Caroline Steffen’s Blog

There is not much to report – I must say, that was almost a perfect race. I never had any feelings of weakness, no downs. It was a start – finish victory at the World Championships to the end. Many beautiful feelings and emotions are associated with winning any race. The last few hundred meters where you can enjoy the applause of the audience again really is the reward for the countless hours of hard work. Even if I won this year already some Half Ironman races, this victory is something special.

And I almost didn`t start: After my 2nd place on the IRONMAN European Championship in Frankfurt, I didn’t feel in the mood for another big race. I was tired and my body was a bit on the limit, not to mention the mental fatigue came as usual after such a big race. I had doubts about my participation in Immenstadt, but Brett has once again done a great job. He convinced me to start and prepared me perfectly in the next three weeks.
Now I’m a World Champion and it feels awesome.

Now, I`m in Leysin since 6 weeks – and the time is running. I do not want to bore you with lots of text – I guess pictures speaks more then 1000 words. Here are some pictures of the last six weeks.

Week 1:
After 70.3 Switzerland and the first couple of “Sutton sessions” it was time, to destroy the last souvenir (big Rocklea Road) of lovely Australia. (Thanks Nat!)

Week 2:
Special event on the way back after our bike session. The “Tour de Suisse” passing Leysin. Cheering for our favorit Team Cervélo and Cancellara in the yellow jersey.

Week 3:
Photoshoot with our Team TBB sponsor Cervélo

Week 4:
Racing time Fiedler & Pels-Verlag www.fup-verlag.de. – I`d like to say thank you for the awesome pictures.

…and a encounter with the German Police. Fined for not allowed driving in a zone agricultural!? … thanks Tom Tom!

Week 5:
Dog attack and a tetnis shot in my a** (no pictures for the public… ). Little excursion to the big boys

…and trip in the Swiss Alps

Week 6:
Ketchup competition as the final challenge of a other hard day.

Cheers Xena

4:00a.m, my alarm clock rings. I wake up and … feeling at this moment far away of a good race feeling. Rather, tired, tense and exhausted. But complaining dosn’t help, so I get out of bed and prepare for the fight. It was the “Längste Tag des Jahres” on program.

“Steffen in … and out of T2 Caroline Steffen told the television folks that “she’s hoping for a personal best” today. You think? She’s well ahead of Sandra Wallenhorst and Yvonne van Vlerken, two of the fastest Ironman athletes in the world, as she starts the run”

After a successful swim start, I took the lead on the bike and rode alone for the entire 185km, taking a lead of over 6 min into the run. So I could start the marathon with a little buffer on the other girls. Despite a new personal best marathon time of 9min, I lost the euoropean title in the last few km. After 8h31min I had to pass the lead to Sandra Walenhorst. A pity, but I have given everything, fought hard and won a second place.

“Steffen’s riding style: Her slow cadence reminds some of us of Chrissie Wellington’s powerful pedal stroke – others here in the media room say she looks like a “female Cancellara” (without the motor, of course). The bottom line, though, is she looks great as she powers away in front of the race here”

Thank you all for the fantastic support at the racecourse – felt like the Tour de France – something I`ve never experienced. Thanks also for all your congratulatory messages and texts!

“Second, Caroline Steffen cruised up the finishing chute, celebrating with a wave to the crowd as she finished in 9:06:43″.

Ironman 70.3 Switzerland – This was an important date in my race calendar for 2010. Who dosn`t like to win and get the finisher-band in the home country, in front of family and friends.

Same nervous than usual, I went to the start, concentrated on my own race and my own pace. I knew what I can do at this time and where my current weaknesses are. I wanted win this race like never a race before. Not only because it is nice to win , no it was just very important for me, to win a race even in Europe with slightly different conditions and race profile.

I did it, Ironman 70.3 title no. 3 … I `m the happiest Xena in the country.

THANK YOU • THANK YOU • THANK YOU
- All my sponsors for your support
- Blueseventy for the new super-fast wetsuit (first female out of the water)
- To my family, who accompanied me all day
- To all my friends for their enormous support on the racecourse, thanks!

TOP THREE PROFESSIONAL RESULTS, 1.9 km swim • 90 km bike • 21.1 km run
1. Michael Raelert (GER) 03:47:47
2. Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI) 03:54:29
3. Olivier Marceau (SUI) 03:55:16

1. Caroline Steffen (SUI) 4:19.29
2. Nicole Hofer (SUI) 04:25:25
3. Karin Thürig (SUI) 04:29:09

After 10 month training in Australia and travel all over the world, last friday I landed in Zürich airport and got a BIG welcome of me crazy family

Now, I`m getting ready for this weekend, 70.3 Ironman Switzerland in Rapperswil and hope, to show a strong race in my home country. Wish me good luck!

Cheers Xena

Yesterday sunday, I`ve taken part in the Noosa Winter Festival. About 5 `000 participants raced in the disciplines of swimming, road cycling and running.

I ran as a “little” training session the half marathon and finishte 4th place with a new personal best of 1:20:02. With a pace of 3:46, I`ve found a pace that I could ran from the first to last km well.

Run competitions are not exactly what I`m doing as a standard sunday morning session, Noosa was only my third runrace. So, I was a little uncertain how I should warm up on the raceday morning – I asked Brett and his answer was not a big surprising at all … I guess, I was the only one crazy-girl at 5a.m on the turbo!? … hihihi, I really had good fun!!! It was once something different and very useful as a little positioning.

Xena on turbo at 5a.m – yes, the night was still there…

TOP FIVE OPEN RESULTS, 21.2 km run
1. Clare Geraghty 1:14:18
2. Roxie Schmidt 1:16:44
3. Glenda Banagham 1:19:50
4. Caroline Steffen 1:20:02
5. Belinda Granger 1:21:46

Palm trees, white sand and blue ocean … This is New Caledonia. A group of islands belonging to France in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. A Perfect location to start the second part of my season 2010 I thought. Since IM South Africa, I’ve had a break to recover and enjoy some time out – but now, a short course race was on the schedule.

Sticking to the feet of Patrick Vernay, I had a good swim start and soon I was towards the front of the big field. I started the cycling leg as the third woman and took the lead after a few km. In the meantime, I built up a lead of 2 minutes. But then … a flat tyre in the front wheel. I stopped quick and realised, unfortunately I can’t fix the damage. What can I do? Option 1: Give up and walk back home? Option 2: Just continue with the flat tyre and hope, not to smash up the wheel completely. I decided on option 2. So, there was still 8km to go. Very carefully I crept around the corners, sitting up the hill and back downhill sitting on the brakes, I rolled into T2. Unfortunately, my lead shrank from 2min to 10sec. By km 5, Jo Lawn IM NZ Champion, caught me. After a few surges from Jo and myself Jo just got away from me with 2km to go and finished 10 sec in front of me.
Basically, I felt fine but I had to admit, a 2hr race can also really hurt. With not much speed ability but a lot of strength in my legs I can be satisfied with my trip to the short course world.

TOP THREE ELITE RESULTS, 1.5 km swim • bike • run 40 km 10 km
1st SISSONS RYAN (NZ) 1:49:40
2nd AARON Farlow (AUS) 1:50:06
3rd John Polson (AUS) 1:50:34

1st Jo Lawn (NZ) 2:04:06
2nd Caroline Steffen (SUI) 2:04:16, 23:43, 1:03:14, 37:19
3rd Rachel Paxton (AUS) 2:05:45

Cheers from New Caledonia,
Xena

Photo by Deon Ferreira

“Don` t be afraid of the space between your dream and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so “. So, it was on the backside of the little sugarbag on the breakfasttable few days befor the race … and I`ve never give up my dream to win the race until the last km.

I tried to show a fast and active race but in the end, the Germany`s Sonja Tajsich passed me in the marathon (3:07). With a bit of trouble in the swim, I found quickly in my race on the bike and took the lead. However, I could not made a gap, of enough time to give me some space, for the marathon. I must be satisfied. With a new personal best of 3:17 in the marathon (-10 minutes) and a new overall personal best performance of 9:22:00 (-15 minutes), I finished my first Ironman of this saison on the 2nd place and enjoyed the crowd on the finishline next to the Shark Rock Pier.

Photo by Deon Ferreira

I think, to show a perfect Ironman, I need some more time / training with my new team and coach. However, I have made many new experiences and I`m sure of being able to use in my next race.

Photo by Deon Ferreira

I thank you all very much for your fingers crossed and cheering during the raceday, and for all the congratulation mails. Now I`m enjoy my last day in the beautiful South Africa before heading back to Australia tomorrow.

Xena

Ok, I`m a bite late with me report but it takes me always some day to get the blog in english
Dont have to report too much . It was a great race without many of downs or adversities. No spectacular cramps in the run or racks collapsed in me T2 … boring. Just had a little fight with a bloody jellyfish-attack. He burning me of the half forearm. It made me to forget all pains in the legs, thats the good side. The bad, it was still burning after race and me arm was swollen like a sea cucumber… 5day later, it still lucks like I had the morbilli on just one arm

I consider my win to be a gift to myself. The last few months I have trained harder than ever before and this is my reward. My 4th place a week earlier in Abu Dhabi gave me great confidence, especially for the run. So when I was 3 minutes behind Jodie Swallow after a solid swim and bike, I didn’t let it get to me. I did my own race and my own pace and enjoyed the finish line at the end like never before.

Congratulation also to Stephan and Jan, well done. “Chapeaux” for your race James, I`m sure you will swim much faster in IM SA just to escape me little smacks

…more pictures on me homepage www.steffencaroline.ch http://www.steffencaroline.ch/gallerie/04a3aa9cfa0ee0101/index.html

…someone said that our blogs are boring and we will publish more pictures. Oh girl, this is a special blog for you with some photos (sorry no pictures of myself ).

Who knows the movie “The fog” ?

…Abu Dhabi this morning at 7.38 a.m

…at 7.45 a.m

…at 7.50 a.m

“Pasta Party” and PRO briefing yesterday night, something nobler than usual…

Abu Dhabi by night…