I don´t know when it will happen, or if it will... but I will take a picture of the room if it happens.
Showing posts with label triathlon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label triathlon. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
photo as wallpaper
I received a request for one of my photos to be used to wallpaper a room. Very exciting! This was a shot from the 2008 Norseman, so it was fun just to see the photo again, and to edit it some more.
I don´t know when it will happen, or if it will... but I will take a picture of the room if it happens.
I don´t know when it will happen, or if it will... but I will take a picture of the room if it happens.
Friday, August 13, 2010
gaustatoppen panorama
This is 4 photos spliced together. Taken Saturday at 7 pm.
A breathtaking view!
A breathtaking view!
Friday, August 06, 2010
panorama Eidfjord
No matter how many photos I splice together, it`s nearly impossible to get the grandeur on "film".
Thursday, August 05, 2010
back in Eidfjord
Thursday evening. The Norseman Crew is packed into the Bergslien hotel. It is nice to be back.
Photo was taken right at sunset... around 10:30 pm to be exact.
Photo was taken right at sunset... around 10:30 pm to be exact.
Friday, May 28, 2010
triathlon training camp: denmark - day 4
Monday: «Take the long way home.»
It turned out that it wasn´t me who would collapse after a 3-day training camp... it was my Honda Civic!
The little yellow light came on when I was driving home from Casa Grande on Sunday. There is an oil leak somewhere, and it is not recommended that I drive it for a long distance. Hmmm... I´m in Denmark!
I called the NAF people (Norway´s AAA) to find out my options. I don´t have a local number, so I have to call the number in Norway. They service all of Europe. Good news for me. I try to explain to her that I´m taking the ferry back to Norway on Monday. She will relay this info to her people in Denmark.
Good, I think... so I wait for a phone call.
3 hours later a guy from NAF is outside my room ready to pick up my car!
Huh?
He wonders why I have not been answering my calls. He had been calling my home phone number in Oslo. How intelligent is that?
He looks at my car and agrees with me that it should not be driven very far. I ask if he can come back tomorrow, but he says I have to call NAF to place an order. But... you are here now! You see me stranded here... just come back tomorrow.
No.
So I call back NAF to explain my situation again. She says that I need to call back in the morning to order a car.
But... I know that I need a tow tomorrow! And I know that it is an hour to drive, and that the ferry leaves at 12:45!
Well, we can´t take a reservation... you need to call back in the morning. I recommend you call early.
Thank you!
Monday morning:
I call NAF at 6:45 and explain the whole story again, this time to a guy who is not that pleasant.
«I see that you have already used your 2 free pickups this year»
«No, I have only used 1 this year back in January»
«I dont have the dates here... I just see that you have used our services twice»
«If you count yesterdays little mishap then it does not count since I did not order it»
«Ok? Hmm...»
I finally convince him, and he says he will send the info back to Denmark so they can send a car. I have no idea when he will get there, so I skip the swim practice in order to empty my room and pack up my car.
At 8:00 there is still no car, so I join the others for breakfast.
At 9:00 there is still no car, so I call back to make sure the order went through. I get the classic «I´m sure he will be there soon».
«Well, can´t you check? Is there a way you can find out where he is?»
«No, but I see that you called us a little before 7 this morning so I´m sure he will be there soon»
«Thank you»
I need to leave no later than 10:30 in order to make the ferry, so at this point the other people in my group are starting to figure out other solutions. We put my bike and my bag in one of the other cars. Also, Kristoffer´s stuff (the guy who rode with me) was put in yet another car. Trond suggested that he could tow me to the ferry since we were taking the same ferry back, which was incredibly nice of him. I even had an elastic rope in my car!
We roll out my car and start hooking up the rope. It is now 10:00.
At 10:05 the NAF car arrives!
I am very relieved! Now my car can sit on a bed instead of being towed at a much slower speed.
So... car is on the bed, and we are finally off! I´m in the NAF car while Trond is driving Andreas and Kristoffer.
We get to the ferry at 11:00. Plenty of time to load the cars. The ferry people are obviously used to this scenario and just tow me onto the ferry. There´s even another guy in the same predicament with a broken car. I´m just relieved that I made the ferry. The next one doesn´t leave until 8 pm, and I´m not even sure that the tickets can be transferred.
While on the ferry the four of us (Trond, Andreas, Kristoffer and I) were able to talk some more triathlon stuff before getting back to the real world. Trond is explaining the "handicap" test that you can take in the pool. Something I haven´t talked about in years.
Back to the Honda situation:
Half-way over to Norway I start calling NAF again, explaining that I need someone to pull me out of the ferry and to a local mechanics place.
«When do you arrive in Larvik?»
«In about an hour»
«Well you have to call back when you dock. We cant risk you being late»
«But the ferry arrives at 4:30! The weather is perfect and there is no reason for delay»
«You have to call back when you arrive»
«Thank you»
4:15 pm. I call back, getting yet another new teller on the phone, explaining the situation again. She says that I have used up my 2 freebies and that I will have to pay a small fee. This time she is sort of right, except that it is still the same day and I was hoping that all of this would count as one service.
No.
It was worth a try.
Thank you though!
I send Kristoffer, and the stuff that he had in my car, into the other car so that he could at least get back to Oslo.
As the gate opens, and the cars drive out, I am left behind in a now very large and empty car ferry. A sort of surreal feeling.
Hello?
A few minutes later a big NAF car drives in, towards my car... passes my car and goes straight to the other car to pick him up. I guess he picked the longest straw.
I wait some more.
Finally a car comes to pull me out. This was not a NAF guy, just a guy from the ferry crew.
He pulls me out to the parking lot where I wait some more.
Finally I see the NAF guy again. He drives towards me... and then passes me. Again!?
Fucker!
Does this town only have one NAF guy?
5 minutes later he calls me up and explains that he has to drive that car to Sandefjord and was wondering where I was headed.
«I was hoping you could drive me to the train station after getting my car to a mechanic»
«I can drive you to the train station right now, then come back for your car after this delivery»
«Ok, thank you»
Turns out there were 3 cars on the ferry that needed towing! Is this normal? No, it is quite rare that we even have 1 car. Great, just my luck.
He also thought it was strange that the NAF people kept making me wait in order to put in the order. If he had gotten it earlier, he might have picked me up first.
Oh well... either way, I make it to the station at 6 pm. The train to Oslo leaves at 6:20. Very nice. But I did not exactly enjoy having to leave my car on the dock, and hand my keys over to this guy who promises to drive it to the mechanic. But I really did not have a choice, unless I wanted to wait another couple of hours.
Luckily I had brought with me a couple of sandwiches from breakfast. It´s a 2 hour train ride to Oslo. Then I have a 30 minute ride with the subway before I can finally get home!
There were quite a lot of people who were helping me out through all of this. Several of the guys were helping me with the car Sunday evening, trying to figure out the problem with my car. On Monday, Marit put my bike and bag in her car, and Espen offered to have it at his place since he lives closest to me. Lars Arvid took Kristoffers bike in his car. Trond offered to tow me to the ferry, plus he took Kristoffer in his car back to Oslo. I felt really bad that I had to involve all of these people, my friends. I´ve been so used to trying to solve all of my problems by myself lately that I´ve almost forgotten how to ask for help. But suddenly they were just offering to help me. I am really grateful for their help, and all of the others who were helping me along the way.
Back in Oslo it is raining and cold again. The sunny days in Sæby, Denmark went over way too fast. But again, for the 3rd year in a row, I have a ton of great memories, plus a funny story to tell about the really long trip home.
Well... maybe tomorrow it will be funny.
It turned out that it wasn´t me who would collapse after a 3-day training camp... it was my Honda Civic!
The little yellow light came on when I was driving home from Casa Grande on Sunday. There is an oil leak somewhere, and it is not recommended that I drive it for a long distance. Hmmm... I´m in Denmark!
I called the NAF people (Norway´s AAA) to find out my options. I don´t have a local number, so I have to call the number in Norway. They service all of Europe. Good news for me. I try to explain to her that I´m taking the ferry back to Norway on Monday. She will relay this info to her people in Denmark.
Good, I think... so I wait for a phone call.
3 hours later a guy from NAF is outside my room ready to pick up my car!
Huh?
He wonders why I have not been answering my calls. He had been calling my home phone number in Oslo. How intelligent is that?
He looks at my car and agrees with me that it should not be driven very far. I ask if he can come back tomorrow, but he says I have to call NAF to place an order. But... you are here now! You see me stranded here... just come back tomorrow.
No.
So I call back NAF to explain my situation again. She says that I need to call back in the morning to order a car.
But... I know that I need a tow tomorrow! And I know that it is an hour to drive, and that the ferry leaves at 12:45!
Well, we can´t take a reservation... you need to call back in the morning. I recommend you call early.
Thank you!
Monday morning:
I call NAF at 6:45 and explain the whole story again, this time to a guy who is not that pleasant.
«I see that you have already used your 2 free pickups this year»
«No, I have only used 1 this year back in January»
«I dont have the dates here... I just see that you have used our services twice»
«If you count yesterdays little mishap then it does not count since I did not order it»
«Ok? Hmm...»
I finally convince him, and he says he will send the info back to Denmark so they can send a car. I have no idea when he will get there, so I skip the swim practice in order to empty my room and pack up my car.
At 8:00 there is still no car, so I join the others for breakfast.
At 9:00 there is still no car, so I call back to make sure the order went through. I get the classic «I´m sure he will be there soon».
«Well, can´t you check? Is there a way you can find out where he is?»
«No, but I see that you called us a little before 7 this morning so I´m sure he will be there soon»
«Thank you»
I need to leave no later than 10:30 in order to make the ferry, so at this point the other people in my group are starting to figure out other solutions. We put my bike and my bag in one of the other cars. Also, Kristoffer´s stuff (the guy who rode with me) was put in yet another car. Trond suggested that he could tow me to the ferry since we were taking the same ferry back, which was incredibly nice of him. I even had an elastic rope in my car!
We roll out my car and start hooking up the rope. It is now 10:00.
At 10:05 the NAF car arrives!
I am very relieved! Now my car can sit on a bed instead of being towed at a much slower speed.
So... car is on the bed, and we are finally off! I´m in the NAF car while Trond is driving Andreas and Kristoffer.
We get to the ferry at 11:00. Plenty of time to load the cars. The ferry people are obviously used to this scenario and just tow me onto the ferry. There´s even another guy in the same predicament with a broken car. I´m just relieved that I made the ferry. The next one doesn´t leave until 8 pm, and I´m not even sure that the tickets can be transferred.
While on the ferry the four of us (Trond, Andreas, Kristoffer and I) were able to talk some more triathlon stuff before getting back to the real world. Trond is explaining the "handicap" test that you can take in the pool. Something I haven´t talked about in years.
Back to the Honda situation:
Half-way over to Norway I start calling NAF again, explaining that I need someone to pull me out of the ferry and to a local mechanics place.
«When do you arrive in Larvik?»
«In about an hour»
«Well you have to call back when you dock. We cant risk you being late»
«But the ferry arrives at 4:30! The weather is perfect and there is no reason for delay»
«You have to call back when you arrive»
«Thank you»
4:15 pm. I call back, getting yet another new teller on the phone, explaining the situation again. She says that I have used up my 2 freebies and that I will have to pay a small fee. This time she is sort of right, except that it is still the same day and I was hoping that all of this would count as one service.
No.
It was worth a try.
Thank you though!
I send Kristoffer, and the stuff that he had in my car, into the other car so that he could at least get back to Oslo.
As the gate opens, and the cars drive out, I am left behind in a now very large and empty car ferry. A sort of surreal feeling.
A few minutes later a big NAF car drives in, towards my car... passes my car and goes straight to the other car to pick him up. I guess he picked the longest straw.
I wait some more.
Finally a car comes to pull me out. This was not a NAF guy, just a guy from the ferry crew.
He pulls me out to the parking lot where I wait some more.
Finally I see the NAF guy again. He drives towards me... and then passes me. Again!?
Fucker!
Does this town only have one NAF guy?
5 minutes later he calls me up and explains that he has to drive that car to Sandefjord and was wondering where I was headed.
«I was hoping you could drive me to the train station after getting my car to a mechanic»
«I can drive you to the train station right now, then come back for your car after this delivery»
«Ok, thank you»
Turns out there were 3 cars on the ferry that needed towing! Is this normal? No, it is quite rare that we even have 1 car. Great, just my luck.
He also thought it was strange that the NAF people kept making me wait in order to put in the order. If he had gotten it earlier, he might have picked me up first.
Oh well... either way, I make it to the station at 6 pm. The train to Oslo leaves at 6:20. Very nice. But I did not exactly enjoy having to leave my car on the dock, and hand my keys over to this guy who promises to drive it to the mechanic. But I really did not have a choice, unless I wanted to wait another couple of hours.
Luckily I had brought with me a couple of sandwiches from breakfast. It´s a 2 hour train ride to Oslo. Then I have a 30 minute ride with the subway before I can finally get home!
There were quite a lot of people who were helping me out through all of this. Several of the guys were helping me with the car Sunday evening, trying to figure out the problem with my car. On Monday, Marit put my bike and bag in her car, and Espen offered to have it at his place since he lives closest to me. Lars Arvid took Kristoffers bike in his car. Trond offered to tow me to the ferry, plus he took Kristoffer in his car back to Oslo. I felt really bad that I had to involve all of these people, my friends. I´ve been so used to trying to solve all of my problems by myself lately that I´ve almost forgotten how to ask for help. But suddenly they were just offering to help me. I am really grateful for their help, and all of the others who were helping me along the way.
Back in Oslo it is raining and cold again. The sunny days in Sæby, Denmark went over way too fast. But again, for the 3rd year in a row, I have a ton of great memories, plus a funny story to tell about the really long trip home.
Well... maybe tomorrow it will be funny.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
triathlon training camp: denmark - day 3
Sunday: Triple Brick Day!
We´ve all been waiting for this day.
But first we had to have our morning swim. And as per usual... 6 am came even earlier today. I was tired and was hurting in new places.
Normal routine... the alarm went off, got some coffee and a banana, shuffled over to the pool. Today I even made it in the pool by 6:40.
And strangely enough I managed to swim 2800 meters in a little over an hour.
After a well needed breakfast we met up at 9:15 to gather everyone together. At exactly 9:29 we all headed out in our cars, stacked with bikes and gear, over to Casa Grande.
Mr and Mrs Grande were waiting for us so we could have our base camp there, just like the past 2 years. Extremely nice of them to let a bunch of triathletes invade their lawn.
So here´s the game plan.
We cycle for x amount of time or distance, then run x amount of time or distance. Repeat 2 times. I opted for the nice version: 1 round of cycling 18 km, then 1 round of running 2.7 km.
Goldie and a couple of others, who are on a whole different planet, went for 2 rounds of cycling and 2,5 rounds of running. Oh, and the whole idea here is that each brick is supposed to be done faster than the last... a negative split.
So after a quick debriefing by Goldie we set out for 1 master round of cycling so that everyone would know the route. When we came back we just headed out for our individual triple brick.
I started out pretty good, except that it hurt even more sitting on the bike. Did my seat get harder and smaller?
The winds were not giving us any mercy today... and again it seemed like we were getting a head wind from every angle. There was only a small stretch of road, on the way back, where we got a tail wind. But I felt pretty good and did the first round in 38 minutes. The first running was done in 14 minutes.
But then I felt really slow. The second round seemed very tough, and I did it in 40 minutes. Not good. But I managed to do the second run in exactly the same time as the first.
Third and last round seemed lighter suddenly. I managed to get energy from somewhere and did it in 36 minutes! Very nice :-)
The last running round was done in 12:40! So even though my second round was the slowest, I managed to come back in the third. (not sure if this is approved by Mr Goldie though).
At this point we were all coming in, one by one, tired and hungry. The sun was out, and Mrs Grande was serving us home made cakes and juice and even beer! Their lawn was simply covered with bicycles and triathletes. As a thank you we gave them 3 bottles of wine, one of which even had a bicycle on the label.
When we were all done we headed back to our base to get some dinner. There was not much activities after this, and we were all pretty much in bed by 9 pm.
BUT! My car acted up on the way back from Casa Grande. This would be a bigger problem than I first anticipated... but more on that later.
Day 3 was a success! Again! And a huge thank you to the Grande family who graciously took us in.
One more thing. A few of us headed over to the beach to cool off. The water was quite refreshing, but extremely nice after a hot day in the sun.
I already miss Denmark.
We´ve all been waiting for this day.
But first we had to have our morning swim. And as per usual... 6 am came even earlier today. I was tired and was hurting in new places.
Normal routine... the alarm went off, got some coffee and a banana, shuffled over to the pool. Today I even made it in the pool by 6:40.
And strangely enough I managed to swim 2800 meters in a little over an hour.
After a well needed breakfast we met up at 9:15 to gather everyone together. At exactly 9:29 we all headed out in our cars, stacked with bikes and gear, over to Casa Grande.
Mr and Mrs Grande were waiting for us so we could have our base camp there, just like the past 2 years. Extremely nice of them to let a bunch of triathletes invade their lawn.
So here´s the game plan.
We cycle for x amount of time or distance, then run x amount of time or distance. Repeat 2 times. I opted for the nice version: 1 round of cycling 18 km, then 1 round of running 2.7 km.
Goldie and a couple of others, who are on a whole different planet, went for 2 rounds of cycling and 2,5 rounds of running. Oh, and the whole idea here is that each brick is supposed to be done faster than the last... a negative split.
So after a quick debriefing by Goldie we set out for 1 master round of cycling so that everyone would know the route. When we came back we just headed out for our individual triple brick.
I started out pretty good, except that it hurt even more sitting on the bike. Did my seat get harder and smaller?
The winds were not giving us any mercy today... and again it seemed like we were getting a head wind from every angle. There was only a small stretch of road, on the way back, where we got a tail wind. But I felt pretty good and did the first round in 38 minutes. The first running was done in 14 minutes.
But then I felt really slow. The second round seemed very tough, and I did it in 40 minutes. Not good. But I managed to do the second run in exactly the same time as the first.
Third and last round seemed lighter suddenly. I managed to get energy from somewhere and did it in 36 minutes! Very nice :-)
The last running round was done in 12:40! So even though my second round was the slowest, I managed to come back in the third. (not sure if this is approved by Mr Goldie though).
At this point we were all coming in, one by one, tired and hungry. The sun was out, and Mrs Grande was serving us home made cakes and juice and even beer! Their lawn was simply covered with bicycles and triathletes. As a thank you we gave them 3 bottles of wine, one of which even had a bicycle on the label.
When we were all done we headed back to our base to get some dinner. There was not much activities after this, and we were all pretty much in bed by 9 pm.
BUT! My car acted up on the way back from Casa Grande. This would be a bigger problem than I first anticipated... but more on that later.
Day 3 was a success! Again! And a huge thank you to the Grande family who graciously took us in.
One more thing. A few of us headed over to the beach to cool off. The water was quite refreshing, but extremely nice after a hot day in the sun.
I already miss Denmark.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
triathlon training camp: denmark - day 2
6 am! My alarm goes off again.
I really want to sleep some more, but I need to get up.
My 2 roommates are not moving yet, but I stumble out to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee and have a youghurt.
I manage to get the other 2 guys up. I am in the pool at 6:45 and join the others with todays program. After an hour I had about 2500 meters... a little bit more than yesterday.
Breakfast at 8:15.
We meet up at 9:15 to discuss todays ride. We could have called todays ride "Going west" alternate name could be "My butt hurts".
We decide to head straight west towards Løkken, on the west coast. It´s a straight shot out, and just under 60 km. Today´s ride was much more organized, and we only had one stop on the way over... and no flats! We made it in 2 hours and 15 minutes, with an average speed of about 26 km/h. Once in Løkken we pigged out on snacks. It is a beautiful little town, with cafes which served us ice cream and cakes and coffee. True triathlon diet.
Our planned 30 minute break turned into 50 minutes. We decide to head further north towards Lønstrup before turning back east. The weather was incredible all day! About 20 degrees and sunny, with very little wind considering we are in Denmark.
A couple of people struggled with knees and backs, so the speed was a little slower. But none of us really minded. We started out with about 17 in our group, but we split up a few times depending on how fast/slow they wanted to ride.
The trip back was about 76 km and took us 3 hours. Average speed was 25 km/h.
So, total actual cycling time was 5 hours 25 minutes.
People were coming back from their trips and we compared stories on the lawn before we headed in for dinner.
I even managed to squeeze in a 20 minute run right after the ride :-)
I really want to sleep some more, but I need to get up.
My 2 roommates are not moving yet, but I stumble out to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee and have a youghurt.
I manage to get the other 2 guys up. I am in the pool at 6:45 and join the others with todays program. After an hour I had about 2500 meters... a little bit more than yesterday.
Breakfast at 8:15.
We meet up at 9:15 to discuss todays ride. We could have called todays ride "Going west" alternate name could be "My butt hurts".
We decide to head straight west towards Løkken, on the west coast. It´s a straight shot out, and just under 60 km. Today´s ride was much more organized, and we only had one stop on the way over... and no flats! We made it in 2 hours and 15 minutes, with an average speed of about 26 km/h. Once in Løkken we pigged out on snacks. It is a beautiful little town, with cafes which served us ice cream and cakes and coffee. True triathlon diet.
Our planned 30 minute break turned into 50 minutes. We decide to head further north towards Lønstrup before turning back east. The weather was incredible all day! About 20 degrees and sunny, with very little wind considering we are in Denmark.
A couple of people struggled with knees and backs, so the speed was a little slower. But none of us really minded. We started out with about 17 in our group, but we split up a few times depending on how fast/slow they wanted to ride.
The trip back was about 76 km and took us 3 hours. Average speed was 25 km/h.
So, total actual cycling time was 5 hours 25 minutes.
People were coming back from their trips and we compared stories on the lawn before we headed in for dinner.
I even managed to squeeze in a 20 minute run right after the ride :-)
Friday, May 21, 2010
triathlon training camp: denmark - day 1
For the 3rd year in a row, the Oslofjord triathlon club is in Sæby, Denmark to do their training camp. We are here from Friday to Monday with a pretty intense schedule.
Today started with 1.5 hour swim, from 6:30 am! (I have to admit, I was not in the pool until 6:50).
Breakfast was served at 8. A very good breakfast with all the trimmings.
The group, ready before todays ride.
At 9:45 we all met up for a briefing of todays cycling route. We headed off at 10.
The total distance for me was 126 km. We were out for 5.5 hours, but the actual cycling time was 4.5 hours, so we obviously had a lot of stops ;-)
Granted, we had 3 flats!
We were very lucky with the weather and its been sunny and about 18-19 degrees. BUT, after about 4 hours a heavy shower came through which lasted about 10 minutes, and I got pretty cold. Luckily we only had about an hour left before we got back to the hostel.
Dinner was served at 6 pm. Delicious!
I am now sitting comfortably in the room, and headed off to bed soon. The same routine follows tomorrow.
Drafting behind a tractor.
Trond fixing his 2nd flat of the day!
My lovely triathlon socks :-)
Stretching out in the sun after a long ride.
Helmet head.
Dinner is served!
It is now 9:45 pm. I need to go to bed!
Today started with 1.5 hour swim, from 6:30 am! (I have to admit, I was not in the pool until 6:50).
Breakfast was served at 8. A very good breakfast with all the trimmings.
At 9:45 we all met up for a briefing of todays cycling route. We headed off at 10.
The total distance for me was 126 km. We were out for 5.5 hours, but the actual cycling time was 4.5 hours, so we obviously had a lot of stops ;-)
Granted, we had 3 flats!
We were very lucky with the weather and its been sunny and about 18-19 degrees. BUT, after about 4 hours a heavy shower came through which lasted about 10 minutes, and I got pretty cold. Luckily we only had about an hour left before we got back to the hostel.
Dinner was served at 6 pm. Delicious!
I am now sitting comfortably in the room, and headed off to bed soon. The same routine follows tomorrow.
Drafting behind a tractor.
Trond fixing his 2nd flat of the day!
It is now 9:45 pm. I need to go to bed!
Monday, April 19, 2010
race report: Bø Sprinten triathlon
The triathlon season has started! Finally!
And for the 3rd time for me it was Bø Sprinten.
750 meters swim (indoors pool), 20 km cycling, 5 km run.
After a hectic Saturday morning I finally managed to leave my house, a little late, and drove down to Bø, Telemark. About a 1,5 hour drive from Oslo (I may have broken a few speed limits). Signed in at 9:30 and was able to warm up in the pool for about 20 minutes before the heats started at 10.
I was curious about my swim time, since I have not swam a lot this year. I managed to swim in 12:56 though and came in 8th place total :-)
(my swim time last year was 12:09)
Several heats followed me so we had to wait quite a while until the cycling started. In fact we would not start until 1 pm.
I did not mind too much though because I wanted to make sure my bike was properly set up. My bike has been inside my living room for about 6 months, so I was glad I could take a little test ride while I waited. Another last minute thing was switching out the shoe laces with the stretch laces on my jogging shoes. (nothing like waiting until the last minute). Obviously it´s been a while since my last triathlon.
Finally the cycling leg started, and since I had the 8th best swim time I was 8th out of the gate (3 minutes 39 seconds after the first guy).
The weather was sunny and the temperature was nice (well, a little cold), but the winds were insane!! And as soon as I got out on the roads I realized that it was mostly side winds. I tried to use the tri-bars, but it was all I could do to not lose control, so I had to use the regular handle bars most of the time. After only a few minutes I was passed by a couple of guys. And more would pass me before I reached the half way point. No worries though. I just concentrated on keeping a nice cadence and not waste energy on the winds.
At the half way point, 10 km, I clocked in at 19 minutes. Not bad. I was hoping for a tail wind on the way back, but no such luck. The wind was coming from everywhere it seemed, and in gusts, so I just held on tight and tried to just keep a good cadence. I managed to use only 18 minutes on the way back so I was pleased. 37 minutes total on the bike, giving me a 32 km/h pace, which surprised me in those winds.
Into the changing zone, on with the jogging shoes, and I ran out. The winds were increasing, and it seemed like I was running at a 45 degree angle heading into the winds. This was a loop taken 3 times. It was supposed to be 5 km long, but my GPS measured 4,3 km. I managed to keep a very nice pace, and no one else was able to pass me on the run. It was a fairly flat course, and the dreaded hill from last year was now gone. I crossed the finish line after a 20 minute run.
I ended up in 18th place, out of 42. My total time, including the swim, was 1:10:41, about 14 minutes behind the winner. It´s impossible to compare my times from last year since they changed from mountain bike to road bikes (thank God), and the run track was changed as well.
It felt great to be out again, cycling and running, meeting up with the other triathletes, and just having a good time. I think my skiing this winter has paid off.
My photo album:
http://www.hustephoto.com/ph_BoSprinten_2010/
Bø Sprinten´s photo album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/106115835099005412782/BSprinten#
Final results:
http://www.hustephoto.com/ph_BoSprinten_2010/BoSprint_halvolympisk_170410.html
And for the 3rd time for me it was Bø Sprinten.
750 meters swim (indoors pool), 20 km cycling, 5 km run.
After a hectic Saturday morning I finally managed to leave my house, a little late, and drove down to Bø, Telemark. About a 1,5 hour drive from Oslo (I may have broken a few speed limits). Signed in at 9:30 and was able to warm up in the pool for about 20 minutes before the heats started at 10.
I was curious about my swim time, since I have not swam a lot this year. I managed to swim in 12:56 though and came in 8th place total :-)
(my swim time last year was 12:09)
Several heats followed me so we had to wait quite a while until the cycling started. In fact we would not start until 1 pm.
I did not mind too much though because I wanted to make sure my bike was properly set up. My bike has been inside my living room for about 6 months, so I was glad I could take a little test ride while I waited. Another last minute thing was switching out the shoe laces with the stretch laces on my jogging shoes. (nothing like waiting until the last minute). Obviously it´s been a while since my last triathlon.
Finally the cycling leg started, and since I had the 8th best swim time I was 8th out of the gate (3 minutes 39 seconds after the first guy).
The weather was sunny and the temperature was nice (well, a little cold), but the winds were insane!! And as soon as I got out on the roads I realized that it was mostly side winds. I tried to use the tri-bars, but it was all I could do to not lose control, so I had to use the regular handle bars most of the time. After only a few minutes I was passed by a couple of guys. And more would pass me before I reached the half way point. No worries though. I just concentrated on keeping a nice cadence and not waste energy on the winds.
At the half way point, 10 km, I clocked in at 19 minutes. Not bad. I was hoping for a tail wind on the way back, but no such luck. The wind was coming from everywhere it seemed, and in gusts, so I just held on tight and tried to just keep a good cadence. I managed to use only 18 minutes on the way back so I was pleased. 37 minutes total on the bike, giving me a 32 km/h pace, which surprised me in those winds.
Into the changing zone, on with the jogging shoes, and I ran out. The winds were increasing, and it seemed like I was running at a 45 degree angle heading into the winds. This was a loop taken 3 times. It was supposed to be 5 km long, but my GPS measured 4,3 km. I managed to keep a very nice pace, and no one else was able to pass me on the run. It was a fairly flat course, and the dreaded hill from last year was now gone. I crossed the finish line after a 20 minute run.
I ended up in 18th place, out of 42. My total time, including the swim, was 1:10:41, about 14 minutes behind the winner. It´s impossible to compare my times from last year since they changed from mountain bike to road bikes (thank God), and the run track was changed as well.
It felt great to be out again, cycling and running, meeting up with the other triathletes, and just having a good time. I think my skiing this winter has paid off.
My photo album:
http://www.hustephoto.com/ph_BoSprinten_2010/
Bø Sprinten´s photo album:
http://picasaweb.google.com/106115835099005412782/BSprinten#
Final results:
http://www.hustephoto.com/ph_BoSprinten_2010/BoSprint_halvolympisk_170410.html
Friday, November 20, 2009
norseman 2003 - where it all started
I miss these days. Everything was new and exciting. We were a small bunch of friends who ventured into the unknown. 21 guys would turn up to do something that nobody before us had done before. My girlfriend at the time was my support during the whole event, and in the weeks prior to this.
We even got a 5 minute slot on NRK! It has been posted on youtube and can still be enjoyed here:
Norseman Xtreme Triathlon 2003
Ever since the first Norseman Xtreme Triathlon, my life has been consumed with triathlons and bike races. It defined me.
But things change, people come and go, and things are not the same. I need to find that "spark" again. The excitement.
Maybe looking at these old videos will bring it all back.
We even got a 5 minute slot on NRK! It has been posted on youtube and can still be enjoyed here:
Norseman Xtreme Triathlon 2003
Ever since the first Norseman Xtreme Triathlon, my life has been consumed with triathlons and bike races. It defined me.
But things change, people come and go, and things are not the same. I need to find that "spark" again. The excitement.
Maybe looking at these old videos will bring it all back.
Monday, October 19, 2009
triathlon memories I
Gøteborg Triathlon - June 16, 2002
I drove down to Gøteborg with Ole and Clive to compete in my first ever triathlon. It was the olympic distance and I finished in 2:34:52.
I have competed in it 3 more times after that, but my first one is still one of my favorites, and Gøteborg Triathlon will always have a special place in my heart.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
reflections - norseman xtreme triathlon 2009
I am back in Oslo after organizing another Norseman Xtreme for the 7th year in a row. It is always with a sense of sadness, wistfulness, joy and satisfaction that it is all over.
The weekend is exhausting. We spend all year preparing for the next event. Ordering products, getting photographers, updating the website, and making improvements from the previous years.
The feedbacks we receive make it all worthwhile. It has become such a personal event for me. Already when I arrive in Eidfjord I meet and greet triathletes from all over the world. Some are here for their first time, and I can see the excitement and fear in their eyes. Others are here for their repeat and new goals. It is a reunion of sorts. We have become like a family. And we meet here once a year to rekindle the experiences from the year(s) before.
I talked to Victor from Colorado who was here in 2006. He came up to me and told me how much he was looking forward to doing it again. I would see him several times during the competition and he would always tell me how he was doing.
There are so many stories like these.
Even the places have become a part of me. The Gausta-mountain, with her grandeur and mystique, has so many stories that I feel that I know her. She can be brutal, with her sudden weather changes. I have taken so many pictures of her.
The next few days will be spent going through all the photos and videos that was collected through the event.
After reflections and summaries from 2009 are collected we start planning and preparing for the 2010 Norseman Xtreme Triathlon.
And new memories will be created.
The weekend is exhausting. We spend all year preparing for the next event. Ordering products, getting photographers, updating the website, and making improvements from the previous years.
The feedbacks we receive make it all worthwhile. It has become such a personal event for me. Already when I arrive in Eidfjord I meet and greet triathletes from all over the world. Some are here for their first time, and I can see the excitement and fear in their eyes. Others are here for their repeat and new goals. It is a reunion of sorts. We have become like a family. And we meet here once a year to rekindle the experiences from the year(s) before.
I talked to Victor from Colorado who was here in 2006. He came up to me and told me how much he was looking forward to doing it again. I would see him several times during the competition and he would always tell me how he was doing.
There are so many stories like these.
Even the places have become a part of me. The Gausta-mountain, with her grandeur and mystique, has so many stories that I feel that I know her. She can be brutal, with her sudden weather changes. I have taken so many pictures of her.
The next few days will be spent going through all the photos and videos that was collected through the event.
After reflections and summaries from 2009 are collected we start planning and preparing for the 2010 Norseman Xtreme Triathlon.
And new memories will be created.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
reflections - eidfjord
Så her sitter jeg igjen da, i Eidfjord, med masse forventninger og sommerfugler i magen. Men denne gangen er årets Norseman unnagjort for meg, og jeg kan sitte her i min fine grønne Finisher skjorte og konsentrere meg om å ta bilder. Hvem hadde trodd det, etter den aller første Norseman i 2003!
Jeg kan huske hvordan jeg hatet Hårek der jeg karra meg opp det som skulle hete Zombie Hill. Den ble visst oppkalt etter meg, av han godeste Hårek.
"Dette skal jeg aldri gjøre igjen - det er jo helt galskap"
Vi var 21 mann det året... teståret.
Men det var flere som hadde lyst til å gjøre dette. Og nå, for 7. gang, arrangerer vi igjen og er muligens over 200 deltagere fra hele verden.
Jeg kjenner igjen fjesene fra de jeg har tatt bilder av tidligere. Og de kjenner igjen meg. Vi er som en slags familie som møtes her en gang i året.
Merkelig. Og litt koselig.
I morgen blir det fullt kjør med registrering, pre-race møte, pasta middag, salg av varer i butikken, osv.
Hvem skulle trodd at den lille logoen som jeg satt og tegnet i 2003 skulle ende opp på alt fra bildekor til skiluer.
Nei nå må jeg legge meg. Det har resten av Crewet gjort. Er sistemann på den gamleskulen i Eidfjord.
Gleder meg til i morgen nå.
Jeg kan huske hvordan jeg hatet Hårek der jeg karra meg opp det som skulle hete Zombie Hill. Den ble visst oppkalt etter meg, av han godeste Hårek.
"Dette skal jeg aldri gjøre igjen - det er jo helt galskap"
Vi var 21 mann det året... teståret.
Men det var flere som hadde lyst til å gjøre dette. Og nå, for 7. gang, arrangerer vi igjen og er muligens over 200 deltagere fra hele verden.
Jeg kjenner igjen fjesene fra de jeg har tatt bilder av tidligere. Og de kjenner igjen meg. Vi er som en slags familie som møtes her en gang i året.
Merkelig. Og litt koselig.
I morgen blir det fullt kjør med registrering, pre-race møte, pasta middag, salg av varer i butikken, osv.
Hvem skulle trodd at den lille logoen som jeg satt og tegnet i 2003 skulle ende opp på alt fra bildekor til skiluer.
Nei nå må jeg legge meg. Det har resten av Crewet gjort. Er sistemann på den gamleskulen i Eidfjord.
Gleder meg til i morgen nå.
Monday, August 03, 2009
my 5th norseman xtreme!
August 1, 2009.
Norseman Xtreme Triathlon is an Iron-distance triathlon that started in 2003. Distances are 1800 meters (2,36 miles) swim, 180 km (112 miles) cycle, and 42,2 km (26,2 miles) marathon run.
This was my 5th Norseman, and if I made the cut-off time limits I would also secure the green “5-time Finisher” jersey. This was my main goal!
Norseman Xtreme Triathlon is an Iron-distance triathlon that started in 2003. Distances are 1800 meters (2,36 miles) swim, 180 km (112 miles) cycle, and 42,2 km (26,2 miles) marathon run.
This was my 5th Norseman, and if I made the cut-off time limits I would also secure the green “5-time Finisher” jersey. This was my main goal!
The Crew Race is held for the people organizing the race so that we can also have a chance at competing. This time we held it 1 week before the official Norseman. We were 9 people this year.
So at 4:30 am we are standing on the banks of Eidfjord, ready for our 3,8 km swim. The temperature is cold as the sun is just barely peeking out from the huge mountains surrounding us. The temperature in the water is only 15 degrees Celsius (59 F).
We jump in and start swimming along the shoreline, in towards T1. There is little wind and the water is calm, but really cold. By the time I reach the end, my hands are starting to feel it and I`m having a difficult time keeping warm. Clive is really fast and was way ahead of us from the start. I swam with Dorthe and Geir F about halfway, but then they started to pull away. But I kept a nice pace and did not lose sight of them. Clive swam in 1:04 – I came in 10 minutes later. Swim - 1:14. This was 6 minutes faster than last year so I was pleased.
In T1 I was having problems getting warm (I am told I need to get some more body fat). I was shaking all over and it was actually kinda funny as I was clumsily trying to get out of my wetsuit and into my cycling gear. This year I was prepared for a cold bike ride so I put on wool socks, a buff under my helmet, long gloves, and a wind proof jacket. After 15 minutes in T1 (extremely long time), I finally jumped on my bike and was on my way.
The first 40 km is straight uphill, with parts of the climb at 7% grade. It is a long and windy steep road that leads us up a beautiful mountain with a huge waterfall halfway up. I passed Dorthe on the way up. Tim and Marit were my support this year and would meet me at certain designated points to fill me up with food and drinks. The first stop was at the top of the 40 km climb, Dyranut.
I made it here in 2 hours. I grabbed a new bottle and a sandwich with salty cured meats. Then it was off towards Geilo, which is the halfway point. I got another sandwich here and headed off towards the next 4 climbs. The first 3 climbs are about 3-4 km each with about 5-6% grade. At each top I would get some more food/drink. I have learned the hard way, from previous years, that not eating is detrimental.
The weather was slowly getting warmer and I could switch to short gloves and peel off one of the 2 wind jackets. I was getting warm in the climbs, but then on top and in the downhills I would get cold again. But my pace was steady even though I was hoping to go slightly faster.
After these 3 “short” climbs came the 4th and final climb, Imingfjell. This one is 8 km long with the same grade as the others. It is long and winding and you never really know if you are in the last turn or if there is one more. I guess I was having problems with my energy because it was going much slower than expected, and Tim could also tell that I was having more problems than Clive who was now 1 hour ahead of me.
Finally I was on top of Imingfjell. I got some much needed Coke and salty meats from Dag and Kalle. They were supporting Line, who was only about 5-10 minutes behind me. So it was really nice of them to be helping me as well.
The last part of the cycling was not going to be easy. The top of the mountain is long and flat and totally unprotected from the winds, which I was now getting head on. It was a cold head wind. There is a final, long downhill, which is so steep that you have to really grab on to the handle bars so not to lose control.
My cycling time would be 8 hours and 27 minutes. I was SO ready to get off the bike and start running.
It was now sunny and warm, so time to peel off all my cycling clothes and put on some running shorts. But I spent about 12 minutes in T2 which is again a really long time. But I felt the need to compose myself and get some much needed nourishment, plus some helpful words from Marit who was waiting for me.
The first 25 km of the run is fairly flat and on tarmac. I always force myself to keep running here because I know what is coming up… more climbs. I hear that I am still 1 hour behind Clive, so at least he has not pulled away even more. When I get to Rjukan, at 25 km, I catch up to 2 other guys, Rolf and Geir H, and they are walking. They have realized that they will not be able to make the cut-off time limit at the 32 km mark, so they are going for the White jersey. But they feel that I still have a chance and want to help me by walking with me. We are now in “Zombie Hill”. From here it is straight up in a winding unforgiving road that seems never-ending.
When we start doing the math (which is difficult enough at this point) Rolf warns me that this pace will not be fast enough for me. The thought of losing not only the Black jersey but the 5-Time jersey makes me dig even deeper and I manage to increase my speed to a slow “jog”. I make it up to the 32km mark in 14 hours 28 minutes and 30 seconds. This is 2,5 minutes before the cut-off time!
I now have 1 hour to make it to the next cut-off time which is at the 37 km point. I continue to run, which is the very first time ever in this race that I have been able to do that. Marit is now on a bike beside me keeping me company, although I am not the most sociable person right now. I am only concentrating on one thing… the green 5-time jersey. I manage to get there in about 41 minutes and have now secured the Black jersey! I can finally smile and give Marit a nice hug.
But my day is not over yet. I still have the last 4,7 km left which is a rocky winding path up towards the top of Gaustatoppen mountain. Wikipedia information. It has an elevation of 1,883 metres (6,178 ft) and the weather can be brutal. I spend a lot of time getting ready for the mountain. A short bathroom break, plus changing into warmer clothing, including gloves and winter-woolen hat “beanie”.
It is required to wear a backpack with a change of clothing, plus having a traveling companion up the mountain for safety reasons. Marit is still by my side following me up the path. It is a brutal path consisting of big rocks and each step must be planned so not to twist your ancle.
I am in a good mood but really tired. I have to stop a few times to catch my breath and get some food and drink in me. The tower at the top is constantly teasing me as it is visible, but so far away. I meet Geir F on his way down. He made it in 14:34 and was todays winner. About an hour later I meet Clive and Tim who were also on their way down. Clive finished in 16:36. A while later I finally made it to the top! The 4,7 km took me 2 hours to climb. My total run time was 7:23.
My time for today was 17:33:03!
I was just so pleased to have earned the Black jersey and also the Green colored 5-Time Finisher jersey. It is only given out to the ones who have won the Black jersey 5 times, and there are only 5 other guys who have this!
I have to thank Tim and Marit who drove all day, making sure that both Clive and I were fed and clothed during this long day. In addition, Dag and Kalle helped me several times as well. There is such a comradery in this sport that is so unique.
I will now be wearing my lovely green 5-Time Finisher jersey… planning my next Ironman adventure.
Link to the Norseman Xtreme Triathlon site with a short report from the Crew Race.
jeg er en "5-time-finisher"!!!
Dette var min 5. Norseman Xtreme Triathlon og det var den grønne trøya som var hovedmålet. Jeg visste det ville bli vanskelig med den nye cut-off-tiden på 32 km. I fjor kom jeg hit på ca 15 timer, men i år måtte jeg komme hit før 14,5.
I år hadde jeg fått med meg Tim og Marit på laget mitt, og de var utrolig hjelpsomme gjennom dagen. De hadde ikke bare meg å passe på men også Clive.
Svømmingen gikk bedre enn forventet og jeg kom inn på 1:14:25. Men jeg var iskald når jeg kom opp av vannet og brukte over 15 minutter i T1 for å varme meg opp. Jeg må visst få på meg litt mer kroppsfett.
Jeg var forberedt på en kald tur opp Måbødalen og tok på meg ullsokker, lange bein og armer, pluss vindjakke, buffer under hjelmen, og lange hansker.
Syklingen gikk egentlig greit, men hadde håpet på en raskere tid. Opp til Dyranut på 2 timer, som forventet. Det var kaldt over Hardangervidda og heldig vis hadde jeg tatt på meg enda en vindjakke på Dyranut. Det var ikke før jeg passerte Geilo at jeg kunne begynne å prelle av meg noen av lagene. I bakkene opp fra Geilo ble det varmt, men med en gang jeg var oppe på flatene måtte jeg kneppe opp igjen. Kom meg greit opp til Imingfjell hvor jeg fikk forpleining av Dag og Kalle (Line`s support), som også var kjempefin support underveis. Clive var nå 1 time foran meg og Tim kjørte som en villmann frem og tilbake for å kunne hjelpe oss begge to.
Det var en kald motvind på toppen av Imingfjell som ikke ville slippe taket før jeg var kommet inn til T2. Først da kunne jeg fjerne ”vinterklærne”. Hyggelig at Kari og Randi var der for å heie på oss (mulig det var flere men jeg var litt tåkete her… mer enn vanlig).
Sykla på 8:27:08.
Det var deilig å kunne strekke på beina i shorts og kortermet, og jeg holdt et fint tempo helt inn til Rjukan. Brukte 2 timer til Rjukan. Der møtte jeg Rolf og Geir som ville holde følge med meg opp Zombie Hill. Og Hårek kom på sykkel som stakk innom for å hilse på. Etter mye kalkuleringer var det tydelig at jeg var akkurat på grensen med å rekke cut-off tiden på 32 km. Selv med Rolfs økt tempo skjønte vi at dette ikke ville holde. Så jeg gravde enda dypere og klarte å sette et slags løpetempo de siste kilometerne. Det skulle rekke akkurat! 14:28:30!
Marit sendte melding til Kalle om at jeg klarte det og jeg kunne høre at han lo i andre enden.
Men så var det cut-off nr 2! I fjor brukte jeg litt over en time videre til Stavsro. Denne luksusen hadde jeg ikke i år. Når jeg var oppe på flatene klarte jeg å ”jogge” helt inn til Stavsro. Marit var flott følge med sykkel, selv om jeg antagelig ikke var så veldig pratsom. Jeg hadde ikke så mye ekstra energi til å prate. Jeg klarte å komme meg til Stavsro på ca 41 minutter og kom dit på 15:09! Helt utrolig!
Nå først var jeg bli og fornøyd og ganske pratsom… i følge Marit ;-)
Det ble et ganske langt opphold på Stavsro, med dobesøk og kleskift, men vi karra oss oppover fjellet og brukte ca 2 timer til toppen. Min endelig tid be 17:33:03.
Ca en halv time raskere enn i fjor, men ganske nøyaktig samme tid som i 2007.
Dette hadde jeg ikke klart hadde det ikke vært for all support og støtte. Tusen takk til alle som hjalp til!
Tim og Marit var et fantastisk støtte gjennom dagen!
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