Powerman World Champs - Zofingen, Switzerland - August 2006 - Silver Again

Travel - As far as leaving for a race abroad goes, this was as good as it gets. I got a lift to the airport, did not have to pay for bike box, checked my baggage and bike all the way to Zurich - I have to say American Airlines were great.

British Airways were not as great, as charged me over 100 Great British pounds to be allowed to have my bike return from Switzerland to Britain. American Airlines from Gatwick to Phoenix, no charge again … Guess who I will be flying with next time, eh?

Anyway the flights were cool, the 10 hour lay over in Gatwick was a bit much. I was getting cranky, as I thought Wayne was turning up at lunch time and not 90 min before departure at 5pm, hmm … Of course, my phone’s simcard did not want to work (that was helpful), especially as I’d managed to forget it on way to the airport. Heather drove to the airport in Phoenix rush hour to kindly give it to me.

After Wayne finally arrived, I had a much-needed meal at Gatwick and short flight to Zurich … We were happy to see a friendly face in the shape of Lucky, who was there to pick us up in our homestay “Dad’s” flash car. That had saved us the agony of a train with a changeover to get to our final destination Zofingen – in total 45hrs of travel time for me! The life of racing ‘pro’ … the not so good side!

Home Away From Home - Our home stay family in Switzerland is amazing! We stay in Marco’s house and basically have our own flat, including a kitchen where we can cook.

However, we are spoilt rotten by the Wyss family 200m down the road because feed us fabulous food all the time. I must have put on like 5 kilos before the race from eating all this gorgeous food. It’s a really active family with rowers and handballers, and we are hoping maybe a Powerman athlete will emerge in Flavio, the youngest.

This year, all the kids and Olivia’s boy, Micko, and Wayne made up 2 relay teams in the short distance event deciding this just 4-5 days before the race.

Race Build Up – Sick Pup - I’d arrived 9 days before to acclimatize and to get to know the bike loop, which I was told is 3km longer each of the 3 laps (not good news if running is your strength) and tougher.

My first ride on the new bike loop the Saturday week before the race was a disaster. I felt awful and felt like my muscles were being ripped apart. I never felt so bad and didn’t think I was gonna get around the course because I had to stop twice.

The first time it was because of a huge hill, and I simply had no power with an abnormally high heart rate. The second time it was because a car came at me very fast over the brow of a hill - as he was overtaking he was on the wrong side of the road, and only just missed me. I was already missing the wide open road with shoulders to ride which I’d become accustomed to in Arizona!

The next day, I was sick as a dog, so I guess that’s what was up. It really is so easy to pick up bugs on long haul flights it seems. I spent a couple of days feeling sorry for myself and not doing much, other than lie around. Luckily I felt better by race day.

This year I was given the honour of saying the athletes’ oath and formerly opening the “games” at the opening evening, kinda unique experience and a real privilege.

Race Day - came around in pouring rain again but hey you expect that in Zofingen.

Run 1 10k - I had the formidable two-time Zofingen champ, Erica Csomor, to try to beat. Like my first two attempts here, I led out the first run, lost a bit of time in T1, and headed out on the bike.

Bike 159k - It was still raining, so I was very very cautious on the downhills, which were pretty technical, and by third lap on the bike my legs were shot. They hurt and I felt like I was lacking in nutrition. But I thought 850 calories on the bike ride would be more than enough for the 8hr+ race, but maybe not when your heart rate goes up so much on them darn hills.

Run 2 30k - After racking the bike in T2, I ate 2 gels before setting out on the 30km run, but I could feel I was really tired. I left transition knowing I was in 4^th place, and 12mins behind 2^nd and 3^rd place, and a full 18mins behind the storming Erica.

One gal dropped out pretty quick, which left 2 gals ahead. Erika was miles ahead wasn’t anybody gonna touch her for sure. She won the men vs women bonus by a huge margin as well, she was impressive.

Maja, an awesome bike rider, was in second going into lap 2 of the 30k run course (2 x 15k) she was 7 minutes ahead. But I was tired and 7 minutes seemed like a long long ass way. I figured would try “get her” on the flat near the turn around and pull away down hill if need be.

I got up the top and was making good progress when my shoe got sucked off my foot in the mud - I was not too impressed. I was trying not to fall over, balancing in the mud on one leg trying to get my shoe that was pretty ingrained. Maybe elastic shoelaces in this mud bath weren’t that smart an idea after all.

Finally, I got my shoe back and got back into my running, managing to pass Maja with 5km to run. I could relax a little now, although not too much, as knew there were some good runners behind in the form of my Timex teammate Tamara.

It was great to finish, albeit 2^nd for the 3^rd time on the trot.

More Ramblings - Normally I like to walk around a fair bit after any race, before I actually ‘stop’ altogether, but it was all a bit crrrrrrazy in the finish area, standing around to collect flowers and champers for over an hour in the cold. Then another hour for drug testing, I was hurting as I could feel my left side had completely stiffened up.

I could hardly walk for 3 days. I was so sore (and a bit shocked) as I’ve never really been sore after races before. Wayne just laughed and said ‘ha ha now you know what it feels like for the rest of us mere mortals.’ I kept whining and wondering why on earth people would do these events if they felt like this the next day. Ha ha must be getting old, eh?

The home stay teams did great finishing 4^th and 6^th in their respective categories-not bad at all especially because I had passed my bug on to Olivia, who by now who was sick as a dog. She had to slow down on the run to keep her heart rate under 200.

Also, Micko, her partner, did the race riding a road bike for the first time - whatta dude! He’s like 10 feet tall and 220lbs! Wayne, of course, despite promises of going slow and ‘taking it easy’ and all his protestations of being totally unfit etc., etc., of course, had the fastest team bike split. Hmm… he’s such a fibber.

We had a few pints that night and caught up with Zofingen friends before heading to the UK the next day.

UK Visit - Whilst in the UK, it was the celebrations of my dad’s 70^th Birthday in the Isle of Man.

As it was a surprise birthday bash I did not get to spend much time with my family. Cake - but there are so many candles!

Special Mentions
Steve Tietz from San Jose, California was involved in a bad accident, breaking his pelvis whilst practicing the new bike course in Zofingen. We visited him in Hospital in Aarau on the Friday and Monday, and he is such a brave and inspirational person.

I hope surgery goes well and that he will be on the road back to recovery. If anyone will come back from such complicated injuries he is the one to do it, he really is such an inspiration and I wish him all the best.

Michelle Parsons - representing GB is going from strength to strength turning 40 has certainly not slowed her down quite the contrary she is motoring like never before - good on ya gal.

She was 5^th in Powerman Zofingen in the Elite field. She would have won her age category by well over an hour - crikey! Then the following weekend, she raced Powerman Austria and took second -which means she is ranked number 1 in the Powerman World Ranking for the series. Rumor has it she’s learning the swim business, so watch out Ironman!

Thanks
Thanks for everyone involved in Powerman Zofingen, and thanks to Zofingen the town itself. These people always go out of their way to make us feel so at home, this is the best race for friendly community atmosphere.

Our home stay family is awesome. Thanks Marco for letting us stay…. Again! Thanks Franz, Christin, Olivia (happy birthday for Sept 17 now 19 years old, eh), Micko, Nico, Flavio and of course Juma (pronounced Huma) their great big black hairy Newfoundlander dog which provides hours of entertainment.

Thanks to Lucky and Jacquelyn (and her team), as well as Stefan Ruff (and his team) which work their butts off behind the scenes. Also to my other homestay family Brigitte, Christian and Ramona Suess. Then to Anja for the Power(wo)man cookies (yum) and Ursala Richards (the kiwi) home stay mama for feeding the troops (yum). Her honey lemon ‘get well’ mix, worked a treat when I was sick.

As always it’s great to catch up with other athletes again some of them I only see in Zofingen like Sharom and Richard from Malaysia and New Zealand, and Nico and Tamara from Belgium and the Ukraine to mention a couple. Always nice to share a coffee pre race and a beer post race with these guys.

It really is such a special race and such a special atmosphere it such a privilege to be able to come here - we’re having such a good time. This was my third time here and my third time being runner up. Am thinking might just have to do it 10 times to get the special numbers your receive when you have done it 10 times.

Thanks also to my sponsors for making this possible for me, IOMSAF-Servicetech, Timex, Tristore (Eastbourne UK), Infinit Nutrition, Vega (everyday vegan food =0), Tom Manzi, my coach. Murray my tri mentor who has babysat me at 3 ironman races this year and booked all Hawaii travel arrangements what a star. Wayne for ……………well his list is endless.

Others that have helped me have been Cliffpratt cycles in Hull, Maximum Potential (psyche stuff) in North East London, Brian Martin, Endurance Rehabilitation, USA Grant Smith (Chiro help), USA. Andrew Jones (orthotics) NZ. Mike and Sandra Lovell (extended stay) NZ. On the swim front, I am indebted to too many people to mention, but thanks to everyone that has tried to encourage me have suddenly seen some improvement in the last 2 weeks so am happy =0).

Thanks again everyone without you guys that be no Pro races and no Pro Racers - the world would be bleak.

Fundraising note
I am racing Ironman Hawaii as a Pro this year and very excited about it too, but, I would like to use this opportunity to raise awareness and cash for 2 organizations close to my heart survival-international.org aiding tribal communities globally to survive and luckydogrescue.org which rescues dogs from mistreatment and finds them a new permanent home.

Please visit my pages and pledge a couple of bucks/pounds/kroner/francs whatever…
www.justgiving.com/jessIMHawaii or
http://www.firstgiving.com/jessrace4good
My tri news http://www.jessdp.com

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