Q&A with Andi Boecherer
We caught up with Andi Boecherer, pro triathlete, a 5th place finisher at Kona, winner of 11 70.3 distances who has come out to Dubai early to acclimatize to the Dubai heat ahead of the race.
You were previously in Abu Dhabi, ten years ago with the Abu Dhabi triathlon team for two years,
Did you see big changes when you came back this time?
Eleven to twelve years ago in Abu Dhabi there were a lot of building sites and now it seems more finished. I am impressed with the infrastructure, compared to Europe where roads and railways are aging.
How are you liking the training facilities?
I enjoyed the cycling a lot. I was worried about the opportunities for cycling so it was great to be able to ride without fearing for cars. The tracks are perfectly built. All round the run tracks, cycle tracks and swim facilities have exceeded my expectations. I am enjoying my training and it is nice to travel at last.
How was the TriDubai sea swim today?
I enjoyed the swim today- it was perfect preparation for the race. Very good to get familiar with the race conditions and have other people around. I normally only train by myself in a pool in Germany. I don’t think it will be a wet suit swim for the pros.
Are you excited for the race?
I am excited for the race. Its my first of the season so I am a little nervous as I haven’t raced for 18 months as I dropped out of Challenge Daytona due to Illness. The weather is unknown, the swim could be as flat as a pancake or rough like today. The bike will be fast and I am expecting it to be hot on the run as its six weeks later than normal. That’s why I arrived eight days early to get acclimatized to the conditions. I don’t feel pressure to win the race but podium would be nice.
Whats the plans for the rest of the season?
I plan to race Challenge Gran Canaria, half distance on 24th April. Ironman Lanzarote maybe in June or Ironman Frankfurt.
How did you keep yourself motivated during 2020
Obviously it was disappointing as I had high expectations for some races which were cancelled with only two week’s notice. I changed coaches at the end of 2019 so there were new routines and workouts in 2020 that kept it fresh.
Good Luck Andi and thanks for spending some time with Sported.ae
