OK - Who was there? I was.
I’ll bet Felix was…
Anyone else…?
JC
I was there. Did the OLY on Saturday (my first tri) and watched a friend do the IM on Sunday. I was all over the place - I rode to Heart Break Hill watched it there for a while, watched it at the bottom of the big decent (after Forch), watched it on ‘the beast’ and watched it just before you hit Zurich. Also watched the run in about 10 places. The atmosphere was great - especially the swim start (I was nervous and I wasn’t even racing). It was a warm day though. How did you do?
I was there, yes it was hot! Did a PR for ironman. Great course very well run. Gee, who would have thought anything less from the Swiss. Fun to do a course that runs rigt through a major city! Great race for spectators.
Chris
I was there. It was hot, first IM. Slow but happy.
Finished in 12:34 - a PR over last year by half an hour. I went quicker in every discipline too (except transitions!) so I was very happy with that.
The whole weekend was strangely reminiscent of last year, rain saturday, scorching sun on race day… and I managed to avoid the obscene sunburn that I managed to get last year too.
I’d write a race report, but its all a bit of a blur really (and I’m crap at that sort of stuff!). But very quickly, as I recall, the swim was pretty non eventful, 'cept I stubbed my toe painfully on someone’s face - Sorry. Out in 1:15. Had no expectations on time here but wanted to conserve energy and stay out of trouble.
Bike - I knew that the first 10-12 miles of each lap was pan flat and that many would fly off way too fast so dialled in at 21mph and resited the tempation to push. Hills didn’t present too many problems and I watched my HR carefully. Drank little and often due to heat but couldn’t eat for some reason? 3 laps at 2:02, 2:06, 2:15. Less said about the last one the better. Found it quite tough - maybe I should have dialled in at 20mph for the 1st?
Run - Hot 4x 10.5k laps in 59, 69, 79, 76 mins. I’m pretty sure I can go 4:20 - and was on target at halfway - so I was a little disappointed with 4:44 but I think that is in the top half of the run splits. Lap 3 was my darkest point. Stopped, had a chat with my wife for a minute and than carried on - much easier after that for some reason.
Hung around 'til 11pm and the race finish which was quite cool - bed at waaay after midnight - a long but rewarding day.
JC
OK - Who was there? I was.
I’ll bet Felix was…
I did ‘only’ the olympic tri because I do IM Canada in 5 weeks. I had a great race and the best placing in a tri (3rd in military cat, 17. AG, 42 Overall).
On Suday I watched the Ironman from 6:30 am to 4pm.
Felix
I was there for my first Ironman. Actually it was my first Tri now I think about it. You probably saw me and my pals - in the Pirate Black and Yellow colours.
I had a great time and was merely THREEE hours outside my Marathon PB ! It was so hot out there, but the camaraderie was fantastic. I like this Ironman thing.
I was there for my first IM finish on my second attempt (DNF’d LZ 2004) . 9:11, 14th overall, 3:00 run split (third fastest).
Dissapointed by the bike leg, a draft fest. Otherwise a wonderful race/city/atmosphere
cheers, alvaro
9:11 - outstanding! Can’t even contemplate being that fast. Tough course too. Saw the packs on the bike, but being as slow as I am managed to cycle it all pretty much on my own…
JC
Yep - saw plenty of “RW” guys.
I was in the ‘Union Jack’ kit with 2 of my pals.
JC
Aaaah - the NYP kit ? That took me a while to work out. Very nice design. I remember you guys. Well more the girl with you actually. 
Yep, that’s the one. And yes - very easy on the eye
Upps I missed this thread.
I was watching (did IMG on the 10th) and taking photographs (http://fotos.poole.ch/Sport/IM%20CH%202005/index.html *). It was really quite warm even just as spectator :-).
Simon
- my ADSL connection is currently very slow, so you’ll need some patience
I was there. My worst Ironman to date (performance-wise. The actual race itself was great.) at 14:22.
In hindsight, it was very stupid of me to fly home for 4 days before the race after a week in Europe before returning to Zurich for the race. I think the combination of travel-induced fatigue and jetlag just left me totally flat on race day.
Funny thing (in a not so funny way!) is I didn’t really feel bad during the race, I just had no ‘oomph’ to move fast and wound up walking much of the marathon for a 5:45 run split 
BTW, just an unsolicited plug for Ken Glah’s Endurance Sports Travel (www.endurancesportstravel.com) - from now on my future Ironman races will be chosen based on those that EST is providing packages for. It really takes the stress out of planning and travel for an Ironman. (and no, I have no financial stake in EST, just a very satisfied customer).
- Fred
Cheers Simon - you managed to take the worst pic I have ever seen of me !
Can you take my good side next time, and preferably when I’m on the bike - I was much more comfortable there !
Great pics though.
Hmmm, the pictures from the run are all not very good, mainly because I wanted to sit in the shade 
Which picture any way (you can PM it to me if you want to)?
Simon
BTW for those that can read German, there a longish thread about Zürich (start at the end, most of the stuff is from previous years) on 3athlon:
http://www.3athlon.info/showthread.php?t=6190
Simon
.
No picture anyone could have taken of me on the run would have been any good.
I’m one of the pirates on page 19 I think and in a world of hurt. I don’t like the heat and I was like a zombie for most of the run. I loved the swim and bike though, and Zurich is gorgeous.
I’ll go back there with my family for a break I think.
Thanks for the pics - great work.