Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Nice surprise in my inbox
You do not need to win the lottery to become happy. Yesterday I got an email from a fellow Norseman participant, Inge Amlien. He sent me a picture of me on one of the last climbs of the bike leg. His support crew had taken the picture and he had found my name, search for my email address and then sent me the picture. That is such a nice gesture. Big thanks to Inge and his support crew.
Sunday, August 25, 2013
My Garmin files from Norseman
My Garmin files, they are big since I used a long time.......
Swim:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/357308708
For some reason the GPS stopped working after 3,000 meters. The swim should be a L not an I.
Bike:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/357308913
Run (walk)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/357308965
Swim:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/357308708
For some reason the GPS stopped working after 3,000 meters. The swim should be a L not an I.
Bike:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/357308913
Run (walk)
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/357308965
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
I was interviewed about Norseman on This Week in Triathlon
Now I have done it, my first live interview. Last week I was lucky to be interviewed about my experience at Norseman. I hope I did ok even though I sound like the Swedish Chef from Muppet Show (chocolate moose anyone...)
Sunday, August 18, 2013
In deph analysis: the run
I was not sad getting into T2. It was nice to get off the bike, take the wet cycling shoes and socks off and get ready for a hard marathon. What, I have to run a whole marathon and it is hard, now, after 1.15 swimming and 7.50 biking? Well, that is Norseman so I was ready.
Going out of T2 I grab a can of coke and got a really nice message. I was number 80, I knew that I could reach my goal. I just had to be smart on the run and do not push myself into red. I also had to not think of other athletes. I knew that with limited hours of training, my run would not be strong and that others would pass me.
With the can of coke in my had I started to run. My legs did not feel to bad and the first kilometers went without any problems. I fun fact, when we drove to my Grandma in Rjukan growing up I always this stretch around Tinnsjoen SO long. Now I had to run it as part of a long distance triathlon, history can be cruel.
My friend Russell Newlow passed me, he had running legs from the triathlon God and was steaming ahead. It was fun to watch. Other athletes also passed me, but not in the same speed. The whole run went ok so far. 5k, 10k, 15k, I was now running in a group. We still could not se the mountain, but we know it was there.
On the false flats between 20 and 25 kilometer I found myself in a dark spot. My support had to fix the car and I needed fuel. I have no one to blame but myself. I did not fuel enough early in the run, my brother offered a hand bottle with coke as an emergency and I should have run with a Fuel Belt. But this is Norseman and I got help from some others athletes support and also Mike Tate gave me a energy drink. All this happen wile the beautiful mountain appeared. Mount Gaustatoppen was so intimidating, but at the same time all I wanted was to get on the peak. I passed the first 21k in 2.02. Not bad at all.
My brother and the car was back and I in the was closing in on Zombie hill. The last 10 miles of Norseman has over 5,000 vertical feet to negotiate. Yes, it is steep and hard.
My brother was there and he walked with me the whole way. I started to get really tired, but I also felt so lucky. Here I was, racing the race of my dream, I knew I had the black t-shirt in reach, and I had my brother walking with me. I could not asked for better support.
The hill was steep but I tried to walk at a speed that was working for me. A friend of mine Lene Satterwhite had taken the drive from Oslo to cheer on me and seeing here was nice. I was closing in on the cut of point at 32.5k.
When I arrived I got the message;"good news, you will finish at the peak, bad new the lightening has taken out the elevator so you have to walk down". This was Norseman. First you have to reach the hardest finish in triathlon, then you have to walk down for 4.7k.
I struggled a little between 32.5k and 37k. I guess I knew I had made it and at the same time my body was in pain so badly. But when I arrived at 37k and the gate up to Gaustatoppen, my dad was there and said he would walk with me and my brother. That was a great moral buster. Now I would finish the race with both my brother and dad.
Walking up I actually felt quite strong. I must have been on a Norseman high. The top athletes were on their way down and were cheering on all us suffering age groupers. That was really appreciated. Those 4,7k are long and on a rocky surface. I walked, walked and walked. The peak closed in but not fast enough. And yes, I was in pain.
But then the peak got closer. The feelings start bobbling to the surface. I just had to walk the last bit and it would all be over. Just some more steps and I was there.
Then I crossed the finishing line. I had done it. Right there it all made sense. All the hours of training, the bad weather, the pain, the hard patches. I had done it. I sat a big goal in November 2011, I wanted the black t-shirt. Now I had done it, and I had done it with my brother and dad. Tears ran down my checks, the feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming. I was so proud of my support team, of all that had supported me, and I was really proud of myself. After 15 hours and 45 minutes of racing, and a way longer journey I had arrived.
The tomato soup you get after finishing is unbelievable. The closeness you feel to the other athletes and support teams are hard to describe. The though of soon have to walk down was almost fun. Walking down I was thinking of what the advice Stuart McCloud had told me, enjoy the journey and never ever give up. What a race, what a journey and it is unbelievable how much pain you can handle.
Walking down my brother still supported me. He with my father had 100% dedication to help me to reach my goal. Those two are some amazing people.
Going out of T2 I grab a can of coke and got a really nice message. I was number 80, I knew that I could reach my goal. I just had to be smart on the run and do not push myself into red. I also had to not think of other athletes. I knew that with limited hours of training, my run would not be strong and that others would pass me.
With the can of coke in my had I started to run. My legs did not feel to bad and the first kilometers went without any problems. I fun fact, when we drove to my Grandma in Rjukan growing up I always this stretch around Tinnsjoen SO long. Now I had to run it as part of a long distance triathlon, history can be cruel.
My friend Russell Newlow passed me, he had running legs from the triathlon God and was steaming ahead. It was fun to watch. Other athletes also passed me, but not in the same speed. The whole run went ok so far. 5k, 10k, 15k, I was now running in a group. We still could not se the mountain, but we know it was there.
On the false flats between 20 and 25 kilometer I found myself in a dark spot. My support had to fix the car and I needed fuel. I have no one to blame but myself. I did not fuel enough early in the run, my brother offered a hand bottle with coke as an emergency and I should have run with a Fuel Belt. But this is Norseman and I got help from some others athletes support and also Mike Tate gave me a energy drink. All this happen wile the beautiful mountain appeared. Mount Gaustatoppen was so intimidating, but at the same time all I wanted was to get on the peak. I passed the first 21k in 2.02. Not bad at all.
My brother and the car was back and I in the was closing in on Zombie hill. The last 10 miles of Norseman has over 5,000 vertical feet to negotiate. Yes, it is steep and hard.
My brother was there and he walked with me the whole way. I started to get really tired, but I also felt so lucky. Here I was, racing the race of my dream, I knew I had the black t-shirt in reach, and I had my brother walking with me. I could not asked for better support.
The hill was steep but I tried to walk at a speed that was working for me. A friend of mine Lene Satterwhite had taken the drive from Oslo to cheer on me and seeing here was nice. I was closing in on the cut of point at 32.5k.
When I arrived I got the message;"good news, you will finish at the peak, bad new the lightening has taken out the elevator so you have to walk down". This was Norseman. First you have to reach the hardest finish in triathlon, then you have to walk down for 4.7k.
I struggled a little between 32.5k and 37k. I guess I knew I had made it and at the same time my body was in pain so badly. But when I arrived at 37k and the gate up to Gaustatoppen, my dad was there and said he would walk with me and my brother. That was a great moral buster. Now I would finish the race with both my brother and dad.
Walking up I actually felt quite strong. I must have been on a Norseman high. The top athletes were on their way down and were cheering on all us suffering age groupers. That was really appreciated. Those 4,7k are long and on a rocky surface. I walked, walked and walked. The peak closed in but not fast enough. And yes, I was in pain.
But then the peak got closer. The feelings start bobbling to the surface. I just had to walk the last bit and it would all be over. Just some more steps and I was there.
Then I crossed the finishing line. I had done it. Right there it all made sense. All the hours of training, the bad weather, the pain, the hard patches. I had done it. I sat a big goal in November 2011, I wanted the black t-shirt. Now I had done it, and I had done it with my brother and dad. Tears ran down my checks, the feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming. I was so proud of my support team, of all that had supported me, and I was really proud of myself. After 15 hours and 45 minutes of racing, and a way longer journey I had arrived.
The tomato soup you get after finishing is unbelievable. The closeness you feel to the other athletes and support teams are hard to describe. The though of soon have to walk down was almost fun. Walking down I was thinking of what the advice Stuart McCloud had told me, enjoy the journey and never ever give up. What a race, what a journey and it is unbelievable how much pain you can handle.
Walking down my brother still supported me. He with my father had 100% dedication to help me to reach my goal. Those two are some amazing people.
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
In deph analysis: the bike leg
I had a good swim and T1 was ok. Off with wet suit, hood and socks. On with wool socks, arm warmers, reflective west, gloves, shades and helmet. Also the bike was equipped with white light in front and red in the back like the rules required. Ahead of me was 180k/112m of Norseman bike leg. And what a bike leg it would be.
This is the Norseman profile (minus the last hill, it is for the run leg). Out of the gate you climb for 40k, then it is easier to 90k Geilo, the last half has four hills. Overall over 10,000 feet of vertical climbing.
Profile
But before I spill the beans on the bike course, I have to talk about my choice of bike and wheels. Choosing a bike for Norseman is not easy, it has to climb, decent and stop, the same goes for wheels. My choice of bike was a Cervelo S5 road bike but with the seat at a 76 degree angel, I had clip on aerobars but since went for Shimano Di2 I also had shifters on the aerobars. The crank was a semi compact 36 - 52 with a 28 cassette in the back. One of the best features of this set up is the simplicity and conventional breaks.
My position was a little more aggressive than when this picture was taken.
Then the next question was, what about wheels? I was lucky, Lars Finanger and Mavic asked if I wanted to ride on one of their wheel set. I went with clincher since that is what I am used to and the new 40C. These wheels are versatile and most of all, they have stopping power in dry and wet conditions. Overall I am really satisfied with my bike and wheels.
The road to Dyranut
Back to the bike leg. Out of T1 I was surrounded by a lot of athletes. The first kilometers are almost flat and you leave the main road and start biking on the old road. This is a scenic road, but narrow and bumpy. The flats were over and the climbing started. An what a climb. The climb was as brutal as the nature surrounding us was beautiful. Part of the old road is closed so all the athletes had to ride 2k in 8% climbing in a tunnel. That was quite an experience. I felt I had control, I got passed by clearly stronger riders but I also passed others. Half way through the first climb I met my support team for the first time. My brother had everything ready, but I asked for the only thing he did not have. Poor guy, he was a champion all through the whole race. This is the sign I passed at this point, it is for the drivers going down hill.
After this point you stay on the main road up to Dyranut and what met me? HEADWINDS. Yepp, I would battle headwinds most of the day. It was so bad that I had to climb in aero position due to the wind. It started to get quite cold also. I told my brother I needed my west at Dyranut. Dyranut can be beautiful like this picture shows, sadly it was taken on Thursday and not race day.
I had a short pit stop at Dyranut, off with the reflective west and on with my Castelli Gabbe jacket with the arms taken off. Now the plan was to enjoy the ride to the halfway point at Geilo. The only thing in the way was that headwind. I could feel the climb in my legs but tried to relax in the down hills and not push in the few up hills. The kilometers ticked of, suddenly I passed Haugastoel and then Ustaoset. It was really nice to see all the spectators standing in the wind with flags. I tried to smile back. After Ustaoset I could enjoy some nice down hills, I was closing in to the halfway point but it had taken me almost 4 hours. Norseman was really xtreme.
After the halfway point I had four climbs in front of me. My brother asked if I wanted to know my position I was and I said yes. He said I was number 80. I was in shock, had I started too hard? I shouted back that my plan was to spin up the hills and make sure I did not cook my legs. The first hill went uneventful, at the top my plan was to enjoy the nice cabins surrounding Kikut but mother nature wanted to send me more headwind and also some frozen rain. It was cold, and even colder when I went down hill. I was shaking on my bike. When I rolled into the bottom of the next hill I told my brother I needed my neoprene cloves. I got warmer up the hill and it was nice to get warm cloves at the peak. I still had to battle rain and wind, but now I had two out of four climbs behind me.
The third climb went the same way. I made sure I kept my legs spinning and even if someone passed me I did not push. My brother did an amazing job reminding me to eat and also gave me bananas and new bottles. Down from the third climb you have a long downhill. It was cold but I had time to relax a little bit. Ahead of me was the last big climb, Imingfjell.
The last of the climbs is long and grinding. I tried to get as easy ride as possible and got passed by some athletes. It always seamed to be one more turn all the way to the top, but after way to long I was on the top of the climb and was met with rain, headwind and fog. The climb had been hard, the 10k false flat at the top is something I will remember for ever. It was so hard, so bad and so cold.
My brother and dad stood 6 meters from the road and tried to shout to me but I could not hear them. When I reached the end of the "flat" I had a challenging downhill with switchbacks. I was really happy I had the Mavic C40 wheel set. I had breaking power in the rain and even though I hit several potholes the wheels kept performing.
Down Tessungdalen I tried to bike as fast as I could. The road surface is really bad so I hit potholes, had to make bunny hops over gravel and it was still raining. I passed my moms grave and some tears appeared. It was a special feeling.
Finally the bike leg was over. I had used 7.50, the longest I have ever been on a bike. What a bike leg, what weather, but I did good. Overall I am really proud of my performance.
This is the Norseman profile (minus the last hill, it is for the run leg). Out of the gate you climb for 40k, then it is easier to 90k Geilo, the last half has four hills. Overall over 10,000 feet of vertical climbing.
Profile
But before I spill the beans on the bike course, I have to talk about my choice of bike and wheels. Choosing a bike for Norseman is not easy, it has to climb, decent and stop, the same goes for wheels. My choice of bike was a Cervelo S5 road bike but with the seat at a 76 degree angel, I had clip on aerobars but since went for Shimano Di2 I also had shifters on the aerobars. The crank was a semi compact 36 - 52 with a 28 cassette in the back. One of the best features of this set up is the simplicity and conventional breaks.
My position was a little more aggressive than when this picture was taken.
Then the next question was, what about wheels? I was lucky, Lars Finanger and Mavic asked if I wanted to ride on one of their wheel set. I went with clincher since that is what I am used to and the new 40C. These wheels are versatile and most of all, they have stopping power in dry and wet conditions. Overall I am really satisfied with my bike and wheels.
The road to Dyranut
Back to the bike leg. Out of T1 I was surrounded by a lot of athletes. The first kilometers are almost flat and you leave the main road and start biking on the old road. This is a scenic road, but narrow and bumpy. The flats were over and the climbing started. An what a climb. The climb was as brutal as the nature surrounding us was beautiful. Part of the old road is closed so all the athletes had to ride 2k in 8% climbing in a tunnel. That was quite an experience. I felt I had control, I got passed by clearly stronger riders but I also passed others. Half way through the first climb I met my support team for the first time. My brother had everything ready, but I asked for the only thing he did not have. Poor guy, he was a champion all through the whole race. This is the sign I passed at this point, it is for the drivers going down hill.
After this point you stay on the main road up to Dyranut and what met me? HEADWINDS. Yepp, I would battle headwinds most of the day. It was so bad that I had to climb in aero position due to the wind. It started to get quite cold also. I told my brother I needed my west at Dyranut. Dyranut can be beautiful like this picture shows, sadly it was taken on Thursday and not race day.
I had a short pit stop at Dyranut, off with the reflective west and on with my Castelli Gabbe jacket with the arms taken off. Now the plan was to enjoy the ride to the halfway point at Geilo. The only thing in the way was that headwind. I could feel the climb in my legs but tried to relax in the down hills and not push in the few up hills. The kilometers ticked of, suddenly I passed Haugastoel and then Ustaoset. It was really nice to see all the spectators standing in the wind with flags. I tried to smile back. After Ustaoset I could enjoy some nice down hills, I was closing in to the halfway point but it had taken me almost 4 hours. Norseman was really xtreme.
After the halfway point I had four climbs in front of me. My brother asked if I wanted to know my position I was and I said yes. He said I was number 80. I was in shock, had I started too hard? I shouted back that my plan was to spin up the hills and make sure I did not cook my legs. The first hill went uneventful, at the top my plan was to enjoy the nice cabins surrounding Kikut but mother nature wanted to send me more headwind and also some frozen rain. It was cold, and even colder when I went down hill. I was shaking on my bike. When I rolled into the bottom of the next hill I told my brother I needed my neoprene cloves. I got warmer up the hill and it was nice to get warm cloves at the peak. I still had to battle rain and wind, but now I had two out of four climbs behind me.
The third climb went the same way. I made sure I kept my legs spinning and even if someone passed me I did not push. My brother did an amazing job reminding me to eat and also gave me bananas and new bottles. Down from the third climb you have a long downhill. It was cold but I had time to relax a little bit. Ahead of me was the last big climb, Imingfjell.
The last of the climbs is long and grinding. I tried to get as easy ride as possible and got passed by some athletes. It always seamed to be one more turn all the way to the top, but after way to long I was on the top of the climb and was met with rain, headwind and fog. The climb had been hard, the 10k false flat at the top is something I will remember for ever. It was so hard, so bad and so cold.
My brother and dad stood 6 meters from the road and tried to shout to me but I could not hear them. When I reached the end of the "flat" I had a challenging downhill with switchbacks. I was really happy I had the Mavic C40 wheel set. I had breaking power in the rain and even though I hit several potholes the wheels kept performing.
Down Tessungdalen I tried to bike as fast as I could. The road surface is really bad so I hit potholes, had to make bunny hops over gravel and it was still raining. I passed my moms grave and some tears appeared. It was a special feeling.
Finally the bike leg was over. I had used 7.50, the longest I have ever been on a bike. What a bike leg, what weather, but I did good. Overall I am really proud of my performance.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
In deph analysis: the swim
One week has passed and I am down from my leg pain and Norseman high. Norseman was everything I had hoped for and more. What a race, what a journey.
But back to the swim. Almost every Norseman athlete has seen the videos of the jump of the ferry and cold athletes in T1. This is Norseman, the unpredictable swim. But what met me the Thursday before the race? Eidfjord was warm and the fjord was flat and beautiful. I took part in the social swim Friday morning and got a chance to test out most of my equipment. Also I thought all the other swimmers swam really fast, but I always feel that before a race. The water was quite nice and swimming with a hood and earplugs was really helpful.
Eidfjord is a beautiful place to swim when the conditions are nice. I had the chance to talk with Jeff Glasbrenner, what an inspiration.
While the weather on Friday was really nice, the weather forecast for race day was not. But on the mandatory race meeting the organizer said the swim will go on as planned and that the temperature was good. I was happy.
Raceday
Woke up early after a bad nigh of sleep. But that was no surprise. Walked down to T1 with my brother and got my bike checked in. Then I start focus on the swimming, now it was me, the ferry, the jump and 3.8 kilometer of water ahead of me. Last good luck from my brother and on the ferry I went.
Sitting on the ferry is just like the videos and pictures. It is excitement, nervousness and long lines for the restrooms. The heart is syncing up with the ferry engine and when the engine stops, so did my heart. Now it was real. The gate open and we all walked to the jump. I made the jump and kept my goggles. The swan to the kayaks and start the waiting game. It felt like hours but then the horn went of and Norseman 2013 started.
I felt ok, but got hit my some big waves and headwind. Luckily I did not swallowed any water and kept cool, got into an ok rhythm and tried to focus on keeping a good form. I did not feel that I swam fast but tried to keep a positive attitude. As most athletes I swam close to the shore. After a while I could smell bonfire. Land was in sight, but so far away. I was sure I could see the earth curve, but I guess I am just a slow swimmer.
After 3 kilometer I made the turn a the only buoy. Now it was only the home stretch left. Some more waves made that stretch to stretch out quite a bit, but than I saw the end. Of course I managed to fall down and made a big splash.
I ran into T1 and was met by my brother. I could see a lot of bikes still there and my brother told me that I had used 1.15, that was just 5 minutes behind my best of scenarios, and I had done it in challenging conditions.
Looking back I am really happy with my swim. My Huub Archimedes 3:5 is a good wetsuit for me. I am glad I used a neoprene hood and sock. I did not freeze at all. Overall I had set myself up for a good Norseman with a solid swim.
Eidfjord the day before, what a place.
But back to the swim. Almost every Norseman athlete has seen the videos of the jump of the ferry and cold athletes in T1. This is Norseman, the unpredictable swim. But what met me the Thursday before the race? Eidfjord was warm and the fjord was flat and beautiful. I took part in the social swim Friday morning and got a chance to test out most of my equipment. Also I thought all the other swimmers swam really fast, but I always feel that before a race. The water was quite nice and swimming with a hood and earplugs was really helpful.
Eidfjord is a beautiful place to swim when the conditions are nice. I had the chance to talk with Jeff Glasbrenner, what an inspiration.
While the weather on Friday was really nice, the weather forecast for race day was not. But on the mandatory race meeting the organizer said the swim will go on as planned and that the temperature was good. I was happy.
Raceday
Woke up early after a bad nigh of sleep. But that was no surprise. Walked down to T1 with my brother and got my bike checked in. Then I start focus on the swimming, now it was me, the ferry, the jump and 3.8 kilometer of water ahead of me. Last good luck from my brother and on the ferry I went.
Sitting on the ferry is just like the videos and pictures. It is excitement, nervousness and long lines for the restrooms. The heart is syncing up with the ferry engine and when the engine stops, so did my heart. Now it was real. The gate open and we all walked to the jump. I made the jump and kept my goggles. The swan to the kayaks and start the waiting game. It felt like hours but then the horn went of and Norseman 2013 started.
I felt ok, but got hit my some big waves and headwind. Luckily I did not swallowed any water and kept cool, got into an ok rhythm and tried to focus on keeping a good form. I did not feel that I swam fast but tried to keep a positive attitude. As most athletes I swam close to the shore. After a while I could smell bonfire. Land was in sight, but so far away. I was sure I could see the earth curve, but I guess I am just a slow swimmer.
After 3 kilometer I made the turn a the only buoy. Now it was only the home stretch left. Some more waves made that stretch to stretch out quite a bit, but than I saw the end. Of course I managed to fall down and made a big splash.
I ran into T1 and was met by my brother. I could see a lot of bikes still there and my brother told me that I had used 1.15, that was just 5 minutes behind my best of scenarios, and I had done it in challenging conditions.
Looking back I am really happy with my swim. My Huub Archimedes 3:5 is a good wetsuit for me. I am glad I used a neoprene hood and sock. I did not freeze at all. Overall I had set myself up for a good Norseman with a solid swim.
Eidfjord the day before, what a place.
Sunday, August 4, 2013
Norseman 2013 Race Report
I did it, I raced Norseman 2013 and I accomplished my goal finishing at the peak of mount Gaustatoppen and get the black t-shirt. Here you have my experiences before, during and after "the race".
Traveling
My Norseman adventure got off to a great start. I got upgraded by Icelandair and could enjoy good legroom and nice service from Seattle to Reykjavik. I took this as a good sign for what should come.
Before the race
I landed in Oslo Wednesday and was met by my brother. We drove over to his house only 25 minutes away and I could start putting my bike together and get some food in me. My bike had survived the flight and everything worked, but to be on the safe side we went for a short ride to tightening the bolts with a torqued wrench at a local ski and cycling store. On the way my front wheel got a flat. No panic, the tube got changed and all the bolts torqued. I used the rest of the day to catch up with my brother, his family and to eat, eat and eat.
On Thursday we packed the car and drove to the beautiful town Drammen to pick up my father. I am not sure if I was more happy to race or to be with family, but this is the essence of Norseman, you can do both. We drove up beautiful Uvedal so I could take a peak of the last climb up to Imingfjell. That climb looked long and steep. Then we drove the rest of the bike course in reverse. The three climbs after Geilo (91k) were all long and hard, but I did not feel that they were intimidating. We had a stop a Dyranut, the highest point of the bike course, it is after 40k. This was the first time I could see that Norseman was happening, cars with bikes and skinny people in lycra with logos on it. The drive down to Eidfjord is beautiful but also scary. The first hill of Norseman is LONG, STEEP and HARD.
Since I got my spot late, the only rooms I could managed to find was not what I would call hotel standard.
The rest of the day was used to walk around and to just enjoy being in Eidfjord. I was getting ready.
Friday before the race
The morning started with the classic Norseman swim a 9 in the morning. The water was beautiful, flat and not too cold. As always I think everybody is swimming so fast, so everything was normal.
It was fun meeting all the Americans. I tried to give them some advice about the course since I knew it a little bit better. I also had people coming and talk to me based on my posting about Norseman at Slowtwich, I guess I sparked some interests for the race :-) Of course I spent money on Norseman gear. I need to look good for my next sprint triathlon.
At three o'clock the race meeting started, now it got real. The race meeting mostly went through safety and looking back on race day I understand why. Norseman is extreme, but it is extreme with focus on safety, kudos to the organizers. I used the rest of the afternoon to organize the equipment, food, eat dinner and went to bed early for a bad nigh of sleep. And yes, during the night it started to be rainy and windy.
Race day
I woke up 1.45, this was it. I could feel it, the day I had for so long prepared for was finally here. It was scary but also a happy feeling. Now it was time to get to T1.
At the dock the Norseman ferry was saying good morning to me. The place was full of nervous athletes and really tired support crew. My bike got checked, you need working lights and a reflective west at Norseman due to riding in tunnels. It was time to get the last good lucks and enter the ferry.
The mood on the ferry is special and just like what you see in the Norseman videos. When the ferry has found its right position and stops we all waked towards the opening gate. The jump was ahead. This was it, this was NORSEMAN.
Norseman 2013
The swim
The jump was easy, the water was not too bad. I was swimming with a neoprene hood, ear plugs and neoprene socks. After the jump I swan to the kayaks and find a position close to shore. After 10 minutes the ferry blow its horn and off we went. The first thing that hit me was a wave followed another on and another one. The swim was not too choppy but breathing could be challenging. I focused on staying calm and was trying not to swallow saltwater. Personally I felt the swim went slow. My goal time was 1.10 with ideal conditions so I was surprised when I exit the water in 1.15. Of course I had a big fall when I was trying to get out of the water, at least it was entertaining for the crowed.
T1
Wetsuit off, wool socks and arm warmers on. Not a speedy transition but ok.
The bike leg
Luckily you have some kilometers to get warm before the first climb starts. Norseman uses the old road when possible, it is narrow but the scenery is stunning. Then the climbing started and it was steep, steep and steep. I was using 36 - 28 and just focused on spin my legs. The minutes started to tick along faster than the kilometers. After a while I got to Voringsfossen and my first meeting with my support, my brother was shouting EAT, something he shouted a lot that day. The rest of the climb up to Dyranut was not pleasant. The combination of steep hills and hard and cold headwind made the first 1/4 of the bike ride something to remember, and it was just an introduction to the rest of the leg.
At Dyranut I needed to put on a jacket, it was cold. My brother was prepared and we had a fast pit stop. Finally I could enjoy the flats and downhills towards Geilo. But what met me, more cold headwind. The few times I got sidewind it felt so easy. But it was nice to get some speed on the bike and the downhills gave me a chance to fuel and relax a little. I understood that managing the legs was the key for getting the black t-shirt.
I was quite shocked when I got the message that I was number 80 at Geilo, had I open too hard, it did not feel that way. But I decided to take it easy the next four hills. I did not want to blow my legs apart by racing like an idiot. After Geilo Norseman has four long climbs followed by some challenging descents. And on raceday it was windy. I keep my heart rate down on the climb up to Kikut, looked at all the nice cabins and rode into some freezing rain. Yepp, now I did not have just headwind, I had frozen rain also. The descent was cold and tricky. The road condition was not good so I could not cost down. I had to stay on top of my game.
At the beginning on the next climb I was met by my brother. I told him that I needed my neoprene gloves. As always he said take it easy in the hills and EAT, EAT and EAT. I let my legs spin up the hill. For some reason the hills at Norseman are harder to ride than they look on the race profile. At the top I got new gloves and it felt good. Two climbs done, just two to go.
Next climb I followed the same recipe, I kept an eye on my heart rate and kept it as close to zone 1 as possible. Due to the weather and the fact that I had been out for many hours I could feel that my body have had to work. But I was within myself and had control. After the third climb it was a long descent. The road conditions were not good so I could not relax at all. But I had been riding 125k and just had the last climb left, and it was a monster.
The climb up to Imingfjell is 10k long. It is not too steep, just grinding. I was following my plan and let some other athletes pass me. The top of the climb was not getting closer fast enough, but suddenly I was in the last turns. At the top my plan was to smile and enjoy the 10k false flat. But now the weather was really bad, strong headwind, fog with 20 feet visibility and heavy rain. I had to ride 36 - 28 on the flat to keep going. My brother tried to yell something to me from the side of the road but I could hardly see him, and I did not hear him at all. I will remember those 10k at Imingfjell for the rest of my life. A little side note, I was biking in a trishorts the whole way so it got sometimes chilly on my leg.
After Imingfjell I managed to get down the switchback without any big problems. Those were tricky and I talked to one athlete who did not see one of the turns due to fog and went off the road. The last 20k is following the river down the valley. The road here is so bad the resurfacing was planed for 2013, sadly for me it will happen is September. I am not sure how my wheels survived some of the potholes. But it was bumpy. Close to T2 I passed the church where my mom us buried. It was special and I choked up, but it was a nice experience. Bike split 7.50
T2
Getting off the bike was nice. Getting new and dry socks even better. My brother was there as always and gave me one last advice before the running, EAT.
The run
When I ran out of T2 I got the message that I was number 80. This was crazy. I knew then that if I did not do anything stupid I would mange to get the black t-shirt. That was a nice feeling. I rand out with a box of Coke, it was helpful to keep the speed down and it was nice to get some calories. I was jogging along and the kilometers ticked off. I actually did not feel too bad. I was of course starting to feel tired, but I also had a feeling of control. The run course is 20k flat, 5k false flat and steep climbing the rest. I took some strategic short walks between 20 and 25k, my brother had to fix his car and of course that is when I needed more fuel. But this is Norseman and some of other athletes support teams gave me some thing to drink. During the race my brother had done this to other athletes.
One of the things you remember from competing in Norseman is the first time you see mount Gaustatoppen on the run. It is unreal. The mountain is so high and so intimidating, but you also know that the only thing you want is to get to the top. I made it to the bottom of the hill in ok shape. I now knew I would get the black t-shirt and could stop racing and start enjoying. The last hill is 16k/10m and has the name zombie hill, it turns fit athletes into zombies.
The hill starts at the bottom of the valley by the power lines and finish at the peak, it is hard.
The walk
For the rest of the run leg my plan was to walk. Zombie hill is 10% so you climb a lot. My brother walked with me and we talked and talked. He was carrying all I needed and some more. I switched my tritop to a wool sweater, that was nice. How steep was it? My kilometer/mile time was 12.30/19 minutes. The first goal was to get to 32.5k, this is where you get the message if you can finish at the top. When I got there the race director told me;"good news, you can finish at the top, bad news, the elevator is broken so you have to walk down". This was Norseman.
From 32k and to 37k when the trail begin I was walking quite slowly. I was tired and just wanted to keep going. Then I saw the gate and the flags. This is where you are leaving the road and walk the last 4.7k on rock. It is not a trail, more a bad path on rocky rocks. Before I entered the trail one of the race organizers check my backpack. Due to safety you need to carry warm cloths and a flashlight. I got a burst of energy and even though I now walked with really tired legs the last kilometers did not feel too bad at all. I guess I was on a Norseman high.
And finally I crossed the finish line with my brother and my dad. I had done it. Right there it all made sense, all the pain was worth it. I had been focused the whole day and now I could relax and yes I cried. What a race, what a journey, what a support team.
At the top you get tomato soup and a blanket. Right there those were gifts from God. I looked at my watch. I had used 6.30 on the run and remember that I rand the first 21k in 2.02. The last hill is hard.
But this is Norseman and now me and my support crew had to walk down again. Yes my tired legs had to get off the mountain and yes it started to get dark. But everything was perfect after a perfect day. And now I am wearing black
Traveling
My Norseman adventure got off to a great start. I got upgraded by Icelandair and could enjoy good legroom and nice service from Seattle to Reykjavik. I took this as a good sign for what should come.
Before the race
I landed in Oslo Wednesday and was met by my brother. We drove over to his house only 25 minutes away and I could start putting my bike together and get some food in me. My bike had survived the flight and everything worked, but to be on the safe side we went for a short ride to tightening the bolts with a torqued wrench at a local ski and cycling store. On the way my front wheel got a flat. No panic, the tube got changed and all the bolts torqued. I used the rest of the day to catch up with my brother, his family and to eat, eat and eat.
On Thursday we packed the car and drove to the beautiful town Drammen to pick up my father. I am not sure if I was more happy to race or to be with family, but this is the essence of Norseman, you can do both. We drove up beautiful Uvedal so I could take a peak of the last climb up to Imingfjell. That climb looked long and steep. Then we drove the rest of the bike course in reverse. The three climbs after Geilo (91k) were all long and hard, but I did not feel that they were intimidating. We had a stop a Dyranut, the highest point of the bike course, it is after 40k. This was the first time I could see that Norseman was happening, cars with bikes and skinny people in lycra with logos on it. The drive down to Eidfjord is beautiful but also scary. The first hill of Norseman is LONG, STEEP and HARD.
Since I got my spot late, the only rooms I could managed to find was not what I would call hotel standard.
The rest of the day was used to walk around and to just enjoy being in Eidfjord. I was getting ready.
Friday before the race
The morning started with the classic Norseman swim a 9 in the morning. The water was beautiful, flat and not too cold. As always I think everybody is swimming so fast, so everything was normal.
It was fun meeting all the Americans. I tried to give them some advice about the course since I knew it a little bit better. I also had people coming and talk to me based on my posting about Norseman at Slowtwich, I guess I sparked some interests for the race :-) Of course I spent money on Norseman gear. I need to look good for my next sprint triathlon.
At three o'clock the race meeting started, now it got real. The race meeting mostly went through safety and looking back on race day I understand why. Norseman is extreme, but it is extreme with focus on safety, kudos to the organizers. I used the rest of the afternoon to organize the equipment, food, eat dinner and went to bed early for a bad nigh of sleep. And yes, during the night it started to be rainy and windy.
Race day
I woke up 1.45, this was it. I could feel it, the day I had for so long prepared for was finally here. It was scary but also a happy feeling. Now it was time to get to T1.
At the dock the Norseman ferry was saying good morning to me. The place was full of nervous athletes and really tired support crew. My bike got checked, you need working lights and a reflective west at Norseman due to riding in tunnels. It was time to get the last good lucks and enter the ferry.
The mood on the ferry is special and just like what you see in the Norseman videos. When the ferry has found its right position and stops we all waked towards the opening gate. The jump was ahead. This was it, this was NORSEMAN.
Norseman 2013
The swim
The jump was easy, the water was not too bad. I was swimming with a neoprene hood, ear plugs and neoprene socks. After the jump I swan to the kayaks and find a position close to shore. After 10 minutes the ferry blow its horn and off we went. The first thing that hit me was a wave followed another on and another one. The swim was not too choppy but breathing could be challenging. I focused on staying calm and was trying not to swallow saltwater. Personally I felt the swim went slow. My goal time was 1.10 with ideal conditions so I was surprised when I exit the water in 1.15. Of course I had a big fall when I was trying to get out of the water, at least it was entertaining for the crowed.
T1
Wetsuit off, wool socks and arm warmers on. Not a speedy transition but ok.
The bike leg
Luckily you have some kilometers to get warm before the first climb starts. Norseman uses the old road when possible, it is narrow but the scenery is stunning. Then the climbing started and it was steep, steep and steep. I was using 36 - 28 and just focused on spin my legs. The minutes started to tick along faster than the kilometers. After a while I got to Voringsfossen and my first meeting with my support, my brother was shouting EAT, something he shouted a lot that day. The rest of the climb up to Dyranut was not pleasant. The combination of steep hills and hard and cold headwind made the first 1/4 of the bike ride something to remember, and it was just an introduction to the rest of the leg.
At Dyranut I needed to put on a jacket, it was cold. My brother was prepared and we had a fast pit stop. Finally I could enjoy the flats and downhills towards Geilo. But what met me, more cold headwind. The few times I got sidewind it felt so easy. But it was nice to get some speed on the bike and the downhills gave me a chance to fuel and relax a little. I understood that managing the legs was the key for getting the black t-shirt.
I was quite shocked when I got the message that I was number 80 at Geilo, had I open too hard, it did not feel that way. But I decided to take it easy the next four hills. I did not want to blow my legs apart by racing like an idiot. After Geilo Norseman has four long climbs followed by some challenging descents. And on raceday it was windy. I keep my heart rate down on the climb up to Kikut, looked at all the nice cabins and rode into some freezing rain. Yepp, now I did not have just headwind, I had frozen rain also. The descent was cold and tricky. The road condition was not good so I could not cost down. I had to stay on top of my game.
At the beginning on the next climb I was met by my brother. I told him that I needed my neoprene gloves. As always he said take it easy in the hills and EAT, EAT and EAT. I let my legs spin up the hill. For some reason the hills at Norseman are harder to ride than they look on the race profile. At the top I got new gloves and it felt good. Two climbs done, just two to go.
Next climb I followed the same recipe, I kept an eye on my heart rate and kept it as close to zone 1 as possible. Due to the weather and the fact that I had been out for many hours I could feel that my body have had to work. But I was within myself and had control. After the third climb it was a long descent. The road conditions were not good so I could not relax at all. But I had been riding 125k and just had the last climb left, and it was a monster.
The climb up to Imingfjell is 10k long. It is not too steep, just grinding. I was following my plan and let some other athletes pass me. The top of the climb was not getting closer fast enough, but suddenly I was in the last turns. At the top my plan was to smile and enjoy the 10k false flat. But now the weather was really bad, strong headwind, fog with 20 feet visibility and heavy rain. I had to ride 36 - 28 on the flat to keep going. My brother tried to yell something to me from the side of the road but I could hardly see him, and I did not hear him at all. I will remember those 10k at Imingfjell for the rest of my life. A little side note, I was biking in a trishorts the whole way so it got sometimes chilly on my leg.
After Imingfjell I managed to get down the switchback without any big problems. Those were tricky and I talked to one athlete who did not see one of the turns due to fog and went off the road. The last 20k is following the river down the valley. The road here is so bad the resurfacing was planed for 2013, sadly for me it will happen is September. I am not sure how my wheels survived some of the potholes. But it was bumpy. Close to T2 I passed the church where my mom us buried. It was special and I choked up, but it was a nice experience. Bike split 7.50
T2
Getting off the bike was nice. Getting new and dry socks even better. My brother was there as always and gave me one last advice before the running, EAT.
The run
When I ran out of T2 I got the message that I was number 80. This was crazy. I knew then that if I did not do anything stupid I would mange to get the black t-shirt. That was a nice feeling. I rand out with a box of Coke, it was helpful to keep the speed down and it was nice to get some calories. I was jogging along and the kilometers ticked off. I actually did not feel too bad. I was of course starting to feel tired, but I also had a feeling of control. The run course is 20k flat, 5k false flat and steep climbing the rest. I took some strategic short walks between 20 and 25k, my brother had to fix his car and of course that is when I needed more fuel. But this is Norseman and some of other athletes support teams gave me some thing to drink. During the race my brother had done this to other athletes.
One of the things you remember from competing in Norseman is the first time you see mount Gaustatoppen on the run. It is unreal. The mountain is so high and so intimidating, but you also know that the only thing you want is to get to the top. I made it to the bottom of the hill in ok shape. I now knew I would get the black t-shirt and could stop racing and start enjoying. The last hill is 16k/10m and has the name zombie hill, it turns fit athletes into zombies.
The hill starts at the bottom of the valley by the power lines and finish at the peak, it is hard.
The walk
For the rest of the run leg my plan was to walk. Zombie hill is 10% so you climb a lot. My brother walked with me and we talked and talked. He was carrying all I needed and some more. I switched my tritop to a wool sweater, that was nice. How steep was it? My kilometer/mile time was 12.30/19 minutes. The first goal was to get to 32.5k, this is where you get the message if you can finish at the top. When I got there the race director told me;"good news, you can finish at the top, bad news, the elevator is broken so you have to walk down". This was Norseman.
From 32k and to 37k when the trail begin I was walking quite slowly. I was tired and just wanted to keep going. Then I saw the gate and the flags. This is where you are leaving the road and walk the last 4.7k on rock. It is not a trail, more a bad path on rocky rocks. Before I entered the trail one of the race organizers check my backpack. Due to safety you need to carry warm cloths and a flashlight. I got a burst of energy and even though I now walked with really tired legs the last kilometers did not feel too bad at all. I guess I was on a Norseman high.
And finally I crossed the finish line with my brother and my dad. I had done it. Right there it all made sense, all the pain was worth it. I had been focused the whole day and now I could relax and yes I cried. What a race, what a journey, what a support team.
At the top you get tomato soup and a blanket. Right there those were gifts from God. I looked at my watch. I had used 6.30 on the run and remember that I rand the first 21k in 2.02. The last hill is hard.
But this is Norseman and now me and my support crew had to walk down again. Yes my tired legs had to get off the mountain and yes it started to get dark. But everything was perfect after a perfect day. And now I am wearing black
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