Hello Andreas,

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 of your athletic career!

Hello, my name is Andreas Maher. I’m 54 years old and live in Greencastle Indiana in the US.
As for important victories they happened many years ago so now I am just happy to support my local races and go as fast as I can at my ripe old age. ? The most recent race I am proud of is winning the duathlon division at the Last Call Triathlon/Duathlon in Loveland Colorado this past September. With the high altitude I didn’t know if I could get enough oxygen not to die but I managed ok, oxygen is overrated.
I haven’t traveled and raced much either nationally or internationally due to my work in the last 15 years but this hopefully will be my year. I plan to compete in Powerman Michigan in May then Powerman Alsdorf in August and lastly Powerman Arizona in November.

How did you become a duathlete?
I’ve been interested in duathlon since the beginning of the sport and probably did my first race in 1984. Interestingly I did my first Powerman race at Powerman Chicago in 1995 which at the time was the biggest duathlon in the world at over 2000 competitors.
From your personal perspective, what is special about the run-bike-run format of Powerman World Series?
The Powerman series and its format of 10k run / 60k bike / 10k run is challenging and fair to both the runners and cyclists which the 10k/40k/5k is slightly advantageous to the runners. 10k/ 60k /10k is long enough to present a good test of ones skill but not so long as to take weeks to recover from.

How often did you compete at Powerman Alsdorf and what is you personal highlight race?
I have never been to Powerman Alsdorf but it has a great reputation as a wonderful atmosphere and a fast course so it has been on my radar since I first learned about it!
As for my don’t miss race pretty much any duathlon is in that category! I love run bike run!

How does a typical training week looks like in your preparation for a Powerman race (apr. 2 month prior to the race)?
My training doesn’t vary much from long course to sprint distance. I try to get in 12 to 14 hours per week maybe up to 16 hours if I want to compete in a longer race. 
I do two to three harder runs per week and two hard bike sessions and when getting ready for a long competition I will throw in one longer run and ride as well. I train pretty old school, no coach no powermeters etc… My training is more of an art than a science but I enjoy it.
Last but not least: What are your best advices for athletes who want to participate in a Powerman race?
My advice to those wanting to try a Powerman race is to just go for it! Maybe try the shorter races first to see how your training goes then decide if the Classic distance is in your future. Duathletes are a great bunch of people so never feel intimidated to join in!

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.

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