One Week in Deutschland

My last race: the July 4th 5k with the Tiny Coaching Assistant.

Midway through my week-long business trip to Germany, I got an email from a friend with a newborn baby, asking if she would have enough time to train for the Tinkerbell half marathon in January (yes), and whether I would be interested in joining her (maybe). Tinkerbell has never been high on my list of races, but to run it with a friend? Yeah, I’d consider that. I even sent her a copy of Train Like a Mother, with training plans for all race distances and great Mother Runner anecdotes peppered along the way.

Of course, jet lag being what it is, I decided to sleep rather than register. The following morning, I tried to process my registration, but the spotty hotel wifi kept timing out. By the time I got into the office and onto a proper connection, the race was sold out. Boo!

But of course, this has triggered the racing bug again. Actually, it’s less of a racing bug and more of a training bug. I need structure. Need it. Crave it. This bike riding thing has been fun, but it’s not the same as having a set plan, a calendar that details what I need to do when and how long.

Now I’m looking for a January race so I can train alongside my friend. Suggestions are welcome.

I’m also looking for a new bike. Ever since I started my bike riding, I’ve been craving a city bike: upright riding position, protective fenders, headlights and taillights, and sturdy cargo capacity in a front basket and rear rack. Basically every bike that’s on the road in Germany.

No lie, the first night I was in Germany, I walked into town and fell in love with the first bike that I saw chained to a pole. But wait, no: that one. I want that one, chained to that pole. Oooh, but what about this one? Pretty soon I’d mentally purchased 14 new bicycles and realized that perhaps I was obsessing just a wee bit. But seriously, the Europeans know exactly what I’m looking for, and they build bikes that fit women taller than 5’8″. Next time I go, I’m taking an extra day to go bike shopping and take European delivery of my replacement car. Some people go to Germany to buy BMWs. I want to buy a bike.

So: who out there rides and runs? How do you work the two into your training schedule? (Don’t even suggest a triathlon. The swim might kill me.)

Tags: bicycle, bike, dimity mcdowell, half marathon, running, sarah bowen shea, train like a mother, training