What is your role at Planzer and how long have you been part of the Planzer family?

I’m Deputy Operations Manager. Theoretically, I’ve been a member of the Planzer family for eleven years. I started off by working as a ‘3.5T’ driver for five years, before spending a few years at different companies. I’ve now been back with the Planzer family for six years.

What do you like most about your job, and what do you enjoy less?

I like the challenges we face day in, day out. I love working together with our team and I really enjoy looking after our customers, too. What I don’t like as much, for instance, are unexpected events that we can’t influence and that turn our day into total chaos. But nobody likes that, do they?

You’re incredibly sporty: you took part in this year’s IRONMAN in Italy and finished in 88th place with a time of 10 hours 10 minutes. How did you prepare for this major event?

I wasn’t always so massively interested in sport. Previously, I didn’t live as healthily as I do now: I was a heavy smoker and didn’t eat a particularly healthy diet. I started doing endurance sport in 2017. One of my role models back then was our Operations Manager Bernhard Künsch, who’s also very sporty. In preparation for this IRONMAN, I trained for between 15 and 22 hours a week, for 41 weeks – alongside my job. It takes a ton of discipline and an iron will. There’s lots you have to sacrifice in your private life and there are days when I simply don’t want to train. But these are exactly the days that make me stronger.

What fascinates you about these extreme endurance sports?

I’m fascinated by pushing myself beyond my limits in training and competitions. It’s so interesting to see what our bodies are capable of. In extreme endurance sport, it’s usually your mind that wants to give up – our bodies can do much more than we think. If you’ve got the right mindset, you can achieve everything you want to. I’m also fascinated by the people I meet in the triathlon and ultra community and, of course, by the beautiful places that I get to discover with fresh eyes during competitions.

What are your biggest sporting highlights?

I love doing all kinds of crazy things. I’ve completed the INFERNO Triathlon three times. One of my highlights was in 2019: I did the Jungfrau Marathon on a Saturday and a triathlon on the Sunday. Oh, and of course, completing my first 300 km on my racing bike in 13 hours.

What’s your next big goal?

There are a few extreme triathlons I’ve still got to do. I’ve signed up for two IRONMANs again next year. I want to do the 100 km run in Biel and the TORTOUR ultracyling event, which involves cycling more than 1,000 km.

What else are you passionate about, apart from your job and endurance sport?

Family, friends and enjoying nature. Another of my hobbies is filming videos for my YouTube channel.