Austrian triathlete Michi Weiss has found a home in Colorado Springs. He'll race to defend his title at the Ford Ironman St. George Triathlon this weekend in St. George, Utah. On August 6, he'll marry fiancée Rachel Cole.

It's easy to like triathlete Michi Weiss. He's a happy man with an easy smile. And he is swimming, riding and running like nobody's busines. A 13th-place finish at the 2010 World Ironman Championships in Kona, Hawaii, plus some excellent results this spring, have bolstered his confidence. This weekend, he'll defend his title at the Ford Ironman St. George Triathlon. He'll marry the love of his life in August and then take another swing at Kona. He has competed in the Olympic games and challenged some of the world's best triathletes. But you get the feeling that he has found something special in Colorado Springs. It's like this guy from the other side of the earth has found a home here, We tossed some questions his way and he hit them out of the park.

So how does an elite triathlete from Austria come to live in Colorado Springs?
One of my most important sponsors, SRM of Germany, opened a U.S. office in Colorado Springs in 2003. At this time I was a professional mountain biker and Uli Schoberer (SRM owner/founder) would invite me to Colorado for altitude training camps. I spent weeks at a time in the Springs and loved the trail systems, mountains, and community.

After meeting my American fiancée, Rachel, in Kona 2009, I wanted to spend more time in the U.S. She left Boston and we moved to Colorado Springs together due to the optimal weather and training conditions in Colorado. I am able to train in the best possible conditions with access to the Olympic Training Center and the world's best coaches. Rachel works for SRM in the Sales and Marketing Department. Colorado Springs is the perfect fit!
 
Catch us up on your season and results to date.
My 2011 triathlon season kicked off with the SuperSeal Olympic Distance Triathlon on Coronado Island off the coast of California. It is a small, well-directed race very early in the year (March 27th) and gives me the opportunity to make sure my race day equipment and set-up is ideal. I won the SuperSeal and raced the following weekend at Oceanside 70.3 where I finished third behind Andy Potts and Rasmus Henning. It was one of my best triathlon performances to date! The next week I flew to Miami, Fla., for the Nautica South Beach Triathlon, placing fourth in Florida (Dye, Potts, and Ospaly were just ahead). Which brings us to the up-and-coming Ironman St. George this weekend!
 
Big weekend coming up. You are the defending Ironman St. George (Utah) champion. Are you feeling any pressure to repeat and what are your goals for this race?
I am feeling excited, strong, and prepared for St. George. There will be more competition this year in the men's pro field, but I am confident and looking forward to a great performance. My goal is to improve my swim time, push a steady, well-paced bike split, which happens to be the fastest ;-), and dig deep to tackle those climbs on the run!
 
What is your favorite leg in a triathlon and why?
I am a cyclist at heart. I have been on a bike nearly all my life. It is my passion and strength in Triathlon. Many triathletes dread the long 5-6 hour training rides, but I make it part of my day and always try to enjoy it. I take in the scenery, stop for coffee or ice cream or even a quick photo shoot with local wildlife.
 
OK, tell us about meeting Rachel and when are you going to tie the knot?
I met Rachel in Kona, Hawaii, at the famous Lava Java restaurant just before the Ironman World Championships in 2009. She was sitting with her mother, Kim Cole, an age-group triathlete racing Kona for the first time. It was incredibly crowded the day before bike check-in and they had an extra chair opened at their table. I ate carrot cake and chatted with Kim about SRM PowerMeters, as she was saving up for her first. I invited them to dinner the night before the race - there was a large group of us at Outback, my coach, Mario Huys and his family, as well as friends from Europe. On race day I was anxious and tried to focus only on the race and my goals. It was my first full Ironman distance triathlon! As I crossed the finish line I saw Rachel again amongst the crowds and we set a date to meet for dinner at the awards banquet the following day. After the banquet and the K-Swiss party it was clear there was something very special between us. She was not someone I wanted to see leave my life and I invited her to join me on Maui for the XTERRA World Championships the next week. She flew home to Boston with just enough time to do some laundry and jumped on a plane back to Maui. We have lived together since then and I proposed on Christmas Eve, 2010, in Kennebunk, Maine, with her family.

We will tie the knot on August 6th this year in Kennebunkport, Maine (her hometown). My family and friends will join us from Europe as well as friends from SRM Colorado and SRM Germany - as usual the guest list grows each week.
 
Give us an idea of your training schedule, how many miles of running and riding, and yards/meters of swimming are you doing now?
Most of my training days I get up at 6 a.m. for a swim workout at the Olympic Training Center together with the USAT residents (Hunter Kemper, Sarah Haskins etc.), which usually starts at 7:30 a.m. and covers about 3 miles.
After that I drive home, have a second bigger breakfast such as an omelette and oatmeal with fruit, followed by some "office" work on the computer and a short nap.
My main workout, either a long ride or a long run- sometimes even both- gets kicked off around noon.
Being a triathlon pro is a full-time job, because it always takes a lot of time and focus to prepare for each training, and also to recover from each. In average I get two massages of one hour per week - that's probably the most important recovery aid for me.
There are high volume weeks where I train over 30 hours a week, but also recovery weeks where I do no more than 15 hours in total.
The average training week probably covers 15 miles of swimming, 10 hours on the bike - I never train with distance while riding - 40-50 miles of running, and 1 hour strength training (mostly core and swim-specific). My preferred rhythm is three training days followed by a recovery day, which means an easy swim or just nothing. Same counts for the rhythm of weeks: Three hard weeks, one easy week etc.
As soon as it comes to racing, it's all about getting ready for a competition - "tapering" - followed by resting up for the next battle.
 
You raced a mountain bike in the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens. What will you always remember about that experience?
It was an honor to represent my country at such a young age. My family was there supporting me and it was truly a dream. The race itself was a bit of a technical disaster for me - I had a flat tire and finished 32nd. But the Olympic experience was inspiring and something I will remember forever.

Any goals or plans for the 2012 summer games?
My career is focused on Ironman racing right now and my goal is to win Ironman Hawaii. Maybe one day I will turn my attention to the Olympics again, but at this time I am driven and suited to long distance triathlon.
 
What are your favorite running and riding places in Colorado Springs and why?
Trail running is a blast in Ute Valley! The scenery is majestic and peaceful, I just have to pay attention to loose rocks and rattle snakes… For a more level route I hit Santa Fe Trail, heading north takes me on a more rustic trail into the Air Force Academy or I can run south towards downtown around parks and sports fields. My favorite mountain bike trails are in the Air Force Academy - Falcon trail is nice because I can ride two loops and then run one loop for a great brick workout.
 
Will we see you in any local races this summer?
Possibly 51.50 Boulder and/or XTERRA Beaver Creek, which are both in July.