Et was my moment of the year, and probably not only that, but of the last few years. For me, this has come full circle since my first participation in Hawaii ten years ago. It was, quite cheesy, the moment I crossed the finish line in Kona on October 8th and saw my family.
I always had to laugh when fellow athletes said they had to first realize what they had achieved. I realized that in that moment. I had realized what I had set out to do. I had made real what I had dreamed of. At 38 this was my last race in Hawaii and I’ve had a difficult two years and our sport has been developing at a rapid pace of late.
For more than a decade I would have said that sixth place is a disaster for me. The sponsors hardly pay any bonuses for it, but the fact that I was once again triathlete of the year in Germany with this sixth place shows that the triathlon scene can assess this placement well. I didn’t start the race with the fear that it wouldn’t work, I was looking forward to the fact that nobody, including myself, would expect me to do an insane act. That’s one of the reasons why I got caught in an upward spiral.
I believe there is almost nothing more difficult than finding the right time to retire from a professional career. Sixth place was perfect, because if I had somehow come second again, I might have asked myself, if you come second now, then you can win again next year, like in 2014. But it was clear that it wouldn’t happen anymore Valves. At the same time, I was good enough to be able to play up front again.
Sometimes I used to cross the finish line, I’d won, and that was the end of it. I let all the excitement and affection ricochet off me because I figured if you enjoy a win too much, you’ll never win another race. Now it was different. Now I have really enjoyed the affection and respect shown to me by everyone, including my colleagues. I am very happy with this degree in Hawaii. 2023 will be my last year as a pro and I can really enjoy that with races I haven’t been able to compete in before.
Recorded by Michael Eder
