Ironman Switzerland Triathlon June 2007,  Only in the beautiful city of Zurich could you put on a race that does it all: an event that brings triathlon to a major city so fans can support it in style, while somehow offering up a course that is nothing short of spectacular.

The swim takes place in the beautiful "Zurichsee." During the Ironman week, the athletes share this spectacular lake with rowers, windsurfers and sailors ... enjoying the 21 degree Celsius (about 72 degrees Fahrenheit) water that seems to almost always be calm.

The four-loop run course, which follows the lake, is also quite flat and fast.

The bike ... well, that's not flat, but it somehow manages to remain fast! The three loop course includes has a total of more than 1,440 meters (5,000 feet) of climbing thanks to three challenging climbs with names like the "Beast" and "Heartbreak." All that is mixed in with some long flat and fast sections of cycling along the lake, making this a bike course that requires it's winners to be truly "all-rounders" - able to power through the flats and fly through the climbs.

Click on the link in the menu to read my experiences of my first full Ironman distance Triathlon.