The past few weeks have been a rollercoaster. Easter was particularly challenging as I battled with Angina and relentless sinusitis that sapped my energy and left me grappling with fatigue. The chronic cold symptoms persisted, darkening my mood as the Zurich Marathon approached. Training became impossible, and reluctantly, I let the marathon slip away. Instead, my family and I sought refuge in a Spring vacation on the island of Elba. While the getaway featured enjoyable moments like casual bike rides with my kids and delightful Italian cuisine, my energy levels failed to recover.
This ongoing exhaustion prompted me to undergo a comprehensive blood test screening, including checks for Epstein-Barr Virus, an EKG for heart issues, and lung function tests. Surprisingly, all results returned positive, leaving me puzzled over my continued lack of fitness. My doctors and I are now exploring the hypothesis of chronic sinusitis, with treatment involving cortisol—but heavy training is off the table.
As I navigate this uncertain phase, it’s a relief to know that nothing serious underlies my symptoms, yet the path to regaining my fitness feels daunting. With the IM70.3 Rapperswil just three weeks away and the SWISSMAN in six, I’m adjusting my expectations and focusing on recovery.
Adjust Training Goals: I’m redefining ‚intensity‘ to mean anything that gets me off the couch! Finally jumping on to the hyped „ZONE 2“- training plans —no sprints, just smiles.
Equipment Tweaking: The new bike is coming, and it’s tweaking time! Juggling budget constraints with thorough market research, some adjustments were necessary. More tweaks are on the horizon, so stay tuned for updates!
Mindset and Support: Keeping things light-hearted and relying on family and friends to keep the spirits high and the laughs loud.
Nutrition and Rest: Emphasizing top-notch fuel for my body and plenty of rest. Think gourmet health food and luxurious sleep-ins!
This journey might have come across a stumble, but I’m gearing up for a comeback…
Life, in its unpredictable glory, decided to throw a curveball at me. Just when I thought I was nailing the balance between being a triathlon-dad and health maestro, the universe chuckled. Last week’s optimism was dashed as I, alongside the male brigade of our household, succumbed to the relentless grip of illness. A simple cold? If only. It quickly morphed into a relentless fever, turning me into a bedridden, delirious shadow of my former self.
The diagnosis? Streptococcal infection. The kind that makes you rethink all your life choices as you shuffle around like a zombie. Antibiotics came to the rescue, kind of, but left me feeling like a damp sack of potatoes. Here I am, officially off-duty from work, playing nurse to my similarly afflicted sons, and watching my Swissman dreams get fuzzy around the edges.
Antibiotics for the winNew Shoe day: When the decade long trail-runner signed up for a road race…
But every cloud has a silver lining, right? If you squint hard enough, you might see mine: a forced fast track to my race weight (thanks, streptococci, I guess?). Still, as I find solace in the twists and turns of „Three Body Problem“ on Netflix and geek out on the latest in bike chain waxing tech (did you know the best stuff comes from Finnish ski wax makers?), I can’t help but feel a bit grumpy. Okay, maybe more than a bit.
Yet, amidst the fog of illness and irritation, there’s a glimmer of hope. I’m bad at sitting still, but I’m good at making plans. So, as I wait for this viral storm to pass, I’m already plotting my comeback. I would finally posess a road running shoe again… The road to Swissman might be bumpier than expected, but if there’s one thing I know, it’s how to adapt. And adapt I will.
Stay tuned, folks. The journey continues, one recalibrated step at a time.
This week was a poignant reminder of how swiftly time marches on; my daughter celebrated her 10th birthday, a milestone that left me in awe of the passage of time. The occasion was marked with a sleepover party, requiring meticulous planning to ensure a treasure hunt and ample food for the energetic attendees. However, life’s unpredictability soon became the theme of the week, overshadowing the festive spirit.
The euphoria of the party gave way to an emotional downturn for my daughter on Sunday, compounded by health challenges within the family. My middle child was struck with a severe case of middle ear infection, fever soaring to almost 40 degrees Celsius, while the youngest wasn’t spared, feeling under the weather. The result was a Sunday steeped in fatigue and care, far from the productive day I had envisioned.
The delicate balance of training for the upcoming SWISSMAN, with only 84 days left, and the Zurich Marathon, merely 22 days away, crumbled. Plans for cycling to work, utilizing the company car for an early start on Tuesday, and hoping to squeeze in a run were all shelved. Instead, I found myself juggling duties at home, turning my focus to nursing my family back to health.
When life hits differently… Chaos ahead!
Despite these challenges, the understanding and flexibility from my employer have been a silver lining, allowing me to manage this unforeseen juggling act. Yet, the impact on my training schedule has been undeniable, with the long Easter weekend tallying a disheartening score: Sports at zero, while the „virus load“ seemed insurmountably high.
The planned family cycling tour was canceled, a decision reflecting our collective state of health. My spirit, usually resilient, felt fragmented. An attempt to rekindle my training with a jog ended prematurely; my legs, uncooperative and sluggish, forced me to concede after a mere 10 kilometers.
As I contemplate the upcoming marathon, my objectives have shifted. Finishing is now the goal, with any specific time aspirations set aside. The reality of not being in my prime has settled in, along with a pressing concern for my readiness for both the marathon and the SWISSMAN. Amidst these reflections, I find myself grappling with doubt and a sense of unpreparedness for the challenges ahead.
Yet, despite the setbacks and the daunting path forward, I hold onto hope for recovery and a return to form. The journey to SWISSMAN and the marathon is not just about physical endurance but also resilience in the face of life’s unexpected trials. As Easter brings a time for renewal, I remain hopeful for better days ahead, embracing the promise of upward trajectories in both health and training.
Somehow, the running speed has vanished during the years…
Wishing everyone a Happy Easter and reminding ourselves that, through the tumults of life, brighter days are always on the horizon.
Last week was a testament to the lingering fatigue from the Engadin Marathon, as my legs carried the weight of the race, limiting my activities to a solitary double commute by bike. Balancing the energetic demands and wishes of our three little ones, our „rat pack,“ added to the week’s challenges, culminating in an early cuddle and sleep on Friday night.
An early Saturday morning kick-started with a grocery run, setting the tone for a quintessential family weekend. Despite the reluctance, we attempted to engage the kids in cross-country skiing, only to settle for a simple outing on the tracks and an outdoor lunch, which, unfortunately, didn’t lift spirits as hoped.
The week wrapped up with our traditional „Tatort“ evening, amidst laundry duties, and an unexpected holiday on Monday thanks to a local observance, providing a day for errands under dreary skies. A failed attempt at descaling the coffee machine meant a visit to the repair shop, hinting at an expensive but necessary fix to extend its life.
The promise of a beautiful Tuesday saw me embracing the distance from Chur to Zurich on my bike, a refreshing 120 km ride that bringing some smiles on my face, despite the daunting countdown to SWISSMAN, now under 100 days away. With anticipation building and the need to intensify my training palpable, it’s time to lace up the running shoes and hit the pavement, embracing the road ahead with both trepidation and excitement. The journey to SWISSMAN continues, with every pedal stroke and stride bringing me closer to the start line.
Now it’s over, my latest Engadin Skimarathon saga, an epic blend of early starts, unpredictable weather, and the relentless pursuit of race tactics perfection. The day kicked off in the wee hours, my trusty car navigating the snow-dusted Julier Pass to the marathon’s parking lot. Seamless bus transfer to the start area, where strategic ski placement was my first victory.
Mother Nature, however, decided to spice things up, transforming the race into a winter wonderland of swirling snowflakes and nearly rain-like conditions, challenging every stride and glide. The usual lake crossings were off-limits, buried under a blanket of snow without the ice needed to hold our eager feet. Instead, we faced the daunting St. Moritz Schanze uphill, now an even mightier foe in this altered route. Yet, with some nimble navigation and a dash of luck, I managed to whisk through without the dreaded wait.
The race was a battle, not just against the elements but against my own historical speeds, especially in the adrenaline-fueled Stazerwald descent. Despite aiming to outdo myself, this year’s 55.3 km/h fell short of my record rush, the elusive 62.6 km/h from sunnier days. As data and data visualization nerd, I could not refrain to drape my journey through my two decades of stats of this snowy odyssey into a graph. It reflects a young enthusiast’s zeal, academic detours (physical shape wise), peak performance level due to a sporty paternity leave and the grounding effect of mutiple fatherhood, each phase etching its mark on my performance. Twenty-one participations at the Engadin Skimarathon so far, each one of them with its own small story.
Seemingly, it’s just a race—not even a particularly tough one, especially from an ultra sports lover’s perspective. Nonetheless, the playful trash talk among the peer group revolves around the battles fought on this racetrack, the ups and downs, the split times, the crashes, and the miraculous recoveries. And after all these years, with all the experience gathered, I think I know pretty well how to approach this one. But I also have to admit to myself: it’s more than just a race. So, usually, after the Engadin Skimarathon is before the Engadin Skimarathon… But this year, it’s still before SWISSMAN 2024…
In the aftermath, there’s a lingering buzz about the new strict fluoride wax ban, which has shaken the leaderboard with the fastest female athlete disqualified, stirring the snow sports community. While it aims for fairness, the execution in the lower-tier ranks felt to me more like a public spectacle, a digital pillory for those caught off-guard. As a xc-skiing waxing afficionado, I wanted to thoroughly test different available non-fluor variants this year already. But as my hardware engineering skills lacked speed, my test devices is just ready with the spring already banging in with all its might. Maybe, next season, there will be time – and also budget – to test. So if any sporting good store would like to suporrt me with zero-batch skis and wax, I would be happy to deliver independent, scientifically immersed data about wax performances. It is
The day wrapped up with a good meal, hearty laughs and shared stories, rekindling bonds forged in the camaraderie of military service, before braving the now-open Julier once more, a silent companion in my reflective journey home.
As the euphoria settles, the reality of my SWISSMAN 2024 ambitions looms large. With the Zurich Marathon on the horizon, it’s time to transition from snowy glides to pavement pounding. The marathon may be over, but the race to Swissman is just heating up – time to lace up those running shoes and embrace the road ahead!
15.03.2024 – Update: Sliding into Controversy: The Engadin Saga Unwaxes! From disqualifications to dramatic comebacks, the Engadin Skimarathon’s fluor ban fiasco turns the slopes into a slippery slope of suspense and surprises. Who’s in, who’s out, and who’s back on top? Dive into the frosty fray as we explore the chilly challenges and heated debates swirling around the ski world’s latest slippery subject! Anyway, the data nerd had to update his plot, as I was shifted back two ranks… 🙂
Me and my beloved PRICE bike on SWISSMAN 2016.Fancy colors and disc brakes, my new ride to be… [Image from https://www.trekbikes.com%5D
Welcome back to the chronicle of my pre-SWISSMAN, this week also pre-Engadin Ski Marathon escapades! The week kicked off with a dilemma over my bicycle, now more a jigsaw puzzle of memories post a fateful feline encounter. Decision made: farewell old companion, hello Trek Emonda ALR 5, a dazzling steed promising balance and flair for my upcoming Swissman challenges.
Diving into the techno-tangle of my evenings, I’ve been fine-tuning my timing gate project, a concoction of Adafruit ingenuity. I’ve amalgamated the Adafruit Feather M0 Bluefruit LE with its kin, armed with SD card logging, GPS, and LoRa tech, crafting a network of self-locating, chattering sensor nodes. The pièce de résistance? Two SICK WT18 sensors, their diffuse reflection prowess now harnessed by the microcontroller’s brain. It’s a symphony of signals, a ballet of bytes, all coming together in this DIY orchestration. What a ride it’s been, from coding to connecting, all in the pursuit of that flawless timing precision!
Project Name Spertadad, Released as Rasanza on GitHub Wax and structure should make a fast ski
On the ski front, nostalgia meets necessity as I pivot back to my decade-old race skis, the new ones now off-balance post-repair. They’re waxed with precision, poles at the ready for the predawn journey to Engadin. The race awaits at 8.18 am, on a course shortened by temperamental lakes and a generous southern snowfall. It’s a blend of excitement and adaptation, a test of old gear’s mettle against nature’s reshuffled deck.
As the cross-country ski enthusiast I am, it’s early to bed tonight, with dreams of future experiments in ski waxing and gear. The intriguing non-fluor waxes and my ski collection are on hold, eagerly awaiting the next snowy season. I’m particularly keen on exploring Madshus and Rottefella’s Skate-X system, boasting a speed-skating-like pivot that’s caught my eye. With luck, the coming months might allow for some new additions to my ski arsenal. And for those intrigued by DIY tech, my latest project files are up for grabs on GitHub, ready for your inventive touch at Rasanza on GitHub.
Oh, what a fortnight it’s been since the Sertig Classic! With the Maloja-Zernez race looming, a 56 km behemoth shadowed by the promise of an even more daunting Engadin Ski Marathon, I was all geared up. But Mother Nature had her own plans, burying the Engadin Valley under a mountain of snow, and turning our race track into a wintry quagmire. The verdict? A shortened 49 km race, Sils to Zernez, amidst a snowstorm that seemed hell-bent on testing my mettle.
Imagine this: there I was, initiating the race with the gusto of a starved polar bear chasing a snowmobile, only to realize my fuel gauge was flirting dangerously with empty. Note to self: devouring a meager breakfast while chauffeuring to the start line isn’t the wisest pre-race strategy. Combine that with a caloric deficit from my ongoing „fighting weight“ saga, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a mid-race crisis.
Thirty-five kilometers in, my energy stores waved the white flag. Yet, the stubborn mule in me decided to tackle the remaining kilometres, transforming each uphill slog into a Herculean feat. Spoiler alert: I survived, but not without questioning my life choices, particularly my overly enthusiastic start.
Post-race recovery was a whirlwind of caloric replenishment and family time, diving into the thermal bliss of Scuol’s pools, and hitting the slopes, where, in a humbling turn of events, my eight-year-old son zipped past me, leaving his old man’s pride slightly bruised but mostly amused.
The week mellowed down to some laid-back cross-country skiing, interspersed with poolside antics and a skiing day that was blissfully uninterrupted by existential crises or caloric conundrums. Meanwhile, my geeky side project hit yet another snag, reminding me that the road to perfection is paved with flawed wiring.
And just when I thought I’d caught a break, my bike mechanic delivered the doomsday diagnosis: my trusty steed, battered from a feline-fueled fiasco, was now a structural hazard. With the Zurich Marathon on the horizon and my budget crying uncle, it’s back to the drawing board, juggling safety, finances, and training, all while nursing legs that are still reminiscing over the Lägeren jog.
So here I am, riding the rollercoaster of pre-marathon prep, where every day is an adventure, every challenge a story, and every setback a step towards that elusive starting line. Buckle up, folks – it’s going to be a wild ride to T-0!
Two weeks post-Marcialonga, and here I am, pedaling through life with a mixed bag of success and comedy. Attempting to blend recovery with maintaining my fitness, I embarked on bike commutes that turned out to be an adventure of sorts. Some days felt like triumph, others like I was part of a slapstick comedy—especially the day when the wind decided to play the villain, leaving me so depleted I had to buddy up with the train home. The battle against the wind was real, and let’s just say, the wind had the last laugh.
The Techie Night Owl Saga: A Project of Passion
In the quiet of the night, while sensible souls embraced sleep, I found myself wrestling with my techie-pet-project. Picture this: an Adafruit Featherwing stackable microprocessor board, complete with optical timing gates, logging capabilities, and dreams of LoRa communication. A project so enticing, it made me break my sacred vow of early bedtime—a decision my wife lovingly described as „STUPID.“ But who needs sleep when there are circuits to conquer and codes to crack, right?
The Slope Test: A Comedy of Errors
Fast forward to the first field test, a rushed affair post the domestic bliss of cleaning and laundry. Imagine my surprise when I, the makeshift cross-country skier, outsped my own creation. The optical gates, still dizzy from their 250 ms debugging loop, couldn’t keep up with my lightning pace. Or perhaps, it was just a testament to my questionable engineering skills. Either way, I left the slopes with a bruised ego but a story to tell.
The Sertig Classic Misadventure: Double Poling to Glory
Convinced by a friend, I found myself at the start line of the „Sertig Classic“ in Davos, unprepared for the 21 km of classic cross-country skiing ahead. With memories of past races haunting me, I optimistically (read: foolishly) waxed my skis, resulting in an uphill double poling marathon. But hey, who needs efficient skiing when you can turn a race into an unintended swim training session for SWISSMAN?
As I gear up for „Maloja-Zernez“ next week, I can’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Life’s a race, they say, filled with unexpected headwinds and techie trials. But if you can’t laugh at yourself while double poling uphill, are you even living?
Moral of the Story: Whether you’re battling the elements on your bike, coding into the night, or waxing your skis with misguided optimism, the journey to SWISSMAN is nothing short of a comedic adventure. Onward and upward, my friends, the show must go on!
The week kicked off at an early train on Monday, dragging my tired body to the train station for a business trip to Schaffhausen. I was there to get my geek on with some EtherCAT automation stuff. Let’s just say, that if programming were a sport, I’d have been doing mental gymnastics all week. I readily traded the physical exhaustion for a bit of brain exercises.
Come Friday, and it was time to switch gears to what I call „Operation Personal Maintenance.“ With the day off work (thank heavens for public holidays!), I hit the trifecta: hairdresser, dry cleaner, and playing chef for the kiddos. And yes, I did whisk my youngest off to his ballet lesson. Imagine, if you will, a day filled with pirouettes and pasta—quite the combo, right?
In a moment of rare vanity (blame it on having too much time or perhaps a mid-life crisis), I decided to give Sara Haugen’s selfie guide a whirl. You can check out her cool tips here. Turns out, a well-taken selfie can indeed work wonders—I caught my wife giving me that “Who is this guy?” look. Score one for the guide!
The family day out on the slopes was a throwback to the good old days—think old-school chairlifts and blissfully empty runs. It was (almost) just us, the snow, and the sun.
Today’s adventure was a short stint on the cross-country tracks. Let’s just say, my performance was less „Nordic god“ and more „Nordic nod-off.“ With the Engadin races, Maloja – Zernez and the Engadin Skimarathon on the horizon, my muscles were screaming louder than a banshee at a horror show. The sensation was eerily similar to discovering my car’s flat tire post-ski—a deflating end to an otherwise pumped day.
The rest of the day? Oh, just embarking on a quest I like to call „Conquering the Laundry Mountain“ and „The Great Household Tidy-Up.“ It’s like battling a dragon, but instead of fire, it breathes dirty socks and chaos.
As I gear up for a week of biking to work (hello, spring!), Between automation courses and ballet, selfies that charm, and slopes that disarm, it’s been one heck of a ride. And who knows? Maybe next week, I’ll find a way to automate my household chores. A guy can dream, right?
Hello, dear readers! Today, I’m excited to share my journey at the 51st Marcialonga. A legendary 70 km classic skiing race, it’s a gem in the crown of cross-country skiing, sitting proudly alongside greats like the Vasaloppet and Birkebeiner. The latter I’ve ticked off my bucket list, but Marcialonga remained an elusive challenge, especially with its demanding double poling technique.
My preparation for this race was… let’s just say, unconventional. November, which should have been the start of my rigorous training, turned into a battle against a series of pesky viruses. So, there I was, heading to the Marcialonga, still reeling from the aches of last week’s La Diagonela and grappling with a bizarre virus called „Ringelröteln“ – a real joy for the joints!
Nevertheless, with a mix of stubbornness and optimism, we set off to the picturesque Valle di Fassa. I decided to give it a go, despite the odds. The race began, and oh, the first uphill section! Imagine a sardine can, but with skiers. Not much room for the classic diagonal stride here. Many skiers these days don’t bother with kick wax, but I clung to tradition – without it, I doubted I’d ever see the finish line.
Surprisingly, as the course turned downstream, my spirits started to rise. My double poling, though not as swift as my fellow athletes, was getting me somewhere. It was a classic case of „slow and steady wins the race“… or at least finishes it!
Once we left the shadows and could race in the sun, that gave and adiitional boost as well. And one thing is sure: the Italians – and the Marcialonga crew in particular – are just mindblowingly crazy: despite not so much snow, they prepared a 70 km race track which was in really good shape and the craziest part about the race are all the passages through the villages. Before you know it, you find yourself skiing on the main street of Predazzo, the church at the horizon before you turn left, refresh yourself at the food sation and head off through tiniy streets to the next open field. Even if you are note a double poling machine, this experience is totally worth it. Once you reach La Molina, you turn upstream valley again to reach the dreadful final climb, „La cascata“. 2 km steep uphill to the finish line. Although there was not so much in the tank anymore, I could still play my strong card in this last section a bit and could finally overpass some skiers… And helas, even my ski was still performing an kick was ther after 68 km icy track. So, I jogged up the last meters, entered a final – semidynamic double poling stride for the sprint to the finish and crossed the finish line with my family as fan crew on the side line. Tiny tears of overwhelmed joy started to form behind my sunglasses, because to be honest, I was far from sure to be able to finish this race. With almost zero specific training, with a solid, but far from superior ski in terms of glide, with many moments on the track where the „xx km to the finish“ were almost crushing my spirit, I still did it. Because, the event itself was just one of kind. Because in the end, it is training for SWISSMAN 2024. Because ranking does not matter for me. Because my kids asked so many times „Do you think you’ll make it“. Because the body is a wonderful machine. Because your head can win races – or at least get you to the finish line.
As the race progressed, we left the shadows behind and skied into the sunshine, which brought an additional burst of energy. One thing became crystal clear: the Italians, particularly the Marcialonga crew, are incredibly dedicated. They crafted a 70 km track under challenging snow conditions, and the track was in excellent shape. The most astonishing part was skiing through the villages. Before I knew it, I was gliding down the main street of Predazzo, with the church in the distance, turning left after a quick refreshment, and weaving through narrow streets back into open fields.
The experience of skiing in such unique settings was utterly exhilarating, even for someone who isn’t a double poling prodigy. Approaching La Molina, the course turned upstream again, leading to the daunting final climb, „La Cascata.“ Despite feeling drained, I played to my strengths in this section, managing to overtake some skiers. Miraculously, my skis still provided decent grip after 68 km of icy terrain.
As I ascended the final meters, I shifted into a semi-dynamic double poling stride, sprinting towards the finish line where my family was cheering. Overwhelmed with emotion, tears formed behind my sunglasses. To be honest, finishing this race wasn’t a certainty. With minimal specific training, a solid but not superior ski, and moments where the distance to the finish line seemed insurmountable, I still made it.
This event was truly one-of-a-kind. It served as an early training milestone for SWISSMAN 2024. The ranking didn’t matter; what mattered was the journey, the support of my family, the resilience of my body, and the power of determination. This race was a testament to the amazing capabilities of the human spirit and the triumph of will over physical challenges.
Andrin Caviezel 