Springtime is here and my crazy idea for this summer

Two days ago, I returned from my three-week, multipurpose trip to the US. (I usually make it back about one a year since we moved to Germany three years ago.) It was a great chance to re-charge my batteries, soak in some sun, and put myself in a new mindset. Plus, I got to spend lots of time with these awesome people: the Timex Multisport Team!

One of the usual questions people ask is "so what races are you doing this year?" But due to my injury and the unknown of where we would be moving, I did not have an answer. The need to sign up for Ironmans a year ahead of time does not jive with the Army's policy of not telling you where in the world you are moving until about three months out. 

But, I knew that I had to come up with some kind of goal or event to work towards. I had to be able to do this on my own terms so I could remain flexible. I was inspired by an event that my husband's unit would be doing this summer - driving their vehicles from Germany to Estonia as part of a training exercise and public relations tour. 

So I thought it would be cool for me to independently ride my bike and wind up in the same place in the same timeframe. It works out to about 1900 kilometers or 1200 miles in two weeks.

(Not my exact route, but it gives you the idea)

I am going to do this self-supported, but I intend to stay in hotels. I have never done any kind of bicycle touring before, so this is going to be a major adventure. On the plus side, a major portion of the route is through a country where I speak the language (Poland), and this route will be mostly flat. 

I will take lots of photos, post my progress on Strava, and keep people updated. I am not sure of the vehicle for doing this, but I will pass it along. My tentative start date is June 1st. 

So stay tuned...

My 2015 wrap up: Limp to the finish

Now that my less-than-stellar 2015 season is over, I suppose I could post a recap of the things I remember, or would possibly like to forget.

March - IM South Africa

  This was my main training goal throughout the winter and I went in feeling very prepared. I was travelling by myself (a novelty!), but I remember smiling on the starting line and thinking “I feel ready.” That is a good way to start the race. Most of the race did actually go pretty well. My only two low points of the day were 1) seeing the time for my bike split, and 2) checking my age-group placing after shuffling the mile back to my hotel room. I made qualifying for Kona my only objective, and fell short. Again. Well, it was a top-10 finish at a Championship event.

You know you would rather see cheetahs than race photos....

April - The London Marathon Expo

  Since I was recovering and my husband was gone on a month-long training exercise, April was jam-packed with extra work and helping out for four days in the Timex booth at the London Marathon. I had a great time selling watches and talking to people in English. It was very interesting to watch the race and see the thousands of people running in costume or trying to set a world record for fastest marathon dribbling two basketballs. (What does that guy do at the aid stations?)

June - The Bundesliga does not have a masters division

  After doing so much long-distance training, it was now time for a sprint triathlon, competing for my tri club. The German club triathlon union has different leagues, with the Bundesliga being the highest level - thus meaning that the best clubs in Germany were racing. I was not the only foreigner, as one of the other teams had hired short course star Andrea Hewitt from New Zealand. This race was also the national juniors championship. When I checked the results list, I was the only racer born in the 70’s. In all, it was a cool, but humbling, experience.

Eh...close enough

The next week in June - Injury strikes

  For some reason, I lost feeling in my left foot. As I write this (at the end of September), I still do not have an answer why. The military health care system here in Germany is a HUGE source of my frustration.

July - Roth Marathon

  I remember standing in line to register last year and being so excited for this race. We held a contest to find a swimmer. I had grand plans for a new marathon PR. But with my mystery injury, I was absolutely dreading it. Plus, I flew back to the US for my grandfather’s memorial service and returned to Germany the Friday before a Sunday race. I remember seeing the 2km sign and thinking “well, 2 of 42 down.” I toughed my way through it, but it was pure torture. I am still not sure if I am proud of myself (you are a tough cookie!) or mad at myself (you are an idiot for doing this!).

August - Red Bull 400

  I also did an Olympic distance race in Frankfurt, where my major accomplishment was running 10km without stopping, although slowly. The next week I competed in the Red Bull 400 in Bischofshofen, Austria. It was only 400m...but up a ski jump. The atmosphere was fun and the race was pretty cool. The hardest part for me was getting my footing: the hill was covered with nylon bristles and there was a cargo net over that. Slipping and then stabilizing myself took a lot of energy out of my legs. The next day we went to cheer on the bike course for the 70.3 World Championships.

Our spectating spot. The sign says "14%" uphill.

September - My Sherpa debut

  Timex teammate Tim Stutzer raced IM Wales, so I went along to help drive and carry things. (The drive from Frankfurt to Tenby was about 14 hours, including the Chunnel.) It was a strange feeling to be in the race environment, but not racing myself. After we drove the bike course, I was very glad I was not racing, since it looked tough! We lucked into good weather for race day, and I had a great time biking out to parts of the course, talking to people, and ringing my cowbell. Tim got second in his AG and the coveted Kona slot, so I was happy about that. It is also great to be able to walk around the day after instead of hobbling/shuffling.

Apparently, this guy is a police officer for his day job.

What’s next?

  That’s a good question. Lots of factors play into that:

1. WTF is this injury and how can I fix it?
2. When are we moving and where are we going? The need to sign up for some IM races a year ahead of time does not mesh with the Army’s assignment policy. We might know more in December, but that is still a question mark.
3. Do I have the effort in me to do an IM next summer, assuming I can enter one? I am still trying to figure this out.

So, I have exactly zero races on my calendar, for the first time in a great while. Priority #1 is fixing myself, then I’ll see what the situation looks like. Until then, I will have to live vicariously through all of my awesome Timex Multisport teammates. Good thing they are tearing it up!

All ready to watch Kona!

Here is my setup:

Livestream video on my "smart" TV. We'll see how long this lasts.

Ironman blog, IronFan page, and leaderboards all have their own tabs on my laptop.

Also following the Slowtwich Race Thread.

Perhaps I should mention that the coverage starts at 6pm my time...so I am going to be up all night. Totally worth it!

IM Frankfurt Race Report

I was dragging my feet to write my race report for IM Frankfurt. I didn't particularly want to re-live the experience, but since I do want to write about my next two races, I forced myself to write this one.

So, here is the full report from the Team Timex blog.

In addition, here are some tips if you are actually doing the race:

1. Think carefully about the logistics of getting yourself and your supporters to the starting line on race morning. I elected to take the bus solo and my husband and friend rode down to the lake, where I saw them as I headed to the swim start. Even though I got on the bus with plenty to time, we got stuck in some bad traffic on the way to the lake and it seemed to take forever. Plus, I was sitting in the back, right by the engine, so all of us were getting very hot and sweaty. Then I was too rushed in transition. There were pumps available, but the lines for them were long and I wasn't familiar with how the valve worked. If I had to do it again, I would have left even earlier and brought my own pump.

2. Pack the stuff you want for the athlete's garden in your white pre-race bag and turn it in. They will deliver it to you within 5 minutes of finishing. It was so awesome to be able to put on my flip flops immediately. There is a shower trailer in the athlete's garden, so pack accordingly. I put some travel size toiletries and a small towel and comb in my post-race bag and that was a great idea.

3. Make sure that your rear bottles are super secure. A lot of people assume that they will have problems when they get to the cobbles in "The Hell." Since there is a bottle station right after that, it seems like it shouldn't be a big deal. However, I saw more people lose bottles in the pothole section in Frankfurt (about the 16km mark) than I did on The Hell. So before the race, find the roughest road you can and check that your bottles stay in place. This is also great practice for the cobbles....

4. Double bagging transition bags. Since it was supposed to rain after we had turned in our bags, I made sure to put all my things inside a trash bag, tie it closed, then put that in the T1 and T2 bags. This would up being a great idea even if it hadn't rained. In the change tent, I could pull out the trash bag and immediately the other bag would be free to hold the stuff I was taking off. I think I'm going to do that for all future races with bags for transition.

5. The bike course has permanent direction signs, so it is easy to pre-ride the course. However, there is usually a lot of traffic as well as stop signs and intersections. I would suggest riding it on a Sunday morning if possible. Don't even bother with the sections within the Frankfurt city limits - you'll probably be forced onto the sidewalk.

6. When you heading into T2, there is only about 200m left after you make the right hand turn to leave the loops. So if you're taking off your shoes, do that before you turn. The guy in front of me waited until right before the dismount line, so I had to avoid him swerving around.

7. If you are looking for a Kona slot and you are a woman...pick another race. They advertise 100 slots for this race, but since they are based on the demographics of the starters, there were only 13 slots for the entire women's field. My AG had 2 initially, but we got a third when one of the older age groups didn't take it.

I am trying to think about something to say about the run...the one major thing is that you can run on the course without issue all year long. In my pre-runs, I thought that some of the sections would get lonely, but that did not happen on race day. Also, most of the crowd was cheering for everyone and just their racer, so there was plenty of motivation.

Overall, I thought the race was very enjoyable and well organized. The crowd support was unbelievable and made the bike course so much fun. All in all, an amazing experience that is hard to replicate! Hopefully in time, I will remember all the good parts and not how worn out I was at the end.

Lots of racing...but not race report writing

Ironman Frankfurt was 2.5 weeks ago...the Challenge Roth relay was last weekend...and I am racing a half IM in Poznan this weekend. So I've got plenty to write about, but nothing on the page.

There are a few reasons (or excuses!) for this:

1. IM Frankfurt wiped me out and I spent the following week in a daze and shuffling around like a senior citizen. Part of this was the heat and humidity of race day. But a bigger part was probably my disappointment in not qualifying for Kona. I knew that it would be tough, but I felt that if I gave my best performance it was possible. I dedicated myself to this for months and pushed myself to the limit on race day...and came up short. Instead of looking at all the positive things, I was focusing on the one negative that was completely out of my control. I was not too eager to re-live the whole ordeal by writing a race report.

2. I now have a part-time job as an instructor on base. I have been doing a lot of prep work for this and I teach my first class next week. I am looking forward to it, but it is taking up a lot of my time. Once I find my rhythm, that will be a huge help.

3. I am still tired. I pride myself on my ability to get stuff done and have the discipline to do all my workouts that my coach gives me. Maybe it was because I was in the Army, but I have lost the ability to physically assess if I am tired. But I have finally figured out that my mood/mental state is my best indicator of fatigue: if I am cranky or sad or easily frustrated for no good reason, I need to rest.

So now that my late-season race calendar is empty, I think I have decided on doing the Munich Marathon. I also signed up for the relay again for Challenge Roth 2015, as well as Ironman South Africa in March 2015. I have not completely lost my motivation (that's a good sign!) but I recognize that I need to step back and regroup. I have learned a lot about myself over the past few weeks and I know that will help me as I move forward.

Ironcat race video

I have no idea what they are saying, but this is pretty cool...
http://www.ufec.tv/index.php?id_arxiu=1981&tipus=1&buscar_texto&npagina&federacions

Ironcat Race Report

This past weekend was my first race of the season: the iron-distance Ironcat triathlon in L'Ampolla, Spain (about an hour south of Barcelona.) This is a small race put on by the local club; there were only about 250 participants.

I will write more about my own personal experience over on the Team Timex blog, but I figured that I would include basic facts about the race here, since there is not a lot of English-language information about this race.

Location:

L'ampolla is a small-ish town on the Mediterranean at the south end of Catalonia. We chose to drive from Germany, but I talked to several other people from the UK and Germany that flew into Barcelona. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants in town, as well as grocery stores. It was a little bit touristy -- enough that there were menus, etc. in English, but not so much that everything was overpriced and annoying.

Weather:

It was about 24C on race day and the winds weren't too strong. One of the organizers told me that in previous years, it has been very windy. For the first half of the bike, there was almost no wind, but it increased slightly in the second half. However, this meant there was a tail wind for the last half of my final lap, so that was great. On the run, the only time I noticed the winds were very occasional cooling gusts that were very pleasant.

Organization:

The course map on the race website (www.ironcat.org) is very detailed and is in Catalan, Spanish, and English. All of the e-mails I received from the organizers were also tri-lingual. This was the 11th edition of the race, so they have this down to a science.

The race briefing, however, was entirely in Catalan and there didn't seem to be any instructions for English speakers. I had looked at the presentation before attending, so I was able to follow along and note where they seem to suggest special attention. After the brief, I came forward to ask my questions individually and they found someone to explain the answers. With that, I was clear on how the race would go.

Pre-race:

Transition opened at 6 am, 1 hour before the start. They verified our numbers and helmet and we went to our racks. The numbers appeared to be sequential, but my number was missing. I then realized that the women were consolidated in a different rack (our race numbers were randomly in with the whole group, so they were not sequential.) In transition we laid our stuff out by our bikes and didn't use gear bags like other long-distance races.

Swim:

The swim is three laps counter-clockwise around a rectangle, before you peel off and swim into the marina. The start is on the beach, and you only need about one or two steps before the water is deep enough to swim in. However, it is still pretty shallow at that point, so I was careful not to dive too deeply.

There are not a lot of natural sighting landmarks to use, but I didn't have problems seeing the buoys (big yellow spheres). The water is pretty clear, so it was easy to see other swimmers.

The exit of the swim is up the boat ramp in the marina. They had put down rubber matting to facilitate getting out of the water. There were also some fresh water showers a few steps away. The run to T1 is only about 100m.

Transition:

With such a small field, the transition zone is pretty small. For both T1 and T2, we entered one end and exited at the other.

Bike:

The bike course is 6 laps of an out and back. When you start and finish, it goes a bit farther to the transition area, but the usual turnaround is the roundabout in front of the Flamingo Hotel. The turnaround at the far end is just before the village of Camarles. There was a tent set up, so it was easy to see from a distance and the actual turn point was marked by cones.

I drove the course ahead of time and found it difficult to figure out exactly where to go, but once I rode it on my bike, it was much easier. However, there are no paint markings that I could see. On race day, there are plenty of arrow signs, as well as volunteers and police at the intersections.

Generally, the course is very flat and the road surface is good. I noticed a lot of little bugs hitting me on the section out to Camarles, so make sure you breathe through your nose! I was only out of the aero position a handful of times: the Hotel Flamingo roundabout, and the 90 degree turn to go out to Camarles. Be ready to spend a lot of time on your aerobars.

Here is where things were a little different then a usual IM race: At the race brief, I asked what they meant by "individual" and "organization" aid stations. The guy explained that you could get outside assistance (unlike WTC races). Since the water was only provided in 33cl screw top bottles that wouldn't fit in water bottle cages, I pressed my husband into service and had him give me a new 750ml bike bottle at the Hotel Flamingo roundabout. I would toss him my used bottle and he would give me a new one. This worked very well, and I was very thankful that I happened to put an extra bottle in the car before we left. The volunteers at the aid stations had unscrewed the water bottles and the water was cold, so that was a nice treat on the last few laps. If you just want to refill an aerobottle, you'll be fine with the on course water.

T2:

I was not completely sure of what to do when I came back to the transition zone, but the race officials had things roped off well and someone pointed to the entrance area. I knew I was following then same flow as T1, and someone else showed me where the run section started and also handed me a water. The transition area has an aid station, portajohns, and a sunscreen table. You'll pass through this area once per run lap.

Run:

The run is also 6 laps of an out and back. One end is along the coast, heading south. The other end is the far end of the pier. After leaving the transition aid station, the next one is at the south turnaround at 3.5km. The course is slightly rolling as you go through town and at 3km, you'll head onto a dirt road that ends at the aid station. This is also slightly uphill heading out, and this is where you'll receive your band for each lap. In this case, you got a black band every lap until the sixth and final lap, when you got a white band.

So the run course broke down to:
Head out of transition >>> aid station and turnaround @ 3.5km >>> back through transition @ 5.5km >>> turn around at end of the pier @ 6.25km >>> back to transition @ 7km. Repeat 6 times.

The course alternates between the road, the boardwalk, and the sidewalk. It is well marked with cones/tape/arrows and there are lots of spectators cheering. In some places, there are dips in the sidewalk, so be sure to pick up your feet. Also, there are various bollards you need to avoid in the area by the pier.

On the final lap, they will direct you to the finishing chute. I saw lots of people finishing with their family members.

Post race:

There was plenty of room to relax, plus there were massages and a station with various drinks, sandwiches, and paella. This area is immediately adjacent to transition, so it was no problem to go pack up all my stuff. After the awards ceremony, we enjoyed a pizza dinner before heading to our rental house.

Spectating:

This is a huge advantage of this race: many people may find the lap format boring (I don't), but it gives your family plenty of opportunities to see you. There is a raised area near the swim where you can easily watch the whole course and the exit. For the bike, spectators can hang out at the beach while you are out of town. And there are a couple restaurants on the run course. My husband enjoyed a leisurely meal, and would walk a few feet to cheer when I came by. There is also a playground right in the middle of town.

Overall:

I thought this was a very well run race and I really enjoyed the laid back, party atmosphere. Another bonus is that all of the food we ate while in L'Ampolla was so delicious. There were a few times when I wasn't completely sure of what was going on, but it didn't bother me. I would recommend that future racers really study the information provided and learn some key words in Spanish to make race day a bit less stressful.

Timex Multisport Team Camp 2014

Being part of the Timex team last year was such an amazing experience. I spend a lot of my time training alone, so it was so wonderful and uplifting to have a group of friends that I could turn to for advice and support. At last year's camp, I got a taste of this, but after having a whole season to experience and appreciate it, I was really excited for camp and to get to see people again.

People ask me exactly what we do at this camp -- while there is some training, the main purpose is to learn all about the products that our sponsors offer. We had several new sponsors this year, so there is a lot of information to take in! But in addition to the classes, this camp is a great chance to get to spend time with my teammates and learn about their successes and challenges.

Living in a foreign country, it is very easy for me to feel a bit isolated. The Timex Team is like a family to me, and my main goal for this weekend was to soak up as much motivation and love as I could, so I would have something to remember when the going inevitably gets tough. Between all the pictures, hilarious stories, and happy memories of the fabulous weather, I think I accomplished the mission!

IronCat, here I come!

I am a super-planner, so I like that you have to sign up for Ironman races a year ahead of time. When planning my race season, I had my eye on the IronCat, a full distance race put on by the Catalan Triathlon Club that is just south of Barcelona. But given that we are going to be moving again in a few months, I was biding my time on signing up in the event that our schedule wouldn't accommodate it. Surely it wouldn't sell out...right?

Well, it did. But the city council recently moved to add more participants, so I am on the list. Hooray!

Less than 60 days to go...check it out at http://www.ironcat.org/

A couple more Norseman training notes

Here are some items I didn't mention in my Norsemanifesto, but they've been floating in my head for a little while.

1. Training for Gaustatoppen. I didn't do any hiking in preparation for the race, but it turns out it wouldn't have mattered. The route up the mountain only resembles a dirt trail for a small portion at the beginning. After that, it is stepping your way up rocks.

I normally lack the coordination to do this efficiently, so you can imagine my difficulties at the end of an Ironman. 

This is where the Stepmill comes in. (I am talking about the machine that you climb up physical stairs that go around a belt, not a Stairmaster.) By using the Stepmill at the end of your long runs, it would be excellent preparation for Gaustatoppen. The Stepmill will be more challenging than a Stairmaster (you can cheat on that one!) or actual stairs and will test your agility on tired legs. 

2. Support crew vs. mountain partner. Given the stress of the whole day, it is very important to have a person who is completely synched with your plan for eating, drinking, and dressing, as well as keeping an eye on your attitude and well being. However, it is possible that this person might not be the best choice for a partner to go up the mountain, depending on your abilities. This is when it would be beneficial to have more than one support person. If I remember correctly, the one white support shirt you get only limits how many people are in transition, and you can take a completely different person up the mountain, or multiple people. So maybe your spouse is going to be the best choice for your "caretaker," but he/she won't be able to keep up on the mountain. Another person would definitely be an asset in this case.

Super fast lunch tip! (and other ramblings)

A few basic items of background information:

1. I like to cook...usually.

2. I like eating fresh veggies and I feel a lot better when I eat them. A salad is my go-to lunch.

3. I don't mind peeling/chopping/slicing/prepping fruits and vegetables. I find it very relaxing and kind of meditative.

But after a workout, standing in the kitchen to chop vegetables and cook a meal is the absolute last thing that I want to do. My main goal is getting food in my face and my butt on the couch. I should note that this is also how I felt when I got home from work back in the days of my 6am to 6pm job. As I learned then, the key is forethought and preparation.

So on Mondays, I go to the grocery store and buy all my salad ingredients: some kind of leaf base, precooked beets, sauerkraut, cucumbers, carrots, other things that look fresh/tasty, plus some feta and smoked salmon.

When I get home, I wash the leaves and then repack them in a big ziplock bag. I let them air dry for a while so they don't get all nasty over the week.

Then it is chopping time: I have 5 big jars set out and proceed to fill them with the toppings for each day's salad. (If you are using beets, put them in first!) All the veggies, minus the base leaves, go in here, and into the fridge. It takes me less than 30 minutes to do all of this, but that time probably depends on which vegetables you choose.

So, when it is time for lunch, I throw down a handful of leaves, pour out the jar, then top with some smoked salmon and chopped feta. Sometimes I'll add some sunflower seeds or raisins on top. Then olive oil, balsamic, and salt/pepper and I am ready to eat! Super fast!

Interestingly, I have this memory from my childhood of my mother standing at the kitchen counter and chopping the ingredients for her lunchtime salad. So your parents do have a huge influence on your eating habits!

Another eating related item: I found Matt Fitzgerald's interview on the Endurance Planet podcast very refreshing. Instead of "you should eat x because of y, but not a because of b," he was much more realistic about food choices and identifying what works for each person. I'm going to have to listen again...

Reliving the race...also, good German practice!

Here is the video that SkinFit put together about Lydia Waldmueller, who finished 2nd in Norseman this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFdOBPBKHQE&feature=youtu.be

Even if you don't speak German, I think this is the best coverage of the "experience" of the racers and support teams. The guy who is her support crew did the race last year, so I bet that was a factor in planning the video coverage.

Now, keep in mind that she was at the front end of the race -- it is much more crowded when you are in the middle of the pack!

Notes from watching the Kona coverage

A few quick things I found enlightening:

1. I was expecting the pros to do super high-speed bike mounts. Instead, I noticed that the leaders (the ones they showed anyways) were very deliberate when getting on their bike. Yes, shoes were in the pedals and most of them used the rubber bands, but there was no "flying" involved. So I guess I can stop thinking that my mount is soooooo slooooooow. One thing I did learn is that I should probably make getting up to full speed the first priority, then slipping on my shoes. In past races, I'll only get up to half speed before putting them on. And then I get discouraged that a bunch of people pass me.

2. My race photos (especially on the run) are always terrible. Since there are always great photos of the pros running, I assume that somehow bad photos mean that I'm a bad runner. (When I actually write that down, it seems ridiculous!) Since the FinisherPix are linked to the results, now I can see the race photos of people that I know are fast -- and they are pretty bad pictures, too!

On a related note -- my singlehanded worst race photo ever was taken at Las Vegas. If you want some comic relief, check out the photos here, especially the second one at the swim exit. I thought that was a picture of a man but realized that the stripes on the swim skin were pink. Blech.

I am currently getting back into training and working on finalizing my goals and races for next year.

German Cycling Capstone Exercise

Now that race season is over, I'm happy to be riding my trusty Merida road bike out on the open roads again. It is so nice to have my hands on the brakes at all times, plus I feel very well balanced. So I'm been out exploring some of the bike routes along the river.

Yesterday, as I'm 30 minutes into my ride, I shift to my small chainring to anticipate the approaching intersection. I immediately hear the terrible sound of something hitting my spokes, so I quickly stop. It turns out that my chain had dropped in between the cassette and the spokes. To make matters worse, the wheel was now out of alignment and therefore could not spin. The good news was that I wasn't on the side of a road somewhere, I was close enough to civilization that I could get a cab if I needed, and the weather was fine. I eventually loosed up the brake cable to make the caliper wide enough for the wobbly wheel to spin and I slowly rode home, being extremely careful with the rear brake. I got home with no problems and finished my required time on my trainer and tri bike.

Ironically, as I am riding down the street to get home, I was passed by a German Red Cross vehicle. The road isn't very wide due to parked cars, so I was kind of miffed that they were really close and going a bit fast. But then, the car slams on the brakes and as I am going on the right to avoid it, the passenger opens the door only a few feet in front of me. I bailed onto the sidewalk, said the only German swear word I know, and made it the last 400m home.

I decided I would quickly clean off the bike before I was going to determine if I could fix the problem at home. It became evident that there is the possibility the derailleur hanger might be bent. Checking that requires a tool that I don't have, so I'd need to go to a bike shop.

Normally, I take my bike to Rad Sport Smit in Gustavsberg, but that is a long drive. I chose to go to the 4 Riders shop in the neighboring town. I had already checked them out, and they seemed like a quality shop. I loaded my bike in the car, expecting that I would have to leave it there.

I was able to explain to the mechanic my problem in German. He immediately took a look, adjusted the limit screws and then tightened the spokes until the wheel was back in alignment. (The hanger wasn't bent after all.) The whole process took about 5 minutes. And it only cost 10 EUR! This was a win-win-win situation!!

So proud of myself for being prepared, keeping my wits about me, and dealing with the entire situation quickly and without getting discouraged.

And for future reference, the phrase "my wheel is untrue" is "das rad hat einen Achter." Why isn't that in my phrasebook?

Don't Be That Triathlete

I found this video from Competitor Magazine hilarious. Lesley Patterson did a great job of spoofing some of the more bizarre practices people engage in.

The pie on the bike reminded me of a gal a few spots away from me at the Redman Half a few years ago. As we are racking our bikes the night before, I glanced at her bento box -- it was chock full of various baked goods in ziploc baggies. It looked like a very small version of the offerings at a bake sale set up outside a Walmart. I think I said something about her selection and she replied, "yeah, I like variety."

At races, I'll always take note of the people who put their wetsuit on really, really early. (I understand it takes a while -- I allow at least 15 minutes!) I'm talking about an hour before the race starts. But at Norseman, I saw a guy with his wetsuit on (fully pulled up, too) around 3 am. The race started at 5 am.

I think a great idea for triathlon spectators would be to have a photo scavenger hunt. Everyone gets the same list for things like "craziest hat," "most epic beard, "brightest jersey," or "most kiniseotape." Compare and discuss later.

There was one thing that would have really put this video over the top: When she was at the office, she should have been wearing calf compression sleeves, shorts, and sandals/Crocs. However, that probably would have hit too close to home for many people.

Vegas Notes

Since the World Championship is moving to Mt. Tremblant, I probably won't be doing this course again. But there were important things that I did and learned, so I'll write them for my own historical record:

1. Drafting on the swim. I was concerned about still being tired during the swim, so I actively worked to always find someone's feet. I normally just swim my own race and probably waste a lot of energy. The lake is really muddy, so I did have to do a lot of heads-up sighting to make sure I was still behind someone. This might have slowed me down a bit, but I didn't feel drained after getting out of the water, so that is a plus.

2. The foot rinse. In the run to T1, part of the lane was through a grassy area that the rain and 1700 previous competitors had turned into a mud pit. After that, we were routed through a sand volleyball court. As a result, my feet were covered in wet sand. There were volunteers handing out water right at the beginning of the carpet and I grabbed one with each hand and poured them on my feet. That was an outstanding decision.

3. Change to water plan. Since the temps were not hot on the first 2/3ds of the bike, I only grabbed water at half of them. I was still getting fluids from my gel bottle (8 gels + water in a 12oz bottle). Once the sun came out at the end and I had finished my gels, I made sure to drink a bit more after the last aid station.

4. Run fueling plan. They added an extra aid station this year, but my basic plan was to take water and coke at every aid station except the one halfway up the hill -- I carried two PowerGels to eat on the first two laps. I also would dump ice down my shorts or top. My run was 10 minutes faster this year, so I was pretty pleased with that.

5. Post-race air travel. I flew through Atlanta on the Tuesday after the race on Sunday. Despite wearing compression nylons, I had a terrible cramp in my quad that popped up about 2 hours into the flight. For future post-race travel, I need to get an aisle seat so I can get up and move around more easily.

6. Heat prep. I had been going to the sauna at least once a week, taking colostrum, and doing workouts in extra clothing and I think that all of these things helped. I don't really remember feeling like I was overheating like the previous year.

I was still feeling a bit fatigued on the climbs, but I was happy with the level of effort I put in on race day. It was so great to see my Timex teammates before the race and then out on the course!

So now that my race season is done, it is time to step back, reflect, and plan out next season...

Ironman: the aftermath

So it has now been a little over three weeks since I finished Norseman. I have just under two weeks until my last race of the season, Las Vegas.

I have now come up with a "should-have" for my full distance training: I should have done more research about the post-race. I am normally a super planner and researcher, but maybe it was because I didn't want to jinx myself or take my eye off the ball so I didn't really know much about how I was going to feel after the race was over. This was (and still is!) uncharted territory for me.

I understood the importance of feeding myself nutritious food and getting plenty of sleep. With the exception of a bit of stiffness the following day, I was never in any pain. I wasn't physically exhausted. I don't think I was mentally exhausted. I felt like I was back to normal within a few days.

After about 5 days of rest, I was back to following my training, which was now mostly swims and easy recovery bike rides. Sounds pretty non-threatening...

Here is what blew my mind: despite feeling fine and my heart rate variability and resting pulse rate suggesting I was fine, within minutes of starting my workout I found I had no juice. The best analogy is to compare myself to an old cell phone. You charge it up, the display says full bars, and after pressing a few buttons, you have no battery power left. For me, this was very frustrating. I would look at my run pace or my bike speed and think, "well, this is pretty humbling." Even worse was going to our club swims -- the people I usually swim faster than were dropping me.

I guess this is going to take a while. I'm already seeing improvement in my "rebound," so that gives me hope that I will only get better and I shouldn't get discouraged. For my next Ironman, I need to be smart about scheduling races afterwards as well as planning better for the recovery stage.

Time will tell....

Triathlon 101: The final class -- transitions, nutrition, and everything else that didn't fit

--- Before the race ---

Your race might require registration/packet pick up before the race day. Be sure to look at the schedule, especially if you need to travel to a race.

Bring your photo ID and license to registration. You can buy a day license at the event, or a USAT license is also valid. (The German Tri Union rules specifically state that foreign racers can use their home country licenses, but I've had no issue at my races in Spain and Norway.)

If you are doing a half or full Ironman, you may want to use the on-course nutrition. Check what they are offering and then test it out in training.

Tapering your training: If you are using a training plan, this will be included in the final few days (for a sprint) or weeks (for an Ironman). The goal of a taper is to let your body absorb your fitness, but this doesn't mean you'll be nothing. Your workouts will generally be race intensity, but shorter. This will keep you sharp for the race, but not wear you out. Use this extra non-training time to get more sleep, since you will probably not sleep much the night before the race. You'll want to minimize how much time you spend on your feet, especially if you are doing a long race.

--- Transitions ---

We have talked a little about these in the individual event sections, but there are important things to consider before the race.

You want to make sure you have practiced a few times at home. Set up your stuff and then run through your actions very deliberately. This will help you identify potential problems. You can do this separately from swim/bike/run training, but getting your heart rate up will better simulate race day.

Types of transition area (weschelzone) -- Generally, there are two different types: I call them the "flow thru" and the "bay." Many races utilize the "flow thru" to be more equitable -- you'll have to move the entire length of the transition zone, so no one is running any less than anyone else. The "bay" types have a single entrance/exit; if you are really close, it is fast, but if you are in the farthest corner, you'll have to run more. Some races might provide the layout of the transition area.

Some races have T1 and T2 in a different location. However, this is usually only for the bigger WTC races and you might have to hand in your run equipment the day before. If it is a split transition, it will be obvious from the course map. (Hint: if the bike starts and finishes in a different spot, it is a split transition. Races will almost always have the course maps on their website.)

Many races will do a bike/helmet safety check as you enter transition to set up. Have your bike helmet easily accessible, as well as your race number. US races will check that you have the appropriate safety stickers on the inside. The European stickers aren't valid for US races -- keep that in mind if buying a helmet in Europe.

Picking a spot -- At some (the larger/longer) races, these are assigned with numbers on the racks. If not, it is first come, first served. If you are looking to maximize speed, you want to pick a spot that will minimize the amount you will have to run with your bike. If speed isn't your concern, you might have more room to spread out if you are a little farther away.

Setting up your spot -- Before you rack your bike, make sure that it is in a good starting gear. Rack it using the nose of the saddle to hang it. (If you are checking it the night before, it is more secure to rack it by the brake levers and then turn it around pre-race.) Lay out your stuff in a logical manner.

Helpful tips --
Lay your helmet down with the clasp open and the front closest you you. This is not an inspection, so it is OK to have to open side up.

Roll your socks to make them easier to put on. It is quite difficult to pull a sock over a wet foot.

Baby powder in the insoles of your shoes will make them slide on more easily. Elastic laces are also a great idea!

Before starting the run, all you need to put on are your shoes. You can put on your hat, watch, etc. while on the run.

If you are going to clip your shoes into your pedals pre-race, please practice this.

It is important to figure out some way to mentally note where your spot is in transition. After you have prepped your stuff, go to the "swim in" entrance and walk to your spot. Count how many racks there are or look for other non-temporary landmarks, like trees, lightposts, signs, etc. Do not use movable things like, "I'm in the row with the hot pink bike." Do this for "bike in" as well. Make a quick sketch if you need to. You could use something like a balloon or flag, but some races don't allow those and it looks really silly. Take the 10 minutes to mentally rehearse how you will move through T1 and T2 and you'll be fine.

Look through the course map and become familiar with the gist of it before the race. Ideally, you'll want to do this far enough ahead of time to plan your training accordingly. Is there a giant hill? You'll want to train on the hills to be prepared.

--- Race day nutrition ---

Remember, nothing new on race day! Don't go on a crazy health kick the week before the race. Continue your normal eating habits.

Dinner the night prior -- Avoid eating too late and don't consume too much fiber. Rice, cooked greens, and lean meat is a good choice. Eat foods you normally eat, just add a little more carbohydrate. Make sure you are drinking water throughout the day and all some extra salt to your dinner if it will be a hot race.

Race morning breakfast -- Eat 3 hours prior to start time to give your stomach time to digest. You want about 300-500 calories, mostly carbohydrates that you know you don't have a problem with. I eat a sweet potato, a Larabar, and a pack of Buddy Fruits.

Race morning water -- Beginning 3 hours prior, you want to drink a total of 1.5L over the next two hours. At that point, switch over to a small sipper (about 20 oz) so you won't be having to pee the entire race. You will go to the bathroom many times on race morning due to nerves and being hydrated. Keep in mind that there can be significant lines for the porta-potties.
Pre-race gel -- I'll have a gel plus a bit of water somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes before the start.

Race nutrition - General Guidelines --
For sprint races, you won't need to worry about eating during the race. Hydration is still important, so ensure you are drinking out of your bottle on the bike and then at the aid stations on the run.

Olympic distance racers might need a gel towards the end of the bike if you are going to take a little longer to finish. Or use a sports drink in place of water on the bike.

For half and full Ironman races, you need to be taking in calories, and the bike is the best place to do this. You want to eat when your heart rate is lower so your body has the chance to process the calories. There are a couple calculators on the web to determine how much to eat, but the best idea is to experiment in practice. Start with 60g of carbohydrates/hour, then see how you handle that. If you can eat more, great. Personally, I will guesstimate how long I will be on the bike (making sure to allow extra time for climbing!) and then eat 1 Powerbar gel per 20 minutes. Race morning, I will dump them all into a water bottle and top it off with water. This bottle then goes between my aerobars and I sip when necessary. I'll get water at the course aid stations as well.

When going through a bike aid station, slow down and sit up. The volunteers will be holding bottles out, but remember that those bottles are stationary and you are moving -- be ready to absorb the impact with your arm. If the water bottles are open, they will probably squirt all over. And if the water bottles have been filled by the volunteers (and aren't already packaged bottles) you'll want to verify that the cap is closed completely. I've had this happen with the yellow PowerBar bottles at races, so make sure you check.

Practicing aid station hand ups before your first half/full would be a good idea. On race day, make sure you are also mindful of other racers and are prepared for people making sudden movements. The aid stations are also the only place to discard your trash.

Before an aid station, it will help to yell out what you want. (Sometimes there are signs and the race might have published what is where, but honestly, they all start to blur together.) Sportsdrink is iso in German.

Bike ride opportunities

I am amazed at how popular casual road cycling is in Germany. It seems like I will see at least one cyclist out on the roads every day. Drivers are very courteous to cyclists here. So now my only concern is my inability to communicate if something goes wrong. 

The local cycling clubs often put on weekend "bike tours," like the Giro Hattersheim. These usually have several distance choices, the course will be marked, and there are a few aid stations where you can get snacks and water. Minus the torrential downpour, the Giro Hattersheim was great!

Here is a searchable calendar of events: http://breitensport.rad-net.de/breitensportkalender/ (Make sure you double check the day of the week. My Google Translate was erroneously listing a lot of these rides as being on Thursday.)

If you are looking to do your own thing, the Hesse Bike Route planner is good stuff too: http://www.radroutenplaner.hessen.de/ 

Please take the information in the "bike routes" layer in Google (which is used by MapMyRide and Garmin, among others) with a grain of salt. I once wanted to take a "bicycle friendly road" that turned out to be a badly rutted and muddy two-track. It was almost impassible on my road bike, so there was no way my tri bike would make it. 

On that note, please remember that the bike paths in the fields are also used by tractors. Watch out for big dirt clumps and the occasional slow moving vehicle! 

I love riding my bike here. On a sunny day, when I'm riding past the vineyards and orchards, it is hard to believe I am so lucky!

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