Mathias Hecht's Blog

The 3 week Gran Canaria camps soon comes to an end. It has been a very successful camp and I am very happy with the work we have done here. It was good not to come here earlier. It was smart to do my first 3 weeks of training this year by myself in Andalucia and get at least a few kilometers in before coming over here. Or I would have suffered even more. As Dan and Stephen are in really good shape already. They are ready to race (and already did so in Abu Dhabi). So it has been a bit of a challenge to get going around those to fit blokes. But it  helped me to get fit much quicker then expected. As I had to push a bit harder in every session then I probably would have done by myself. So I will get off this island with a great feeling. Brett and I are happy that we are a few weeks ahead of what we are originally planed on “the way back”. The weather did me a great favour too in this preperation. I didnt feel a drop of rain since nearly two months now. the last few days here in Gran Canaria were the warmest so far (up to 30°C). Dan and myself found a great friend in the local gym. As every time we showed up there he gave us this “not so happy look”. well, not our fault that his gym is not climatized. He was controlling us over video camera and as soon as we have finished our sessions he showed up and checked if we are cleaning the treadmills right. Yesterday when we arrived at the gym first thing he did was handing us over some wimps …   ah yeah, and he explained us every time that we are not allowed to sprint on the treadmills and that we have to read the gym rules. Which is easy if the rules are hanging right in front of your face while running and take away the ocean view…

I think Stephen made a friend at the pool as well. We have to buy those yellow entry fee tickets here. You get them at the pool “kiosk”. Even Stephen who is here for several months has to do that. So not his fault that he has to ask for A LOT of tickets every now and then. So this guy there gives him this “not you again” look every time Stephen shows up to buy ALL the tickets available.

After living in my new “secret” training heaven in Garrucha, Andalucia for almost one month, a short trip home to switzerland , I am now settling down here in Gran Canaria for another 3 week camp on spanish land.

The Andalucia camp has been very successful. It was great to get a normal training routine back after having a longer time off training (or better off running and cycling). But I have been doing this sport for quite a while already and I think with all the mileage in my legs everything is coming back quite quickly. maybe not the speed yet, but after a few years of Ironman racing there is not much speed left anyway .

In Andalucia I trained mostly by myself. Which was good to get back into it and get fit again. It means lots and lots of hours on the bike by myrself. And you have to know, riding in the Garruach region means you have more or less no cars. I think it was very peaceful to go out day by day and enjoy the quiet roads. There is not many peaceful places left like that.  I think sometimes people forget what a valuable asset silence actually is.

So now I am in Gran Canaria. And now it is time to step up my game. As I have two super fit team mates (Stephen and Dan) who will give me a hard time. So, no more peaceful training. Time to pick up the speed and making the body fit for the first part of the racing season (starting with Ironman Texas in may). Brett is throwing some serious sessions at us and if I get off this island in one piece I will be super strong for sure.

And I get some extra motivation as 2XU set me up with some great gear. Great to work with you guys, thanks a lot.

Hasta luego

Mathias