Category Archives: Competition

 Supervasan 2021

4 weeks ago Johan Landgren asked me if I wanted to run a relay between Sälen and Mora. There were three parts, roller skiing, MTB and running, all at 90 km each. Of course, I said yes!

I did not get much information about the setup itself, but two weeks before the race we changed the training, and worked more on the intended competition speed, ie long sessions in zone 2, combined with high-intensity sessions. For me, it meant staying around 130 in pulse, and adjusting the speed accordingly. last weekend I ran two long passes of 2 and three hours, a total of 5 hours, where I ran 61km with an average speed of 4:50 min/km. So it seemed reasonable that that would be the starting point.

On Tuesday, Oscar Olsson and Frida Zetterström called from the podcast Konditionspodden, for a quick interview just before I stepped out and ran my Tuesday session. Oscar is the man behind the whole set-up, and he travels all the distances himself. I had not received any info about accommodation, but everyone else would stay at Mora Hotel and Spa, so I booked a room there.

On Friday afternoon I went up to Mora, and on the way up Oscar called and said that the .gpx file I had was the wrong one. We would not run the route for the ultra vasa, but instead follow the hiking trail Vasaleden from Berga by to Mora. The distance was the same, but it turned out to be a completely different type of terrain than what I had trained for the first half of the race.

Since it was a relay, it was the team that was support for the others when you did not compete yourself. I did not have to get up at 2 AM to support Mattias Svahn, as Johan and Helena took care of this. The plan was that Mattias would switch to Johan at 08:30, and that Helena and I would then take the car towards Sälen and support Johan on the road. But he was fast Mattias, and came in already 08:06, so it got a little stressful. I just had time to get some breakfast before we had to leave.

It got a a lot more stressful, when a miss in the communication meant that we were not present at the first check where Johan wanted support, so we had to turn around and chase his position via the tracker he was wearing. The third attempt was successful, and he got enough energy to make it to Evertsberg, which is halfway. We also stayed inMångsbodarna and waited for Johan, before we ran down to the start in Berga by.

We got to the start shortly after Oscar had left, and a reporter from malungsbladet asked some questions, which resulted in me being in a bit of an article about Supervasan

At the same time, Konditionspodden started broadcasting from my race, with a report from the start.

Stage #1 Berga by – Mångsbodarna

Total Distance: 24 km, total time 2:12

Distance Time Tempo Pulse
24 km 02:12:40 05:16 138

The first two stages on Vasaleden are fantastic! First 2 km uphill, the same stretch as the Vasaloppet, then into the forest and 7km on fairly technical small forest singletrails in fairly hilly terrain. I was not prepared for it to be so nice, and the joy of running was at its peak. Floated through the forest just over 5-pace, but the pulse was just below the threshold, so it took more power than expected.

When I came out on the gravel roads at Smågan, I lowered my heart rate to the target zone 2 heart rate, and then the speed was more like the expected 4:40 on the flats.

After a few km on gravel roads, it was again a singletrail to Smågan, but I still kept the plan decent, and still felt quite fresh when Johan and Helena waited with energy replenishment.

Stage #2 Mångsbodarna – Risberg

Total Distance: 35 km, total time 3:20

Distance Time Tempo Pulse
11 km 01:08:01 05:57 134

I filled a bottle with sports drinks, brought some more gels and ran away. Again a lot more path than expected, and when I found out that I had only picked up 7 minutes on Oscar, I went down a bit in pulse to try to stay around the 130 that was planned.

On the distances where it was easy to run I could still keep around 5 min / km, but as you can see from the total km time over the distance, it was not so easy to run overall, as the average was almost 6 min / km

At Risbergsbacken, Niklas Axhede showed up with the camera again, so I stopped for a chat. But it was easy, so I asked him if he could run, and there was an interview running. Tomas Amneskog approaches Risberg

Stage #3 Risberg – Evertsberg

Total Distance: 47 km, total time 4:45

Distance Time Tempo Pulse
12 km 01:24:56 06:38 127

After Risberg, things started to get really heavy. The heat and the hard opening made me lose pace. Until now, I had only run on sports drinks and gels, but when it started to rumble a little in my stomach, I took half a bar. And immediately I got a strong pain on the side of the stomache. A little surprising, because I have not had this for several years. I had to go and stretch my stomach for a good while to make it drop.

My newly fixed Altra Olympus burst when I ran into a rock, and  then I thought I was changing shoes in Evertsberg. But of course I forgot. It was very hot now, so by the lakes before Evertsberg I went down and dipped my upper body, and got new energy.

   

At the finish, Niklas waited again, and here is a nice insight into how it feels when you have run into the wall. Amneskog arrived in Evertsberg

Stage #4 Evertsberg – Oxberg

Total Distance: 62 km, total time 6:34

Distance Time Tempo Pulse
15 km 01:48:22 06:43 125

               

After Evertsberg it goes downhill. And immediately I realized that I should have changed shoes. Normally, it is now possible to roll on and save time, but the thighs were properly smoked by now, so every step performed was a torment. Still tried to roll on as best I could.

I knew I was going to deviate from the track just before Oxberg, but missed the exit, and ran past. Had to turn around and take an extra hill up to the control. Was quite worn when I came up here, and the interview may sound a bit confused, but the only thing I thought about was that I would not forget to change shoes. Tomas Amneskog in Oxberg

Stage #5 Oxberg – Hökberg

Total Distance: 71 km, total time 7:46

Distance Time Tempo Pulse
9 km 01:12:16 06:55 119

Changed shoes to Craft, and immediately felt that I got a little more energy, even though it was not visible directly on the mileage. All uphills were walking slopes now. Still hot, so I stopped at every creek I could find and cooled off. My stomach still could not accept any food, so after the banana I put in me in Oxberg I had to go and stretch away again.

Etapp #6 Hökberg – Eldris

Total Distance: 81 km, total time 8:54

Distance Time Tempo Pulse
10 km 01:08:14 06:29 116

Now the mosquitoes had also begun to appear when the sun set a little, and every time there was a hill, they came. It was pretty good, as the only way to get rid of them was to run. And that made me pick up the pace a bit. And believe it or not, now it started to feel better again. I could float on as best I could, and felt that I also felt a little better when it got cooler.

In Eldris, Johan would keep up with the last part towards the finish, so I was looking forward to some company.

Stage #7 Eldris – Mora

Total Distance: 90 km, total time 9:51

Distance Time Tempo Pulse
10 km 00:56:56 05:42 120

Johan set a pace that felt a little high, but I told him to keep it. It would go a little faster towards the finish then. So I hung on. Now the slopes were no longer walking slopes, and we ran at the same pace all the time.

Towards Mora, I felt refreshed, and we gradually increased the speed towards the final stretch, and I could drive the last kilometer in sub 4 speed, The legs protested of course, but it was just to relax and push.

At the finish, Frida waited with the interview mic immediately after I had crossed the line, and I tried to summarize it as best I could. Supervasan 2021 – Finish Tomas Amneskog

We would have champagne when the women’s team went to the finish, which would be just over half an hour later. So I got home to the hotel to change and shower. And just as we were about to toast, I became dizzy and nauseous, and had to lie down. The heat during the day, and the fact that I did not have time to get any food in me, caught up.

The next few days I had a really sore thighs. Such a pain I only have after a really challenging mountain race. So even a relatively, on paper, flat track can be a tough challenge.

 Aktivitus Trailrace 169k

When I had to cancel the Aktivitus Trailrace for the second year in a row, I got an opportunity to run the race myself. It is still a competition, with the only difference that all participants can start whenever they want for a month. It is of course better to start in the morning, so that you get a full day of running before the first night comes, but I wanted to do it the way it was intended, and then the start is 20:00 on Friday. So I started at that time from Jonsered’s factories and out on Bohusleden north.

Part 1:  Jonsered – Angered  13km, 1:30

I went out calmly, or what I thought was calm. I knew it was a long journey ahead of me, and since I was completely alone, I did not get the usual adrenaline rush from the start, and could take it easy. I started with 2 bottles of Umara 120g, and the plan was that they would last 16km each. The first leg is very easy to navigate, and I had a good flow.

Part 2: Angered – Dammekärr 27km, 3:14

Darkness fell, and the headlamp was turned on. The energy plan went on as planned, I started on the second bottle at 17km, and my body felt good. No problems or defects. When you enter the Vättlefjällsleden, it starts to flow really well. Here it feels like I’m really up and running. I stopped at Dammekärr and filled my empty bottle with water, and it was quite nice with a little clean water as a contrast to my lemon-spiced sports drink.

Part 3: Dammekärr – Fontin 39km 4:49

When I left Dammekärr it was 5 km to my next depot stop at Jennylund. Here Johan Isaksson had laid out a bottle of sports drink for me, mixed in the same way as the ones I had with me from the start, ie 1 liter with 240g of carbohydrates in. I had not really emptied the bottle I had, and did it at the checkpoint. Took out the bottle that was hidden under the house next to the stable, greeted the horses, and refilled my bottles. But there were a few decilitres left, and I knew that this was the last energy depot before I came back home, so I emptied the bottle before I took it with me and threw it in the next trash can in Bohus. But I should not have done that. During the long descent towards the Jordfalls bridge, my stomach was really bubbling, and I started to feel slightly nauseous. Not so dangerous, but I took it easy with the energy drink for a while.

Part 4: Fontin – Bönered 65km 9:00

My backyard. Perhaps the most tricky stretch for many, but a clear favorite for my own part. I did not need to have the map in front of me, I know the way. The only concern is the stomach. The overdose of carbohydrates in Jennylund is reminded all the time, and I have a lot of gas. “Never trust a fart in an ultra” is a well-known expression, so I have to take it a little cautiously. Meets a badger standing in the middle of the path who stares at me and refuses to leave. I have respect for animals with sharp teeth, so I talk calmly and quietly with her until she trudges off into the woods

When I enter the forest where I have run with pruning shears and marking tape the weekend before, I get really pissed when someone has picked down the most important markings, and made the new part that is difficult to find completely impossible to find. I know I’ve cleared a path, but I do not know exactly where to turn to find it. I swear loudly and am really annoyed when I know how much time and effort I have put into runners to find their way through the forest, and then someone is out there in the middle of a forest on the lift and sabotaging everything. I take out the map on the clock, and follow the trail. The terrain is still quite ok, but it will be a kilometer without trail. After that I know the way, around the yellow loop, down into Djupedal and up at the ancient castles.

Here it is no longer possible to ignore the stomach, so I turn off the path and out into the thicket and sit down to take a dump. It takes a while, but is extremely nice to run after this. So with a light stomach, I trip further into my paths behind the house, and meet the soon rising sun at the top of Kopparåsen.

Part 5 – Bönered – Tuve 83km 12:10

I take a rather long break at home in the house. Lubricates the feet, changes shoes and socks, changes into shorts, take a cup of coffee and a sandwich, changes the headlamp but forget to put out the extra battery from the first one. Packs energy for 50 km of running as well as buns and sandwiches. I skip bringing more bars, as I have only been able to get one bar down so far, I also empty out half of the sports drink powder, as I realize that I will not be able to get so much sports drink, and take a bottle of water and one with sports drink with me. I have only had 1 dl of sports drink since Fontin, so I know it will be hard. The longing to stop here and crawl into my warm bed is quite big, but I try not to think about it, I go out into the cold again. It’s really cold now before the sun has risen, and shorts feel like a bit to little clothes, but I know the sun will rise and start warming up soon. So i’m going to keep up the pace and get the heat up. The relatively long stop had done good for the body, the legs felt very fresh again, so I pretended to start now, forgot the night that had been, and looked forward to the remaining 106 km. I know that I can run 100 km.

Here I also find my way around well, so the map is almost not needed, I have run the route to Hisingsparken many times, and it is easy to find. The first coffee kick and euphoria subsides pretty soon, and I have to start grinding again. I know it’s because I’m low on energy, but I do not want to start feeling bad again and not get anything at all downl, so I take it easy with the energy. Sipping on the sports drink, no immediate hunger feelings yet. Once inside Hisingsparken, I notice that I have pulled the course over another peak compared to what I have run before, and there it is a little difficult to find the right way. But I know it’s uphill, so I run uphill. Or rather, walk.

Part 6: Tuve – Ängården 100km 14:35

In Tuve, David meets up with a packed buffet table! Things I did not know I was craving such as good cakes, clementine and coffee. I pull a sandwich out of the package and munch on. My stomach feels ok again, it’s just a sports drink that I have problems with right now. I also get a bag of vegan candy from David, which I save until it gets heavier. Wonderfull!

David runs with me along the paths from Hisingsparken to the Älvsborg bridge, and life is easy again! It does not go very fast, but it is great with company, even if I am a little less talkative than usual. Time flies by, and at the Älvsborg bridge, David runs off towards Lindholmen. Now I continue alone across the asphalt on the bridge and down into the city. I have drawn the track aiming at Lilla Ängården, deliberately so that it passes a seven eleven just before. And also tried to dot all the paths in all the green areas that are on the stretch, so it will be a bit of detailed navigation to find the right one. But I trust the watch, and nail every turn. At the seven eleven, I buy a bottle of water, refill a bottle with sports drink powder and ginger juice. and head into Ängårdsbergen.

Part 7: Ängårdsbergen – Sisjön 115 km 17:38

It was hot before, but starting to get a bity windy, and it gets cooler on the peaks. Ängårdsbergen, where I have run every Tuesday for the past 7 years, here it should be quite easy to find. And navigation is not a major problem, but the terrain. It’s starting to get really tough uphills without poles, and I’m not very fast on the technical downhill runs either, so it takes time. The pace slows down considerably.

In the middle of the forest, a familiar face appears, it is Jörgen Reppling who has come out to cheer me on. I go and talk to him for a while, before moving on. Not much faster, but it was nice with a little pep talk in the middle of the misery.

Ängi’s slopes, which I usually love, are suddenly very heavy. When I go down Mordor’s stairs, I have to be very careful. It’s steep, and a slip would have been devastating. But I get out, and take a break at the gas station at Fässbergsmot. Fill my bottles, top one with a little sports drink powder. My lips and nose are starting to get very dry and chapped, but I am once again failing to buy a lip balm. All sold out here too. Yes yes, it should ache a little to run far.

Part 8 – Sisjön – Kållered 129km 19:48

After Sisjön, it flows pretty well again. The paths are nice, the slopes are easy, and I have a good flow. I had contacted Simon Gustafson during the morning and adjusted the schedule for when he would meet me. 12 became 14 which became 16 when I realized that I had calculated incorrectly 10 km on where the control would be. I had the old track in my head, and there you pass Kållered after 120km, but the new track is extended. So a new incoherent call gives ETA Kållered 16:00.

But I can run quite well, and seem to be able to get there a quarter of an hour earlier. Extremely determined and focused, I count down the kilometers towards Kållered where we will meet outside Coop. As I pass under the railway bridge, I hear someone come running behind me and shout my name. It’s Simon. I register it, and think he’s probably catching up. It is only a few hundred meters to the stop. But he keeps screaming, and I realize that there are two coop in kållered, 500 meters apart. Simon has parked the car at the first, so I have to turn around and go back. My fault, but still annoying. Simon has set up a nice buffet in the trunk of his car, and has my dropbag with him. I realize I will not have to refill with any of what I packed except gels. But he has a bonus banana that is really good, and a cold beer. So we trudge away. I sip on my beer, and have only one marathon left. And now I have company again!

Part 9 – Kållered – Sisjön 154km 24:45

A few winding kilometers before we come up towards Tulebo and onto the Bohusleden again. Simon runs in front of me in what probably feels like snail’s pace to him, but it’s too fast for me. I need to walk all the uphills, and have a hard time seeing that there are any downhills or flat stretches anywhere. But once I get started with the running steps, my legs still feel good, but the energy is not there. So it becomes like small intervals all the time with recovery in between.

We stop at Herkulesgården and I can take a dump in the toilet. My stomach has started to complain a bit again, but after the toilet I will be a bit reborn again. Lighter as well.

It is calm and nice, but starting to get a little colder again. It’s good to have someone to talk to, and Simon follows all the way to Hobo Hill. He is eager to follow me all the way to the finish, but has no headlamp, and then it will be difficult. So he has to return to Kållered again. And I continue alone. It goes quite well after the toilet visit

Part 10: Skatås – Jonsered 171km 28:07

It’s starting to get really cold now. The watercrane in Skatås has two settings. Max or none. I get really wet when I try to fill a bottle with water. I empty the last powder and a shot of ginger juice, put on all the extra clothes I have with me. Windbreaker, rain jacket, double gloves and three buffs over the hat. I call Linda and says that I probably will not come home before midnight. I have 17 km left which probably takes at least 3 hours. Then begins the really fun part of the race.

When it starts to get dark, I see a buck. He’s just standing right next to me on the road. I talk to him, but even if he does not answer, it’s nice to have some company. I bring out the camera and take a picture. Do not see a buck in the picture. But it must be because it’s too dark, I think.

Time flies. Even if each kilometer runs in 10 minutes, it feels as if the km buzzer goes of all the time. Starting to get a little tired. I also meet a bear and a moose who are staring at me. But they disappear when I get closer, they sort of dissolve and become shadows.

I’m in a very good mood. My legs carry really well, I run as fast as I can and feel that I have a good flow. The clock says otherwise, but 8-9 min / km is probably ok after 27 hours of running, but it is not really worth it when I walk at 10 min / km. So I go back to the interval running from before.

When I come across the highway and approach the last stairs, I think I hear people standing and cheering, and when I come down to the finish line, I see that it is a group that has gathered to receive me at the finish line. But when I get closer, the sound dies out, and all people slip away, like shadows.

It is completely quiet and deserted. Not a soul. I’m alone. I press stop on the clock, and walks away towards the car. I’ve taken the lap around. Beaten my distance record by 2 kilometers and I feel pretty damn good.

I have a medal ceremony there in the dark. Gives myself a big hug and hang the medal around my neck. First to finish the race this year. But not the fastest.

Midnight run Gothenburg 2015

So it was time for midnattsloppet again, for the 4th time in order. It has become a bit of a tradition to go out in the night and run the 10 kilometres around majorna with start and finish in Slottsskogen. This year the weather was with us as well, around 20 degrees, no wind and very clear.

For the first time in a long time I ignored completely in to make any race-preparations. I'm in the middle of a racing weight quickstart, i.e. building training with calorie deficit. Less carbs, more protein. Easy running, strength training and a lot of that on an empty stomach and water. Despite this I have gained 3 kg in the past week. The body has become accustomed to the deficit, and gone into sleep mode again. I will reduce the calorie plan from 2000 to 1500 cal/day, and see if it goes in the right direction again.

Anyways, my legs felt like logs when it was time to start, but I know it will fix itself after a while despite how it feels at the start. So when the starting gun went off 21:30 I put away in the regular racefart. It felt as if it was not especially fast, but the first kilometer was completed at 3:37, and when I checked the final results, I was in place 52.

Then it became a little more uphill, but I was able to keep the momentum over the first 3 kilometres. It was not until around the 5k marking I was beginning to feel really tired. I lay and pushed myself 5 beats over the lactate threshold on the uphill slopes, and not very much lower on descents. My pulse was just around the 160 mark, but I was passed by runners at all times.

And then it was time for the ascent up to masthuggskyrkan. To have any chance and not go straight into the wall, I checked the pulse all the time. But I lost time, and this kilometers was the slowest of the entire race, 4:31.

But when you come up on top, you know that you reach the finish very soon, and just dash downhill. Last mile to slottsskogen was cruel, with climbs almost as hard as up against masthuggskyrkan. It didn't go fast here, and when I arrived at the finish line I saw that the clock had just passed 40 minutes. I thought I had an eye on the time, but it turned out as usual to the track was almost 200 metres further than my watch told me, and there went my sub40 time.

Nevertheless, I am still right happy with being able to press so hard in the middle of a heavy training period. And even if I didn't better the time from last year, the position was some snaps up. The end time was 40:8, and 90:th place.

But this was the last time I ran a 10k race in over 40 minutes. It is time to raise the minimum level a notch in the autumn, with harder intervals.IMG_3261

Öloppet swim-run 2015

Rest weeks. So, that was the idea after Ironman Zurich. But then I got a question by Magnus Carlsson if I wanted to run Öloppet with him. The sprint that was, 20 kilometres of running, and 2.6 km of swimming. I was up for it, but had to consider and reconcile with the wife. We were, after all, going away the day before. But we wouldn’t sleep over, and I accepted.

But swim-run, I was aware of the concept, but not how it went into more detail. So I sat one evening in front of the computer and studied. In particular, there was a very good post on Icebugs page, http://icebug.com/se/swimrun/. It turned out later that it was Magnus who wrote this.

I did not want to cut off my wetsuit, and I knew I would not be ready to run in my full suit , so I did a quick order of a shorty outfit online. There are not so many models of swim-run outfits, and those are pretty expensive, so I settled on this model: http://www.seapro.se/sv/artiklar/vatdrakt-shorty-limax-herr-3.html. Fast delivery, I received it on Wednesday after being ordered on Tuesday, and on Thursday I thought to test the equipment. Had decided to run without paddles and car body repair, then it went slower when I tested in pool.

And what a feeling! just being able to throw himself into the water, swim a little, running up on the other side and continue run! Sure, it was a little cumbersome at run in wet suit, but it was still ok. Ran a short pass in the surtsjön.

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So it was time to start! Me and Magnus had decided that we would see this as a fun thing, and not press too hard on the run. I hadrest week, and did little or none training before. Only a few small workout to keep running the body a bit.

10:00 and the race was on. We placed ourselves somewhere in the middle of the field, among the other 250 teams in the Sprint. But it was hard to hold back as much on the initial races down to the water like the other teams, so we ran up some places before it was time for the first swim. 620 metres from Styrsö to St. Mosskullen.

And at swimming, we are about as good, or bad, on. I put myself first, and then came Magnus on my feet with paddles and floater. I put myself a little to the left of the rest of the field to get some free water, and the swim went quite well, although it did not go particularly fast, so 12:30 later, we were able to step up and run. Or so we thought … Crowded on the cliffs above, and no ability to pass made us walk more than run. It wasn’t until we got to Köpstadsö that we could run on a bit, and then we took a wrong turn ….

I had written down all the distances we would run/swim on my arm, in order to keep track of whether it was worth taking off our swimming caps or not, and it wasn’t until we came to Brännö as it really was worth removing the caps. 6 km running with only two short water passages as we waded through.

 

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Swimming had gone well so far. Small, short and, in some cases, muddy banks distances in calm water. No jellyfish or waves to speak of. But after krokholmen we would take us 570 metres to the Känsö, and here it was more high seas. Bigger waves and deeper water.

I found it difficult to stay the course, and when I checked back, Magnus had left my feet. I was waiting for him a few times, but with 50 meters left I swam on. 16 minutes took the route, and even though it was 50 metres shorter than the initial swimming, we were over 4 minutes slower. Magnus had trouble in the waves, and now the jellyfish had also begun to show itself.

But the team that had past us in swimming we outrun on the Islands in between. Magnus kept up the speed on trails and gravel roads, and I on the stones and rocks.

Two swims in the same hard conditions and then we were arriving on Styrsö again. Now waited over 6 kilometres of running before the finish. Magnus had a lot of energy, but my legs didn’t want to really keep up before I got the heat up. But after a couple of kilometers in 4:30 speed, I started getting the heat up, and the last few kilometers we could press the speed closer to 4 minutes per kilometer. We could pass som more teams, and as the finish line approached, we put on a final sprint.

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We had no idea what place we finished in, but were very happy with the race overall. Under 3 hours in total time was good for a swim-run debut, and we placed in 12th place in the men’s class and 19th in total by all teams, which is perfectly ok.

It was, after all, the experience which was the main focus, time and the placings were completely secondary this time. But it left me wanting more! Although I am lousy at swimming, it’s a fantastic feeling to be able to throw myself into the sea and get to where you want. The body becomes the vessel so to speak.

So this am I going to do again, thanks Magnus for taking me with you on this adventure!

Here are the official results:
http://oeloppet.r.mikatiming.de/2015/?pid=list

And here is the link to activity at garmin connect:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/853309884

 

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