Powerman Zofingen 2022

This is the World Long Distance Champs and I would be in the 50-54 age group despite not actually being 50 until November.  I had been watching the event live on YouTube for the past few years, and had made a decision last year that as I was having a 2023 focused on Duathlon, that I would go for a place , and then build my season towards it. I started post Outlaw last year, with Standards at Oulton Park & Cowman, and used my Outlaw finish to qualify for Alsdorf Middle Distance Du (finishing 8th), and then this years Castle qualifiers at Cholmondeley & Howard. These last two being excellent prep as it turns out, as both have climbs and gravel/ trail paths on the runs and the bikes have decent amounts of climbing.

Getting there

I drove, Lincoln to Harwich (Hull is much closer but £200 more expensive), then from Hook Of Holland to Antwerp to drop Mrs off at a family reunion, and then off to Metz for an overnight stop. Metz to Zofingen the following morning. (It is worth noting that on the Monday after the event, I was able to drive from Zofingen back to Antwerp in a one-er @ 419 miles, so when I go again, I'll likely cut the Metz stop out. 

I arrived in Zofingen on the Friday morning, choosing to stay at the Partner Hotel which was a good logistical place to stay and was on the bike course. What it was though, was a third floor of a private medical building with clinics on each floor. I couldn't tell what was being done there, but I'm guessing Botox, Tits & Teeth wouldn't be far from the mark !  The room was nice, and the hotel seemed popular with other competitors. I had a tempo bike session that afternoon, and on the Saturday morning went for a jog, and a short tune up on the bike, before registering and meeting up with the British Team for photos. In the evening, we attended the pasta party which was free and in a turn up, was actually good !  Sunday, I set the alarm for very early even though it was a 9.02 start. 

I expected rain even though the forecast was for clear skies, and it didn't disappoint as it rained as I walked/ scooted down to transition. Then it cleared up and didn't appear again all day. Racking was easy , and those blue boxes, are ample for everything I needed to put in it. I had a good half an hour to watch the womens race unfold on the giant screen, before a half arsed, half professional looking warm up before heading to the mens 20-64 start which went off just 2 minutes after the male pro race. 

Run 1

Straight from the off, this course starts with a gentle climb which ramps up and steepens before continuing into gravel paths in a forest, concentration key here with cambers and cobbles to deal with. Going up the hill was steady, and I just kept thinking, take this like you would on a bike - it's not how you go up it, it's how you go over it that's important, and I was strong over the top so knew I'd pitched it about right.  I do need to work on downhill running though. Even though I held form, and didn't brake, I was still losing bags of time to those around me, only making up time on the flats. Second lap, almost carbon copy of the first, and I headed into transition 10th in AG, but minutes behind the medal contenders.  41.55.

Bike 

I'm usually reasonable on a bike and make up places. Here, I wouldn't be using my usual TT bike as it's single ring and 60T and I'm not Brian Fogarty ! I bought an entry level P2 from face book a few months back for undulating courses so had the luxury of a 53/39 with 11-23 on the back. Knowing that I cramped badly at Castle Howard, I would start the bike with two bottles of Ribena made up with ph1500 which I thought would do the job. In my top box was my feed trifle !  Bottom layer Jelly Babies, Middle layer Fig Rolls (McVities of course), with dessert on top in the shape of Powerbar Caramel all diced up.  I used a disc and a tri spoke, I had shallower wheels with me, but as wind was minimal and it was dry, I took the chance. 

So on to the bike in 10th, settled quickly, went to take first drink of the Ribena parked between my aero bars and nothing. Tried pulling the tube out, twisting it but to no avail, so had 87 miles of staring at something I couldn't use. Did have the one on the down tube so drank that and replaced it with a bottle of random energy drink at each feed.  There are three laps of this course, each has what I'd call two hard, long climbs, and a couple of long drags, there are wild descents, some switchbacks , and some technical turns. I knew my power, and stuck to it, making sure to cap the effort on the ups where I needed every one of those gears, and not chasing the watts on the descents.  It was quiet, not too much in the way of other competitors, and the traffic was respectful. Pretty uneventful bike, other than catching a L

uxemboug athlete for a good minute up the last of the six big uns. Holding same power when I passed him, he then decided, that he'd come back past me again. Only to blow up a short while later. Why do people do this ? You cannot magic up watts ! I would see him later on the run and to be fair we would strike up a bond ! 

Bike 4.45 when I fancied I'd be about 4.30. Off the bike in 7th (I didn't know that at the time, I thought I was a lot lower down), but in good order, still had running legs and was looking forward to the 30km last run.

Run 2

The TV does this course no justice, it is a beast, with a stairway to heaven at the start of each lap. The first mile of each would be the hardest, with some respite on the shelf section (with stunning views), before climbing again in the forest until the 5km feed station then it was mostly downhill. On that first forest section , I again cramped badly and lost time as it was slow to ease off. After that brief walk, I knew my limits and the threshold for it to happen again, and kept moving for the rest of the second lap. I couldn't tell where I was in the field or the age group of anyone that came past me, just looking at their faces to guess who was around my advancing years !  At the top of the stairway to heaven was the team manager, who gave great support throughout my whole time in Switzerland.  Lap 2 I decided was a enjoy it and don't think about it lap, with a just keep moving mantra, and then I called the last lap the party lap, knowing that I wouldn't be seeing parts of the run again - I think I nearly cried with joy at the top of the second lap when I knew that the ascent was over for the day. Just the last 5km down to the finish, with a smile on my face / grimace / wind, and a finish time of 8.08 and 7th in AG.  6th pace as it transpired was just 18 seconds ahead, but of course I was completely oblivious of this - I wonder if he was.  

Later that evening, awards ceremony, more free pasta, a couple of beers. 

Reflections 

Great event, fabulously tough, I think it's the toughest thing I've ever done, the previous being Lanza. I know this is shorter, but those runs are a killer. Will I go back ? Yes, I think I will, I'm PQ for next year, and there's things I can improve on for sure.