First bike ride in Fuerteventura

I arrived Sunday to Fuerteventura. Travel days are never fun. But it went all right. In the afternoon we did a one hour swim with the main focus on technique and finished it off with a 30 minute jog around the golf course.

Monday I went out at 8am to check the island and especially the climbs. Had decided to go on the "Betancuria Kings Tour" as stated on the Playitas website. Didn't manage to follow it perfectly as I made some wrong turns on the way, but rode 130 km. and 2.000 meters of elevation. My Garmin GPS went dead on the battery, so no detailed route from this ride, but I am glad that I also had my Polar watch on, so I had some idea of my pulse, speed etc.
It is probably too early to make any real conclusions on how it is to ride on the island, but first impression is good. All though the wind felt strong and it supposedly categorized as a mild day... I don't think so!

Main 2010 Race: Ironman Germany!

Announcement!

I will be racing in Ironman Germany next year, and this race will be my primary target in 2010 and all my focus will be on peaking on the 4th of July 2010.

Why have I chosen this race?
1) This is a qualification race for the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.
2) After doing Ironman Nice this year, I was looking for a race with a fast course. I wanted a fast, fairly flat bike course, where I can really show off my bike skills, and aim for the best bike split in the field and perhaps even a new bike course record, which will ground for an overall time of sub 8:25hrs.
3) I wanted to do an official Hawaii qualification race as close to Denmark as possible so the travel expenses and the total costs would be at a minimum.
4) Ironman Germany is also the European Championships on the Ironman distance. The title as European Champion may not be a prestige one, but a European Championship Age-Group title doesn’t hurt ;-)
5) The race is on the 4th of July, which gives me enough time to recover to Hawaii and be 100% in the start of October. And I should also be ready for the Danish Long Distance Triathlon Championships 5 weeks later, which is raced on the 70.3 distance.
6) We needed to find a race in which my brother Andreas also would have a decent chance of qualifying for Hawaii.
7) Germany is really full a triathlon passionate people. I have done Ostseeman twice and Hannover 70.3 once and the atmosphere have just been amazing. Plenty of spectators to cheer you one and the races are very well organized and in general at a very high level.
8) Usually the Pro field is at a very high standard. Top class triathletes like Timo Bracht, Terenzo Bozzone, Chris McCormack, Eneko Llanos, Andreas Raelert, Faris Al-Sultan were there last year and I have a strong feeling, that the 2010 field will be at a even higher standard… ;-) And I definitely look forward to walking around in the transition zone next to these guys.

What are my top and sub goals for Ironman Germany?
1) Top Goal: To achieve the best possible time on the conditions available to me on race day. I know that I will be capable of a sub 8:25hrs, but there is a long time to race day, and a lot of things can go wrong prior to the race. I also have to acknowledge that I can have a bad day, but if my nutrition and hydration goes as planned, then I really can’t see what should stop me from going sub 8:25hrs. And that goal is really the only one that I can control. Whether or not my time will be good enough for an Age-Group victory or even a Top position including the Pro’s is not important as a starting point. I can’t control that, and things I can’t control, I won’t spend energy focusing on. I will focus on the things that I can control, and then the sub goals will be more realistic.
2) Top Goal: I want to qualify for the World Championships in Hawaii. I should have quite a good time buffer, and anytime sub 9hrs should be more than enough to secure a race slot.
3) Sub Goal: I want to win my Age-Group. That will obviously also give me a race slot to Hawaii.
4) Sub Goal: I want to have the fastest bike split.
5) Sub Goal: I want to run sub 3:00hrs.

At a later stage I will answer the following questions among others concerning my 2010 season:
- What other races in 2010 will I be racing?
- What will be my top and sub goals in 2010?
- How will I achieve these goals?

Say NO To Drafting

Check out the video from the IM Florida, which were raced Saturday.

http://www.saynotodrafting.org/

Absolutely chocking video footage! What are these guys thinking!?!

You can support the “Say NO To Drafting” initiative on Facebook. And obviously by just not draft in NON-DRAFTING races. It is very simple.

The Ironman Pro Membership Program - Good change from the WTC?

http://www.slowtwitch.com/News/WTC_sets_2010_Professional_Membership_program_1105.html

Check out the link for more details if you haven’t read about it.

I think that the annual membership fee is such a little increase compared to the standard fees that every triathlete competing under the WTC flag usually has to pay (unless they get a free entry), that it is almost not worth discussing. Especially not when this is an Anti-Doping initiative. And as many Pro triathletes participates in more than one WTC race (1x IM+1x 70.3), then they can actually end up saving a few bucks. Off course there will still be many Pro triathletes, who will see an increase in their costs with this new program coming into play, but most also has a decent number of sponsors etc., which should make it possible for them to continue to compete in the same races as they would normally do. At least the increase in costs for these triathletes won’t be of a scale that is undoable to solve.

I have several times been wondering about some Pro triathletes level in IM and 70.3 races. Some just don’t seem to have the level that should be required. I can’t really guess on what the thoughts behind their decision to compete on a Pro license have been for these guys. Maybe it is because that then would be able to get a later entry and an easier one, than if they should have bought it as a normal Age-Group triathlete.

With this new program the WTC obviously hope to make it more difficult to qualify for the World Championships and maybe force some triathletes aiming for a spot to either Hawaii or Clearwater to compete in their Age-Group and by that making the Pro field stronger.

The new program for the Pros also makes it more difficult to be eligible for prize money. It is an interesting example from the WTC, that the 9th place Hawaii finisher Sandra Wallenhorst wouldn’t have received her $7,500 if achieved in 2010. That is tough. Triathlon is a pricy sport all ready, and the potential sponsors doesn’t seem to be to desperate in these financial crisis times, so to take away more money from athletes trying to balance their budget, seems to me unnecessary. Especially as the unearned prize money won’t be redistributed. That make it seems like the WTC is just being greedy. Why not give the unearned money to charity? There will probably be some Pro women screaming at Chrissie Wellington in the future to slow down. At one hand I’m sure the WTC wants big personalities like her to make some noise about the races and to set new records. But if she continues her development we might only see five Pro Women eligible for Prize Money in Hawaii 2010. Who benefits from that? That is, besides the WTC?

With the program implemented on the 1st of February, the Pro triathletes have to provide their whereabouts to WADA making them eligible for out-of-competition testing. It seems like a very sensible collaboration between the WTC and WADA. And as long as Pro triathletes don’t have to answer to different Anti-Doping agencies, then I can’t see any negative aspects of it.

All in all I think the new program is a good idea, all though the right balance of it may not be reached in the first season.

I will personally not be competing on a Pro License before 2011 at the earliest. I do have the level to compete on a Pro License in IM races, also with the new program implemented, but I wish to achieve the Age-Group goals first, and then move on to the Pro field to achieve other goals. That is to me the natural and the sensible road to take. To me there is no difference from competing on a Pro license to an Age-Group license. I will still be doing the same race as the Pros, and I will beat many of them :-)

I will be in Playitas in Week 49+50!

I can certainly feel that the temperature has fallen drastically the last month and I would wish it wouldn’t get so damn dark so early. I can also feel that some days the motivation to do longer training sessions just isn’t there. And that is all right! It is off season and the main focus is on just having fun and improving my technical skills in all aspects of the sport. The most important thing is that even on the tough days, mentally as well as physically, I still get an hour or so of quality training in the bank, and that is worth focusing on. I don’t have great legs, but I feel my overall condition isn’t that bad.

I had an hour treatment by Christian Zwettler on Saturday, and he said that my legs didn’t feel as tensed as before. It didn’t take him too long to loosen the muscles up this time. So I am hoping that this is a good sign for the future. I do have some small overload injuries in my Achilles Tendons, but it is probably due to the increasingly running load, but nothing to get nervous about. Just need some time to get use to the load.

My weight is down to 74.5 kilos. My fat percent is still way too high, but I am not trying to either loose weight or fat. I don’t think this is the period to aim for that. I am still eating a bit too much, as I love good food, but I am not eating as many cakes as in the past ;-) But I am almost afraid that I will be too light at some point. There is definitely a point in long distance triathlon, where light is too light. But I’ll address that problem if I reach it… ;-) Not the poorest problem to have if it comes to that…

But the lighter you are the faster you’ll be on the run. And I can really feel that. I was running with my brother Andreas aka Sir Andy Stone on Friday, and I could have destroyed him for good that day. And I must admit that the Nike Lunarglide has gotten a bit better. But still believe they are way too wide in the forefoot, which still is very annoying. I am afraid that the laces will break soon…

My training in Week 45 wasn’t fantastic, but just decent. Had a few good days and many bad days ;-) I got 17 hours in the book, which is satisfying. I didn’t have the swims that I would have liked, but I hope to get in 4-5 hours this week, which will make a bit up for it. My focus this week is and will still be on swimming and running. My bike sessions are primarily to keep my condition at a decent level, and because I enjoy it.

I am really looking forward to try Playitas. Week 49 is an official Danish Triathlon Federation week, so there will be a lot of other triathletes. And I will be following the official program set out by the coaches. One of them is Rasmus Henning and he will be looking at my swimming, which I look forward too. I expect to be “sharking” faster when I’m back. There will be taken videos of each triathlete under the water. I will try to post it here if possible, if I don’t look too ridiculous… So I probably won’t post anything… ;-) They will also be looking at my running technique. I expect them to tell me to “pull those knees higher!” And I am off course really looking forward to do some serious climbing on the bike! There are only three official bike sessions during week 49, but I will for sure be going out each day. I want to give those climbs some seriously violence! They aren’t that long, but then you just have to do them over and over again.
I will be alone in Week 50, but there should be one of two other triathletes there and perhaps a Pro Cycling Team… ;-) That’s right. Go on my son. If the internet is working properly down there, I will give you some updates each day and hopefully including some great pics.

I have only been on training camp one time before as a triathlete. That was in March of this year in Nice. My brother and I were there to check out the conditions for the IM France. Great week and the weather were sensational. And if you are Nice at that time, you have to hook up with the Paris-Nice peloton. We saw them on the last stage on the top of the famous Col de la Porte. I off course was first up. But I guess it is easy when your competitor drops his bike on the side of the road… And weighs 10 kilos more… But every win counts ;-) And btw is was bloody cold on the top. And still all the Pro cyclists had shorts and shirts on. Including the first Pro rider on the top, Alberto Contador :-)

El Grande Temporali aka The Lean Mean Time Trial Machine aka ME!!! on single MTB tracks… Not the greatest combo ;-)

I finally got my new Mountain bike this week. I bought a Trek 6300. Not really a lot of considering behind the actual purchase and to why I bought this instead of another. As I haven’t owned a MTB before, I obviously don’t have a great insight on MTB equipment. I once had a bike, which I won in a fantasy competition, which kind of reminded of a MTB, but it didn’t have any suspension, which I all ready can feel makes a great difference.

The ride started at 8am, and we had a hope to make it to ”Hareskoven” by 9am to meet up with the Cycling Concept guys. But we very quickly realized that 4 hours would be too long. My brother was with me, and it was also his first real MTB ride, so better start up a bit easy instead of killing our ”love” for MTB on the first day.

We rode instead to ”Eremitagen” and saw a good number of herds. Rode around there for a bit and then headed towards ”Geels Skov” and ”Rode Skov”. There we found two different MTB single track routes and that was a dramatic change. That is really something different from riding my time trial bike... We were all over the place riding like the sissy versions of Bambie… Needs a lot of practice before we will master this event. Took some near dives a few times but managed to stay on the bike today. My brother don’t have clip-on pedals on his MTB, mainly because he will be doing some Cross Duathlon races this winter, which I may join him in. It was difficult for me to stay on the bike on the technical sessions, as I didn’t want to clip out of the pedals as single tracks are a bit difficult to start on again, but at the same time my technical skills are almost non-existing, so had to fight to actually keep moving forward…

Today I also realized that MTB training actually can be great fun. But it was also just my second attempt at this sport ever… My first ride was in Lanzarote four years ago, where we had borrowed some bikes and did some trail biking. But it was just bump after bump after bump, and my head was just exploding by the end of it… I really haded it. But it may just have been the poor bike...

The winter may be offseason and base weeks for the coming season, but it is also the season for alternative training. And MTB training will be part of my alternative training for sure.

I have bought my MTB with the target of getting outdoor winter training, so I can get some wind on my nose. And to improve my technical skills, so I will be better on the downhill sections and in the turns. The turns are my biggest weakness on the bike, and I have lost way too much time in turns in the past. This will change in 2010.

Following last week, which ended up be a very easy one mainly due to some light illness, this week has been an improvement. I am still a bit under the weather, but just need to get used to the damn cold. I very easily get cold, so I hope it won’t get a lot colder than today with 6 degrees. And I wouldn’t mind the wind to relax a bit. It will be a hard winter, if it continues as it has started.

My training this week:
Swim: 3hrs (4 sessions)
Bike: 9.30hrs (7.15hrs indoor/4 sessions + 2.15hrs MTB)
Run: 3hrs (5 sessions – 4 post bike)