The first rule of Powerman Zofingen is... You don't talk about Powerman Zofingen. All season I've been trying to get info on this event from my fellow athletes but nobody would divulge anything. "you'll have to see" was the common reply but it was clear there is a hidden mystique about this race.
The opening run goes straight up a hill and into the forest which is a taste of things to come for the next 190k of constant gradient changes where maintaining any rhythm is the biggest challenge. I ran 32.23 for the opening 10k run and came into T2 in 16th position among some very strong bikers which was exactly where I wanted to be.
The 150k bike route features 9 climbs including the infamous Bodenburg climb three times. The bike leg was very tactical with most of the men's elite field stretched out in pace lines which were only broken up on the climbs. The Bodenburg is a very tough climb. It's not long at about 4k but the gradient literally changes every 25m which is it's unique personality and I'm pretty sure it got steeper on each lap. I got two fast laps done but went through a bad patch on the seventh climb after dropping a gel and then taking two of an untested brand at a feed station in town which clearly didn't go down well and I started to feel nauteous. I laid off the nutrition for a while but got it together for the last 20k of the bike coming into T2 with a bike split of 4.10 and in 20th position in a group of 3.
The 30k second run starts with a steep 3k climb out of transition. I don't take long to get into my running stride but it was incredibly steep and therefore seemed pitifully slow but I was quicker than the guys around me. I picked off a couple of places but started suffering stomach cramps so had a couple of stops in the forest and lost a minutes because of that. I decided stopping again was not an option and carried on in a Catherina McKiernan London Marathon '98 fashion. It ain't pretty but it's a race and I don't mind getting messy if it's the fastest way to the finish. But I certainly wasn't planning any handstands at the finish.
I was still taking on gels and drinking coke so I was still getting nutrition in and running fast. In the end I came home in 17th with a fast finish and a total time of 6.47:47 which in any other year would be worth a top 10 finish and is a very respectable Zofingen debut. I raced hard, managed a couple of crisis situations well and never stopped racing while many others suffered and either fell behind or dropped out.
I think I can make at least 5-10 mintues worth of simple improvements for next year based on the experience alone. Plus maybe another 10 with the right work done over winter so I'm already making plans for a sucessful return next year.
This race is an incredible challenge. Before racing it I thought of it as the Ironman of Duathlon but it's nothing like an IM course so if you're interested in a big challenge then Zofingen is a certainly that. And it would be great to see more Irish athletes at Zofingen testing themselves at this iconic event.
I'd like to thank Triathlon Ireland for their belief and support. Shorter Rochford cycles for the P3 power. Compressport UK for recovery. Optimum Velocity for the future and Mark H my employer for being understanding about time off.
A big thank you Fritz my homestay for being so accomodating and helpful while I was in Switzerland. And Monica for feeding me (whoever knew mashed potatoes were the worlds best recovery food?!).
And also a big thank you to Phil Parsons for handing out nutrition and support on the day. You were an immense help.
