Hello fellow triathletes! 

I was waiting to write this race report for quite some time for many reasons...I had to put this experience to the right place.

1 Sept 2024 I have completed my first post-partum tri race, a half distance! You could say, that's not a big thing from someone who was racing full distances year in year out. That's true, but for sure a new era started for me when I became a mother (finally, it was not a given for me...). While enjoying many aspects of being a mother, a few months after giving birth I also had to face a most likely lifelong health issue which can be handled by medicine but it took quite some time to find the right balance. 

I was signed up for a race in June 2024 - 1 year post-partum. It became my first ever DNS (~did not start). I was devastated, waiting until the last minute to might be able to compete but I had to make the decision for myself and for my family. I even checked in my bike to transition the day before...These decisions can be devastating but you have to put things in perspective. 

Then we started brainstorming as a family, do I have chances still in 2024? How will my health progress? Can I train just enough in 2 months? Luckily the summer helped me to feel better, get more training hours in (still far behind my normal preparation) and register for Duisburg 70.3 .

Late registration comes with the challenge 'where can I find a hotel?' .  We found one, not ideal, near the train station but it was OK. I was not really impressed by the city, it was also a challenge to find a place to eat on race evening. 

Check in went OKish even at rush hours, including much walk until transition (which you had to walk also after the finish line - I had a 'through back moment' to Maastricht :) ). Race day came! 

Swim course was changed, it was a 2-loop swim, crazy busy. First time in my life rolling start did have no added value as it was an aquarium right away. I was not the last jumping in the water but it still took like 45 mins to enter...Cycling was also a 2-loop course, really fast, burning heat, good German roads. Running? It was a so-so experience, not spectacular either but lot of aid stations with showers and many spectators. I felt super strong on the bike which was a surprise even for me with my limited preparation. Running went according to plan, I had to slow down like 15  sec/km due to the heat. I have finished in 6:03! It is a great time for me in this phase in my life. 

I felt gratitude for my body that enabled me for this constant performance boosted with a good recovery - there is a life above 40 ;)