Category Archives: cycling

Ironman Zurich 2015

Here is a summary of the actual race. I post a separate post about preparations for the race later.

Sunday morning 4 am the bell rings, and it's time to get up and make breakfast. We are staying at Fischer's Fritz campsite 2 km from the event area, so there's only a short walk to the start. Last minute additions to the various Exchange bags. The forecast has said rain and thunderstorms during the day, so I add an extra bicycle shirt. Watch the bike, peel off the protective cover and head off to the swim start. On site I get confirmation that it's wetsuit prohibition, since the water temperature is 25.2 degrees. No direct benefit for a guy with very heavy legs, but you have to accept.thumb_IMG_3167_1024

New this year is that it's rolling start with självseedning. I am in the next slowest group, 80-90 minutes, and waiting for the start. The pros start 06:40, and I'm going in the water at 07:00. The start is quiet and nice compared to the usual mass starts.

I think I look a bit muddy, and watch glasses. Notice that I have not taken them at all, and drag them down over your eyes and continue swimming. I have come off a bit with the crawl in the final weeks, and swum almost every day for the last 14 days, so I'll soon into the rhythm. But I like to take at all to be confused with the other and swim, then I do not want to be bothered with kicks and nudges, so I put me 10 metres to the left of the entire field. Here I can swim undisturbed, although there will be a little longer way, and even if I do not get the help of being behind someone.

But oh how long it was to the first buoy… look at the clock, and it shows 735 metres. But that's just to round it and continue. It floats on well until turning processes were, but where it will be crowded again, and it's hard to get past. Once at the island, I am the missions out of the water to run over and jump in on the other side. I know I'm not even halfway, the official distance is 1500 metres the first lap and 2,300 others. But my watch is already showing 1996 meters … Have been swimming too far out from the track … The time halfway is 48 minutes, which is a little more than I bargained for.

The second round will be heavy. It has begun to blow, and the waves beat into the mouth and nose on the way out. I can still only breathing in one direction, so just to stay afloat. And continue to crawl. The last stretch toward switching is the waves towards my left, so it runs better. Now swallow I don't quite as much water. Up from the water bells I by at 1:48. The GPS on the clock stopped working half way into the final stretch, so the distance was just key 3.7 km, but more likely be I swum just over 4 km in total. And I crawled all the way! time was less important, since the main objective of my swimming was able to crawl over the long haul. And now I can, even in open water with a lot of people around me.  And without wetsuit in addition.

First switching to the bike. Now it was my concern out of the way, and now I was on safer ground with my two best branches left. Exchange area is large, and it's long way to get around. I took it quite calmly, for quiet indeed if I compare my switching times with others. But it was nice to get everything in place. Fixed when I would press firmly the shoes in the pedals they wanted to click in, and I realized that I have not removed the block guards. Of them, and discard them. Up on the bike and set off.

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I thought open half quiet to get into cycling, but at the same time, bring up the heat. I had a stomach ache after swimming. Almost 2 hours in the water meant I got stomach cramps when I drink sports drink. But the first three miles were the rather flat, and where could I average around 35 km/h. And now I began to pass a lot of people. A bit in order to have something to do, I started to count how many times I passed. There will also be a good way to divide the space into smaller stages.

Then it was time for the slopes. I dreaded the beast, but found it was not so bad halfway through the first lap. Now should the Hill have come, and sure enough, I had climbed some, but not as much. Fixed then I had of course not come up to the Hill yet … After having climbed standing in the pedals in 1 km I thought that now takes the Hill end. but it did not. It just continued. 3 km steep uphill. I made sure to lie just below the acid threshold, and could climb the large rack up all the time. But then it perform, I knew. And it made it a little while before the next climbing started. Not as steep, but more than 5 km long.

And then it performs a. .. Really very performing. I lay in the speed position, and looked at the speedometer to the began approaching 80 km/h. Great I thought, good with speed. But when I approached a curve at the bottom and would slow down, Mark I to fly barely decreased slightly, and it started smelling burned… So I had to stand up, put on as much braking could be, and hope it doesn't come a sharp curve. But it didn't, and now it was flat again. A little climbing on 1 km before turning at Heartbreak Hill. But a steep one at that. First lap took 2:50, so I was well above 30 on average.

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And out on the second lap. First 30 km was flat, and very be on barsen and pumping on. But I started to get very sore ass, and craved climbs where you could stand up. Though this time it was legs not as fresh, and it did not respond as good when I stood up. And when I got to the beast, only to switch down to the small rack up, and sit and chew themselves up. This time the climb took 2 minutes longer than on the first lap, and the next climbing, which I had thought was something other than a little tough on the first lap, was really annoying. But so shall it not be …

The last stretch toward heartbreak hill was flat, and I pumped in as best they could. It had begun to blow some, and it was an uphill battle most. And heartbreak hill was really tough the second time. The second round went on over 3 hours, but I had still made the 18-mile at 5:54 am despite all the slopes. So we should be happy with. And that's right, I passed 560 cyclists, and was passed by 15:)

Last letters before the races. I took once again good time on me, pinkade in 5 minutes, and got his back rubbed with lotion. Now it was really hot out there, more than 30 degrees in the shade and blazing sun. So you got a little triathlonbrännan though.thumb_IMG_3175_1024

I ignored the quick lacing, and changed the socks. Wanted good shoes before the final marathonloppet. Because I had taken it pretty quiet in Exchange I came pretty quickly into the races. Step sat quite nicely, and a nice and slow tempo just under 5 min/km was felt right nicely. Now I was in my element, and I continued to count how many times I passed.

First fluid control came after just 1 km, and they served both fruit and nuts in addition to all the junk food that are usually present. So I poured in me. Probably a little too much, but I wanted to have good energy. The checks kept coming with 2 km intervals throughout the race, and the first lap went relatively easy. Just over 50 minutes of 10.5 km is quite OK.

But then it got heavier. The second round began the bones speak up. No cramps, even though I only got in me 1 elektrolyttablett before I dropped the bag, but it hurt. But out on the 3rd lap, I stopped counting how many times I passed (I counted 560 before I stopped half way) and started thinking about what it was I was doing. Not in a bad way, but in the same way that I usually think when it feels heavy at the end of the course I have prepared myself long before.

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Now it's 18 km left. Enjoy them. You have been looking forward to this for 1 year soon, so enjoy the last few kilometers. See each felled kilometers as a dear friend who you take leave from, and all that is in front of you as great acquaintances. And enjoy every kilometre. Spring easy, running easily and effortlessly. You love to run, you can run much longer than this, and you will run much longer. The legs hurts is just a sign that you are where you should be. In step. In the entry step. Here and now.

So it hurt, but I ran with a smile on his face. And I continued to push into me energy, now in the form of gels. And kilometres floated on. Soon, I was in front at the last, and then it was just pressing. Right through the last water control, and into the finish.

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And to hear his name called, "Tomas, you are an Ironman!" was very nice. And the whole family was in place at the finish. And then I was just happy. Time, 11:42:59, was perhaps not what I hoped for, but I did not have it would be like. The final maran went at 3:44 pm, and it's actually my second fastest mara. I was tired, but pain in the body of course. No cramps. I've probably learned how to prepare before and during these races now.

 

And now I've done my ironman. I think this was a first and last given how much preparation you have to add that "disrupts" the rest of the workout. But I keep enough to swim a bit. That recovery after harder workouts …

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Here is the link to the race on garmin connect: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/838714281

And here is the link to the official result:
http://tracking.ironmanlive.com

 

Tjörn triathlon 2014

So it was time. After running on to a training program customized for triathlon (-swimming) from Aktivitus so it was time to test on triathlon. Tjörn triathlon 11.3 seemed like a moderately good possibilities. The distance was no stranger, and I have run a number of brick that was harder during the summer, again without swimming.

Figure 2

Förberdelserna pure body was decent, then Wednesday was quite heavy, and the 4 training session I did at that time was still sitting in the body even on Friday, but once I got started, so it felt good in the body.

I had packed complete everything during Friday evening, and after a havregrynsgrötfrukost I sat down in the car at 5:45 and drove to Skärhamn on tjörn. CJ and Carro met up at Exchange area with my support ticket, bag and tidtagningschip, and I put the prepared stuff. I added some extra clothes then it seemed like it might be a little chilly during the day, especially on the bike. Then I packed down wetsuit, plugs and goggles in case we had to, and passed away in joint procession to the start.

Ombytt and completed with wet suit, only to wait on startup that went 9:08 exercise class. Men's/ladies/masters starters went before, and it seemed to go pretty tidily. These groups were also not particularly big, because when our group would start the entire beach was filled to the brim by men and women in purple swim caps. When started, it was a pure chaos. Arms, legs and bodies everywhere. I could not get into the crawl at all, so I had to take it easy and let go past those who had the most urgent. At first turnaround after a few hundred metres the field began to get a little more spread out, and I was able to get into the crawl mode.

It was raining, but it did not so much when it was 17.1 degrees Celsius in the water. Really nice after a while, and the second half was the crawl all the way in force. I entered well in technology, and could switch to cycling after 45 minutes on the official timekeeping

the fluctuations are not my strong suit because I haven't practiced on it very much, or nothing actually, so it took her little time. 5 minutes before I was up on the bike. Got me new socks, and pulled on me softshelljackan as I cycled in during the winter, and even drove the vasaloppet in.

After just a few minutes on the bike, I felt that it was a really good choice. It rained and blew the whole first lap around Tjörn and it would have been really cold but. But now, I felt strong. Could lie and section of 30 km/h in the headwind, and up to 40 km/h in the downwind leg. I didn't have so much to do, so I counted how many I passed, and came up in 149 before it was time to switch. Had sensations in right back when I went on a bit too heavy in some steep sections, so I took it a bit easier up during the last lap. But 2:39 was a lot better than what I had expected on a bike part. Never snittat as fast as before, and it was not very good weather conditions. Pace sticks I put on last Wednesday was a really good investment!tomas_triathlon

Time for a switch to running. Here too, it was especially smoothly, it took a full minute to lump the shoes, and one to bring down the energibars in trisuiten. But I was dry on your feet, and it felt good in my legs. The first 3 km went in a little over 4 min/km pace. Though I was damn pissenödig… So after the first pass at the target ran behind a shed and kag managed to pull up snorren through the leg at trisuiten and pee. In an eternity it felt like, but 3 minutes in reality when I checked the clock.

After this floated it on. The pace was slowing down against 4:30 per km, but it is a vekvämt tempo to lie in. Heart rate low at around 145, but I felt that the back legs had krampat if I had pressed for more.

The slopes were heavy, but on the straights I could float on the good, and I came in towards the goal just over 5 hours in total with a time of 1:32 on the concluding half marathon. Ok, my next fastest half marathon after göteborgsvarvet this year. Forgot to set the clock after crossing the finish line, but the official time was 5:06:24. Here is a link to the results. MFigure 1et Erik and CJ directly into the goal. They had come in 9 and 1 minute before me, and after 7 minutes additional came johan. We took a break in the queue for massage, and got a proper review of the legs.

I felt incredibly fresh immediately after the race, and it is not impossible that I do about this. I think I can cut 10 minutes of swimming, 5 minutes on the whims and 10 minutes on the bike. Then I go for 5 hours with a good margin next time. If I do not run a full ironman next time …

 

Vätternrundan 2014

VätternrundanSo it has taken around the Lake once again. This was only my second round, but it is strange how self cycling can differ. But I'll take it from the top.

I and CJ took lygnartåget from Gothenburg, and shared a sleeping compartment with a new pleasant acquaintance, Matthias. I had of course packed with me way too much, and rode there with 30 kg on his back. The cold that I pulled on me the night between Wednesday and Thursday had not brought with him, as soon as gotten worse despite my c-vitaminchock. The entire Wednesday night squeezed me in me oranges, grapefruit and lemons with ginger.

The bike was nyservad, so I thought that it needed to be looked at, but thought they could clean the chain, since CJ nevertheless changed the tire. Luckily, I saw a bubble on the rear deck, and inner tube that bulged out, so it is just putting on a new tire. I had not passed many mile on the deck.

05:40, we had that time, and I got up and ate breakfast at 04:00. That's when I was greeted by the wind. I knew it would blow north-north-westerly, but it would not be more than 3-4 m/s. Now it felt like 10 m/s.

The start went well, and we hung on a cluster after a mile, but was let go when they ran on too quickly. The pulse was at 90% of maximum, and I felt that it was not time to go into the wall so early. But it was downwind, so we could keep up to speed closer to 35 on 2 people anyway. After 4 miles, a new cluster together with Mattias from our compartment up and they kept more pleasant speed, so we hung on.

But after just two kilometres as they stopped to pee, and we hung on a girl and a guy who didn't hear the peloton and waited for the verdict would run caught up with us again. But we kept up the pace quite well, and after Gränna released Matthias. When Husqvarna was ikapphunna by a larger cluster with better speed, so there were lost our boosted.

But it was now the wind struck. When I looked out onto the Lake, I saw that it went white geese across the Lake, and it rolled into metre-high waves on the beaches. When the man tried to hang on to a cluster in the tail stretched it to there came a gust of wind at the wrong time to be completely cured, and not catch up again. Here it was tough, and it hung on the backs you could get.

We stopped at Fagerhult after 13 miles to stock up on water, Pee and eat bun. Long queue at energy drink, but when we came out of there, we were able to hang on to a cluster that went just right fast. Unfortunately, they stopped after a few km to pee. After 15 kilometers, a larger cluster as we hung on. The pace was high, but not cut-throat. At 18 miles, I noticed that CJ was not with anymore. He had been behind me all the time before that, so I do not know when he released. But it was jerky and. ..

I monkeyed at 20 miles when we drove on a larger cluster, and some would try to hang on. Being behind the wrong backs only seconds to lose completely, and then it was I into the wind. The speed dropped down to 25, and it felt like I was standing still. I latched onto the backs I could find that did not go slower than I, but any further speed was never. I stopped at the Aspa after 22.5 mil, and filled at the depots. Especially the buns was much needed, but it was also good to drink something other than sports drink.

I hung on some cluster every now and then, but they were either too fast or too slow, so I counted down the km for km until I would be arriving at Askersund. From here and back home so the wind would turn, and it gave a good mental vision. However, just before it became an end Station. A serious accident caused the road was blocked off, so we had to bring the bikes 8 minutes.

And once I was in front, 45 km to go, and the wind turned so Pocket I a huge mental boost. I could press and hold high speed all the way itself. Drove about cyclist after cyclist, and enjoyed. I didn't know how bad it made anymore, I just drove on. Hard up, fast, and good pace on the straights. Nice weather and the wind at his back.

I slid into the Motala at 9:46, and was extremely pleased to be able to beat my time from last year in these conditions. Shortly after crossing the finish line I heard CJ behind me, he had gone in case a button minute later, so now, we took a nice light beer and some pasta in the Sun at the finish.

Thomas and Carl-Johan

It was the last time for CJ. For my part, I shall probably check for a better bike.

Here is a link to the round on Strava: http://www.strava.com/activities/153668657/
And here at Garmin: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/520791269
And finally on Runkeeper: http://runkeeper.com/user/thomee/activity/374077694

 

Preparation of triathlontest

On Sunday, I've booked up me on a triathlonpaket on Aktivitus. An advanced running and cycling test and VO2 max test on the treadmill. 2 hours takes it total, and a day of rest before are recommended.

So I've had to adjust my exercise program, and ran my long session running today instead, and then I'll try to squeeze in a spin bike tomorrow afternoon. We can see what a lot of time långpassen takes when you can't run them in the morning.

For this morning, it was fishing in large kroksjön to risveden. Our Walpurgis tradition to hike to the Lake on Wednesday and pitch a tent over, we do not want to compromise. 08:00 on the morning of May 1st then go start of fishing! 5 nice Rainbows, we took with us home. tomas_irma_2014Fortunately, taking the hip up most of the weight in the backpack, it has only been in place, it feels nothing in the back.

I can run and ride a bike almost unimpeded, now takes only panocod for the sake of the redness and swelling. But to be ihopkurad in a sleeping bag on a thin mattress was almost more than the rib fixed. Quite impossible to find a good sleeping position without freezing to death at the same time.

 

Damaged

AJ. Broke a rib on the back of the back yesterday. Probably got a crack already last week, but the hit of the entire the match yesterday. 'Ll probably stop playing football.

Was at sportsmed on Carlanderska and was given painkillers, Panocod and pronaxen. I can run my rehabövningar for knee, eccentric tåhävningar and rubber band exercises without any major problems, but all the stretching exercises on the floor and weight lifting goes away. Also running well at the moment. However, I tested a threshold that in the training cycle, and it worked fairly well, so it will be a focus bike for a while to come. Hopefully just a few days, but it depends on the pain. I don't want to work out with pain in the body, because the body will not be able to speak up when it becomes too much.

But I see this as a natural rest period, and as long as I can keep me off a little easy with the bike, so it is quiet. Probably not in the göteborgsvarvet danger either, and if I get the races so I will probably manage to make my triathlontest on Aktivitus next Saturday. VO2 max test and heart rate in both the 100 metres and on the test cycle for two hours. It'll be good to …