Summary 2008 - what's up 2009?
Sunday, 8. February 2009, 14:52:55
Ok, 2008 is all ready a while ago, but anyway, it is time to do a short summary.
2008 was, all-in-all, a really good year, even if it had enough hard moments. The winter training and preparations went perfect, I was able to stay healthy more or less all the way and could build up a very good base during the winter and early spring. The training camp in Portugal was a big landmark, bringing a lot of self-confidence and new experiences in mental and technical training. It gave me a positive kick, which I was able to take with me all the way throughout the season. The Austrian season started well, with bronze medal in the Ultra-long champs, only 10" behind the 1.place, giving me the confidence of physical improvement. National I had the best season ever, taking a medal in all champs, except for the sprint, showing stable results all over the season.
International the season was more drop than hop. The European Champs were o.k, some good races and many important experiences. The World Champs were a big disaster, no one else than me to blame about that. Also the big relays where full of disappointments, running them all far under what I am capable off - technically and physically.
Physically I made big steps throughout 2008, concerning speed as well as hill running. The intervals did not get easier, but at least they got a lot faster. The new concept that we started 1,5 year again (very easy: quality instead of quantity) has proved to be the right thing for me, so I am happy to go on with it. .
2008 had some hard moments too. Trying to combine work and training was sometimes a real hard nut, costing me more energy than good is and it was for a period way too much traveling. These are things I have learned from and which I'll try to manage better this season. Stepping out of the national team was also not the easiest thing to do, but it still feels right.
Now it is 2009 and slowly the season is coming nearer. Training has so far gone well, without major problems and hopefully it will go on like that. Neither my trainer nor I believe in making plans for a whole season, which you need to change every other week anyway, so my training is never planned for more than 4 weeks in advance. Once again I am very happy for this, since life isn't smiling too much at the moment. This week my cousin died in a tragical helicopter accident and in moments like this, training and training plans, aren't important. I am not unexperienced with sorrow, but every time I again get surprised, how close connected body and mind are. I have been out running every day, but in a speed where a walking grand-grandma would pass me.. Fast running just isn't working. Well, that doesn't matter, fast running I can do later on, now running is just a way of coping with the pain, a way of getting some air..
In two weeks I head off to Portugal for a 10 day training camp. My main goals with that TC is to get a good technical introduction to the season and to do some work on the running technic in the forest. After Portugal I will still do some xc-skiing for my basic endurance, then go to Lipica Open for the competitions there, inclusive some extra training days. For the easter days we are planning a short training camp in the area around Miskolc and then the season will start for real. The spring will be a master-quiz of time-management, with work, osteopathy courses, learning for the big osteopathy exams, training and some important competitions, but it looks now as I have been able to make a sensible plan.
The main goal for 2009 is off course the World Champs in Hungary. I will do my best to run good selection races, to show that I have something to do there. Well there I will do my best to reach a a-final and well, it would not hurt to achieve a place in the first half there.. It is still a long way to go - and I am looking forward to every step!
2008 was, all-in-all, a really good year, even if it had enough hard moments. The winter training and preparations went perfect, I was able to stay healthy more or less all the way and could build up a very good base during the winter and early spring. The training camp in Portugal was a big landmark, bringing a lot of self-confidence and new experiences in mental and technical training. It gave me a positive kick, which I was able to take with me all the way throughout the season. The Austrian season started well, with bronze medal in the Ultra-long champs, only 10" behind the 1.place, giving me the confidence of physical improvement. National I had the best season ever, taking a medal in all champs, except for the sprint, showing stable results all over the season.
International the season was more drop than hop. The European Champs were o.k, some good races and many important experiences. The World Champs were a big disaster, no one else than me to blame about that. Also the big relays where full of disappointments, running them all far under what I am capable off - technically and physically.
Physically I made big steps throughout 2008, concerning speed as well as hill running. The intervals did not get easier, but at least they got a lot faster. The new concept that we started 1,5 year again (very easy: quality instead of quantity) has proved to be the right thing for me, so I am happy to go on with it. .
2008 had some hard moments too. Trying to combine work and training was sometimes a real hard nut, costing me more energy than good is and it was for a period way too much traveling. These are things I have learned from and which I'll try to manage better this season. Stepping out of the national team was also not the easiest thing to do, but it still feels right.
Now it is 2009 and slowly the season is coming nearer. Training has so far gone well, without major problems and hopefully it will go on like that. Neither my trainer nor I believe in making plans for a whole season, which you need to change every other week anyway, so my training is never planned for more than 4 weeks in advance. Once again I am very happy for this, since life isn't smiling too much at the moment. This week my cousin died in a tragical helicopter accident and in moments like this, training and training plans, aren't important. I am not unexperienced with sorrow, but every time I again get surprised, how close connected body and mind are. I have been out running every day, but in a speed where a walking grand-grandma would pass me.. Fast running just isn't working. Well, that doesn't matter, fast running I can do later on, now running is just a way of coping with the pain, a way of getting some air..
In two weeks I head off to Portugal for a 10 day training camp. My main goals with that TC is to get a good technical introduction to the season and to do some work on the running technic in the forest. After Portugal I will still do some xc-skiing for my basic endurance, then go to Lipica Open for the competitions there, inclusive some extra training days. For the easter days we are planning a short training camp in the area around Miskolc and then the season will start for real. The spring will be a master-quiz of time-management, with work, osteopathy courses, learning for the big osteopathy exams, training and some important competitions, but it looks now as I have been able to make a sensible plan.
The main goal for 2009 is off course the World Champs in Hungary. I will do my best to run good selection races, to show that I have something to do there. Well there I will do my best to reach a a-final and well, it would not hurt to achieve a place in the first half there.. It is still a long way to go - and I am looking forward to every step!
WIDGETIZE