Flying German Maik Twelsiek
Maik Twelsiek has proven a few times what a threat he is on a bike and his run is getting quicker too. He just recorded a 4:29:10 at Ironman Coeur D'Alene but got run down by 2-time Ironman World Champion Craig Alexander for the win. Twelsiek had to settle for second place just as he had at Ironman St. George in early May of this year. We had a few words with the fast German.
Slowtwitch: Have you recovered from the day at Coeur D'Alene?
Maik: I am still working on it… and I always like to have a pretty easy following week. But the legs feel like they are coming around already–not too bad.
ST: Your 4:29:10 bike split was very impressive especially on that course.
Maik: I am very happy about it. My Scott Plasma 3 is an awesome machine and was working perfect on Sunday. I also knew the bike course pretty well as I had been in Coeur D‘Alene for 3 weeks before the race to train on the course and in the conditions. I live in Tucson, AZ, but in the summer it is too HOT to train so I took the opportunity with a great homestay to go out early. I did almost every ride on the bike course, rode my intervals on them and knew where and when a pothole was coming.
ST: Most people can’t recon a course as you did in CDA, but how much of an advantage would you say it is to know a course well?
Maik: I think it is always a big advantage when you know the course. So at least check it out in the car, but I think it is way better to have ridden it on the bike. It just looks and feels different and you know what to expect on race day. When there is a part through the city with lot of traffic, stop signs, lights I usually check it out in car and maybe once on bike, but in CDA for example I trained almost all of my rides on the north part of the bike course which in my eyes is the more technical and also less traffic busy part.
ST: The old course record by Michael Lovato from 2005 was just about 9 minutes slower than your record crushing time. Were you aware of those numbers?
Maik: I heard about them. But for me it is always difficult to compare times especially when they are on different bike courses (I was actually 11mins faster than anyone else on this course). I think this is also hard to compare when it is maybe in one year nice and sunny and the next year it can be raining and blowing.
ST: Did you feel good throughout the bike?
Maik: Oh yes, I did. There was no crisis and I felt really good the whole time. I had a good time out there; the spectators were great and as I had been there for a while I knew a few more people on the course who were cheering for me.
ST: Were you aware of the performance of Julie Dibens behind you?
Maik: I was shocked! She did awesome. The bike course has 2 loops and in the beginning of the loop there is an out and back where you can check your position and see how far the others are behind and also how they look. When I saw Julie there in 4th position overall, just behind Tom, I checked my nutrition to make sure all was fine and I was not dreaming. I think she also had fun out there on the bike course and was enjoying her ride.
ST: Looking at the effort Julie did and seeing how fast Chrissie has gone, would you say the gap from women to men is closing?
Maik: Yes, I think so. Julie came on 4th position from the bike, overall! And when Chrissie is racing you need a good day not to get chicked! Also the Marathon Rinny is always busting out is far away for many men; I would be happy to be able to run as fast as she does! So I really think that the girls are closing the gap.
ST: You were second in Coeur D'Alene and also in St. George and I think both times you were passed around mile 15. Which one of the 2 passes was harder to swallow?
Maik: It is never nice when you get finally passed and it hurts. But in the past it broken me and I gave up the race in my mind. This year I feel like I can handle it better and find my way back into my own run and try to challenge them again. IM St. George was in the end pretty close and if Mathias had gotten in trouble I would have been there. Unfortunately for me he stayed strong, but he had to do that to win.
ST: During Ironmanlive Welchy mentioned that you had thought you might need a 15 minute lead over Crowie and that seems to have been a perfect calculation looking back, but did you really think it would be that tight?
Maik: After Ironman St. George I had been pretty smashed. It was a tough race, the run course is a real challenge and took a lot out of me, especially in this conditions with Temperatures> 90 F. To race again after 6 weeks was pretty early for me, so I wasn’t sure about my shape and was not sure I would be able to develop such a big gap. I didn’t know Craig was racing until a few days before so I hadn’t really thought about it too much. But Craig is a racer and I know what he can do so I knew I needed a big gap. I just wasn’t sure how it would develop.
ST: Do you think your hard effort on the bike put Crowie a bit on the ropes?
Maik: Oh yeah I hope so! I mean the bike ride was not easy for me and I think the run was also not so easy for him. But if he wanted to win that is what he had to run. I think there are not so many people out there who are able to bust out a 2:46 marathon, but he is one of them and did it. A 2:50 & it would have been really tight!
ST: You hit a rough spot around mile 15/15 but looked quite well after. What happened?
Maik: Man, a marathon is a long way. In CDA you have to do 2 loops and after the first one I knew how far the second one would be again. No seriously, I think I ran out of fuel and needed a little party at an aid station. In my special needs bag I always have a Red Bull. I ran the first loop just trying to get there and slam it down, then put a good amount of Coke on top. After this combo, I got reset and felt really fine on the second loop.
ST: Do you find it mentally challenging knowing someone is hunting you down from behind?
Maik: Well, I have been now a few times in this situation. I think you get used to it and it is fun!!!
ST: I think it is safe to say you have your ticket to Kona stamped, so what is next?
Maik: Kona! I also think I am safe with the new points system, so I want to give the body time to recover from the 2 Ironmans and go pretty easy for 2 weeks or so. Then I will go to Colorado for 6 weeks and build it up for Hawaii. I have never been in altitude but would like to test it and hope it will work for me. After that I want to come back to Tucson, train here before in the heat again like I did in the past 2 years.
ST: What is possible in Kona?
Maik: Puh!!! It’s still a long time away, but in the last 2 years I came in twelfth, so I really would like to break the top 10 finally. The races in CDA and St. George showed me that I am on a good way. I still have the power on the bike but my run has improved and I am able to run stronger than I have been able to in the past. I also have some time to get some rest and be able to build it up for Hawaii. I am really excited and looking forward to the race this year…
ST: Anything else new?
Maik: 12/ 31 / 2011, save the date 😉
(Wedding date of Maik Twelsiek to Hillary Biscay)
