Joseph Spindler's Blog

Yesterday, we did a family trip to Munich. We go there by train, it’s a scenic trip along the mountains of approximately an hour. It was a beautiful day, lots of sun – in fact the warmest 28th of November since 120 years. Christl went to the shops, Nico and me to the birthday party of a friend. He turned 50 today. We had good talks and a delicious lunch. And there was a women, Helena, with a wonderful soft and deep voice who was singing Spanish songs from time to time, accompanying herself with an accordion. She stood there, alone in the middle of a big saloon, singing, her eyes closed. Nico listend to her, motionless, mesmerized.

Back in town, we met Christl again at the Marienplatz. It was getting dark. Lots of people. Lots of Christmas stars. And there was a hughe Christmas tree in the middle of the place illuminated by literally thousands of bright lighting candles.

On our way back home, sitting in the train, eating some foods, we suddenly heard a hushed noice, like a small bird flying against a window. Engines switched off, the train stopped, somewhere in the nowhere before the next station.

Soon we were surrounded by dozens of ambulance men, police men and firemen as it turned out that someone decided to end his life with help of our train. The vehicle was not allowed to move for a long time. We sat there more than 2 hours. Talking our talks, thinking our thoughts. After we arrived home, I searched the internet for titan bikes.

Today morning, a poem came into my mind. Written by Rose Ausländer, it tells us to put things into the right perspective. Keen and gentle at the same time, her words fill me with solace, quivering confidence and an idea of unlimited freedom. You are everything. You have nothing to loose. Be what you are. Give what you have!

It’s in German. I tried a translation, however.

A constant smell of chlorine is what I carry with me these days. Doc set me on a heavy swim program, hitting the pool two times a day. And whatever I do, the chlorine smell stays with me. Now, doc says, this is a good thing, since chlorine kills almost everything instantly. Maybe the best way to get through all those swine flue epidemies right now. Much better than having an inoculation anyway.

Now, swimming two days a time was really something I had to get used to. Initially, it took a lot out of me. But I kept going, and now, after 4 weeks or so, it’s not a deal that big anymore.

To the time before I startet this swim program, I considered a 4k session as a lot of work. Now, with swimming 8-9k on some days, a 4k session almost qualifies as a recovery workout. OK, depends, doc has some sessions which kill your arms with less than 2,5k – hehehehe.

Sometimes I look at all that training and racing I did throughout the last year as getting ready for this now…

Healthy training!

Cheers,
Jo