Episode #8

Hola from Spain! It's been a while since I posted an update, but you may have seen what I've been up to. The preparations for and the participation in the MISSION 48.1000 of FUTURUM almost two weeks ago took a lot of time and the final outcome was not what I expected. If you haven't read the story yet, take a look here.

Even though I was pretty disappointed after having to abandon the mission, I know now that it was a wise choice as the next important goals are already coming up. My past experiences have shown me that there are always positive things to be gained from difficult moments and disappointments and when I look back at the MISSION 48.1000 weekend now, I think mainly of the beautiful things I experienced and saw along the way. For example the preparations together with the FUTURUM team, but also the beautiful surroundings of the stages I rode. Quiet, deserted little roads with farmhouses of more than 200 years old on either side. Short, steep climbs through the woods and now and then an estate or castle that pops up after a corner. And my standard smile is even bigger when I see the deer in front of me again who looked at me in the early morning with big surprised eyes :-). Together with FUTURUM, we already have ideas about the next challenge. Everesting perhaps?

I am writing this blog from my training camp in Spain. Shortly after the Mission 48.000 I left for the Sierra Nevada for an altitude training of almost two weeks in preparation for the important races that are coming up. For example, the Tour of Flanders in early May! When you think of Spain, you probably think of a lot of sun and high temperatures, which is what I had hoped for, but at 2100 metres I'm really glad I brought my FUTURUM 4 SEASONS jacket! Up here in the mountains, it is still pretty cold at the moment and judging by the snow that is still lying around, it has not been very warm recently either. At the moment, I have covered over 640 training kilometers and have conquered more than 16,000 metres in altitude.

The Sierra Nevada in southern Spain offers fantastic opportunities for a training camp at altitude. All facilities are available and the roads are well maintained and not too busy with traffic. We are staying in the village of Pradollano, which is 32 km from Granada and best known for the Sierra Nevada Ski Station, the southernmost ski area in Europe. The village itself is at an altitude of 2,100m, on the flank of the mountain, the summit of which is even at an altitude of 3,400m. What a great environment for a training camp!
I'll get changed now for my next training. You can follow where I am on STRAVA and kudo's and comments will make me even go faster! Enjoy the weekend and stay healthy.

Cheers, Daniel

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