Over 4000m of climbing, 20 gels, and 1 black t-shirt: My Norseman Extreme Tri odyssey

This is an extremely in-depth list of exactly what I ate/wore/did for the 2013 Norseman Extreme Triathlon. 

If you'd like the executive summary race report (with pictures!), please check it out at the Timex Multisport Team blog: http://teamtimex.timexblogs.com/2013/08/08/norseman-extreme-triathlon-an-epic-adventure/ Hopefully, the combination will be useful for future racers.

My goal for this race was to get a black t-shirt. I was not concerned with my finishing time, and since this was my first Ironman, it would be a PR!

--- Training advice -- 
I think the best thing I did in training was to ride big hills whenever possible. I found a loop in the Taunus Mountains with about 500m of steady state climbing around 6%. It worked out to be about half the distance of the first climb in Norseman. It took about an hour to complete, so I would go do my 4 and 5 hours rides there, doing multiple laps and getting more efficient at climbing. I think the grade was more important than the length, and I was confident that I could handle the longer version on race day. I only started doing this loop about 6 weeks before the race and I already had a large base from riding on the trainer and on mostly-flat roads near my house. I practiced with my race nutrition to get my body used to processing the gels while going uphill. 

I also did some hilly runs, but only sparingly. Mostly, I focused on staying relaxed and keeping my heart rate low for long runs. I come from a running background, plus I had broken my big toe 7 weeks prior, so I didn't run much at the end.

--- Pre-race logistical preparation --- 
Since we currently live in Germany, I knew that we were going to drive to the race. When we were buying a car in January, I was already thinking about what type of vehicle we would need for Norseman. We have a Mercedes B200, which is a mid-size hatchback that would fit the bike in the back. My husband, Eric, was going to be my sole support crew.

We drove to Kiel (about 5.5 hours) and then took the 20hr ferry to Oslo on Color Lines. Once in Oslo, we drove to Eidfjord going backwards on the race route. We also checked out Zombie Hill. This recon was super helpful for reducing the stress of the unknown and giving us a chance to scope out aid stops. It only added about 90 minutes to the most direct route.

--- Vehicle and support crew considerations ---
Your vehicle choice depends on how big your support crew is. The racer will need to bring a lot of gear, food, and water for the actual event. Every person in your crew will need a wide variety of clothing, since they'll be moving through weather ranging from summer (at T2) to almost winter (Dyranut and Gaustatoppen), so every additional person will require more space in the support vehicle. Since the rules state the support vehicles have to park with all tires off the road, having a large vehicle can be problematic when trying to park in the same tiny turnouts as 10 other cars. But having a single person in your support crew makes for a long, arduous day for them. And that's before they hike up (and down) the mountain. So keep that in mind -- many people had only one-person crews, but it is hard on the support person!

If you have to rent a car, make sure that the person driving during the race is very familiar with the blind spots and mirrors. Most European cars are manual and gas is Norway is ridiculously expensive. Choose wisely.

It is important that the support crew has a system for organizing your vehicle. I used a milk crate for all my nutrition (I brought 8 water bottles for use at different times), as well as Ikea bags and plastic bags to separate stuff by event. I labeled everything so that my husband would know what something was without having to unpack/unfold it. This is especially important for the extra or "just in case" items.

--- Pre-race lodging --- 
We stayed at Kinsarvik Camping, which was about a 30 min drive on race morning. There is a grocery store at the base of the hill and since our cabin had a kitchen, I could cook meals, which was cheaper than eating out. The complex is beautiful and overlooks the fjord. When there is more traffic during the daytime, it can take up to 40 minutes to get to Eidfjord. 

--- General race plan ---
Swim: First 400m hard, relax for the rest
Bike: Heart rate between 145 and 155
Run: Heart rate at 155 until 25km, then see what happens

--- Race morning ---
Transition opened at 3:00am. Woke up at 1:45 to have my breakfast of sweet potato baby food, a Larabar, and a package of fruit snacks. Left a little early for Eidfjord to ensure that we could park reasonably close to T1. At the entrance of T1, they did a safety check on my bike and showed me to my spot. The ferry boarded at 4:00 am. If you bring the numbered race bag they gave you at registration, you can put your extra stuff in there and the ferry will take it back to T1. There were lots of photographers on the ferry and it was a bit strange to see them flocking around other athletes. I brought my iPod and zoned out for a bit before putting on my wetsuit.

--- Swim ---

Gear:

blueseventy Helix

Extra neoprene cap

Clear lens goggles 

Notes: 
The water temp was 17C (I think), so it wasn't overly cold. The only time I was a little chilly was waiting in the water before the start. We had 10 minutes from the time they open the ferry until the start. I should have swam around a bit more to keep warm, but it wasn't a big deal. When you step off the ferry, put one hand over your face to hold on to your goggles! Swim away from the ferry quickly so someone doesn't land on you.

I thought the sighting was difficult, so I just followed everyone else. The coldest part of the swim is about where the blinking boat is floating, marking the left turn. This is where the river with the snowmelt reaches the fjord. My calf cramped up here, so I just slowed down a bit to relax and it went away. 

The swim exits right up to the shore just past the hotel and ferry dock. I had a hard time gauging the depth because of the plant life, but it wasn't overly rocky. After my terrible swim exit at my last race, I was extra cautious.

--- T1 ---

We had a space blanket and handwarmers ready, in case of cold weather/water, but they were unnecessary  I did not change out of my tri suit, but put more clothes over it. I also had a chair, which made it easier to put on my socks and knee warmers. Your support member can be in transition, so he/she should have a towel ready when your wetsuit comes off.

--- Bike ---

Gear:
Quintana Roo CD 0.1 with Ultegra Di2 and additional Dura Ace bullhorn shifters
11-27 rear cassette
Shimano C50 wheels
Continental Ultra Race tires
Aero helmet
Clear lens glasses
Cycling gloves
ChampSys tri kit
Short sleeve cycling jersey
Arm warmers, knee warmers, toe covers, socks
ChampSys winter cycling vest that I put on at 33km
Notes: I was very happy with the clothing choice - I was neither too cold nor too hot. This may have been because I was keeping my HR below 155 even on the climbs. As for the tri bike vs. road bike, I was able to fly past people riding road bikes on the flat/downhill sections. The CD 0.1 is pretty light, so it climbed better than other tri bikes. I also did all my hill training on this bike, so I was used to it.

Nutrition:
On the bike, I followed my nutrition plan almost perfectly. The gels were in a bottle topped off with water and in a horizontal mount between my aero bars. I used PowerBar Strawberry Banana gels. Since there is a non-caffeinated European version and a caffeinated US version, I mixed them 50/50. I carried water in a rear mount holder, but I really didn't drink that much because it was pretty chilly and I was dressed adequately. But I was staying hydrated.

I planned for 4 aid stops: Dyranut at 33km, Geilo at 90km, the right turn at 135km, and Imingfjell at 150km. Most of these were handups (like a normal race), with the exception of the first one.

This is what I consumed/wore for each of the five segments: 

1. 0-33 km. Climb up to Dyranut. 8 gels, plus some of my small (.5L) bottle of water. At Dyranut we chose the yellow Tourist building as an aid stop. Here I physically stopped for about 5 minutes and to swap my reflective vest for my winter cycling vest.

2. 33-90 km. Downhill to Geilo. 4 gels, 2 Coconut Cream Larabars, carried a big (.75L) bottle of water. One the pavement smooths out at 50km, this is a great chance to eat/drink. The Geilo point required a leapfrog aid station -- basically two handups a minute or two apart. 

3. 90-135. Three small climbs. 6 gels, small bottle of water, which ejected out of my bottle holder at some point. 

4. 135-150. Climb to Imingfjell. 2 gels in 1/2 full bottle plus another bottle of water. We had to do another leapfrog for this one. As I was climbing, my husband had stopped to spectate and took the opportunity to put the Larabar for the next segment in my pocket. A race official was stating our places once we hit the timing mat before the dam.

5. 150-180. Downhill to T2. 1 Larabar and a big bottle of water. This was the only part where I didn't follow my nutrition protocol. After getting up to Imingfjell, the wind and fog were so bad that I wouldn't even take my hands off the handlebars to get my last bottle of water. The section along the lake is probably your last opportunity to really eat or drink. The race manual said to keep your hands on the handlebars for this last portion, and they were not lying. This section was extremely treacherous due to the fog, switchbacks, and road construction. In the last 15km, the road looks like it is good quality, but there are several depressions in the road that can surprise you. I was on the aerobars about 50% of the time. 

Notes:

Because everyone's support crew is wearing the same white t-shirt, it can be hard to spot your helper. We found the best method was to park the car and then Eric would walk down the route about 50m, so the car became an "indicator." Once I saw the car, I knew my husband would be standing close by.

In addition to our scheduled aid stops, my husband would also stop more frequently to spectate, so he could check how I was doing. At one point, around 70km, I had just passed him when I dropped my chain. It got severely stuck between the brake and the inner chain ring and Eric quickly noticed that I was off the bike and after I yelled "chain," came running over with the bike tool kit. It took the two of us with two screwdrivers to pry the chain out, but I was only stopped about 10 minutes. Thank goodness this happened when he was around -- I would have been in big trouble otherwise. 

I had a spare set of wheels as well as a robust toolkit, to include an extra chain. I also had about 4 extra tubes between the flat kit on my bike and the car.

For me, it was good to minimize the number of actual stops. I think that if I had stopped after I was getting cold and tired, it would be hard to get going again. 

--- T2 ---

Due to the parking congestion near T2, I got there about a minute before Eric did. I took that time to eat and drink what I should have in the final section of the bike. I removed all of my extra clothes (except the arm warmers) as well. Once Eric got there, I ate a gel, changed my socks and put on my shoes. The chair was helpful here, too.

--- Run ---

Overview: 
The first 25km of the run is essentially flat and runs along the lake. (There are not many places to stop in this section). Upon getting to the power station, the road turns left onto Zombie Hill, which is about 7km at a 10% grade. There are six segments of switchbacks here. The checkpoint for a black or white t-shirt is at 32.5km and those going up the mountain continue on to the mountain entrance at 37.5km. Here, your partner joins you with the packs and you hike the 4.7km to the top of the mountain.

Gear:
ChampSys tri kit
Arm warmers (started with them, took them off at 1km, put them back on halfway up Zombie Hill)
Run hat
Fresh pair of socks
Asics Gel Trainer 17 shoes
Nathan Sports Vapor handheld bottle
Long sleeved cycling jersey at 32.5km
Gloves and beanie cap at 37.5km (mountain checkpoint)
Salomon 10+3 XT Wings vest backpack (with water in Camelbak bladder)

Nutrition:
We planned for a few aid stations, but added a stop at every switchback on Zombie Hill
1. 0-19 km. Flat along the lake to Miland. Carried the handheld Nathan Sports bottle with 4 Powerbar Hydros. I had not tried the Lemon flavor before and it was really puckery! It was beginning to get warm now and the sun was out, so I was getting thirsty for water.  

2. 19-25km. Ate a gel at Miland, plus took a 750mL water bottle and some Dextro tabs. Dropped off my handheld bottle.

3. 25-32.5km. Zombie Hill to cutoff. I picked up my handheld, now filled with Coke. At every switchback, Eric met me with two cups of water and to check if I needed any additional items. The temperature swing in this section was significant -- it dropped about 5 degrees Celsius (10 Fahrenheit) from the bottom to the top.

4. 32.5-37.5km. I kept my handheld, put on my long sleeve jersey, and turned my hat around due to the high winds. Since I now knew that we would have to walk down the mountain as well, I just walked this section.

5. 37.5km to the top. Eric had the packs checked off before I got there, so after a quick sanity check by the race officials, we headed up the mountain. Along the way I drank water and ate some of the various snacks I had packed: a Mr. Tom's bar (mostly peanuts with a sugar coating), plus about 200 calories of black licorice and gummy bears. Several people passed me on the way up. I am not a very agile person on a good day. At the beginning of the climb, we could not see the antenna. 

6. Back down. After enjoying tomato soup, a waffle, and some cocoa at the top, I refilled my water and put on my ChampSys winter cycling jacket and wind jacket, plus long pants. By halfway down, we needed our headlamps to find the way. At this point, I was also getting behind on calories and really starting to get cranky. I had a few dextro and perked up within minutes. I'm not sure what the temperature actually was, but I could see my breath by the time we got back to the car. 

Notes: 
Because of the additional requirement for the racers to walk back down, the race organizers wanted the support person to carry extra food, water, and clothing. Instead of his small Salomon pack, Eric used the much larger blueseventy transition bag. So having an empty large pack would be helpful if necessary, plus it would facilitate getting all the gear out of T2 quickly. 

While my running shoes were comfortable for the first 37.5km, I wish I could have changed into shoes more appropriate for hiking. This wasn't so much for the way up as the way down. The Asics just felt too clunky to be nimble.

It is chilly even at the base of the mountain. While I had plenty of cold weather race clothes, I was a little short on warm casual clothes. (For reference, it was 10C at the finishers' ceremony the next day.)

--- Post race ---

We stayed at Kvitaavatn Fjellhytter, which are cottages very close to the white t-shirt finish line. We didn't get to our room until almost midnight. This is one time when having another crew member would have been useful, since that person could check us in and download the vehicle. Late check in was not an issue...the resort was very helpful!

There are a few grocery stores in Rjukan that are open on Sunday. However, you can't buy alcohol there on Sundays. 

We didn't eat at the race evening buffet, but we did go to the one after the finishers' ceremony. It was outstanding!

--- Other notes ---

Norway is a very expensive place. A beer at the hotel bar cost $10. Eating out can get very pricey.

When you drive the course, stop occasionally to really look at the road quality. There are some sections that are extremely rough, while others are smooth. 

At the race brief, the organizers used place names instead of kilometer marks to reference important areas. For example, "the construction zone at Blahblahblah has lots of loose gravel." Since I wasn't familiar with most of these places, it would have helped to write them down and associate them with a distance, like "at 115km."

This race was an amazing experience. It was a great chance to meet people from all over the world, see some spectacular scenery, and challenge myself in ways I never thought possible.

Of course, I cannot forget I would not have been successful without my coach, Rich Laidlow, and all the support from the Timex Multisport Team and our sponsors, Quintana Roo, Shimano, blueseventy, Nathans Sports, Powerbar, and Champion System clothing. 

My amazing husband, Eric, was an excellent support crew, cheerleader, photographer, sherpa, trail guide, rally driver, and bike mechanic. And that is after months of supporting my training, gear buying, and bizarre healthy eating habits! Unlike other races, I felt like he was part of the race, instead of just watching. For me, that was incredibly meaningful. So it wasn't just me getting the black t-shirt...it was us.

If you have questions about the race or want additional information, please e-mail me at annparthemore@hotmail.com