must get up a little earlier than Mr. Landis for his Tour stage, I left it on the eve of Arber Radmarathon with a beer and a grappa, and I also saved me the day before the mandatory break in which I drove was not that easy. But after a little more of the series. The
Arber Radmarathon in Regensburg is one of the sizes marathons in Germany and offers on the big round 250 km and 3300 Hm lot of problems, even if there are certainly heavier bike marathons, not only in the Alps. But, as you always so nice as trite: it is the drivers that make the race hard and not the route. As a former member VCR me to attend was the "real" Arber Regensburg in my time not, unfortunately, but I was of the internal association Distance on the line is still at least partially known. So I wanted to make up such participation this year in the company of some club members. Finally, Ingo and Matt found as a passenger, the round was completed by Mark and two friends of Mark. Markus, Basti and Hannah wanted to take the 170km round in attack, while for Ingo, Matt and I have had to be the great 250km round.
The eve was spent with pasta and beer (see explanation above ;-)). Ingo, Matt and I ensured astonishment and joy by the chef, in which all three of us even before we finished the second portion of pasta was ordered, so all we wanted then did not rely solely on the Testo-place setting.
(rang my alarm clock at 4:30) After a short night, I meet up with Matt at 5:15 clock and Ingo to ride to the start.
clock at 5:30, we arrive at the start, that's enough to be able to classify themselves pretty well up in the starting lineup. Actually provided for the planning, use the route as a training run under slightly more stringent conditions, but it is never wrong when you start to stand far ahead, you deal with that just the risk of falling out of their way.
is item 6 clock from Regensburg's Mayor of the starting signal, around 1500 Racing cyclists and share in the misty morning in motion. The first 15km are flat, Matthias, Ingo and I are primarily places to make good deals to the front. At least until Arber front ride was the unspoken goal. The first increase is it with the rest a bit over, it will definitely run relatively quickly.
An exceptional view presented to us when we first encounter through the fog and we meet the morning sun shines. Through the fog it is somewhat cooler than in recent weeks, but that does no harm in any way and is very pleasant. After the first small climbs and 40-50 completed kilometers I put myself to the curb: the bladder presses. Thus I see that the first group has settled a bit from the rest of the participants, nor 100-120 driver should comprise the first group. I get no problems (even with the support of Ingo and Matt) back into play. It continues at the pace (the average was at this time is about 35 km / h) towards Cham. The Board found there, we have made, and the drinks should extend to the food hut in the rain. The generated in a roundabout short disorder, go Matthias, Ingo and I at the head of the field: a moment that Ingo now holds with his camera.
In slowly steeper terrain, we stop short at times with some other riders to exit one more time. This time the connection is to the field a bit harder, I let Matt and Ingo initially behind me. A short time later comes back and says Matthias, Ingo has fallen, would have made the connection to the field again. Meanwhile, about 90 km have been completed, the trip takes about 2:40 h. straight time soon would the first big increase, the increase to be achieved Arber. I chat with Matt, who thinks he should be well let rip when it went into the increase. Although we actually a "cozy coffee travel" had planned to come, even at this stage by the competitor in me if I'm the front runners, I can not just switch to drive so cozy. A short time later, the amateur series of VCR on the front four of them, and fasten the pace in the Getting to loose Arber times of about 35 km / h on whopping 45 km / h. One series is now gone, the field takes place in the length, do not go quite clear, with a big group in the increase. After about 10km Tempohatz it goes into the climb to Arber: large front wheel, speed 30,31,32 behind crumbling apart the field in front of me tearing a hole that I create once again moving towards. Front 3 Regensburg (Including Stefan Thaller, Fourth of this year 3 Countries Giro ), Stefan Mistler (in the last 4 years, winning two of the Arber marathons, winner of the GP Schwarzwald in the past two years) and two other drivers who are unknown to me are. I still turn depends, but the pulse pounding 185 beats per minute, so if I go, I would not even reach the target in Regensburg, or only on the gums. So I will tear off, trying to find my own pace. Behind me I can see another rider on him I wait. Together we will quickly but not too fast direction pass. pass short of the pass we are a driver of the 6-lead group. Then there is the short, not too difficult descent to Bayerisch-Eisenstein. On the slightly sloping road, we are haunted by a 5-group again. In Regenhütte I fill my bottles only briefly, would eat now totally wrong: it follows the rise of the hardest marathons Arber, rising to Bretterschachten . In the Board we will be overtaken by a few drivers who miss the food so that I lose track of my placement. The four of us take the increase in attack, a departure from my companion Arber increase means that we depend on two other colleagues. I take the pace of work for both of us go, for short periods at the request of my companion a little slower. Nevertheless, after short time from behind the announcement, I should down. At the top of Bretterschachten I catch up with a driver and myself will come from behind by a rider from Herpersdorf (as identified by its Radklamotten is not hard ;-)) obtained. So we are now a threesome. It is a fast descent to the ground corn.
try on the following slightly downhill miles through regular detachments to keep the tempo high. Appears before us one other driver to which we catch up on a light wave, and he was waiting for us. For is one of the other two riders dropped on the shaft, we are again a trio. On the shirt of the obtained driver I read "The Zyklonauten. That seems somehow familiar .... Exactly, tour forum! Zyklonaut of advice to me is to demand a "mentor Tour" before. The three of it goes into the next short climb, after a few more shorter waves, the increase is up to Kolmberg. That I had as a treacherous and, above all, extremely hot in memory. I should not deceive myself. On top of that take the grand tour here A (250km) and the smaller Tour B (170km) together, which on the one hand has the advantage that it is no longer alone on the track , on the other hand holds but the great disadvantage is that one is dealing with many slow drivers (and riders), where the straight ahead part is quite difficult. More than once it comes to difficult situations, the speed differences on the mountain are partly already striking.
About half of the increase in my crew takes off Herpersdorf the tempo a bit, I can this pace of tightening not follow at first, I fight but approached again, probably encouraged by the fact that he was the pace again takes out a little. Sorry, there is also a piece of Mentor Tour back, calls me a little behind because of doping, which I explain with my Testo cover the night before. I see only in the destination. Somewhere overtake s in this increase, we also have a former top rider of the Regensburg group that had formed at the foot of the Arber. Top of the food is going to hell: we fight and push us forward, we have something of a hurry than most drivers of the 170 round. Quickly fill up the bottles, grab two half bananas and on we go. Somewhere in here we get to Hannah and Basti, which on visual inspection, are also still quite fit, Mark was bent on the 125km round, as I hear in passing of Basti and Hannes.
is followed by a short descent, the climb to Maibrunn level, now appear from time to time my parents on the road and perpetuate my actions in digital form, some even moving pictures, as I find, however, only after . The arrival of my parents, in addition to this potential imaging of this report, a second nice side effect: I can get rid of the vest, arm warmers and gloves, which I am needed at the start because of the coolness and transport up to this point in my jersey pockets had. From the height Maibrunn down first followed by a longer downhill before it readily undulating terrain to the last significant increase in Asha's.
This increase is, my Herpersdorf companion again and again a few yards from me, but then kindly wait for me again and again. Whether this really just the lightweight wheels, is like me trying to explain? We reach the last board in Saulburg: here wanted Matthias, Ingo and I actually drink quite a cool comfortable Kneitinger before it should go to the last 45 km. It is not to get that first, it's food so full that I do without even more water to refuel, and second, would me a beer at this time probably transported to the afterlife. So this board is also omitted, the remaining liquid must somehow reach into my bottles to Regensburg. We get another one of Regensburg former top flight, are thus now almost certainly in the top 10. The last 40 km to go flat through the Danube to Regensburg, fortunately we found a few supporters, so that we manage the pace at 35-40 km / h to keep. My guide, however, fall of detachment to detachment always shorter, much of it is no longer in my legs. Overall, the trip goes according to Regensburg rather unspectacular. On the outskirts of Regensburg, we are on the Cycle path diverted to any red light rigorously forced to stop. In my eyes pretty silly behavior by the police, but what can you do .... It's determined safe speed with 35 to go on a bike trail than on the road. Ultimately, the goal is reached at the fairground in Regensburg.
The achievement of the goal remains rather unspectacular, not a spokesman, announcing the one (as yet happened at La Marmotte), a handful of spectators, just lots of cyclists who come back from the shorter rounds and also achieve the goal. After my finish line I meet Stefan Mistler (this year, second) and learn from him that now maybe 3 or 4, maximum 5 riders in the big group in the goal. So I definitely have a Top 10 place reached my gross travel time (including all forced traffic stop) is at 7:20 h, the net travel time is about 5-6min shorter, unfortunately, my speedometer spins in the target a little rum, so that my days records are deleted . A radio reporter interviewed by Bayerischer Rundfunk and Stefan Mistler me briefly about our impressions of the track. Stupid, I forgot to ask when and where the contribution would be sent to Arber cycling marathon. A short time later, Hannah and Basti reach the target, and they are more than satisfied with their performance. Matt and Ingo take about 40 minutes after me at the finish, they had a cyclist in Saulburg indulged :-) Markus also appears: freshly showered and have already moved. The six of us we get the well deserved food and even a well-earned beer, and they affect the experience a little.
Conclusion: Great weather (after initial fog beautiful sunny, but not as hot as in recent weeks), great circuit protection (escort motorcycles to kilometer 100, then traffic control at each intersection), to the food I can not much to say, I am passed by two of the four consultations. My thanks also to the various people in the target that have given us their drink coupons. Unfortunately we had to drive back by car, otherwise we would have probably got a couple of beers instead of cola ;-)
Arber Bike Marathon 2006, in all respects a pleasant experience!
PS: Many thanks to my father who, I think, fantastic images! I hope I get in the coming days a few pictures of Mark and Ingo, so I can spice up the report images technically still a little bit. Man is finally an animal eye (eh, Mark?).
EDIT: Added pictures of Ingo.
