Hello Michele,

in preview to Powerman Alsdorf in August 2021, we would like to introduce our athletes and get to know them:

Please, introduce yourself and highlight some important moments/successes as athlete
Hi, I’m Michele Paonne, 33 years old from Liechtenstein. I work fulltime as marketing employee in an international company (btw. fulltime in Liechtenstein means 42h/week, not like in Germany with 38-40h/week  ?).
My most important results in the Powerman World Series are the podiums in Ulm 2016 (3. place), Mallorca 2019 (3. place), Greece 2019 and Tramelan 2019 (both 2. place)

How did you become a duathlete?

I started 2010 with running, because I made a bet with friends that I can easily finish a mountain-marathon in Liechtenstein (42km/+1800hm) under 4:30 h. Well…. I finished in 3:59 h. So, I kept training and wanted to get faster. Once, I included cycling as alternative training. In 2013, I tried the first Powerman in Weyer (AT) and finished 8th. That's the story….

From your personal perspective, what is special about the run-bike-run format of Powerman World Series?
Most races are 10-60-10km which is a very hard format. With a race time of approx. 2:30-45 h (winning time) it is already pretty long, but no matter of the duration - you cannot take any second a little bit easy, so you have always push very hard. Fantastic.
But the most special thing for most participants is that they can start, compete and compare themselves with the elite of this sport. This isn’t possible in many sports.
And of course… elite athletes of Powerman World-Series are very likeable people.

How often did you compete at Powerman Alsdorf and what is you personal highlight of this particular race?

I hope I will compete this year the first time in Alsdorf. 

Have you participated in any other Powerman World Series races? If so, what is your „don’t-miss-race“? 
Already participated in Weyer (AT), Kopenhagen (DK), Horst (NL), Ulm (DE), Viborg (DK), Mallorca (ES), Mafra (PO), Tramelan (CH), Loutraki (GR) and of course Zofingen (CH).
All venues and events are great. But the real “don’t-miss-race” will be Powerman Liechtenstein 2021. ?

How does a typical training week looks like in your preparation for a Powerman race (apr. 2 month proir to the race)?
I have to be flexible in my training schedule as I work from about 8am to 5pm. So training is often depending on how I feel after work. In general, I try to do something before work and then after work again. Long runs and long bike-days are mostly fixed for the weekend.

Despite the current uncertainties of racing in 2021, do you have a competiton schedule in mind?
Some kind of schedule I’ve already in my mind. But we all will need to be spontaneous this year and flexible. But I can recommend to fix 18.04. in your agenda and check out the small country of Liechtenstein and its Powerman. ?

Last but not least: What are your best advices for athletes who want to participate in a Powerman race?
Have fun and enjoy the feeling before, during and when you finish the race. 

Thanks for sharing your experiences and insights with us! We wish you the best for your individual and athletic goals.

We are excited to see you racing in Alsdorf on August 15th, 2021.

More interviews from top Powerman duathletes
Alice Hector
Jan Petralia
Daan de Groot
Talles Medeiros
Diego van Looy