Trial training | From the column to the starting line: Fehmarn, here we come!

Haha, that was a surprise: Two weeks ago, I joked here about whether, after so many team dropouts, anyone else wanted to join the Fehmarn group – from the readership or the editorial team? And what can I say? Tada – a big shout-out for Hartmut Heuschkel, 64, a teacher from Petershagen, regular reader, and also a volunteer editor in the nd editorial team!

Hartmut got in touch the day after the column, we spoke on the phone, and now he's also on Team Tribalistas. He feels fit enough for the Olympic distance, even without months of preparation. "I'm leaving the hammock behind and putting on my running shoes. Hopefully they don't squeak from long-term ignorance," he joked in his text message.

Hartmut is our oldest member of the team . He has been part of the nd Velothon team three times and has completed several Olympic-distance triathlons himself. On Friday afternoon, he, like the other Tribalistas, will be setting up camp in his RV at the Südstrand campsite. Over a sunset beer (guaranteed non-alcoholic!), he'll hopefully give us newbies a few practical tips for the race before we cycle together to the start and finish line on Sunday morning. A triathlon first!

Am I excited? Yes. Am I nervous? Oh, no. What could possibly go wrong now? My coach, Marcel Obersteller, has been really pushing me: In the past four weeks, I've been in the water, on the bike, or on the run six out of seven days a week. "Those weren't easy sessions you were doing," he admits during our final phone call before the competition. "But we had to get you fit in two months!"

And what advice does he have for the big day? "Above all, think through all the eventualities beforehand," says the former competitive athlete. "What if your bike gets a flat tire? What if you oversleep, forget your goggles, or get an unjustified time penalty? Nothing should throw you off track! Always have an answer!"

I'm supposed to be there two hours before the race, check in my bike, and prepare my transition station. Have breakfast beforehand—porridge or a roll, as usual. No experiments ! At the start, I'm supposed to stand on the left side, as I breathe to the right when swimming front crawl. This way, I can always see my opponents and swim in the right direction . Quickly find a group where the pace is right and then swim in their shadow! You can gain super speed by following the others' lead!

Drink at least a liter while cycling and eat well before you start running: Don't overdo it! Play it safe for five kilometers, and then, if possible, pick up the pace again! From then on, just enjoy, says Marcel. "With you, it's not about the result, but about the experience!"

Enjoy! Experience! All right, Coach! That's exactly how I'll be running into the Baltic Sea waves on Sunday at 9 a.m. alongside 200 other people: Yay! Fehmarn, here we come!

All Trial Training Columns: Part 1 : How to Do Triathlon? Part 2 : Standing in the Rain Part 3 : The Little Ones Part 4 : Naked in Happiness (54) Part 5 : The Man with the Plan Part 6 : In a Bar Rush Part 7 : Holiday in Top Form Part 8 : Waves and Wonder Glasses Part 9 : The Lines Thin Part 10: Early Morning Flow