Another hit out

For me it has been off seson since Tjørn last weekend in august. Not much training done at all. My 2010 season starts 1st october i guess. But have not decided what races to to yet. So I have some work to do, and stuff to schedule, before i start my 2010 season.

But last thursday I did get a last(?) race of 2009. The XC-ski part of my club has organized a duathlon for several years. But they have only done bike-run, which I dont find very interesting. But this year they changed it to a 4-21-2 duathlon. Done in the XC-ski slopes and on gravel road. So this year I just had to do it, even though I`m not at my best on thesse surfaces...

From the gun my competitors ran very fast over the ski stadion, on some very wet and muddy slopes. "Damn! I`m already in trouble" was my first thought. But when we got to some harder surface, and uphills, I felt more comfortable and got back in the game. But it was hard running this first 4ks up and down. 2 guys got away from me with 30sec, so I was 3rd into T1. Had opted for my road tricycling shoes, to have fast transitions, so I overtook one guy in T1 and was 2nd starting the 21k MTB ride. 3 laps of 7k with 2 technical parts on trails, rest was on gravelroads. 1 long climb on each lap. I got company from behind on the first tecnical part (no surprise, I suck as a MTB rider) and we where 3 riders chasing the leader going out on lap 2.

I decided to play it cool on lap 2 and let the 2 others do the work to catch up to the front. It worked out well! One gouy had enough going out on lap 3, so we where now again 3 in the lead. I tried to break away on the uphill, but could not get a gap. Was a bit worried, cause 1 guy was riding in runningshoes, which would give him a very fast T2. The former runleader was in MTB cycling shoes, so I was not to worried about him. I made the decission to get out of my shoes, and ride barefoot on topp of them, before the last tecnical part heading to T2. Was a bit wooried how it would go, but managed to hold me feet on the pedals, and hammered into T2.

The guy with runshoes was quicly out, but I jumped in my Newtons and did not take time to tighten them. He was about 50m in front heading out on the last 2k run on the slopes.

It tok me about half way to catch him. And it hurt! He was a long limmed man, so I ran faster uphill, but he ran faster downhill. On the 2nd last steep hill I gave it everything, and dropped him with 10m. As I entered the stadium with 150m to go I could hear his breath coming closer and closer, but managed to hold him off by a meter or 2 :-)

First and only win of 2009:-)

Nice to have in my belt going into 2010 training.

Very windy season stopper!

Tjørn HIM in Skarhamn, Sweden, was my last race of 2009. Skarhamn is a small harbour town on the swedish west-coast. Its out on the island Tjørn. And it was very windy out there!

Traveled with my twinbrother, and we where going low budget - sleeping in a tent. Race office was at the local gym, and with a lawn outside, and entrance to the gyms showers/toilet, it seemed like a good idea. So we got the tent up, and headed out for a loop on the bike course (3 laps of 29k). Wind was prety strong, and last 5k we got pooring rain (just enough to get soaking wet shoes on race day. NICE!)

After a quick shower race organisers had a nice carbo party, and race briefieng. We could tell they where worried about the wind. And they had reason to, cause during our night in the tent it got worse. I did not get alot off sleep, it felt like tent was getting ripped from the ground numerous times. And eating breakfast in the gym reception roumurs said it was going to be a shortened swim cause, off the waves on the swim course.

And roumurs where right. Instead of 2x950m, we where to to 3x400m. Setting things up in T1 I had to laugh. Cause everythin was blowing away. Ted Ås, swedish pro and race favorite, was next to me. He had to strap his P4 (with Zipp rear disc and 1080 front wheel) to the barriers! If not, the poor light thing of a bike, would have flown away:-)

So myself I strapped my helmet and fuelbelt to my aerobars. Put a big heavy towle over my runningshoes, and my gels inside the shoes with my socks. I was ready!

Gun went off and i got a terrible start. Was way to far out on the first bouy and got angry with myself. After 400m my twin lapped on the beach with almost 10sec on me. I was detrmined to hawl him back, and lapping after 800m I was closer. But I was blocked again going ut, and did not get on his feet until we actually was finished swimming, and could get up running.

My transition started great. Got my suit off fast, but......where the f....... was my helmet?? It was gone! Could not see it anywhere. Blown away from my aerobars? New experience! Think I yelled ALOT, and finally a marshall came over. And he soon rediscovered my helmet, like 10 places down the road, hidden behind a discwheel:-) My brother was so disrupted by the frency he forgot to bring his energybars with him out on the bike:-) But he was now 40sec down the road.

3 lap bike was hard in the wind. Angry for my time loss in T1 i went out hard. STRONG tailwind out meant 53-12 spinning all I could. 60km/h :-) But turning back was hard work! Reeled my brother in after about 25k, and after 1 lap he was gone. My bike was pretty strong, but faded a bit at the end. I miss my 2007 bike legs! And going ut on the run I felt flat. IM pace was all I could do. Ran down 3 guys in first lap, but lost some places on the last lap. Had one guy just in front off me last 4k, but could not pull him back. So I finished 9th in the elite category, in 4.32 something. Pretty average day, but its refelcting my training since Frankfurt.....I`m not bether. No excuses.

So this ends my 2009 season. It`s been a fun year. And I am ready to step it up for 2010. 2010 will be interesting...and even more fun!

14th Norwegian Champs

Yesterday was our National Championship over the olympic distance. It was held during Oslo Triathlon, the very same place i had my triathlon debut in 1990. Triathlon is on a roll in Norway, and they had to close entrys on 400. Over 100 in the National Champs with elite license is a new record!

Overcast and dry conditions with 16C in water at start, ended in a very wet and cold event. My plan was to race hard from the gun. No HR monitor, no watch, just go! Started behind Even Olsen. He has been just a little faster than med in the water this year, so I hoped to stay with him cause he`s a ultra strong biker, and I wanted to try his bike pace. But as soon we got going I lost track of him in the frency. Some idiot cut inside the first bouy, resulting in angry me pulling him back. But the ash..... came back, stole my feet and kicked my gogles of! Good for him I did not catch his racenumber!

My twinbrother Truls swam by while I was mending my loss and got my goggles back on. Barely hang on to his feet but he got a gap on me going out of the water after lap 1. Lap 2 and 3 was pretty uneventful, just hang on to some feet fraom Stavanger. But much to my surprise Even got into T1 right after me, and I still got the chanche to test his bike speed:-)

So after 1km he came flying from behind. I got onto his 10m and pushed as hard as I could. Held him for another km, but after the first climb my legs was toast and I had to let him go. But at least Truls was caught and with the bike of his life he stayed with me for the rest of the ride. going after Even made me feel bad for over 20k but on the 2nd lap my legs started to work pretty well again.

Out of T2 my brother did a kamikase stunt, an sprinted crazy yelling "I`m on fire" :-) Told him to slow down otherwise he wolud blow before 3k mark:-) I got a gap on him pretty fast, but was soon overhauled by Per Gunnar Mustad. And on lap 2 i lost another place or 2. Ran pretty wel and finished strong in 14th place. Winner was Øyvind Johannessen, 13min in front of me.

Ironman Germany RR

It`s been 3 weeks already, so time do write a RR from my Frankfurt adventure. If I remember anything after 2 weeks on a sunbed in Mallorca:-)

Got to Frankfurt without drama on thursday and had my base on Hotel Steigenberger close to everything.

Did a short run thursday evening, a 2000m poolswim in Rebstockbad on friday, and my usual 20+20+10min brick the day before race day.

Sunday started 0415 with breakfast and then bus to Langener Waldtsee. I was very calm. Knew exactly what to do and what not. If everything turned out normal I would finish somewhere between 09.45 and 10.00h. I knew I could not expect more. I was not as fit as in Klagenfurt 07 when I did 09.26.

Was in the seeded wave with the pros, and got in the water 10min before start. Very warm!! Must have been 25+?? It was SO GREAT to be in the first wave!! Some fighting for about 300m, then open water. Found some great legs to follow and swam pretty well. Strong and controlled. Sendt i big thanks to my TYR Catalyst paddles and my big pullboey. Got out in 1.02, and found I had made a mistake: Race numbers are not happy with 1h in water, even under a suit! Ripped it off my numberbelt pulling my suit down! Idiot! Should know bether in my 15th IM! Cost me about 1min I guess.

On my Plasma I felt awfull the first 60km. Back was stiff and hurting. Headache. Bad headache. Thought it was gonna be one of those days. 1 Ibuprofen saved me. Coming back into town I started to feel very good and strong. And my plan was to hammer 2nd lap. So I did. At least I tried.

Felt very fresh coming to T2, and after a potty stop I was ready to run a marathon. Was very determined to run well, after 2 bad races on this course before. First lap in 50min was on schedule, so was 2nd lap in 55min. Then I started to suffer on lap 3 (surprise). But hang in there and did it in just under 1h. Going out on last lap I had just about 1h to go sub 10h. It was going to be close, and I knew I had to dig to make it. And so I did. And made it with 45sec:-)

Pretty happy with the race. It was what I was good for with my training. Solid and controlled. A nice comeback to IM racing.

Sprint Training race yesterday

I did a sprint tri training race in Oslo yesterday. Weather was awsome, with 28 degrees and sun. This race is held every 2nd thursday on the same course and is hosted by the great club Oslofjord Triathlon. It has been the same course for 4-5 years, so it a great place to test fitness.

My best time on this course is 57:00 from july 2006. Yesterday I was egaer to have a great swim, and get some feedback on how countless hours in the pool with paddles/pullboey had paid off. got off to a great start, and felt super strong. Had my brother on my toes for almost 300m, but dropped him a litthle before halfway. In Holmestrand in the pool he beat me with 12sek:-)

I was 5th out of the water in 11.30. My best time here from 2006 was 11.51. Oh yes it HAS PAID OFF! :-)

My bike was not good yesterday. Never found my rythm, and the great weather ment pretty heavy traffic in Sørkedalen where we biked. After almost crashin in a cars front after 500m i decided to not risk anything. My bike was over 1min slower than my best here. After one DNF in front off me, I was 3rd into T2...but 5th leaving it! My tranistins was really rusty, not even on IM pace!

Quickly retained 4th, and had contact with number 3. But on a long steep descent Magnus came back from behind, and almost ran away from me. I caught him once more, and tried to get rid of him on the last k. But with 500m to go he outsprinted my and I had to settle for 5th. time was 57:58...not to bad

On track. I think.

Ironman Germany is only 10 days and 15 hours away! Not many posts here last 2 weeks - cause they have been very hectic. After 2 weekens of racing, I did get 2 pretty good training weeks in. Last weekend (12th-14th june) was very good. Did a long bike up to the cabin in Telemark on friday (110k), a laong 26k run on saturday, and then my favorite bike ride on sunday. It is a scenic ride in telemark on the route Brunkeberg-Vrådal-Dalen-Aamodt-Morgedal-Brunkeberg. 124k with over 2500 climbingmeters:-) Will try to post some pics from it later.

But last week everythin went off track. Guess beein a husband, dad, running local Hertz/EuropCar office alone, personal trainer for 10 persons, race director for a olympic distance race in august AND training for IM Germany got to much. So from monday to friday I was really toast, just running around fixing things. But things calmed down over the weekend, and I did get a 30k run in on saturday and a 86k ride in on sunday. Actually felt pretty strong on the bike sunday.

On monday I did my first wetsuit swim in 2 years. Finally decent temps in our local lake, gues it was 17-18 degrees C. Did time my regular "triangle" 800m(ish) lap. A bit to early to say, but I think all my paddle/pullboy work in the pool will pay off. Yesterday was intervall day on treadmill. 3x10min (12,6kmh)on 6% and 2x3min on 1,5% (15,5-16kmh). Felt pretty good!

With my week "off track" I have decided to take a risk in my lead up to Frankfurt. I gonna stick to regular training all the way until wednesday in race week. Will do a sprint tri tomorrow in Oslo, a long 20-25k run on saturday in Kragerø, and then bike 180k home from Kragerø on sunday. then som swimming and short intervalls monday/tuesday and a 85k rinde on wednesday before I leave for Frankfurt thursday. In Germany it will be relax, relax and getting ready to race hard on sunday.

A bit risky, but worth the shoot.
Will keep u posted about my race tomorrow.

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