Weekly News Number 3

Welcome to the third week in which I’m sharing my activities and a bit of Cyrill’s life with you. At first glance, this week didn’t seem particularly special. But when I look back, I can’t really say that — because once again, I saw an incredible amount in and around Auckland. A truly great city! But which place isn’t beautiful when you experience it with locals? I really like Auckland and its different neighborhoods. What fascinates me most are the many cultures that come together here in New Zealand. In Europe, it’s hard to imagine what it’s like when many young people emigrate. I should probably tell much more about the country — but to be honest, I don’t really have the expertise for that. What I did do, however, was watch YouTube videos to better understand how New Zealand “works” — and especially how the entire economy is built on an island with no neighboring countries. For us Europeans, it’s interesting to see how an island operates. In Switzerland, we’re also not part of the EU, but we do have direct neighboring countries.

A quiet start — but still productive

The start of the week was so-so. Being sick is always a mental downer for me. Still, I managed to get a few good things done and set some things in motion. At the same time, I consciously gave myself plenty of rest — including watching a lot of tennis. I’m currently deep in Australian Open fever. When Stan reached the third round, I could barely turn off the TV. In the fifth set, he played his best tennis. But you can also see that age makes a difference in sport when you’re up against a 20-year-old. All the more beautiful to see class prevail — that really made me happy.

Discovering Auckland & new training stimuli

I used the week to discover new things — both in Auckland and in my training. We visited the National Museum, a bit outside the city center. The view over the city and the harbor is incredible — even in light rain. Over 20 degrees and a bit of drizzle really isn’t that bad. Instead of staying long in the museum, we preferred to go and discover cafés. That same day, we went back to the same gym as the week before. Ryan probably won’t read this — but still: thank you for letting us just show up and do our thing. The advantage of being in a place with a big network is that you can ask people for favors. That’s not only practical, but also very relaxed.

Highlight of the week: Pilates

By far the highlight of the week was Pilates. I thought it would be tough — but after my first class, where we trained almost exclusively glutes, I thought:

“Okay, if this continues, I’m really going to go under.”

Luckily, I survived — with a few short breaks. I’ll definitely try to integrate Pilates into my training. I’m looking forward to the variety compared to the gym. There’s not much to say about the introduction. As a triathlete, you’re thankfully not a complete movement illiterate when you’re standing on the reformer and adjusting your springs. Maybe in the future there will be a class where I’m massively overwhelmed — so stay tuned. Next week, I’ll try a Pilates class in Noosa.

Coaching & my own structure

Together with Emma, I wrote down the pros and cons of my previous triathlon coaches. What I’m missing is not a program — but the exchange with someone who brings a third perspective. What’s really difficult is finding someone who is just as passionate when it comes to coaching. Someone who listens, understands what I want, and responds to that — combined with real expertise. I can describe quite well how my body works and what it needs. Still, an external perspective is extremely valuable. Together, we’ve now created a 15-hour training plan so I can reach small goals and have regular moments of success. I’m especially looking forward to my gravel bike here in Noosa. The mechanic told me he hasn’t gotten to it yet — but that’s not a big deal. Aron will help me out here as well, and luckily I already have a bike to train on.

Saying goodbye to Auckland — Hobbit landscapes included

To wrap things up, here’s a small story from my last day in Auckland. We traveled north of the city — and the landscape really looks like something out of The Hobbit. Lots of small hills, lush green, simply beautiful. We drove together to the small town of Matakana. The place has a real Lucky Luke vibe. It could almost be a comic-book town: lots of small shops, bakeries, and restaurants where we also spent some time. If you have time, take a look at the area on Google Maps — it’s definitely worth it.