In the city, it has already got around. A man in a black-and-red sportswear has been running for the past week, always the same route in Bruchköbel. If the Locals see, you ask: “Is he?” Other to call up the athletes from the moving car, in order to motivate him: “go ahead.” Recently, even the mayor went a piece with him. They also wanted to support Dirk Leonhardt in his attempt to break the world record for the longest Triathlon. Since the beginning of July, the man has travelled more than 200 kilometres in the water, and 5400 miles on the bike. Meanwhile, more than 700 kilometers of running track were added; in 1320 he wants to run as a whole. However, the extreme physical strain that goes by the triathletes, without a trace.
“choose The pain over the Tempo”, says Leonhardt during a stopover on the route. Day four drive laps of the 20.5 kilometres, he had tried to, actually – which are almost two Marathon distances. However, an inflammation on the ankle made him first a dash through the bill. “Since Jogging wasn’t, and I had to consistently go,” he says. Four to four and a half hours of Bruchköbeler needed for a round. “It was frustrating, because I didn’t come here to go Jogging in.” In the meantime, the pain has subsided a little, and Leonhardt can address one or other of the kilometres faster. “I have to look, I think the burden so that I walk as gently as possible.”
“Slowly it is hard”
Less frustrating, however, Cycling was for Leonhardt. “This is his favorite discipline,” says his wife, Ilsa. For Leonhardt has trained too much. Because originally he wanted to ride in his annual vacation, which cross Europe from the North Cape to the South of Spain. Then Corona and not much later the idea came, instead, in the Rhine-Main-to break a world record.
“it is exhausting”, says Ilsa Leonhardt. As before, you take care of the meals of her husband. Regularly, after filling the supplies in the car parked on the half of the track. Especially water, the Athlete needs on these hot days. Nutella sandwiches there so often, but bread with honey, told you. At the same time Ilsa Leonhardt on fits to the two children at the age of four and six years. Already got a while ago from vacation with the grandparents back. “The children are happy and tell you the actually, everyone who comes over,” says the mother. Running rounds, you can accompany your father also finally have a piece of. “The Great always says ,daddy, you’re a duck ne lame’, because he can of course give the bike lots of Gas,” says Dirk Leonhardt, and has to laugh a little.
The target is always in front of eyes
a wife and children, however, are not its only supporters: In the past few weeks, have visited him again and again friends, colleagues and Acquaintances at home and on the track. Some carry his backpack with the food, others to bring him water on the track or your training plan, in order to accompany Leonhardt and can motivate. Since he runs tirelessly through the track in Bruchköbel and the adjacent forest, has increased the number of his companions more. Because he usually go only, could keep up even less trained runners. “The willingness to help, the opposite strikes me, is phenomenal,” says the Bruchköbeler. Especially because he didn’t know many of the supporters before. “There are some that are really a lot, and since you can say that a friendship has developed.”
His goal Leonhardt has continued to in front of eyes. And he believes that he can reach it up to the end of his leave. Because to beat the world record of the Italian Ilaria Corli, he would have to run for 53 laps. But the Bruchköbeler wants more: He wants to create thirty times that of the Ironman distance. He must attend to more than 60 laps. “If, after the holiday rounds are left, then I can do only one of the day,” says the Bruchköbeler. Then he had to run 20 kilometers in the morning before work to after work in the evening spend time with family.
