2 races done

It`s been very hectic since Denmark. Have already 2 races in my belt, one tri and one bike TT.

Last saturday was my first tri since Kona 07. Norwegian Cup opener in Holmestrand. A 750-20-5 sprint. Swim was in pool, and in 4 heats. Everyone stopped after swim, and bike was a persuit after the swim times. I was in lane 1 in heat 3. There where some discussions in days leading up to the race on swimsuits. It ended with Norwegain Federation not banning any suits for this race. Si i wore my BlueSeventy Point Zero. Had a descent swim in 12.01. As espectet. 3min 17sec begind the 14old leader in the youth category. He swam 8.44!! 3min gap to the main contenders. Around 30th place....

Started out very hard on bike. Wanted to try to get in contact with Even Olsen, starting 15 sec in front. He is a strong biker, and was a podium contender. But he got away, while I was busy passing slow bikers on the narrow roads. The hard start cost me, and I had to slow for a while. Found my rythm again after 10k and biked really well from there to T2. Passed alot of people, and started run in 12th position. Ole Richard Holm Olsen was just in fron of me, and I caught him after 200m. He is also doing IM Germany, and has been reported in great shape, training 20h+ weeks. So I was in for a great fight I thought. He surged going up a long climb, and I barely stayed with him. But he was breathin hard, and with a "uhhhhh!" on topp of the climb he slowed dramaticly. I kept my pace over the topp and he was gone:-)

At turn-around I found my self prety isolated. To big a gap to nr. 10, and pretty good control on those behind. So I kept a steady, solid pace, and pushed it a litthle on the last climb to finish. 11th overall, 9th in men elite, beaten by 1 junior and 1 agegroup M40-49.

So today it was time for a local 94k TT. I was eager for a good training day today. So started with a 2400m morning swim with 8x300m pull with paddles. Race was a point to point race down Nummedalen, starting in Rødberg and finishing here in Kongsberg. My always supporting dad drove me all the way up there, while mum watched the kids. Thanks!!

I got to start as nr. 2, and qickly passed the woman in front of me. Very strong headwind made it hard all the way down the valley. Have done this race twice before, once in mild headwind in 2.24.26, and once in VERY strong tail/cross wind in 2.08. It was only me and the lead motorcycle out there. Felt lonely. Kept wishing someone would come up from beind, so I could adjust my pace. It was a mental test, but a relativly modest opening made me have fuel in the tank for the last 30k`s. Kept imagening it was a tri, and i was leading the damn thing:-)

Finished in 5th place in 2.28.56. Pretty happy with that. Beat the local cyclists, thats always nice:-) Winner time was 2.15.03. Damn fast in that wind!

Headed straight out on a transition run after finishing. Got 47mins in, but legs was toasted from the ride. A bit different to run after an all out TT, than in a triathlon:-) All in all a great training day!!












My favorite rides; Scott Plasma Ltd and Ford S-Max














Ready to start in Rødberg

Denmark Camp day 4

4th day of camp i woke up feeling pretty fresh considering i felt very tired on yesterdays Brick. Guess it was smart to cut the Brick a bit. We where scedueled to do a olympic distance race today. So after 1000m warmup in the pool, we did a timed 1500m. We where 3 in my lane, starting with 10sek intervals. I hit the firt 100 as hard ass I could to get up in Gerhards feet, and managed to do it:-) He then pulled in Erik, who started first, so I sat in a perfect position with 10 and 20sek on them.

After 400 or 500m Gerhard swam past Erik, and I decided to go with him. Erik then sat on my feet for the rest of the 1500. Last 300m got pretty hard, and I struggled to stay on Gerhards feet, but managed, and then had a 8 sek lead heading out on the bike after breakfast. Erik was 20 sek behind. My time for the 1500 was 23.56

So after breakfast we headed out for a warmup lap in our 2 loop 40k bike course. We then started the race as a persuit, me in the lead and the rest close behind. I started hard, and my legs felt way much bether than yesterday. Was expecting to get company from Erik pretty fast, and was sure he was going to blast by me. But it took almost 10k for him to get up to me, and he seemed happy to stay 15-20m back. I just kept pedaling as hard I could, and it stayed like this for the reminder of the bike. We could se after lap 1 that everyone else was far behind, so it was going to be a 2 man battle on the run.

We ran out together and once again Erik seemed happy to stay behind me. He usually is a bether runner than me, so I was a bit surprised. We did a 3 lap 10,5k run, mainly in the forest on very nice paths. The lap had 1 climb, and on lap 2 Erik opened up a big gap on me. But he then slowed down and waited, so i figured he was much stronger than me, and was just playing. So we ran out on last lap still together, and same thing happened on the climb. Hen the slowed down again on the flat stretch to finish, and I ran as hard I as could to get a descent finish to the camp. I caught him, and we decided to cross the line toghther. Nice of him, cause he could have beaten me easyliy with over 1min i guess.

So that hard race ended a great camp in Denmark, with 21h training in 4 days.

Denmark Camp day 3

After dinner yesterday I spent all evening and night in bed. Tired. Very tired. It was hard to get out of bed this morning, but one cup hot chocholate on the way down to pool made me wake up. Did another pull session today; Warm up:400cr,300pull,200kick.Main set(with pads and buoy):400+2x200+400+2x200+400+6x75. Cool down: 250kick(fins) and 200easy crawl. Total:3800m

After breakfast we got in the car and drove out to the coast and "Casa Grande" Øysteins parents was hosting us in their summer house, which was a perfect place for transition on our planned "Tripple Brick" The brick was going to be 3x 36k bike + 5k run. We did 1 warm up loop to get to know the 18k bike course, then got going on what was supposed to be slower than IM speed on first brick, IM pace on 2nd brick and faster than IM speed on last brick.

From the start ijust felt awful. Legs was sore and with no power. Rode with my CEP`s for the first time (yes I know I said I was never going to do that) but they did not help at all. (looking back I think they made my legs feel worse, but I dont know). 1sr brick went on planned slow pace, but heading out on 2nd I did not have anything to make me go IM pace. So I just plugged along in same speed ass 1st brick. Run did not fell any bether, so I decided to only go 18k + 2,5k on the 3rd brick. My body was really breakin up, and knowing and wanting a good training day on sunday also I think it was a smart move. Actually mnaged to bring my speed up a notch on the short 3rd brick, but was very,very tired when finished.

Tired but happy with another 5h + training day:-)

Denmark Camp day 2

Friday on camp in Denmark started with a 630am swim. And this morning the life guard was awake to. Did 3500m like this:

Warm up:

300

6x50
300pull

Main Set:
3x500
3x200
6x50

200 cool down.

After a big breakfast we headed out for a looong ride. 3 gruops where organised, I joined a 8man group to ride 200k. Our map showed a route almost all the way around North Jylland so we got started. We got seperated with 2 riders for a while going left and right all over the danish small roads but group got back together down almost down in Aalborg.

We battled a pretty bad head wind going up north again, and had a great lunch stop on a typical Danish bakery in Branderslev. Mmmmmm!

Got back in the headwind all the way up to Hjørring, and around 170k I was getting very tired. Our route was a bit back an fourth, and up and down going south to Sæby again. I was struggling to stay with the group who was now down to 6 after one trashed tire, and one severe bonk. so I let them go, and headed straight south to Fredrikshavn, then straigh south along the shore back to Sæby. Very tired, and already 15min late for dinner I got my Newtons on and did a 4k tranistion run. Puuuh! 8h 30min of training:-)

Denmark Camp day 1

Me and Vegard, who is also doing Frankfurt travelled from Kongsberg 2pm wednesday to join Norway`s largest and best tri club, Oslofjord, on their camp in Denmark. After 3,5h on Color Line SuperSpeed 2, and 1h drive we arrived in Sæby around 10pm. Straight to bed to get ready for thursday early morning swim

Got up 6am only to find a closed door to the pool. But things where quickly sorted out, and swim rescheduled to 3pm, after bike.

So after breakfast we headed out on a 130k ride. It included 1h warm up then 3hs like this: 40min Ironman intensity + 5x3min LT threshold with 1min rest. Then 20min easy back home. A front group of 5 soon established, and we did the 3min intervalls ending each hour as TTT. Got pretty hard, and my legs was toast when we came back.

Some went for a transition run, but I stayed in bed until swim practice. Did 1h 20min like this:

300 warm up
6x75 pull
Pull main set:
2x200
100
2x300
100
2x400
100
6x75
300 cool down

Totals of 3600m and 5h 10min training day 1

Running on water

Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning this week was spent on MS Color Magic, one of 2 ships trafficing Oslo-Kiel.


Was there for this the anual Hertz Licensee meeting. Intresting and fun. Got a bit late on thursday night though.

Did get one work out in. Going in beautiful Oslofjord in great sunshine saturday morning I headed to the fitness centere and ran 3x10min hill intervalls. With great view over the fjord.

Rest of week has been normal. Got a nice long ride in sunday morning, in rain.

I have also made a change in my schedule right on the page. Have decided to not go to Hove triathlon June 13th. I really need all training weekends before IM Germany, so I`m staying at home to train that weekend. Ringhaugsdysten is still in the air, but it`s only 1h travel so I might do that race to get some speed. But will have to see how things develop coming month.

Great view from treadmill going in Oslofjord

Pieces in a puzzle

Beeing an age group triathlete with full time jobb and family means every week is a puzzle. And every week i seem to loose a piece or two. 2 weeks ago it was a trainer LT workout. Last week it was 2 swims. And this week it was my anual tuesday treadmill hill intervall. But guess thats what its like to be a triathlete. Not everything goes acording to plan. Some pieces in the puzzle just get lost.

But I did find one very important piece today. After starting training again I have not been comfortable in my aero position on the Plasma. And I found it strange, cause in 07 it felt great, and nothing has been changed since then (at least I thought). I have been strugling to hold my position more than 10 mins, but has been telling myself its because I did not use it at all (almost) in 08. But on my long ride this morning I hit a big hole HARD with my front wheel. BAM! Aerobars tilted down maybe 0,5cm. My first thought was: "Damn! I did not bring tools!" But then on next long flat I just felt super comfy. And a lot stronger! Stayed in aero position for the reminding 2 hours. Pushing big TTB style

gears:-)

So some pieces are coming together. But I still need to get some more to get the pictured feeling in Frankfurt july 5th