The Blog of Dirk Bockel

2013 so far….

I just wanted to drop by my online space and update you guys on what has gone on during the first busy weeks of 2013.

Winter time is always pretty crazy for me as I am traveling back home to Luxembourg and tons of appointments are waiting on me. That’s normal when you travel a lot and everything piles up over the months when you are away. So after a few easy days off after my last disastrous race at Ironman Cozumel, I spent a week working all my meetings off. That was pretty intense and very stressful, but also a lot of fun at times. I was already back to training, so I only gave myself two weeks of total recovery and then went straight back into it. My goal was not to gain too much weight and maintain my fitness. One of the highlights was the election for the Athlete of the Year in Luxembourg where I placed third again. Pretty good but I was hoping for the top spot…weeks later the people in Luxembourg voted for the People’s Athlete of the Year, and despite the official result that came from the votes of the sport press, I ended up winning the People’s Vote by a nice margin. That was great to hear and gave me some motivation to start the year.

Shortly after the Luxembourg visit, I was back in the car and on my way to Northern Italy- in order was a short five day Spa recovering break that we both really needed. This area of Italy is one of our little happy places and we had time to reflect and recharge while training. God, that felt good. Can’t wait to go there next year again. Those amazing five days passed quickly and I was back on the road to the first real camp of the new season. Ski skating in Austria. So I set out for two and a half weeks of work on the skis, but also running, swimming, home trainer riding and all that. I was focused but had time to enjoy the evenings with Alicia, my Mum and her partner, plus our dog. The poor old Leon (the dog) was in his last few weeks due to cancer and I made sure to spend some serious time with him.

Towards the end of the camp I got tired and knew that I was working hard so we packed up and drove back to Luxembourg. Driving is fun when you have a good car sponsor who always supplies you with the newest cars- thanks to Garage Losch for that. One more day of meeting up with my friends and I was back in the plane en route to the warmer climate in Florida.

The weather has been very nice this year and that played in my favor as I needed to get in shape for my first real test at Panama 70.3. It had been a while since I raced that distance and I was not really a 100% yet, but good enough to place 4th overall and collect some needed points.

I am excited about the first highlights that will come early and mid summer, but I will fill you in once we get closer.

For now it’s important to set sail in the right direction and make sure the boat is moving. All seems well now that I am back to work and my normal triathlon routine. The plan is to make 2013 count, in terms of sport but also in life.

All the best to all of you. Stay safe and healthy through out the year and make sure you stick with your goals till you get there. Feel free to follow each move on twitter and facebook, so we can stay connected. Till the next month…

2013 Race Schedule Announced

I am excited to announce that I just finalized my race schedule for the year.  Taking into account some of the things I have learned about my training and preparation for big races, there are some changes from the past few years–and I hope that this new direction will be successful for me and prove to keep things interesting and fun (after over 23 years of triathlon–I am always happy to do new races and take on new challenges–I need a change every now and then).

My first race of the year took place last week in Naples, FL–where I am happy to say that I took the win.  It was a nice change of pace for me to focus on half distance racing–which will be the theme of the first part of my season.  I did 6 long distance races last year, and my coach and I both think that the fatigue associated with such a long season may have been what contributed to the cramping I experienced in Cozumel at the end of the year.  For this reason, the first half of the year focuses on shorter races that will not only keep my leg-speed intact, but also give me an opportunity to gain the points I need for the Kona qualification.  The half-distance focus of the first part of the year will keep me in North & South America for the spring:

January 13, 2013 – HITS Series Half – Naples, Florida
February 3, 2013 – Ironman 70.3 Panama, PanAm Championships – Panama City, Panama
March 17, 2013 – Ironman 70.3 Puerto Rico – San Juan, Puerto Rico
May 3, 2013 – Ironman 70.3 St George, US Pro Championships – St. George, Utah

I will then head back over to Europe for the summer and concentrate on key long distance races that will act as highlights for me.  These are the focus of my 2013 season outside of Hawaii.

Lastly, I will head back over to Boulder, CO for the buildup for the biggest race of the year–the Ironman World Champs in Kona.  I will spend the late summer and early fall in altitude preparing for the main event.

I am always open to adding races depending on how I feel–so CHECK THE SCHEDULE for changes.  I hope to see you guys out at some of these races!  What are your plans for 2013?

Winter break is over…and it’s time to race!

My first race of the year will be at the HITS Half Ironman in Naples FL. The race will be held Saturday the 12th of January at 7am. I am looking forward to get back into racing mode! In just two weeks I will race Panama 70.3 in order to get some more qualifying points for my world ranking and the Kona World Championship qualification. This winter we tried a few different things and I was able to stay lean and in shape. Not sure what how my body will react during the race but I am confident to be able to challenge myself!

So I guess it is time I update you guys on my winter break… Continue reading →