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University cross-country skiing championships - 08.02.2005
approx. 12:30 pm
I'm sitting in the canteen, having just finished my meal, when someone taps me on the shoulder from behind. It's Sven. He asks if I would like to take part in the university cross-country skiing championships. So that he has someone to cheer on. I wanted to take part anyway, so I decide to go to the start wearing a life jacket and helmet in the RainRiders look. Afterwards I speak to Andi briefly in the canteen, but he's not really convinced.
13:08
Andi tells me via ICQ that he's not taking part because he doesn't want to get sick again. I call him a "wimp", to which he replies with a smiley.
1:11 p.m.
I send an email to the RainRiders list to recruit more "crazy people" for the project.
1:13 pm
I send the email.
1:42 p.m.
Falko replies that he would "probably be there" the next day and asks what's showing at the movies tomorrow.
17:35
I call Sven to ask if I should give him a lift. I would drive to Buntenbock by car and not walk there on skis through the forest.
5:45 p.m.
I collect my equipment and pack everything into the car.
17:50
I collect Sven and set off for Buntenbock.
About 6 p.m.
We meet Bernhard in a parking lot in Buntenbock. I collect my race number and we drive on to the course.
A short time later
Once on the course, I run half a lap with Karsten. Then I put on my "competition clothing". Sports officer Alex asks me what I'm planning to do with the knife.
approx. 18:30
The participants (7) gather for the "mass start". I ask the one competitive runner if he wants to run at speed and let him start ahead of me. Shortly after the start I overtake him again. The first lap goes quite well. Helmet and life jacket hardly interfere. The race for everyone is 3 laps of 1.8 km each. The competitive runners cover 6 laps.
About halfway through the second lap, the starter with bib number 1 laps me. I reckon that he will lap me again at the end of my third lap (i.e. just before the finish for me).
After surviving the somewhat strenuous second lap, I set off on my last lap. It went better again. As expected, race number 1 overtook me for the second time shortly before the finish. Nobody else lapped me.
26:59 minutes after the start
I reach the finish. As befits a RainRider, I bravely defended my penultimate place. That's not so easy with two starters. Okay, I knew my "opponent" well, as I've run with him before.
approx. 1:15 hours after the start
The last competitive runner reaches the finish. The award ceremony follows shortly afterwards.
Conclusion
It was a fun event and the penultimate place is ours!
Felix