Challenge Accepted!

Last weekend was a significant milestone in my SWISSMAN journey, and the excitement of testing my new bike added an extra boost to my morale. With fitness steadily rising, the focus remains on road biking, leveraging the muscle memory from trail running. If fitness holds, even a tired mountain marathon should be manageable.

Our route started in Zürich and ended in Basel, featuring some heavy climbs and exhilarating descents. We clocked 129.5 km at an average speed of 20.8 km/h. Despite a few dead ends, courtesy of my comrade’s quest to conquer every small pass, the ride was a blast. My new bike performed flawlessly, giving me confidence as I push forward.

I also experimented with TireWizz for optimal tire pressure, though low pressure still feels odd. Cycling to work in pouring rain kicked off the week with a „rain capabilities“ test—conclusion: bike awesome, shoes filled with water.

Tomorrow is the business run, where I plan 5 km of HIIT training. I’m contemplating turning it into a duathlon by riding the bike home afterward.

My SUUNTO fitness level is nearing 40, just shy of my initial goal. Despite some skepticism about these algorithms, as they seem to favor cycling over running, it’s encouraging to see progress.

With 30 days to SWISSMAN, IM 70.3 Rapperswil in one and a half weeks, and potentially one more mountain pass attempt before the big day, the journey continues. Still debating if the 11-30 cassette on my bike will suffice or if I need something easier for the climbs.

For the full adventure, check out the details.