About 10 weeks to go so I thought I’d start a thread… who’s going to be in Switzerland?
I vowed as I crossed the finish line last year I wouldn’t do it again but the lure of defending my title (M35-39) proved too great. Hotel Engel and flights booked and am hitting the hills hard. Would be great to hook up with some Slowtwitchers out there.
CC, I’m in for Zofingen, first time there and longest race by far I’ve done. My plan is to treat this year as a reccy for a proper race attempt in 2014.
I’m in your AG and also booked into the Hotel Engel so hopefully we’ll get a chance to meet.
Cheers, Ben
CC, I’m in for Zofingen, first time there and longest race by far I’ve done. My plan is to treat this year as a reccy for a proper race attempt in 2014.
I’m in your AG and also booked into the Hotel Engel so hopefully we’ll get a chance to meet.
Cheers, Ben
Brilliant… see you there, it’s an amazing event… my advice is to run lots of hills and especially work on your descending strength. The second run is basically a X2 out and back that goes up, bimbles around on the flat for a bit and then comes down. I made up loads of time being able to run the long descent hard. All my run training is off-road and on the fells (I live in the Peak District). Also, don’t worry about the Bodenberg, it’s not too bad… well, the first two times up it aren’t 
Thanks for the advice.
My running is, I think, in hand for this, but I know I am way under trained for the bike (both distance and hill work). I have the sprint du’s in Ottawa mid-August and have been trying (unsuccessfully) to balance training for both of these events.
Let’s try and speak before the start as I will very likely be a mess afterwards!
There are a few others from the UK doing this and a thread on TriTalk if you’ve not seen it.
I’ll be there for the first time this year in the M25-29 category.
Just got my swiss visa this week so I still need to book hotels/hostels in the area.
Apart from hotel Engel…anybody have any cheap hostel suggestions?
As for the race itself, ive done 2 long distance (full IM distance minus swim) duathlons in the past…but they were completely flat. So I’m really scared!
Been doing a lot of hills lately on the run and started to feel better until yesterday when I did a 32km hilly run comfortably only to come hone and find out that it wasn’t even 75% of the climbing I’ll have to do in the 2nd run at zofingen!!
Actually the first run scares me more…900ft of climbing in 10k??. Damn.
I’m also doing the Oly Du champs in Ottawa in august and later going for zofingen in sept.
Its a pain trying to train for both. I thought they’d make the Ottawa course hilly as well, but apparently its completely flat and technical so that doesn’t make things consistent to focus training on.
Apart from hotel Engel…anybody have any cheap hostel suggestions?
I’ve not used it myself, but on *the other site *this hostel was recommended:
Youth Hostel Zofingen
General-Guisan-Strasse 10
4800 Zofingen Switzerlandý
+41 62 752 23 03
I’m also doing the Oly Du champs in Ottawa in august and later going for zofingen in sept.
Its a pain trying to train for both. I thought they’d make the Ottawa course hilly as well, but apparently its completely flat and technical so that doesn’t make things consistent to focus training on.
Absolutely, I’m doing the sprint, so I’m trying to juggle training for a 1 hour event with training for an 8(?) hour event. Every time I do a long run session for Zofingen I get concerned that I am training away all my run speed…
Thanks for the link Ben!
No surprises there…the hostel is booked up. Thanks to the Swiss consulate for handing me a visa only 2 months before the race!
Anyhow, where is the discussion on the other website? I’m hoping to find someone to share a hotel room with, to bring the costs down.
Here is the link: http://www.tritalk.co.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?t=90182&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0
I’m new here so hope I’m not breaking any protocols linking to another tri site.
Hey Ben…
How did Ottawa go? Team GB nearly obliterated all age groups! I had a decent race… my legs sort of wandered off on the bike away from my mind, but the runs were good.
All ready for Zofingen? 
I’ll be there again racing, starting to get excited . Pretty happy with how trainings going and 10000x better prepaid for the race this year.
Hey Ben…
How did Ottawa go? Team GB nearly obliterated all age groups! I had a decent race… my legs sort of wandered off on the bike away from my mind, but the runs were good.
All ready for Zofingen?
Hi, just back from holidays so catching up on things. Ottawa wasn’t a great race for me, juggling long and short didn’t work out and I felt like I had no top end speed (even on the runs, which is usually my strength). Lesson learned for next year.
On the plus side, I got some good hilly rides in during our stay in New England so hopefully I can do better in Zofingen. Good luck all
hi everyone,
i just reached switzerland and am staying in basel.
is anyone going for a course preview in the next 1-2 days? its my first time here.
I’m in Zofingen now. I’m not planning on riding the full course at this stage before the race but will be riding to the top of the first climb over the next 2 days. my second time here so not wanting to do a great deal in the lead up.
hey Daniel,
I was in Zofingen today and did the bike course. I took it easy’ish for the most part just trying to get a feel for the course and pace the climbs, but it was a scorcher today and I got pretty dehydrated pretty quick!
anyway…wanted to say thanks to you… i’ve been reading your blog and its helped me a lot. especially the power files from the bike ride. Speaking of which…
I came back home today and am completely perplexed by the numbers you had! In your second loop, for the entire Bodenburg climb, you had 232W (2.6w/kg) which gave you 16.3 km/hr. Today, I did 220W (3.14 w/kg) and got only 16.0 km/hr. That is just plain weird…its not like I had 6 water bottles on me!
same thing with all the downhills…although there is makes more sense since im lighter and had no aero helmet/wheels today…but the difference was around 6-7 km/hr for the same w/kg. i did my PM calibrations and am including zeros.
Maybe we can meet up at the race briefing on Saturday in person. Thanks again!
Yeah it was hot out there today, coming from a fairly cold winter the body isn’t really enjoying the heat a great deal at the moment but its getting better each day. Glad you have enjoyed my blog, really set it up to help gain exposure for the race and to help people out who are wanting to compete here. I’m happy someone has been able to get some useful info from it.
Now for the power/speed difference. First off on the Bodenburg with out seeing you power profile its hard to be sure but im going to guess and say its the way I rode the climb compared to you. From memory I had a fairly high VI on the climb though attacking the stepper sections and getting on top of a gear asap once it flattened out. Coming from cycling I was used to doing those types of efforts even in a TT. So with my background and my size it was more beneficial for me to ride it like that. Something I would really focus on to hard come race day as if you haven’t trained to do it, you will burn matches very quickly.
For the downhills, weight plays one role in it all. There are a few others. Firstly I have the ability to get into a fairly aero position on the bike and pretty much try not to break it while descending, especially once you make the right hander at the bottom of the Bodenburg. Another is being able to ‘soft pedal’ while maintaining speed. Its something thats taken me years to learn but involves being very smooth through the pedal stroke. The final is the same as on the climbs, I try to get up to speed asap on a decent.
I’ll be at the pre race meeting wearing a green and yellow nike t-shirt, come up and say Hi.