13. December, Silversterlauf Some weeks after Lucerne Marathon, my body hasn't recovered. Hip and joints hurt alternately. Maybe I was running to much, overtrained or it might have come with age anyway. Because I was forced to cut mileage, I decided to go to Saturday class. The advert I have seen about half a year ago, then wondering if I will attend it, will now be answered. Sooner rather than later, I registered for Fitness Instructor at Migros Business school. Indeed I skipped Wallisellerlauf, but registered for Silvesterlauf, hoping to be fit at 13th December. 3 Days before the run, it was the right knee which was hurting. But on the day of the run, Sunday, legs were well enough for 8.6 km. I registered for Zurich-Fit, to run below 40 min. I was not sure to accomplish it. A cold breeze at the start and snowflakes kept body temperature low, even moderate at run. Running through narrow alleys with many bends meant to watch out for aggressive elbows, legs and obstacles. Glad the legs supported my ambition, I finished in 34.23 minutes, meaning 4 minutes per km. The bill of fast running was served 30 minutes later. Also a blister made walking not better. Running season finished, I hope soon to recover completely.   6. December, collage There were times I hadn't a car, but that was no reason to stay at home. I enjoyed travelling by train a lot, no need to focus on the road. It only meant to keep on timetables and getting up earlier. 1988 I started keeping a diary, collecting the train tickets and tabulated annual expenses. Over 11 years we spent CHF 23'971 for the train. While tidying the bookshelf, I stumbled over the ticket box. I was amazed by the quantity. Before feeding the paper basket, I digitised them. The museum pieces I keep as a Collage.   30. October, Robert moves into first flat After nine years living at Schaefligraben, time has come for one more step into independence, at last. In spite of announcing it more than 20 months ago, it amazed Robert. Even moving from a furnished room to a one room flat means to consider a lot of preparation. But with efficient help of family Ernst, settling in at Buetzacker was finished before tea time. Unfortunately more freedom usually draws more responsibilities...   25. October, second Lucerne Marathon As hips haven't recovered as expected, I accepted to reduce pace if needed. In spite of that, I wanted to position myself at the 3h00 block. Most of the time I was lucky with weather, but for the marathon some showers were expected. So before travelling to Lucerne I wasn't in high spirits.   11. October, my first furniture After today's training I'm glad I can sit down for a while. This week I will run 130 km. First priority for the next 2 weeks is recovering. As weather is turning rainy and cold, it suits me fine. This chair with wheels is the first furniture I bought. From my apprentice wage, about CHF 400.-, I spent about CHF 250.-. Because my mother fitted a new carpet in my room, I wanted to treat it with care. I was very proud of the compliment my mother made, because I spent money reasonable. The quality paid off, as I still use the chair after 32 years.   27. September, Pfaeffikerseelauf As the weather was exceptionally I run all the paid races, whereby the Pfaeffikerseelauf will be the last one before Lucerne Marathon. While not really recovered from Greifenseelauf, I spent 74 km in running shoes before this run. In order to continue training afterwards, I at least intended to have a slow start. But because I felt spirited, I increased pace after 3 km. Once again after finish I went to Rapperswil to devour a delicious cheese cake.   19. September, Greifenseelauf This time I didn't meet my goal: running at 4 min / km. Both, water and carbohydrate was a bit on the low side. Because I was hungry two hours before start, I ate two energy bars. I always drank moderately to prevent annoying stops while running. But later my plans were thwarted by sunshine. After start, soon heat, lack of water and energy forced me to slow down. At km 12 I noticed in dismay that I have reduced pace to 13 km/h, instead of running at 15 km/h. Finally, at km 16 sun was shaded by clouds. I soon recovered, but it was too late for best time. So I finished half marathon as I did two years ago.     12. September, Tuerlerseelauf My hip joints assume the week training was too intensive. After the fast Ruetilauf and 108 km this week, I had to adjust myself for a slow Tuerlerseelauf. So the plan was a fast uphill run, moderate on the flat part and slowly downhill. First 4 km uphill meant a moderate start with warm up warm up. Only after increasing the speed the fun started, but only for a short time. The flat part around lake Tuerlersee was very picturesque, my speed dull. After 10 km the downhill part begun. My joints clearly remembered me to run gently. Very unusually, I was overtaken by dozens of runners while I was running at snails pace. At the finish line, after 14 km, my pulse was like sitting at the table drinking coffee. In spite I was testing another bottle belt for the Greifenseelauf, I had a few paper cups of Sponser before picking up the finisher present. Now only one week until Greifenseelauf, where I want to run best time, I hope to recover completely.   5. September, Ruetilauf Before my appointed contest run Greifenseelauf, I ordered the start number for Ruetilauf and Tuerlerseelauf. Perfect weather, but eaten too much, I decided for an average running time. Just after start at 14:00, while I was being overtaken, I wondered how many I will see later again. Only 10 minutes later I was caught up by the run fever. As this was the first run, I was faced with hilly, narrow gravelled tracks with sharp bends and even some steps. After 45 minutes and 11.3 km, leaving quite a few runners behind, I passed finishing line. Instead of returning home after a quick shower, I used the free train ticket to go to Rapperswil. While having coffee and reading a health magazine, I also reflected the day.     30. August, 2947 days later... ...once again, it was time to check if chain has to be replaced. So I went to have the bicycle serviced. As the dynamo wheel always skids when badly needed, I replaced the front wheel with an integrated dynamo. Bad news I got when I wanted to take my bicycle home. The rear wheel bearing was worn out, which added up to CHF 800.-. Actually it's not surprising that my diary says I covered 10200 km since 23. June 2001. So far, all parts but the frame, handlebars and carrier has been replaced. Doing cost-benefit analysis: each km reduced coffee money about CHF 0.25, whereas my car required only CHF 0.44 per km.   15.-27. June, Swiss holidays As I have already been guided around Shanghai and Beijing seven years ago, it's now my turn to show Switzerland at it's best. First day we went by car to Engelberg...   12.-13. June, so I went to Biel At last, the day of the Ultra has broken. Weather at it's best, day taken off, I started challenge with a coffee break at down town Zurich.   7. June, every runner has got to go to Biel once Today I made up my mind about equipment. But what if it'll rain... I don't want to think about it... I can moan when it applies. I'll wear bottle belt, but instead of a 7 dl, 2 or 3 dl bottles. So that will leave some space for a Power Bar and paper towels. Average distance between food stops are 7 km. This means about after 35 - 40 minutes running drinking of 4 - 6 dl. With my little bottle I can cut water down to 2 - 3 dl at each stop. I need Paper towels to get sweat off my forehead to prevent my eyes form burning. Because there are no toilets along the run, (they would always be misplaced) some paper towels are helpful too. I will wear baggies, not tights. Neither a cap nor sunglasses, but a headlamp (advised for the Ho Chi Minh path while dark). The headlamp test was rather surprising. I was running much slower as felt and I didn't find my well known route in the forest! The blister on my little left toe remains persistently, maybe the cold bath will help. I also experienced some foot burning lately. For healing reasons I will cut down the 39 km training next week, 4 days dolce far niente. Because I wasn't quite happy with Sponser bottle belt, I went shopping Saturday. Immediately after I spotted Salomon Wanderer 5 I bought it and added convenient bottles from Asics to the bill. 3 zip pockets provide plenty space for supply and rain protection. To be prepared for a rainy night, I bought the expensive Nike FIT STORM cap to keep the headlight beam above the brim and not on the wet glasses. Running with a poncho and cap may fog up my glasses, meaning equipment is interfering. For this build up training, since February, I covered 1650 km spending 134 hours. Surprisingly, I was able to place the runnings to dry units except for four times. I never got muscle ache, only the amount of tiredness to provoke development. Although some units were somewhat sluggish at the beginning, I always enjoyed them. Units at the weekend I always finished before lunch, while at weekdays after lunch or before dinner. Speaking of lunch, today I savour a fruit bowel as I will tomorrow, whereupon some carbo loading will do for dinner. Now it's high time to put the physical and mental training into effect.   21. Mai, Rund um de Zurisee Cycling is easy to the joints and still improves muscle and circulation. Therefore, Rund um de Zurisee, just fits into my training plan. Unlike last year, the weather supported a dry time of 3h19 on racing bicycle. Although I started with modest performance, average speed climbed to 30.2 km/h. As I was offered more than one Harvest Power Bar at the food stops, I counted 8 pieces at home! After Oberrieden I closed up to a group of racers. Their pace was just a notch too slow for me, considering following wind. After overtaking, I soon noticed the group made up ground. Not 10 minutes later a smile was forced onto my face, when I realised I left the group behind. Such happy events, at the moment valued as insignificant, shouldn't be played down but grabed to load the mental batteries. One should enjoy it to the full and remember when live gets tough. If not, one will fail on the long run!   26. April, ZH Marathon Everybody knows the distance of a marathon, but how about the history or how it is measured. Zurich Marathon is the biggest in Switzerland. For the 5850 registered runners were 13000 bottles of water, 2000 bananas, 12000 cups of Powerbar drinks and 2500 bars provided.   4. April, GP-Duebendorf Last year I skipped this run, I'm not sure why, but I think it was because of the training plan of Zurich marathon. Now this run was also meant to be part of the Bieler stamina training. Because of that, there was no need to run for best time, but just eat up the last km according to week-plan. But the climate motivated for more than a leisure run. Afterwards, I asked myself why I have overtaken Glesti Maja from Ebmatingen, 24 years younger, both of us with thumb upwards ?   1. April, treadmill stress test 3 years later Although I didn't expect a perceptible change in my performance curve, I was curious nevertheless. On the other hand, if there would be a serious decrease in my performance, I would have a mental problem. The most accurate way to determine lactate threshold is via a graded exercise test in a laboratory setting - so they claim - which I did, at Schulthess Klinik Zurich. During the test the velocity on the treadmill was increased every 3 min. and blood samples were taken as well as the heart rate. After the test, blood lactate was plotted against each workload interval to give a lactate performance curve.   28. March, Zumiker run I wasn't very keen to participate a run, because I always want to run fast at such an occasion. But that didn't fit into my actual exercise plan. On the other hand, running among others couldn't hurt. So I decided to register, just before deadline. But the climate really put my mental weather resistance to proof. The morning started dry only to start pouring rain in the afternoon again. At the start, diehard encouraged me in spite of rain and wind. At such condition it was not surprising I turned from moderate pace to fast running. Soon I was pleased to overtake runners. But only as far as my glasses started to mist up. Partially we run over snow and had to dodge many puddles of water. Time passed quick, after the finish of 11.2 km I collected the surprise gift - self made marmalade to choose from- I decided for quince jelly.   12-15. February, running seminar This year too, I made up my mind for another challenge, not cycling but running. To be worth the trouble, I must have a reason to spend time for running. I was thinking either to do a mountain marathon or an ultra. I already got my eyes onto the Bieler Ultra last year, only the requirement didn't fit my condition. It was at the Lucerne marathon - I picked up this seductive advert - when I decided to do the Bieler Ultra. Now, as I never have participated a running seminar, an ultra should be a convincing reason enough. It was worth the money as all the questions were answered by the end of the build-up seminar.   11. Februar, top secret Initially, I didn't know why to release something onto www. Now I know! As only a very small circle know of this site, it must be the best place to hide something in plain sight. So as this is site is declared as top secret, I can divulge my age in spite of vanity, to proven mathematicians as follow: y=n*3+1, where n is to be found on this picture. For this special day I received this parcel from the east undercover agent. Plainly, the name must remain a secret. In the Swiss head office, I announced my birthday as follows.