For a long time I had the thought in my mind that I could write my own blog on Diana’s webpage: it last a long time but finally you can find it here!


The blog is a try to prevent the neglect and to tell some stories of another angle of view with a little twinkle of an eye of the life from a pro triathlete.

12th April 2011

My blog has to start with a Thank You. The 1st goes to Diana: your performance and behavior were world class – you have arrived. The next goes to all the triathletes who we were allowed to get to know, the organisator of the Ironman South Africa and all spectators and fans not only on the course. My expectations of the Top-Athletes were beat! I’m very proud that I was allowed to get to know you and I’m happy that you welcomed Diana in your rows. The last thanks has to go to the people here in South Africa – they warmly welcomed us and did everything what they can do that Diana get the chance to do a great race.

That’s all for this blog and I want to let all the THANKS stand for themselves. Soon you find here more stories and experiences about the last weeks before, during and after the race. Cheers Seb

8th April 2011

The official part of the Ironman South Africa before the start has done. But this time it was a big fun – once seldom see so many famous faces to a press conference. All those triathlon legends created a fantastic atmosphere – we’ve rarely had such a fun on normally such a “boring” event. But with a Chrissie Wellington and a Belinda Granger in one room you’ll have always a good atmosphere. The always laughing woman in the scene Natascha Badmann (I assume she laughs during her sleep, too) created freezing moments, we wish her a really good race! It’s the 1st race of the 6 times Hawaii champion after her accident in 2007.

The men made everybody laughing because they're scared of Chrissie – they hope to reach the finish line before her;-)

At the beginning you could feel the uncertainness of Diana – you should not forget that she sits with all those famous girls on one table and 3 years ago we were still collecting autographs from them. But the “Old-Ladies” of the scene – think one is allowed to call them so - welcomed her cordially.

On the question if Diana want to break the bike record here – she answered: it depends on Chrissie – if she let me it is fine, but I give my best.

2 more days to go and we know more! Seb

2nd April 2011

Finally we had our family consolidation here in South Africa. After many long lasting weeks I could take Diana in my arms. The time was hard and the areal separation felt like an eternity.

Our feeling for the right moment was worth gold. One day after Diana has left Krabi Thailand was flooded by heavy rain. To all families who lost affiliates or friends we want to express our commiseration! That the training is almost impossible vanished totally when you see the devastation and sorrow. What makes me sad is the horror in the German press when some Germans can’t fly back home and the normal hotel running is disturbed which caused a failed holiday! One totally forgets that most people fight for their lives or existences in those areas. Always when Germans are involved the horror is especially high in Germany. One should believe that every human life counts – no matter from which country!

But that’s enough… the training in South Africa is going well. Till Wednesday we stay in East London and then we head towards Port Elisabeth. Big thank you to the Merrifield College for the easy use of the school pool! Diana really appreciates it and because of all those great and kind support we enjoy to stay in your town! Seb

4th March 2011

Diana arrived in Thailand. After the coordination of the last days I’m really happy about the 1st 3rd of the journey went well. So many different flights we’ve never booked before: Asia-South Africa and Germany makes 12 flights!!!

The 2nd training camp in Asia started for Diana 2 days before and this time the majority of the teamTBB is there. Added to this there’re some athletes from the Suisse national short distance team because Brett is their coach, too. So the language of the camp is German – if you count Schwyzerdütsch (Suisse German) to German;-)

The weather is perfect: the warm climate – or better the heat – is good for everybody. Those’re perfect conditions to get the ground joint for the upcoming races. Brett has everybody under control – the atmosphere is great. He doesn’t have his nickname as a grinder without any reason: hard days will follow.

Some of the athletes are preparing for the Triathlon Dubai and you know that Diana has the IM South Africa in her focus. That will get a great race. The names you can read in the start list promise a very very tough women field. We’re looking forward to it.

1st sessions on the P3 go well and everybody knows as long as the sun is shining Diana is happy and everything is rolling.

29th January 2011

Back in Germany. Since Friday is Diana back in her cold but sunny country. She landed with all her luggage on time in Berlin.

The first days are used to complete all things which couldn’t be done in South Africa. Even the phone calls with all friends and family take their time. To all those whom we haven’t said “Hallo” we want to do it right now: we’re back and everything is fine. Even our dog recognized us again although Diana hasn’t seen her for 4 weeks! And she’ll get her time, too. It’s always hard for Diana to leave her “Wuffi” alone for so many weeks.

The race in South Africa was analyzed with Brett who was satisfied with Diana’s run performance and he looks hopefully in the future. Now he is convinced that cold + rainy races and Diana don’t match. That was 1 reason why we went to South Africa but you can’t trust the weather any more.

All further plans are focused on the upcoming camps in Thailand and to find out which race we can do next. As soon as the decision will be made we tell you!

The next days Diana tries to get back into her training and to resist the German winter:-)

Cheers Seb

24th January 2011

The 1st Ironman of the year is now history for Diana. And that should be like this because we’ve to look forward.

Even when their only stands a 6 place once hoped that it go further to the podium. But Diana is confident – the run was good because she run the pace like the best athletes and Jodie Swallow hasn’t become world champ as a present – that makes optimistic.

The reason why Diana had no power on the bike – no one knows – but therefore we find a solution. The “problem child” swim is another point – it lasts a long time, we need patience.

About the race we can report quickly. Headline is: rain, cold, a start-finish victory of Jodie, super bike split of Tine and great run of Sonja. Diana’s Team can be happy with Jodie and the 2nd place of James.

Yesterday meantime I thought I’m in London – the one with the Themse and not the East London in South Africa: the rain was heavy!

Sadly my time is over here in South Africa and I’ve to go back.

Thank you to all who supports us here.  Hopefully we’ll see soon! Seb

22th January 2011

The first meetings of the legionnaires are done. There’re a few new faces but the majority we already know from former races or camps of TBB. It’s always nice to feel the atmosphere before a race. For the athletes it’s a compulsory and often a horror. Once is looking at each other and one tries to reveal any feet of clay of the concurrence. While the German athletes are in a minority it came quickly to a short talk about the newest gossip in the German triathlon scene. 3 sportsmen of Team TBB are in the race – next to Diana there are James Cunnama and Jodie Swallow who both are the strongest candidates for the victory. All good luck for the race and from the readers of this website we expect to keep your finger crossed. But we know that you do it on your own. Therefore thank you!

PS: The South Africans have a typical German summer: it’s raining and the race will be like a European one – good that we’re used to it! Seb

20th January 2011

1st tries:-)

Even in East London the weather is topic number 1 – you can hardly believe it!

The local surfers don’t really agree with the weather forecast which is adapted rapidly to the actual weather. But if the wind comes from the east it’s a hard swim. The last days the wind came from this direction and brought us cold water. I convinced myself while surfing with Alex (son of our guest family – he was still surfing before he could walk). You are always surprised which power water has – it took me an eon to escape the billow with my board to try my luck. Most times it was only an attempt and the 14° C cold water gave me the rest to finish after 1 hour. Even if the current is the same on Sunday I wish all competitors a lot of fun (who won’t be kept by the waves may have the chance to be fetched by a sharkJ

The last hard session from Diana was all right: the normal hurting are there ( I believe there exists no healthy athlete on earth) Afterwards Diana is on her way for registration and 2morrow will be the Pro Race Briefing – we see if everybody is there. It will be an interesting meeting of world class triathletes.

More about it – soon! Seb

17th January 2011

I can only say: „Finally I arrived at our 2nd home”

Over the years South Africa became our favorite country and the time till we can travel there again is quite too long every time. Not only the nature which is impressive also the people caught our heart. For Diana it’s perfect here – where else everybody is fighting with the snow and coldness in Germany. You’ve the Indian Ocean in front of the door where you can brave your courage and there are 50m Olympic pools, 25m pools and 2 100feet pools! Running and cycling is no problem at all: 25°C at 6 am! But you should know: who doesn’t like hills should not come to East London! Nothing is flat except the beach:-)

It’s a great luck to train here the whole January – therefore a big THANK YOU to our guest parents. Hope we’ll see us again when Diana may take part in the IM South Africa in April! But 1st there’s the 70.3 – how it will be at the weekend is in the air! Diana and her coach agree that the priority is not on the 70.3-serie and use the whole time here for hard training. And you can trust me: I don’t want to swap with her! My daily routine is surfing, canoeing and kitesurfing – and that’s much more comfortable:-) By all means Diana goes high motivated into the race and she gives everything. The field is very strong: the present world champion Jodie Swollow, Sonja Tajsich, Mari Rabi and Lucie Zelenkova will be strong competitors for Diana. The quality of woman races extremely grated up during the last few years: and there won’t be any race which you can win easily but therefore we get very thrilling Ironmans!

Cheers Seb