10km Heddesheim, Germany

ErrrwinErrrwin BerlinMember

There we were. The girlfriend, the dog and me at a 10km race in Heddesheim in Germany.

8 laps of 1.250 metres with the planning that my girlfriend would toss me my bottle with sportsdrink every lap, I would do the swimming and the dog would guard our bags by licking and cuddling everbody to death that comes close. ;)

Then there was this dude that works for the place where the race is: your dog needs to go. It is insanitary to have a dog here (go check the toilets dude, talking of insanitary), needs to go. Not being open to any reasoning that we drove 700km's to be there, that the dog isn't anywhere near the water, just sleeps on her rug and that I need my girlfriend for my support and that if the dog is going that my girlfriendhas to go as well. (because we cant leave the dog alone or in the car) The dude is of course officially right, but exceptions prove the rule.

Anyway, my girlfriend left with our dog. And with that I am on my own which sucks monkeyballs. Not being able to get somebody else to support me I decide to top up my carbs and fluids and hope for the best.

So, we start. First three laps I swim with this guy while the other 5 people (boys and girls) speeding ahead of us. Halfway lap four my swimming cap starts to irritate me and I hold a bit to get it back on the way it should be. With that, I loose connection with the other dude who finishes 7 minutes before me. Not being allowed to wear a watch and a race clock missing on the shore, I have no clue what my pace is and I'm pretty much in the dark.

Round six: everything is hurting and I see my girlfriend on the shore at the start of the 6th lap. Every start of every lap the temptation of stopping is HUGE. But I plow on trying to think of my technique and thinking "We did not drive 700km's to f*#$! quit!". I get cramps in both feet, but somehow manage to get rid of that.

Lap 8, the last one! Yay! I now swim on pure willpower, no clue I had so much of that. ;) After the second-last buoy I realize I now need to swim to the red buoy, not the yellow one! No clue what my time will be, I just feel that I am hurting and that I am empty. Dipping deep into my fat reserves, carbs are overrated anyway. ;)

I hit the finish canvas, roll over on my back and I immediatly get a major cramp in my right hamstring: woah! Better now than an hour earlier I guess. I ask the officials what my time is and it is 2:50 which I guess is okay without support on my first 10km.

Now I'm hurting. Muscles ache and lessons learned. :)

evmoIronMikeSydneDKatieBunbluemermaid9Soloswimrn62

Comments

  • PasqualePasquale Trento, ItalyMember

    Well, 2.50 for 10 K looks like a good time especially considering the lack of support. You must be proud of yourself... Congratulation :)

    Errrwin
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member

    2:50 is an incredibly great time! Congrats!

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

  • bluemermaid9bluemermaid9 Boca Raton, FL, United StatesSenior Member

    Well done! Impressive time!

    This was at Badesee Heddesheim, right? What was the water temperature?

    Errrwin
  • ErrrwinErrrwin BerlinMember

    Thanks all!

    @bluemermaid9 Exactly, the water was about 23 degrees :)

    bluemermaid9
  • PasqualePasquale Trento, ItalyMember

    @Errrwin I live in Belgium and I am looking for some nice swim to do this year. Wanted to try my first 10K swim as well. This one in Germany looks nice and is not so far from were I live.

    Could you share more info? Is there a website to get more info and subscribe to the race? is there a Fin affiliation required and/or medical sport certificate?
    Tried to look on the internet but could not find much and I do not speak any German at all.
    Thanks

  • JacqueJacque M. (Germany)Member
    edited March 2019

    Hi Pascuale, as a fellow German I took responsibility to check. :wink:

    Although the date seems to be set (8./9.6.2019) there was no link to find to describe or enter the swims. I remember the event from a couple of years ago, I did my first OW swim there (and training for a Jersey-France now... :smile: ), it was well organized. They always have a couple of races just for the regional ow-swimmers but also events for everybody, I just don't remember if the longer distances were open to everybody, too. More info should be found here shortly:
    https://www.heddesheim-schwimmen.de/aktuelles/termine/artikel/sueddeutschebawuejedermann-schwimmen-freiwasser-heddesheim.html

    If you are looking for other OW swims in Germany I highly recommend the website
    http://schwimmkalender.de/index.php/freiwasser
    They try to list basically everything they can find in Germany and Austria, it's a great resource.

    Let me know if I can help in any way. Good luck with your swims!

    Pasquale
  • PasqualePasquale Trento, ItalyMember
    edited March 2019

    @Jacque thanks so much for the info.. after some experience with 3 to 6k races i am looking forward to attempt my first 10k.. I am going through the link you sent me... I usually cross Germany when i go to Italy for summer holidays.. it would be nice to stop there for a swim.. is also not so far from Belgium and there are not so many OW races here... Good luck with your crossing as well, I have just checked out where jersey is and it looks like a nice and long swim....

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