I first apologise as it has been quiet along my website for a long time. Like I had disappeared from the earth. Where was I? Well from the Dolomites to Lake Caldonazzo (both Italy) to the Mont Ventoux in France. This explains also the high number of altitude meters.

Of course I had preferred to start in Lake Placid on the 26th of July, but it was not meant to be. The Friday after my sprint distance in Utrecht I did a little jog. I had not felt anything for the rest of the week and my hole under my foot was healed. However, it was a very awful experience. I had so much pain afterwards that I took some ibuprofen and decided to throw my running shoes in the corner (I had preferred to jump on them, tear them, flush them throught the toilet). However, my shoes can not help it either. There were some tears. After the 5 km in Utrecht with no real problems besides some reaction on the Sunday night, this was the last I had expected. 

On the last moment we decided to participate in the Giro delle Dolomiti in Italy. A 6-day tour with stages varying from 65 to 153 km, within each stage a timed climb time trial. We had a perfect preparation: one whole day in the car on Saturday with lots of traffic jams, arriving at 8:15 pm, getting organised, get some food and sleep and start on Sunday morning at 8 AM. Nice to be able to acclimatized to the heat and mountains: NOT. As usual I thought it would be okay, but that proved to be wrong. The first 3 days were quite tough but then luckily a rest day. However, on day 4 the longest climb time trial of 19 km on the program and it was only 38 degrees Celcius that day.  I was totally done after that day which also had consequences for the day after which was the longest stage of 153 km with 4 mountain tops. But then the last day was really enjoyable. The numbers 1 and 2 were to far ahead and I had 11 minutes on the number 4, which were not easy to loose on a 10,5 km climb. I decided to take it easier and enjoy the ascent a bit more. This was actually a lot more pleasant .  In the end I was a third place, a huge survival basket (with local products), a helmet and some bottle of wines richer. Overall a very nice tour with a total distance of around 670 km and over 16.000 altitude meters. The aid stations were top class and every day there was a plate of pasta.

On the Sunday after the Tour we made a beautiful mountain hike and on Monday off to lake Caldonazzo. Nice weather and the water in the lake was very nice. Here we also could do some nice bike rides and on Wednesday I  decided to bike the course of the cyclo I wanted to do on Sunday. Looking back I should have rested instead of biking the Monte Badone twice in warm weather and with the Tour still in my legs. But oh well, too enthousiastic again. On Sunday the Granfondo Charly Gaul, organised honouring the solo victory of Charly Gaul on the Monte Bandone in really bad weather circumstance in an stage of the Giro d'Italia. It started with a fairly flat part of about 40 km with an average of about 40 km/h followed by the first attempt on the Monte Baldone from Aldeno. Then a "flat" part through a valley after which the Monte Bandone had to be climbed for the second time. Less km but a lot steeper. The finish line on the top and then you had biked just over 130 km and 3500 altitude meters. In the "flat" part I was totally alone and it took about 30  minutes before 2 other cyclist catched up to me.  They asked "Don't you have any assistance?". No?? I sat behind them and later on I understood the question. Almost all women were accompanied by a few men who helped them. It is a real sport there and this year this Granfondo were some kind of regional champs. Well how can I fight to that alone? The last 2 km before the finish I cramped. I had stopped to fill my drink bottles again at the last stop, but expecting to be filled up with sports drank they had filled my drink bottle with ice tea. Tasted  nice but does  not any good in these hot conditions. Luckily I made it to the finish line.  Next time I also take my crew ;-).

Still had not biked enough. For the last 3,5 days off to the Mont Ventoux and then back home. If you take the first 2,5 days a holiday and you want to bike the "thing" from each side only one thing left to do... On Thursday morning at 6 AM I started my attempt in Malaucene at the bakery. It was a bit dark, but nice temperature wise. I only passed 1 biker and on the top it was also very quiet. This time I had some assistance and Jochem had driven to the top and I could change my drink bottles. Temperature was nice but I should have put some extra clothes on for the descent. I was shaking on my bike and arrived numb in Bedoin. Here a got a stamp (as I was doing this anyway I could as well record it) and up again for the second time. In the mean time there weer a lot more bikers going uphill.

In the first part of the climb I met a guy with the same mission. We climbed chatting along (not appreciated by al climbers  )together to the top. Before I knew we had finished the part through the woods and were on the "bald" part. Second time on the top, also get a stamp here and exchanged e-mail addresses for some photo exchange. Then down to Sault. This was definitely not a nice descent. Bad road surfaca and you had to peddle most of the time. And as final surprise you had to climb the last 2 kilometers up to the town. I was craving for something sweet now and went to the "boulangerie" and got myself a Tarte de Myrtille. I can recommend it. Then up for the third and final climb. It was very hot again now and I had bit of trouble with the heat and flies. The last part was in the shade luckily and also almost flat so very pleasant part of the trip. 6 km before the top you reach the same route again as from Bedoin. Steeper again but had been here before. The mountain was also now one big "ant crowd".And that was number 3. I was very glad that I had started so early as it was hot now and I could just relax at the pool.

So that was it. Being able to maintain my swimming and biking and now after 4 weeks of rest trying to run again. Triathlon results everywhere and just looking at it from the side line. No fun at all . I hope to be able to race one day again.