Træningsferie på Playitas

I min verden er der ikke noget, som hedder træningslejr. Det hedder træningsferie! Jeg kommer aldrig til at lave træningspas, som jeg ikke har lyst til, eller som jeg ikke kan se noget formål i. Men da jeg elsker at træne, er det ikke noget problem at have en lidt anderledes indgangsvinkel til en uge på et så triathlon motiverende resort, som Playitas er. Jeg vil også altid ”bare være en god motionist”, og nok i eliten på langdistance, og triathlon vil altid være en hobby for mig. Det er helt sikkert noget andet for de triatleter, som lever af sporten, og som er afhængige af deres resultater. De vil nok ikke alle have samme holdning som jeg til en træningsuge.

Vi fik trænet 30 timer fra ankomsten torsdag kl. 15 til afgang den efterfølgende torsdag kl. 9. Det var LAAANGT mere, end hvad jeg havde turde håbe på. Mit knæ er stadig ikke super, men det er ok. Jeg skal selvfølgelig passe meget på ikke at forværre smerterne i sådan én uge, og det lykkedes også. Mit største problem er faktisk min venstre læg, hvor smerterne har sat sig ret permanent, men har fået det tjekket, og det bør udelukkende være muskelrelateret. Så jeg er ikke helt skadesfri, men jeg synes, at jeg kan se lyset for enden af tunnelen. Hvornår jeg når derhen, er derimod svært at sige. Men en ting er helt sikkert; Jeg stille først op til race, når jeg er 100% klar – ikke et sekund før. Jeg må også indrømme, at jeg efter sådan en uge har brug for ca. 3 dages ren hvile. Min ballemuskulatur har aldrig været så øm. Og mine lår… Og min lyske… Og min ryg… Og mine arme…

Jeg er ikke helt sikker på, at jeg bør løbe særlig meget endnu. Og jeg løb også kun 1 time dernede fordelt på 1 kombipas og 1 morgenløb. Det føltes faktisk ok, men da jeg ikke har nogen løb, jeg skal lave indenfor nær fremtid, så stresser jeg ikke over løbet. Vi fik til gengæld cyklet en masse. Men der er godt nok lang vej til mit normale cykelniveau. 2 måneders sætter sine spor.

Jeg fører i øvrigt heller ikke træningsdagbog. Jeg synes, at det hurtigt kan blive en intern konkurrence med en selv, hvorvidt man nu når en vis mængde, eller den mængde, man ”skal” nå. I den periode, som jeg befinder mig i nu med skade, som ganske vist forhåbentligt er på retur, så gider jeg ikke presse mig selv unødigt ved også at skulle fokusere på mængde. Jeg fokuserer på kvalitet og at blive 100% skadesfri.

Vi fik svømmet ca. 1 time om dagen med 3 pas i havet. Jeg er ikke specielt godt svømmende, selvom jeg slet ikke tør tænke på, hvor mange timer, jeg har svømmet i år, i forhold til de foregående år. Men formen er bare for dårlig til, at det kan ses.

Desværre blæste det en del de sidste 3-4 dage, og enkelte morgener var det meget tåget, men det gjorde nu ikke noget ved kvaliteten. Men det var sgu svært at slappe af og bare rulle, når der står en pelikan ind i smasken på én. Og i medvind kører man jo uden problemer over 50 km/t på en ø som Fuerteventura, bl.a. hvis man kører fra Antigua tilbage til Playitas, og modsat mange andre, finder jeg nu heller ikke dette særlig fedt. Jeg vil helst bare have ingen vind, ingen regn, ingen sol, masser af skyer og 17 grader… Solen var også knivskarp de første 3-4 dage. Og en tur i OL poolen kl. 14 uden solcreme i 45 min., kan altså være nok til at gøre to super blege danske rygge solskoldet, så man her 5 dage efter, stadig er tæt på tårer ved selv den mindste berøring. Endelig må jeg lige komplementere buffeten. Hvor ville jeg dog have tabt mig, hvis ikke lige, det var for den buffet…

Jeg stiller heller ikke op på næste søndag i Frankfurt. Min oprindelige plan om at udgå undervejs, har jeg droppet, men jeg tager derned for at agere supercoach for min bror. Han begyndte på tri sidste år, så er jo meget ny, men han er i hvert fald i sit eget livs form. Målet har vi sat til 9.23. Cykelruten er jo desværre 5 km. for lang. Han kommer til at køre på min Cervelo SLC-SL racer med clips-ons bøjler, da han ikke selv har nogen TT cykel. Men det er den mest aerodynamiske racer ramme nogensinde, så det er ikke optimalt, men heller ikke helt skidt. Vi har sat hans cykeltid lavere, end hvad han kan, da vi skal være helt sikre på, at han er helt klar til det afsluttende løb. Han har fokuseret mest på løbet siden sidste år, og det skulle gerne udmunde i en sub 3hrs run split. Det bliver et meget spændende løb.

Et andet spændende løb, foruden IM Nice, som jeg misunder alle, der laver i år, bliver DM Kort Tri på søndag i Guldborgsund. Rasmus Henning har virkelig trænet igennem i ugen på Playitas, og kommer i hvert fald ikke 100% forberedt til løbet, som han jo heller ikke træner til specifikt længere. Men hatten af for, at han stadig stiller op. Men det ligner en ny sejr til Jens Toft, der har lagt et nyt højt cykelniveau i år.

Lørdag er der jo også EM i Spanien, og Jimmy Johnsen og Martin Jensen, kan lave deres helt eget pre CCPH race. For Eneke Llanos bliver svær at slå med den form, han har vist i år. Og han har alligevel haft 1 måneds pause siden sejren på Lanzarote.

Fibertypefordeling

Så fik jeg resultatet af de muskelbiopsier, som jeg fik taget i forbindelse med et forsøg på Syddansk Universitet i marts måned. Den viser fordelingen af langsomme (Type 1) og de hurtige muskelfibre (Type 2). Type 1 fibre er de meget udholdende fibre, men til gengæld også svage, og de er lang tid om at udvikle maksimal kraft (lille maksimal power). Type 2a er de hurtige (3-5x hurtigere end Type 1) fibre med en moderat udholdenhed og moderat styrke. Type 2x er hurtige (3-5x hurtigere end type 1), og meget stærke fibre, men der til gengæld er de meget lidt udholdende. Mænd har gennemsnitligt 45-55 % Type I fibre. Et studie har undersøgt andelen af Type 1 fibre hos eliteudøvere, som viste, at langrendsløbere gennemsnitligt har 80 %, langdistanceløbere har 65 %, og svømmere har 55 %.

Det er altså fordelingen af Type 1 og Type 2 fibre, som er interessant. Mine mål ligger kun på Ironman distancen, og det er derfor mængden af Type 1 fibre, som har været interessant at vide for mig. Resultaterne viste, at jeg havde den højeste koncentration af Type 1 fibre af de forsøgspersoner, som blev testet. Jeg har 85,5 % Type 1 fibre - 14,5 % Type 2x fibre - og 0 % Type 2a (normalt). Det er åbenlyst en meget høj koncentration af Type 1 fibre, og den viser, at jeg har en rigtig god udholdenhed. Man kan sige, at jeg er blevet bekræftet i noget, jeg godt vidste, men derfor er resultatet alligevel brugbart. Konklusionen er, at jeg i høj grad træner og konkurrerer på den rigtige distance. Et ting er, hvad man mentalt gerne vil – hvilke drømme man har, hvilke løb, man gerne vil lave – noget andet er, hvad ens krop er bedst til, hvad er den mest skabt til – og derfor, er det selvfølgelig rart at blive bekræftet i, at jeg har nogen af de rigtige parametre for at få det maksimale personlige udbytte ud af at lave Ironman. Selvom der jo er RIGTIG MANGE andre parametre, som også spiller ind!

F.eks. at man ikke bliver skadet…;-) Det går marginalt bedre, selvom jeg stadig har problemer. Jeg havde en god behandling i går, og jeg synes, det går den rigtige vej. Jeg må nok se i øjnene, at løb stadigvæk er for stor en risiko, hvis jeg ikke skal forværre tilstanden. Og jeg valgte efter lørdagens cykeltur at tage 4 dage kun med svømning, da jeg er meget forsigtig med, ikke at gå for hurtigt frem. Den nedadgående formkurve kan også ses (bogstaveligt), og det koster også lidt i bassinet, hvor min teknik egentlig bliver bedre, men hvor den ringe form bare gør, at jeg ikke rigtig kan mærke de store forbedringer på tempoet. Men mit indtryk er, at når jeg er i form, så vil jeg kunne udnytte den forbedrede teknik i langt højere grad end i øjeblikket.

Jeg tager 1 uge til Playitas fra den 17. Juni. Det bliver mere rekreation og ferie, end træning for mig. Men det kan man jo altid godt bruge. Min bror Andreas skal med, og han skal lige igennem den sidste form trimning inden Frankfurt. Så jeg har egentlig bare tænkt mig at placere den store hvide ved poolen med en grande gelato, og så råbe et par opmuntrende ord, hver gang brormand løber forbi på hans utallige 1,4 km. omgange på Playitas. Han får det sgu hårdt, når han også skal løbe mit træningsprogram… Jeg regner dog med at give den gas med svømningen, og så forhåbentlig få cyklet nogen gode ture, og målet er bare at få så mange højdemeter som muligt.

Team SigmaTri Relay Stars...

Jeg er så småt begyndt at træne igen. Det er nu ikke fordi, mit knæ har det meget bedre, men der er marginale forbedringer at spore, og det er positivt. Jeg har tilladelse til at træne for min fys, så længe jeg ikke forværrer smerterne. Det er selvfølgelig en svær balancegang... Jeg svømmer pt. 3 dage, og så 1 dags pause, og her kan jeg køre nogen intervaller, for at få lidt mere intensiv træning. Jeg løber stadig ikke, men planen er at prøve mig frem i næste uge. Så har jeg haft 1½ uge tilbage på cyklen, hvor jeg vil have trænet 6-7 gange, og så satser jeg på nogen meget korte løbeture til at starte med. Det vil så være over ca. 2 mdr. siden min sidste løbetur, så gruer sgu lidt for det... Men gør det ikke ondt, vil jeg være meget tilfreds. Jeg afventer også en tid til Idrætsmedicinsk Institut på Bispebjerg, da mine smerter ikke vil gå væk af sig selv. Det er meget diffuse smerter, men det skulle være nogen meget kompetente folk, de har derinde, så det håber jeg meget på, kan hjælpe.

Min sidste cykeltur startede i øvrigt op ad Strandvejen. Vinden stod head on, og det fik mig til at tænke på CCPH. Der er mange forskellige forventninger til, hvad der er muligt at køre CCPH på. Personligt vil jeg blive overrasket, hvis der er nogen, der laver under 8.20. Eneste mulighed er Martin Jensen. Det vil dog kræve, at han bliver presset. For jeg er bange for, at han kommer til at være meget alene derude, og at han ikke vil blive presset om sejren. Derudover har han lavet VM Lang 2 uger forinden, og det er ihvertfald ikke en fordel, selvom jeg nu heller ikke tror, at det vil plage ham specielt på dagen. Svømme- og løberuten er som udgangspunkt helt sikkert hurtige. Men det bliver forholdene på dagen, der vil afgøre, hvor hurtigt ruten kan cykles på. Står vinden som idag, kan jeg ikke se nogen køre under 4.30. Og jeg tror, størstedelen vil cykle på 4.45. Og så skal man altså have et pænt løbeniveau for at gå under 8.20. Air-Alu Juhansson vil blive spændende at følge på cyklen, og sammen med Andreas Borch umiddelbart nok den eneste, der vil kunne true Martin Jensen om dagens bedste bike split. Hvis vinden står "forkert", så vil de gode cykelryttere, virkelig kunne tage noget tid. Det kræver, at man er i stand til at holde sin TT position, og det gælder også op af bakkerne, for her kan man virkelig tabe tid.

Tilbage til titlen på dette indlæg... Hvis man skal forstå den, bliver man næsten nødt til at tjekke CCPH startlisten for Relay Teams... ;-) Den skal bare have gas. Hvor hurtigt, jeg kører, kommer 100 % an på, hvordan træningen går de næste 2 mdr. Jeg udgår af IM Germany senest i T2, men satser stadig på at være klar til DM Lang. Så forhåbentlig har jeg en god uge, så jeg har noget at skyde med den 15/8. Så må jeg jo prøve at vise, hvor hurtigt den rute rent faktisk kan køres... Selvom det vist ikke rigtig tæller ;-)

Ironman Lanzarote

Et af verdens hårdeste Ironman løber af stablen i morgen på Lanzarote. Det er egentlig ikke et af de løb, som jeg personligt drømmer om at lave. Det har nok mest noget at gøre med vinden, som jeg ikke er så glad for på nedkørslerne, og så synes jeg bare, at det er et lidt svært løb at lave rent praktisk. Men kan nu godt forstå, at så mange deltager på Lanzarote, for det er et legendarisk løb, og har sin helt egen profil og status på tri kalenderen. Det er i hvert fald ikke et kedeligt løb.

Der er nogle rigtig interessante PRO'er, som stiller op i morgen, men tre triatleter skiller sig ud.

Bert Jammaer stiller som sædvanlig op, og han kender jo løbet ud og ind.

Eneke Llanos er ny på Lanzarote og er jo bare ren verdensklasse - hurtig afslutter og rigtig god i varme og vind.

Philip Graves er det unge kæmpetalent på Team Specialized, men har allerede lavet mange løb i år... - kan han holde til det?

Jeg har svært ved at se nogen andre kæmpe med om sejren, men flere kan selvfølgelig kæmpe sig på podiet. Joseph Spindler, som har vundet Ostseeman tre gange, kan måske godt overraske - selvom jeg personligt har et lille horn i siden på ham... Han kan helt sikkert cykle, og så kan han løbe sub 2:50, og så vil han være tæt på podiet. Derudover har han erfaring med ruten. Den store ester Ain-Alur Juhanson har også erfaring med ruten, men hans 94 kilo er ikke en fordel, og mere end én Top 6 placering tror jeg ikke på. Dertil er feltet simpelthen for stærkt. Stephen Bayliss har også været der før, og er en virkelig contender for en podie placering. Endelig er Maik Twelsiek til start, og han har også haft et travlt 2010, og jeg har før troet på ham, men det vil jeg afholde mig fra denne gang...

Kvindernes felt er ikke så imponerende, og det ligner et opgør mellem Catriona Morrison, Bella Bayliss, Nicole Woysch og Hilary Biscay.

Endelig er der 41 danskere til start. Det skal blive interessant at følge, hvorvidt nogen af dem kan hente en Hawaii billet, men alene det at gennemføre en rute som Lanzarote, gør dem jo alle til store vindere. Umiddelbart burde der være gode Hawaii muligheder til Niels-Otto Silkjær (40-44), Kenneth Carlsen (35-39), Allan Fønss (30-34) og Bent Andersen (45-49).

Dyrker du undervandsrugby? Spørgsmål som jeg blev stillet i toget... Tager det som en kompliment... Har én ide om, at sådanne nogle typer er nogle hårde drenge... Det er nu ellers ikke lige mine arm muskler, som jeg plejer at prale med... Men er heller ikke sikker på, at han troede på, at jeg altså ikke dyrkede undervandsrugby...

Føler mig som en gammel pensionist, hvor det hele bare hænger...

Det nærmer sig 6 uger, siden jeg sidst løb eller cyklede... Det sætter sit præg på kroppens tilstand... Det hele er sgu bare for slattent, og hænger for meget... Omend jeg egentlig ikke tror, at det er helt så skidt igen... Men alligevel... Ville sgu træne bare en lille smule igennem. Men har besluttet, at jeg først træner, når det ikke gør ondt mere i knæet. Og sådan bliver det. Jeg tror, og håber selvfølgelig også, at jeg så småt kan begynde at træne mere kontinuerligt i næste uge, men det bliver stille og rolig genopbygning af mit venstre ben. Smerterne har det meget at trænge op i lårmuskulaturen og ned i læggen, og det skal ihvertfald være væk, før jeg for alvor begynder at træne igen. Skal cykle en rolig tur senest på lørdag, og formentlig før, for at teste knæet. Og mest af alt også for at se, hvordan det hele reagerer på belastningen. Har endelig fået lavet mit 3T Ventus Ltd styr, hvor bøjlerne har siddet løst alt for længe, så den bliver nok luftet for første gang i år, så jeg under alle omstændigheder kan få trænet min TT position.

Jeg har siden mit totale stop for cykling og løb, kun misset en dag uden svømning. Så for at se på det positive, så bliver jeg da en bedre svømmer af pausen. Og på lang sigt er det rigtig godt. Havde sat mig som mål at svømme sub 57 min. i Frankfurt, men jeg bør nok sætte overliggeren lidt højere, da jeg i et stykke tid har svømmet det uden de store problemer i bassin. Og i våddragt i åbent vand uden vendinger, så er jeg en del hurtigere. Har konsekvent droppet benvendinger igen, da jeg bliver svimmel, og har det med at ende i banen ved siden af... Træning kunne nok hjælpe, men skal jo ikke lave benvendinger i konkurrence alligevel...

Det er svært at sige, hvad der er årsagen til mine smerter. Har plaget mig i 1½ år, og jeg har løbende fået behandling og to åreknude operationer, og har også følt både kortvarige og langvarige forbedringer, som har gjort, at jeg har kunnet fortsætte træningen og gennemføre to IM. Men på et tidspunkt bliver smerterne selvfølgelig bare for meget. Jeg har igennem lang tid følt, at min højre ben er stærkere end mit venstre. Det stammer muligvis tilbage fra min fodboldtid, hvor min venstreskøjte skulle bruge et par minutters tilløb, før det ramte kuglen. Min fys Bjørn mener, at forskellen på mine ben kan være hovedårsagen til mit problem. Mit venstre ben kan simpelthen ikke følge med højre. Det har muligvis gjort, at jeg har kørt marginalt mere med højre ben på cyklen, og det er naturligvis ikke optimalt. Jeg har også altid haft problemer med ben koordination i svømningen. Og i den senere tid, hvor jeg har haft endnu mere fokus på skadesårsag, så er det gået op for mig, at mit venstre ben reagerer langsommere på hjernens signal om at sparke end mit højre ben. Jeg har nemmere ved at sparke i vandet med højre end med venstre, og det giver selvfølgelig nogle koordinations problemer i vandet. Jeg er derfor begyndt, efter instrukser fra fys, at styrketræne mit venstre ben og kun mit venstre. Jeg har stor tiltro til, at ovenstående vil hjælpe, men hvor lang tid, det vil tage, er desværre usikkert.

Ovenstående har jo nogle klare konsekvenser. Jeg gennemfører ikke IM Germany. Og det er egentlig fint. Jeg har accepteret det. Det kan ikke længere motivere mig at stille op for bare at gennemføre. Jeg skal have et mål, og i et løb som Frankfurt, skal det være PR. Men PR er ikke realistisk, og jeg skal ikke være overmodig, og nyde noget af at gennemføre én IM i en kondition, så jeg risikerer efterfølgende at blive straffet i meget lang tid. Så vil jeg meget hellere vende tilbage til træningen. Jeg regner dog med at stille op og så udgå enten i T1, halvvejs på cyklen eller senest i T2. Min bror skal alligevel deltage, og han er i øvrigt i rigtig god form, så jeg glæder mig egentlig også bare til at skulle følge løbet mere som tilskuer, uden noget personligt pres fra og på mig selv.

DM DU på søndag. Hvem vinder?

Bare fordi man nu selv er irriteret, bitter og deprimeret foruden en helvedes masse andre ting, så vil jeg da ikke afholde mig fra at være lidt stor i slaget, og give det bud på DM DU i Aalborg, som selvfølgelig kommer til at ramme spot on... Jeg ville sgu gerne have været der, og deltaget i mit første DM, men det må vente. Knæet er stadig ikke godt. Men det er jo stadig et rigtig godt felt, der stiller op, på trods af, at Lars Schmidt er eneste mand i Elite feltet fra SigmaTri... Ellers bliver det nu også spændende at se, om Casper Stenderup Korch fra SigmaTri kan få skovlen under Thomas Strange i aldersklassen 16-17 år. Hos kvinderne tror jeg, at spændingen udebliver med Line Jensen på startstregen. Men mændenes løb ser virkelig åbent ud, og der er ikke kun 5 som potentielt kan vinde, men jeg nøjedes nu alligevel med en Top 5. Jeg håber, at der bliver løbet offensivt fra start af, og der bliver seriøst rykket på cyklen. Det skal ikke bare den hurtigste på en 5'er, der vinder. Men der burde også være mange, der ikke tør vente på det afsluttende løb...

Top 5:

1. Aksel Nielsen

2. Søren Binderup

3. Hans Nilsson

4. Jens Petersen-Bach

5. Ole Vinnergaard

Hvis der er nogle, der mener, de har et bedre bud, så kommenter bare løs på dette indlæg... Men jeg tvivler... ;-)

Wildflower Half Ironman on Saturday 5pm CET...

There is quite a showdown in store for all of us tri freaks on Saturday. It is strong field, that will start in Wildflower California Half Ironman. Two Danes will start - Rasmus Henning and Martin Jensen. Two-time 3rd place finisher at the Long Distance World Champs Martin Jensen is supposedly better than ever. It will be interesting to see, whether he can finish as the best Dane. Henning have also had a few smaller injuries the past two weeks, (hip, lower back, bruised rib), but a solid performance is for sure. I obviously have to make a bid on the Top 5, which is no easy task.

Top 5:

1. Michael Raelert

2. Eneke Llanos

3. Maik Twelsiek

4. Paul Ambrose

5. Rutger Beke

Rasmus Henning is off course a huge contender for a Top 5 finish, and in top condition, he will be very close to the win - no doubt about it. And it would be one bloody great win, if he has his day. Martin Jensen and Paul Ambrose could also get in the mix along with Conrad Stoltz, Bjorn Andersson and Philip Graves.

http://www.tricalifornia.com/participants/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Results&EventID=101&ReturnEventID=101&Race=2&Category=2&Lastname=&Clubname=&City=&Sex=M&AgeFrom=&AgeTo=&SortOrder=

The women's field is also quite deep. Favs are Virginia Berasategui, Hilary Biscay, Lindsey Corbin, Julie Dibens, Samantah McGlone and Amy Marsh.

http://www.tricalifornia.com/participants/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Results&EventID=101&ReturnEventID=101&Race=2&Category=2&Lastname=&Clubname=&City=&Sex=F&AgeFrom=&AgeTo=&SortOrder=

And I am still just swimming - one session per day (45-60 min.). BORING! Needs to get a sweat on ASAP! I am also getting a bit bigger... Used to eat a lot more, when I train... Hopefully I won't develop man boobs just yet...

I have treatment on the schedule tomorrow morning. Should be nice. I feel comfortable, that when I return to regular training (within 2 weeks), my injury will be history, and that I can get a good spell in before IM Germany, so it won't be a DNF ;-).

Top 5 Triathlon performances this weekend

1. Jason Shortis: Run split in 2:51:46 and 4^th position in Ironman South Africa in his 50^th Ironman finish.

2. Chris Lieto: Bike split in 2:04:53 in Ironman Texas 70.3. Loving it!

3. Cameron Dye: "New Kid" wins St. Anthony’s Triathlon in front of Greg Bennett and Craig Alexander. Wow!

4. Raynard Tissink: Home win in Ironman South Africa. Epic.

5. Sarah Haskins: Lead from start to finish in her win at St. Anthony’s Triathlon against some tough competitors. Impressive.

Wildcard spot - Rasmus Stubager: The Dane had a impressive swim, which made the way for a solid 7^th place in his comeback race in Half Ironman Lisboa.

Wildcard spot - Aleksandar Sørensen-Markovic: The Dane got his Top 10 spot (9^th) in Ironman South Africa, mainly due to another great run. Needs to get his bike leg more together. Would love to see him in Ironman Nice or Ironman Lanzarote, which both would suit him great.

What a fucking sad win in Liège...

We are still, in many sports, in a time period, where there is no room for cheaters. This applies for Triathlon as well as Cycling. And even how unfair it may be, there is also no room for them to return to. We do not need them back. There can always be exceptions. But Alexandre Vinokourov is not one of them. It was a sad picture to see him ride over the finish line in Liège today. He is a disgrace for cycling, and this is not a beautiful comeback. He was banned after testing positive for blood doping in 2007, and perhaps if he immediately had admitted his guilt, and not opposed it, and had just taken his punishment, then my own and many others views on him, would might have different. Now I would just wish he would retire once again from cycling, and go back to Kazakhstan. This may sound tough, but any sport in the world is bigger and more important than any individual. And any doping cheater is only thinking about themselves, and not on the great damage, that they are making to the sport and in this case cycling. And I do not think, that I am the only one, who has difficulties believing, that he is clean today. This is may a unfair statement towards Vinokourov, but he has caused it upon himself. He decided to use doping, not anyone else. And by the way, all though I haven't checked, but I can't recall any rider coming straight from Italy, having had four very tough days in Giro del Trentino, which he also won, and had to defend the lead from day one, going to Liège, and winning like Vinokourov did today. This is my opinion, and everyone are obviously allowed to have theirs.

In Triathlon, like in cycling, the use of illegal substances can obviously pose a great advantage. It doesn't matter, whether it is long or short distance triathlon. The consequences of being caught and punnished needs to be way tougher. Can any punishment be too harsh... I look forward to hear, how long the ban to the recently caught danish triathlete will be. If he comes back, and I will have to ride against him, I am afraid he has to watch out for the ditch...

Tough mental days ahead... Can I still make May my moving month?

I will continue to take it easy for the next 2½ weeks. I will swim every day. And try to get in a few days, where I have two swim sessions. I am allowed to train without any real power, and only until I feel any kind of pain in my left knee. So if I feel just the slightest, then I will stop. So it won't be much cardio training, besides swimming, that I can do. I will try the ellipse trainer on Monday, but don't think it will make any difference. But I am committed to get rid of this pain once and for all, so I won't allow myself to get impatient.

May was supposed to be my moving month. I had planned to take it to the next level. I still plan to make May my moving month, but obviously my starting point will be very lower, than initially planned and hoped. I take comfort in the fact, that IM Germany won't be my last triathlon race in my life. There is no doubt, that I will be on the start line. Everything is planned, and my brother will also race. But it won't be with same goals. At this point I still believe that I will be able to swim faster and maintain my cycling level. But I will be punnished on the run. My overall condition can't be at the level required in early July, to get in low final run. But it will be all right. No matter what, it is always a great experience to do an IM, and no matter what the result will be, I can use it for the future.

I am starting to look at other races in September and October, and to turn these races into new goals and motivation objects. There are plenty of great races in the fall, which I would love to do. I won't start the Danish Championships in Duathlon in two weeks, so my first race of 2010 will be the Danish Championships in Sprint, which I will solely use as training and pre race check of all the routines. This is not a distance, where I can do any difference. I will probably move the Danish Championships in Long Distance Triathlon in August up to a Top Priority race. And try to find a long distance race in September or October, where I can excell. But my focus today is to get rid of this knee injury. And when I do, I will return DAMN STRONG! TRAIN HARD and ENJOY IT! I wish it was me :-)

8 days injury break...

Have been keeping my head low the past few weeks. My left knee pain are still there. It started 18 months ago and since then, I have had two operations, taken several injury breaks and have paid a lot of money for different kind of treatment. The pain comes and go. I can train, but obviously not perfect. I have shortened way too many sessions due to this pain. I haven't run as much as I would like, and as I should. And I am basically just fed up with it. I am doing one last try to get rid of the pain before IM Germany. I have gotten in touch with Rasmus Hennings physiotherapist. I have been to one treatment, and I am feeling confident. I think within two weeks, I will be back on the right path towards IM Germany.

He established that my left leg lacked power and strength compared to my right leg. He treated that, and there were a significant difference, and they were equally strong after the treatment. I had the treatment on Friday and will have another one next Friday. In the mean time I will just swim and rest my legs. I would have loved to be a former elite swimmer, so I would be able to do two swim sessions a day, but don't want some overload injury in my upper body... Hopefully I won't loose too much fitness in the following period. But nothing is more important right now, than to get rid of the pain, and get fit for IM Germany :-) Train HARD!

3 months till peak...

IM Germany is 3 months ahead... Time to make a small status... How I am doing? Am I on the right path towards a great day in Frankfurt on the 4th of July?

We can all doubt ourselves - in training as well in life. Even world class athletes can forget all about their past achievements, and forget about how good they are, and what they are capable off. So can I for sure. And I am in such kind of state at this stage. Have I set the bar too high? Will I be able to reach my goal at IM Germany?

The sensations the past week are in general just not good. Sometimes I feel like I am training with a concrete block attached to each leg... But in the past a spell of poor legs have been the sign of good form ahead. So I am hoping that this is the case as well this time. I haven't been doing the run sessions, that I would have liked, and I need to improve this part the coming weeks. This will be my focus area for the next two weeks. Otherwise I am sticking to my plan, and hoping to get some kind of sign, that the form is not far away. And I take comfort in the fact, that there are still 3 months till peak... ;-)

185 km. bike course in IM Germany...

Due to road construction the bike course has been extended to 185 km. The extra 5 km. wont have any physical influence. It will probably take approx. 8 minutes to ride these extra kilometres. The overall time will off course be longer, which might have a mental influence. The last 20 km. on the run leg is perhaps 90% mental and 10% physical, so it is important not to forget that the overall time won't be as good, as in a normal Ironman, and on a course like the one in Frankfurt. And it will afterwards be a bit difficult to compare the race time to other Ironman races. But overall it won't make a difference what so ever. I can't say, that I personally care about the change. At least they didn't put the kilometres on the swim or on the run leg... Now that would have worried me...

http://www.ironman.de/english/

Second consecutive podium for the team boss...

In Ironman Australia Patrick Vernay took his fourth consecutive title as expected. It was as usual a hot day, and both the women's and the men's field lacked a bit of depth, but there was still seven guys, that went sub 8:40hrs. Pete Jacobs on the startlist would for sure had made it more exciting.

http://ironman.com/events/ironman/australia/?show=tracker&rid=276&year=2010

In 70.3 California Michael Raelert proved, that he is not just a fast runner. He can for sure go fast on the bike as well, and this time it was his cycling level, that earned him the win. Terrific performance from the younger Raelert. Henning had a mediocre day and still managed third position. He had the second fastest run split on the day with 1:14, which shows that he is definitely on the right path towards Hawaii. And please take notice of the fact, that yours truly predicted five guys to fight for the win... Andy Potts didn't start. The rest filled up the top four positions. Nice going, Ulrik ;-)

http://ironman.com/events/ironman70.3/california70.3/?show=tracker&rid=275&year=2010

I am personally considering changing my focus a bit from the Ironman distance. I actually love the 70.3 distance, but I am just not that competitive on this distance, which obviosly annoyes me a bit... Even though I don't believe, I would be that far away from the top in the WTC 70.3 races... The positive aspect of the distance is, among other aspects, that, you can do multiple races each year. You don't need a lot of recovery time. My main focus will always be the Ironman distance, but instead of doing 2-3 IM distances a year, I am considering only doing one IM per year, perhaps even starting this year. I am thinking long term, and by focusing a bit more on the 70.3 distance or the TriStar distances in short term, then I will also improve my IM performance long term. As previously stated, then I have thought about this for a while, but the future will tell, whether I will do some more 70.3 races. I have some changes to my season schedule planned, but a few practical things needs to be sorted out first.

And then check out the results from the Lavaman in Hawaii. Another win for Macca and another great performance. Tyler Butterfield were the only one, that were able to give him a run for his money. And looking forward to follow John Flanagan's bike and run skills improving... Getting first out the water, doesn't give you any wins...

http://www.theracershub.com/results_view.php?id=827&result_type=file

Another great tri weekend coming up...

Rasmus Henning will make his debut on the 70.3 distance in California on Saturday. What a race to make his debut. Really a race with great traditions. I believe that the 70.3 distance suits Henning extremely well, but the question is, whether he has recovered well enough from Abu Dhabi just two weeks ago. It was a long and hot day, and the field in California doesn't leave any easy top positions out there. The winner needs to be at his top game. Richie Cunningham, 70.3 World Champion Michael Raelert, top tri-swimmer Andy Potts and Matthew Reed will be alongside Henning to the end, which could be decided by a few seconds in a long distance tri sprint.

http://www.ironmancalifornia.com/

Ironman Australia is raced on Sunday, and a lot of Aussies is on the startlist, which is not too impressive. Pete Jacobs is injured, so it looks to be Patrick Vernay again or Tim Berkel, who will take it this year. But there are a few more triathletes, that could end up fighting for the win.

http://www.ironmanoz.com/ironmanoz/index.htm

Chris McCormack will be looking for revenge and to take another win in the Lavaman Triathlon on Sunday. I hope that he has recovered all right from his stomach problems in China to rock Hawaii once again.

http://www.lavamantriathlon.com/

No flats today :-)

The profit from my first two outdoor bike sessions in 2010 last weekend were 5 flats in 100 km... But bought some tyre inlays and combined with new tubes and some less used tyres, then we managed 106 km. today, without having one flat. Good stuff. I have had a cold since the two rides, where we had to start and stop 5 times in a few hours. Even though spring is upon us, it can still be quite cold, especially when the sun isn't shining on you. And I still haven't seen one single leave on a tree, so there is still some days till the spring have really arrived. I had quite good legs yesterday on a post bike run, and today on the bike I felt comfortable, so I am pleased. Still far away from any top condition, but my overall condition feels quite good. Will have a body treatment tomorrow, which should make my legs a bit lighter and more fresh, so happy days ahead.

New TriStar111 race in Estonia

I think that the TriStar Series contains some real fascinating races on exciting distances, which makes it possible to race more races in a season. New countries and cities are being added to the International Triathlon scene, and the perception that 70.3 and IM distances are the only real distances for a long distance triatlete is gradually being changed. A new 1-100-10 km. distance race in Estonia has been added to the series. It will be held on the 7th of August. It coincides with the Long Distance Championships in Denmark. But Macca will be there ;-) Happy days ahead, Estonia.

http://www.star-events.cc/site/index.php/en/trsteenews

Awaiting results from muscle biopsies...

In connection to my bike test I had also taken 4 muscle biopsies. The result should be in within a months time. The preliminary indications were, that I had a very high number of Type 1 (slow) fibres, and a very low number of Type 2 (fast) fibres. Type 1 fibres are the slow fibres, which shows that I have a very good endurance, and work well on the long distances. Normally maraton runners will have approx. 80% Type 1 fibres and 20% Type 2 fibres. Sprinters will be quite the opposite. And a leopard have almost 100% Type 2 fibres.

Why are some Danish car drivers just bloody SOB's...

My apologies for the language. But I am putting it mildly... Most of you probably understand, where this view is coming from. I really wish that my fellow countrymen would be more like the Italian or the French, when it comes to respecting cyclists on the road. I can't recall a single incident abroad, where a car driver have behaved unnecessary disrespectful and have caused danger because of their ridiculous impatience and poor driving. Cyclists are the fragile part on the road, and we don't have a chance against a car.

We didn't manage more than 2½ hour on the bike. It started to rain drop in the beginning and it just increased the first hour until it was pouring down. Then I had two flats and we headed home. New crack at it tomorrow. Will start with a 1 hour run and then a 3 hour bike ride. The weather should be better tomorrow.

Bike test... I've got an extreme endurance...

I did my first ever tests on an SRM bike on Tuesday. It was a good experience, and I hope to do one later on in the season to get some data to compare with. At the moment I am currently in a very average condition and obviously quite far from any top condition. But with nearly 4 months till my peak, then there are no worries in that sense. It has taken me longer time to recover from my surgery and I am still not completely fit and especially scar tissues can be annoying. My knee has actually been feeling better the past week, so it should be fine. Now the weather seems to be turning for spring time, so the warmer temperatures should also help. The first bike ride outside is also scheduled for tomorrow...

And now to the test results... I'll skip easily over the power test... Let's just say, that I am not a sprinter... Approx. 800 watt as the peak...

I manage 420 watt in the 5 min. max test, which gives 5,4 watt per minute. I weighed in at 78 kg. on Tuesday. I have gained 2-3 kg. post surgery, and then I was quite carbo loaded... Obviously my test results will improve, when I get back to my normal weight at around 75 kg. It is not really a problem, when I get into a more steady training routine, and a higher training load. And the fewer kilos will not have any effect on my bike skills. My VO2max was 68,7, but then again, my normal weight will make that number higher. But I will never reach any real high VO2max, as I don't train those intensive intervals.

My submax test was as follows:

SM1 220 Watt 1,1 BL

SM2 250 Watt 1,2 BL

SM3 280 Watt 1,4 BL

SM4 310 Watt 2,0 BL

SM5 340 Watt 3,3 BL

SM6 370 Watt 5,2 BL

The conclusion from the experts were, that I've got an extreme endurance, and I have got the physical conditions to do Ironman... So I am quite pleased with this statement... Not that I am that surprised :-)

Rasmus Henning will do Challenge Roth! Did anyone call out sub 8hrs...

http://rasmushenning.com/

What a scary new team from Specialized! Any places left...;-)

http://iamspecialized.com/triathlon/news-article/specialized-announces-the-triathlon-team-to-beat-in-2010

Sun is shining... Spring is close... Henning 3rd in Abu Dhabi... Great triathlon season ahead!

I have had a decent training week. The objective to find my cycling legs again have been pretty much reached. I feel like the power is coming back, and when my bike hits the roads again, they better watch out ;-) I haven't been able to do my entire program, but mentally I am not great at the moment. The spring and hopefuly the sun will do me good, and I hope that even me, will soon be able to ride some good longer rides outside. The road towards IM Germany is all in all going well, and I am certain that I will have a good and satisfying race.

My teammate and adviser Rasmus Henning got off to a great start to 2010 with a 3rd place in Abu Dhabi on Saturday. Only great things to come from him and looking forward to see, what he is capable off in the traditional 70.3 race distances.
IM China were also raced this weekend, but unfortunately my favorite triathlete Chris McCormack had to abandon after the swim due to stomach problems. If anything positive is to come out of this, it may be that we'll see him in even more races, though of a shorter distance, and hopefully more of those will be in Europe.

Major showdown in Abu Dhabi on Saturday!

The first edition of the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon will take place on Saturday. This is one of the most exciting new races added in 2010. The distance is 3-200-20. This will suit the fast swim-bike triathletes. It will be interesting to see, how the race developes, and what the time differences will be coming into to T2. The run distance is too short to take a lot of time back, so the fast runners can't just sit back on the bike. They will need to take chances, and maybe go into some attacks, that they would normally not participate in.

It is early season and it is difficult to assess the triathletes current condition, and for the majority of the contenders, it is their first race of the season, so they are probably also unsure about their condition. There are an impressive number of top triathletes on the startlist, both women and men. I have tried to compile a Men's Top 5, but if I get that correct, then I should start buying lottery tickets.

1. Ramus Henning
2. Jordan Rapp
3. Eneko Llanos
4. Faris Al-Sultan
5. Rutger Beke

Other names to get in the mix could be Matthias Hecht, Philip Graves, Simon Billeau, Dirk Böckel, Fraser Cartmell, Maik Twelsiek, Bert Jammaer, Ain-Alar Juhanson, Olivier Marceau, Ronnie Schildknecht and Frederik Van Lierde.

Running legs are not far away...

Week 9 is almost finished, and it has been a week with focus on getting some run load in the book. It is difficult to estimate, how much impact the freezing temperatures has on the run, but it is for sure tough to run, where you have to use a lot of energy on keeping the body warm. This morning my legs felt heavy in -2 degrees, but the sensations has been changing a bit from session to session - from good to bad. Usually this is a good sign for me, that the condition is improving, and that the running legs are not far away...
I plan to run a 15k test next Sunday, but the weather will have a say on the decision. None the less my focus next week will be on cycling. I hope to get a feel of my bike legs again. I look to get in 5-6 cycling sessions, 3-4 swim sessions and 3-4 run sessions, which will probably add up to 16-18 hours, but as previously mentioned, then the total load is not essential. Next week I am looking to continue getting in some good quality training :-) Give it some violence!

Great sports weekend coming up...

On Saturday at 7am local time Ironman New Zealand will start in Lake Taupo. As I have previously mentioned, then this is one of my dream races. I look forward to follow the race and be inspired. It looks like to be a showdown between Cameron Brown and Terenzo Bozzone, but I am sure that there will be more contenders, who want's to be in the mix.

On Sunday the oldest and longest cross country race will take place in Sweden. Vasaloppet is 90 km. long, and I always try to follow the race on the tele. I have heard so much about cross country as an alternative and a very effective way of training in the winter. I hope to have a go at it next winter, and at some point it would be a great goal to also have a crack at doing the race myself.

The cycling season started for real last weekend in Belgium, where some real poor weather conditions took its toll on the riders. Sundays Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne were almost a bit ridiculous as the riders seemed almost dead frozen. And I have never seen a rider abandon a race in fourth position like Jeremy Hunt did.
The weather conditions are definitely a lot better in France these days and especially in the Coté d'Azur area. I saw the last stage of the Paris-Nice in 2009, and it was a great experience. Especially to ride the Col de la Porte just before the peloton did it.
The race will start with a traditional 8 km. time trial on Sunday. But make sure you tune in for Thursdays stage to Mende, which is also known as the Laurent Jalabert Mountain, one of my favorite all time riders. The final climb is short and steep and just brutal. Great cycling ahead :-)

My own legs seems to get better and better. They have been feeling heavy and sore, but yesterday they felt more loosened up and fresh. I have some decent training days coming up, so I look forward to see how my legs feel on Sunday afternoon, when I take a dive in a committed direction towards my couch...

Spring is getting closer!

The title may be a bit too optimistic. By closer I mean spring is no longer more than a month away. But the snow has for real started to melt, which my brother and I felt in the forest this morning, where we did an hour of pole running. Great workout, but damn it was tough to stay standing.

I did a rookie mistake a few weeks back. I caught it before it had any real negative consequences, but it is almost funny, that even I sometimes can forget about my training philosophy, and in what I believe in. Aleksandar Markovic even made a comment to my last blog entry, that I shouldn't focus too much on volume, and he was right. Luckily I had managed to change my approach to training earlier.

Now what was my rookie mistake? After I returned to training after my minor sugery in both legs, I simply was to focused on hours, volume etc. I forgot to listen to my body. I forgot that I came from two weeks on the couch, and had lost some condition. And because of that I started too hard. I just wanted to get into the training zone again and feel fit. But a week into training I managed to feel very tired, and my legs were very heavy.

I took four easy days trying to get my body back on track. On Tuesday I started training for real again, and I have managed to post 6 very good training days. I have done 4½ swim sessions, 5 run sessions and 6 bike sessions. And it has been of very different lenghts. I did the longest bike session today, where I participated in a charity spinning event for the fight against cancer. 2:15hrs in high intensity, and the sensations from my legs were good.

But, and most importantly, the last six days of training, has been training in accordance with my philosophy. It has been 100% quality! Not quantity! I believe in shorter sessions. That works for me. It doesn't work for me to focuse on training hours or distance in any session. I never focus on how many kilometres I swim, on how many kilometres I bike, or on how many kilometres I run. I focus on getting the most out of every second I have in training. I train because I love it, and I couldn't life without it. And I enjoy shorter quality sessions, not longer sessions, which often ends up in too much quantity training. This is obviously very individually, but I know, that this works for me, and I like this way of training. It never gets boring.

I just had my left knee MR scanned, and it showed some slight osteoarthritis in my menicus. Nothing serious, but just something that I should keep in mind, when I feel pain. But it shouldn't have any influence on my season or my goals. I think the pain in my left will just decrease in the coming months. And I also have some treatment coming up, which should help on this problem.

Give it some violence!

Back in training

I started slowly to train again last Sunday after two weeks off due to my surgery. The first couple of sessions were hard and I could definitely feel that I had lost some of my condition. My pulse were all over the place. I have gradually added more and more to the training load, and I managed to post 17 hours last week in the first week back. I am still feeling the impact from the surgery and especially my lower inner thighs are very sore. I will train between 14 and 18 hours this week, but it will depend on my body sensations. I don't want to train too much too early and by then picking up some stupid overload injury. I took an easy day yesterday as my legs felt poor, and hopefully it will have done my body some good.

New tri camps with Thunderbear!

One of the greatest triathletes in Danish history, has announced that he will be co-hosting a new series of four triathlon camps in collaboration with the highly experienced coach Marc Evans. Check out the featured articles below and be inspired!

http://www.xtri.com/features_display.aspx?riIDReport=6242&CAT=24&xref=xx

http://xtri.com/features_display.aspx?riIDReport=6248&CAT=21&xref=xx

Club La Santa vs. Las Playitas

Olympic Pool:

Club La Santa 1
Great conditions, but generally too crowded.

Las Playitas 2
A lot less crowded, and under water windows for the coach to check your technique, video recording for later view and for you to check the Pro's technique under water.

Cycling - Lanzarote vs. Fuerteventura:

Club La Santa/Lanzarote 2½
In general the roads are very good. There are many good climbs, and it is possible to vary your route a great deal. The traffic is not bad, all though there is more traffic on Lanzarote than on Fuerteventura. There is a lot more life and culture on Lanzarote, which can make a 5 hour ride seem shorter.

Las Playitas/Fuerteventura 1½
Was dissapointed with the roads. Some roads have very rough surfaces, and it feels like riding on cobble stones. The island has all kind of roads and gives you the opportunity to really have specific bike sessions. You can ride specific TT sessions and specific climbing sessions. But the island looks the same all over, and there is not a lot of action, people, cities, life or in general not much to look at while you are riding. There are great views, but have you seen it once, you have seen them all. But the traffic is almost non-existing, and that is a great luxury. There are not many roads, so it can be difficult to very your route each day.

Running conditions:

Club La Santa 1
It is not easy to run different routes each day, all though it is possible. The run around the lagune is decent, but boring long term.

Las Playitas 2
The canary islands are not know as the perfect area to run. But if you enjoy trail running this is a great place. Many different paths to choose from, and the run around the golf course is legend.

Gym:

Club La Santa 1½
Good size gym. Indoor spinning room with good bikes and decent instructors. This is important if the weather and wind has a bad day, which is not rare on the Canary Islands.

Las Playitas ½
There are only spinning bikes outside, and they are at a very poor standard, and is really a joke. New swim orientated gym has just opened.

Apartments:

Club La Santa ½
CLS is newly build, and even though the apartments are at a good standard, they are not a place to spend much time. It is only a few, which has any kind of view or placement that makes them useful for anything else than to sleep in.

Las Playitas 2½
Even though you normally go to a sports resort to train, it is off course also nice to have a good base to relaxe in between training sessions. Las Playitas is new and that really shows. The apartments are at a good standard, and they all have a balcony with either ocean or garden view.

Internet and TV:

Club La Santa 0
No tv in the room and the internet connection is crap. Should be minus points...

Las Playitas 1½
Tv in the room and internet connection, which works the majority of the time... But we are in 2010, and to sit in your room in the evening on the internet relaxing and recovering for next day is a must in a sports resort.

Buffet:

Club La Santa 0
Very un-interesting and boring buffet. The standard quality is low, and it is in general just not good.

Las Playitas 2½
This is probably one of the best buffets, I have ever tried. There is something for everyone, and the quality is at the absolute top.

Other leisure activities:

Club La Santa 2
Activities included in the price. 400 meters athletic course. Football pitch at a poor standard.

Las Playitas ½
The activities are not free. Very beautiful golf course. Not many tennis courts.

Supermarket:

Club La Santa 1
Not a big supermarket, but it has a good baker, which can make or break a crisis... But still difficult to eat food just from there, and the transport to the nearest supermarket is not easy, unless you rent a car.

Las Playitas ½
The staff are very pleasant, but the product range is very little, and it is difficult to cook anything if you just buy the food there. Gran Tarajal is 10 minutes away by bus, and there are some good super markets.

Price:

Club La Santa 0
CLS is too expensive. One week there is a hard blow to the bank account, so two weeks is almost mandatory if you decide to go. But believe that with the other opportunities around for training camps, then CLS has become a bit too pricy.

Las Playitas 2
They will for sure become more expensive as the time goes by, but as a new sports resort, they have started off with some very attractive prices.

Overall score:

Club La Santa 9½
http://www.clublasanta.com/


Las Playitas 15½
http://www.playitas.info/

Even though Las Playitas wins this head-to-head quite clear, there is no doubt that Club La Santa is an amazing sportsresort, which anyone should visit if they get the opportunity.

3 days post surgery...

I could take the bandage off today. I have had it on for two days from the tows to the top of my thighs. It was a relief to get it off :-) The legs looked quite good all taken into consideration. This time I won't get any scares from the small cuts, which I appreciate. My legs are auite discoloured, but I hope that my recovery will speed up by the weekend, so I can just do a little bit physically by next week. Running will probably be impossible the next 2-3 weeks, but I will use the ellipse trainer instead, and it should be all right. There is also a snow storm going on right now outside my windows, so nice not to feel guilty by not being out there running ;-)

Season 2010 schedule

9/5: Danish Championships in Duathlon***

8/6: Danish Championships in Sprint Triathlon***

4/7: Ironman Germany - European Championships*

8/8: Danish Championships - Long Distance Triathlon**

15/8: Challenge Copenhagen Ironman**

*Top priority. Peak race and main goal.
** Medium priority. Fully preparation as to a top priority race, but is subject to change.
***Low priority. Mainly test of condition and race routines.

The most likely scenario at this stage is that I will not be doing Ironman Hawaii anyway. The main reason is financial, and there is really not much else to say about it. I still hope to get the financial issue solved, but I have decided to drop it mentally and focus on the other races. I will for sure be doing Hawaii in a few years, but this years edition will probably not have me on the start list.

I will probably be doing a few other smaller races, which I will add at a later stage. I might drop the Danish Championships in Sprint Triathlon, and do the 70.3 Wasserstadt Triathlon in Hannover instead, but I haven't decided yet.

I have nothing planned at this stage post Challenge Copenhagen. There are probably three different scenarios:

1) I will do IM Hawaii after all.

2) I will do TriStar222 Sardinia.

3) The season is over.

Varicose veins removed in both legs...

Had surgery today. Have had a real "old man's problem" the last couple of years. I have had varicose veins in both legs, which has caused my legs to swollen up a great deal, and has made compression socks almost mandatory two thirds of the day. This is the second time I have had this surgery. The first time was in March, but that was only the left leg. My left knee has been giving me problems for about 15 months, and the pain has been on and off, but mostly on. I have obviously been able to train, and have done two IM's, but just not ideal to have an annoyed left knee. I have also been spending a few more bucks than planned on injury treatment, which I hope I can avoid in the future, so I can spend that cash on proper recovery treatment. But the verdict will still be out on my left knee for some months, whether or not this surgery will have helped or not. Have been checked by four different kind of experts, and the call is 50/50 to whether or not the problem is varicose veins, or something else internally in the knee. But I personally believe that my left knee problems are history from today, and I am looking forward to train without problems. And I am looking forward to not having swollen legs. Happy days ahead :-)

As a starting point I won't be able to train for two weeks, but I hope to be able to do some gym sessions and maybe some short bike or ellipse sessions before that, but we'll see. I have had some decent weeks leading up to this break, and maybe my body will do some good in having some days on the couch. My average training load in the new year has been 16½ hours per week, and I have had very good swim and run sessions. The sensations from the legs has been from absolutely crap to absolutely great. But believe I am in quite good condition, and my condition and swim and run level are at a higher level than leading up to IM Nice and Ostseeman. And I am stronger due to a heavier swim load and regularly core training. Not bad with 6½ months to IM Germany :-)

Top 15 races to do before I die…

Triathlon220 had a Top 20 list this summer of races to do before you die… That is very individual list and is subject to a great deal of individual interpretation. Your geographically position and your nationality probably has a lot to say. If you are from US, you will have a very different list from mine. But it is certainly an interesting list none the less, and one that require a good discussion. I don’t have any plans on doing all 20 races on their list, nor or my own individual list, but I do have some races, that I would really LIKE to do, but it is not a success criteria in itself to do them. I want to do every race best possible if I am on the startlist.

1-2. Racing in New Zealand:
One of them is for sure to travel to New Zealand and do either Ironman New Zealand or Challenge Wanaka, which were raced this weekend. I have never heard a negative thing said about NZ, and the landscapes are scenic, and to race there has to end up being an absolutely fantastic experience.
http://www.challenge-wanaka.com/
http://www.ironman.co.nz/

1-2. Ironman Hawaii – World Championships:
This is where it all started. It is the World Championships on my distance. Every participant is fully prepared and in top condition. Only the best are there. That includes me at some point
http://ironman.com/worldchampionship

3-5. Ironman France – This is personal…:
Done! Check! Delete! Been there! But I have to go again! I did not have a good day, and have unsettled business with Nice. I’ll be back. But this is definitely a race to do before you die.
http://www.ironmanfrance.com/

3-5. Challenge Copenhagen – must do race for a Dane:
Any triathlon race that past by my doorstep is obviously mandatory to go on this list. It will probably be the race, which I will be most prepared for, as I will have the luxury to be able to train on the route almost all year long, and not just the last few days leading up to the race. A mate of mine told me the other day that he thought the bike course was tougher than the profile as the wind is never from behind, but either comes from the front or from the west. But the tougher the bike course is, the better it suits me. The run is in Copenhagen downtown, which definitely does not make it less existing, all though that part really can’t get me going. But an Ironman in Denmark definitely can, and the only question is really, how soon I should give this race some serious violence… ;-) We’ll see.
http://www.challengecopenhagen.com/

3-5. Ironman Germany – European Championships:
This is my main goal for 2010, and I am so much looking forward to experience the atmosphere that always surrounds the races in Germany. And this is the biggest race in Germany, and I am really looking forward to it. It is also the European Championships, which may not be a prestigious title, but it doesn’t make the race less intriguing. The race also attracts some of top triathletes from around the world, and that just adds more hype and excitement to the race and makes it more memorable.
http://www.ironman.de/

6-8. Challenge Roth – Racing in Germany:
There is a great love and passion for triathlon in Germany. The races are extremely well organized. It doesn’t get any better. Challenge Roth attracts some of the best triathletes in the World. There is a solid foundation for some fast splits. There are great traditions in Roth. Roth is a race I would really like to have a crack at.
http://www.challenge-roth.de/de/index.php

6-8. Alpe d’Huez Triathlon – All that history:
Alpe d’Huez is not known for triathlon. But as huge cycling fan, then the opportunity to race it in a triathlon race must not be missed. The surroundings are beautiful and motivating and it will for sure be a day to remember. You swim in a sea 700 meters above sea level, you have to climb two other mountain passes besides the final one up to Alpe d’Huez, and you finish it off with a half marathon in an altitude of almost 2000 meters. I love triathlon.
http://www.alpetriathlon.com/v5/index-site.html

6-8. TriStar Sardinia222 – Spectacular race in Italy:
I love Italy. I consider myself to be half Italian… Ok, maybe not. But I love the culture, the food and the people. I love the variety of the country. There are mountains, ocean, beautiful countryside’s, completely flat areas as well as rolling hills as long as the eye can see. The Ironman race on Elba, which is raced in the start of October, could have gone on the list, if it hadn’t been for the new race in Sardinia, which has just been published. I don’t think that a long distance triathlete should just do Ironman distance races. I believe that physically as well as mentally Ironman races takes the toll out of you, so two shots at an Ironman per year as a starting point is the maximum for me, as I also want to do this sport in many years to come. So new distances and combinations of the three disciplines is very much welcomed to me and the TriStar organizations new races are a great initiative and has all the conditions to become epic! And to do a long distance race in Italy, is a dream for me, and the distance suits me perfectly. Only 2 km. swim, then a hard 200 km. bike and then a fast 20 km. run. Did they have me in mind, when they planned it…
http://star-events.cc/site/index.php/en/trstsdnews

9-12. TriStar111 Monaco – One of my favorite places:
TriStar has replaced WTC as organizers of this epic event, which will see some changes. I was in Nice in March and rode a bit of the route, and it was certainly days to remember. The hinterland behind Monte Carlo is fantastic to ride in, and you really need to focus on the road and not the scenery. The final run is on the Formula 1 route. Wow! This year, with TriStar entering, the route will change, so it will be 1 km. swim, 100 km. bike and a final 10 km. run. I want to do that race!
http://www.220triathlon.com/news/tristar111-monaco-replaces-ironman
http://star-events.cc/site/index.php/en/trstmcnews

9-12. Embrunman – Worlds toughest Ironman…:
There are many different views on which race deserve the title as the toughest IM. Silverman in Nevada in the US could also be a candidate. I believe that the race conditions on race day in each edition decide which race is the toughest. Add some rain, wind etc. to a race like Embrunman, and you may have the answer. We saw that in 2008. I love the Alps. I love the mountains. I love to climb on my bike. Embrunman offers that, so easy choice.
http://www.embrunman.com/

9-12. NORSEMAN - World’s toughest Ironman…:
The picture of me being thrown off a ferry at the crack of dawn doesn’t seem to have the conditions to end up being a picture to save… That must be one cold experience. But that is Norseman for you. The final 17,2 km. of the run will send you up a climb to 1,850 meters…
http://www.nxtri.com/

9-12. Ironman Austria – Klagenfurt has it all:
This is one of those races, where the route and country in itself, doesn’t have enough value to go on my list. But there is so much history, traditions, prestigious, and great athletes that compete, which makes this race unique. Austria is a beautiful country, and it is not as expensive as it neighbors in Zürich… So it will be able to have a few days off after the race, and not go bankruptcy… I have heard the atmosphere is amazing, and the bike route is quite fast, and this could be a race, that I would do in a very few years.
http://www.ironmanaustria.com/

13-15. Abu Dhabi Triathlon – My kind of bike course:
In March 2010 the first edition will take place. The route consists of 3 km. swim, 200 km. bike and 20 km. run. I say again… 200 km. bike! Give it some violence! This is my race. It would both be a great race to do, and an interesting and fascinating country to visit, which is very different from Denmark. The prize money is good, so perhaps a good performance can cover the expenses…
http://www.abudhabitriathlon.com/

13-15. Ironman UK – There is something special about racing in the UK:
I have a well hidden all though innocent love for the Great Britain… The love for triathlon on the island just grows and grows these years… It seems like it is developing into the new Germany… It is raced in the Bolton area near Manchester, so it doesn’t get any better… The UK has several other fascinating races, but for a long distance triathlete, this is the one, I have to do. All though the Olympic Distance race in Hyde Park, London, is close to go on this list…
http://www.ironmanuk.com/

13-15. Racing alongside Lance…:
One of must returning topics in my triathlon discussions is the return of Lance Armstrong. How cool is that going to be! If he stops his pro cycling career after the Tour de France this year, he will be at Hawaii in 2011. But he will need to do a qualification race prior to that. I think he will do the Tour de France in 2011 as well, so 2012 should be the year where Lance returns, and that is going to create some great exposure and hype. And it would be a dream to race in the same race as him. And especially if it could be his first race back… Wow.

Any changes to my 2010 gear…

I don’t have any changes planned about my gear for this season and in particular my TT bike. I will probably continue to ride my special edition Cervelo P3 with the Olympic Rings. I hope to get the opportunity to change my 3T Ventus LTD aerobar. It is one of must aerodynamic aerobar on the market, but I am having difficulties controlling it in the turns. The handlebars are too small for me, and I can’t really get my hands around them and by that a firm grip, so I feel that I don’t have enough control of the bike in the turns, so I end up breaking too much going into the turn, and getting out the turn in too slow of a speed. The main problem is that my technical skills are non-existing, but I believe, that if I can ride with an aerobar, where the handlebars are positioned further ahead, and with a larger grip for my hands, that will make it easier for me to control it thru the turns.

And I would really like a disc wheel! I think that I have real disadvantage to my main competitors, and this is my main priority to get changed. I really hope that I will be able to get myself a tubular disc wheel, and a new front wheel, with a profile like my current Zipp 404, but the new one also needs to be a tubular wheel.

In regards to swimming and running gear, then I will continue to use my Blue Seventy Helix wetsuit, all though it has almost as many scratches and small holes as I have shoes… My running shoes is another science, and I may try some different brands and models during the spring to find the best suitable pair for me to run my fastest ever finishing Ironman Marathon run. Go on my son… Give it some violence...

New sponsor for Team Saxo Bank...

Just read on http://www.velogessien.com/, that Sportful supposedly is going to replace Craft as Team Saxo Bank’s clothes sponsor. It should have been published on Saturday, but maybe Saxo Bank’s withdrawal as head sponsor by the end of 2010, delayed this press statement… It is interesting to see whether this is true, and what their comments and arguments to the change are… Craft has done quite a lot to get into the cycling clothes market, and their sponsorship of Team Saxo Bank has done a great deal for them and has certainly increased the awareness of Craft in Europe.

It will certainly also be interesting to follow Riis Cycling’s hard work to try and find a new head name sponsor for 2011 and the years to come. Some of the so-called experts say it will be almost impossible for them to find a new sponsor to replace Saxo Bank. I have no doubt that they will find a decent replacement. And a replacement who is willing to pay the amount necessary for the team to keep their Pro Tour license. But they may need to let some of the top guns go. Especially if the sponsor is not in place prior to the Tour de France. But as long as they can keep the Schleck Brothers, then it does not look that bad. Then they can build the team completely around the brothers and have smaller riders including plenty of Danish riders around them. And they can let the smaller profiled riders and the young talents ride the tough spring classics and have the main focus on the Tour de France. Some interesting numbers were also released last week… Apparently a Danish tv viewer watches three times more Tour de France than the best Danish football league. And bear in mind that the Tour de France is only in the tele three weeks in July, where many people are on vacation. The best Danish football league is on for approx. eight months, and all matches are broadcasted…

I believe that they mainly need to look to the southern Europe to find the new sponsor. There is probably just a handful of potential sponsors in Denmark at the moment, that have the funds and the reasons to become name sponsor. It could be companies like Lego or Carlsberg, but the Tour de France association does not allow sponsors, who sell beer like Carlsberg. But Carlsberg has other products, so maybe they are an option, as they have dropped their sponsorship of Liverpool Football Club. But none the less it will be interesting to follow this in 2010 as a cycling enthusiast.

On Sunday Rasmus Henning also came officially clean about which bike he will ride in 2010, instead of Boardman Bikes, in a Danish TV show… He and Specialized has decided to make a deal… Damn, I am jealous… ;-)

Mediocre start to the new year…

My motivation wasn’t on the top in the first week of 2010, but it is coming back slowly. Motivation at this time of the year also has to come from within. And when I look outside I do not get more motivated! Freezing temperatures, slippery roads and snow… Come on… Not my cup of tea. Had planned a short tempo run today, but it felt like -15 degrees. This weekend they say it will feel like -20 degrees... Also went to the beach today with the family dog… That must go into my personal history as the coldest experience in my life…

I hope and I plan to get close to 18 hours of effective training in the book this week, so it is not the worst possible start to the year. When my motivation isn’t fantastic, then I am disciplined enough to always get in close to 1½ hours of training, and I should get out of the first week with a good feeling.

My swimming has been going decently. I will end up swimming 4-5 hours this week, which is around four times more, than at the same time last year... My technique has not been great, but I am working hard on it, and I am definitely improving. My head is still moving too much, but it is not easy to change such an important part of your body. I also have the problem, that I can’t use my snorkel everywhere, as the swimming pools lifeguards doesn’t allow it for some reason. And the snorkel is the best training tool to keep your head steady and heading forward. But I should be able in the future to get in a pool at least once a week, where I can use my snorkel.

I am not riding outside on the road at all this time a year. And to be honest then it is to me a waste of time. I will rather do 1-2 hours hard inside, than the same hours outside freezing my ash off, which will keep my body cold the rest of the year... I sincerely take my hat off to the athletes, who ride outside this time of year, but that will never be me. To me that is not quality training. But that is one of the reasons why triathlon is so fascinating – there is not one way to do it – there is not one specific recipe – there are endless ways of training methods and paths to choose to get yourself in the most optimum condition and to continuously keep you motivated – and which by the end hopefully will make you peak at your top priority race.

I do have some MTB sessions plan for next week, and that should be a good change to the indoor sessions. But it will depend on the weather. I was in the forest yesterday doing some post bike running with poles. That was bloody hard and the surface is difficult to run on at the moment. The ground has completely turned into ice, and then there is snow on top of that, which makes it hard to use the poles to get a grip in the surface. But without the poles it would probably be almost impossible. I will do 45 minutes indoor tomorrow on the ellipse trainer and am hoping for some more running with poles on Sunday, which will be top priority.

I am almost done deciding on my 2010 season schedule. It will probably include one massive change to what I initially had planned. My main target will for sure still be Ironman Germany. But I may change the rest of the schedule, but I want to be absolutely sure. It is also important for my training, my motivation and my race visualizing, that I have a pretty good idea, which races I will do. So by the end of the month I will have made a final decision.

Boxing Day Football…

I stopped playing football in late 2002. I was tired of having to train at specific times. I was tired of depending on teammate’s mood and motivation to train quality sessions. I wanted to be responsible for my own training, so I could train, when I felt like it, and train what I felt for. So I started to run more intensively. I had been running more seriously for a few years at that stage, but wanted to see, how fast I could get. And then I was simply just enjoying it. And if you are injury free, then running is just fantastic!

In the beginning I focused more on the short distances, and did runs from 5 km. to 21,1 km. But as many other runners have experienced, then a big running load, gives a higher risk of getting injuries. For me it has been knees and hips that have been the problem. I ran a marathon in 2004, but had to drop it in 2005 due to a very sore hip. At this point I felt like trying something new. My brother had tried spinning to get in shape after an injury. I was in the same position, and it didn’t take me many classes, before I was hooked. It was and still is so effective and quality training. And you decide, whether you wish to get something out the training - no one else. You can always experience a poor instructor, but there are always some instructor, who compiles a program, that can motivates you, and that makes you want to go deep. In late 2005 I went 3 weeks to Club La Santa with my brother. The objective was just to have fun and train hard. It wasn’t to do triathlon. But we did the duathlon and triathlon short distance races organized by Club La Santa, and it really turned a spark in both of us. I was mentally and physically hooked on triathlon! Unfortunately I was ill most of 2006, so I didn’t get much training in the book. But from early 2007 I could start training again, and the objective was to finish an Ironman in 2007 in sub 12 hours. In August 2007 I finished the last edition in Fredericia in 9:59 hours, without really pushing myself. New motivation – new objectives – new targets – triathlon is one hell of a sport!

I can’t really say that my training has been perfect since my first Ironman. But I am definitely improving in every sense. I am taking small steps to try and improve on the long perspective. Triathlon and Ironman is a tough sport. One of my main targets from doing this sport is too enjoy every session! That is not possible, but it must be the objective. I will not allow that training sessions becomes a duty. And for me it will never happen. I simply enjoy it too much. I have been training my entire life. And I will never stop. But the objectives can obviously change as you get older.

I may not be as enthusiastic as in my teenage years about football, but I am still passionate about my favorite club Manchester United. And when they loose, then it is not good for the rest of my day... Boxing Day Football from the Premier League is a tradition, which needs to be kept. I saw Man. United vs. Bolton at Old Trafford on Boxing Day in 2004, which ended with a 2-0 victory with Giggs and Scholes as the goal scorers. Since then I have tried to keep Boxing Day a “holy day” in regards to watching football on the tele. This year I will have time to follow all the matches :-) so looking forward to resting the rest of the day with some high quality and intensive matches.
Today I have done 1½ hours indoor cycling this morning. Then 45 minutes running with poles in the forest with some serious off road sections. That was good fun and great action. The weather is luckily better today than yesterday, where I came home from 1½ MTB with absolutely freezing fingers… Now that was not fun…

Have a look on the Boxing Day matches… Obviously the program calls for setting up two teles next to each other…

1.45pm Birmingham – Chelsea
2pm Fulham – Tottenham
4pm Man. City – Stoke
4pm Sunderland – Everton
6.30pm Liverpool – Wolverhampton
7pm Leicester – Sheffield United

From 23 degrees to minus 5 degrees… From running in the sun to running with poles in the snow… Life is good :-)

Sunday morning in Las Playitas… Tuesday morning in Denmark…

I didn’t really get back to some proper training routines before this weekend. First of all due to a recurring left knee problem, which I will hopefully get fixed by surgery on the 25th of January. I will probably write more about this, when it is nearer the date, but I will only be lying still for approx. 10 days, so it will be all right. Second of all then it is just tough to get back from two weeks in the sun and decent temperatures to snow and cold conditions. But have done 3 hours a day of very variable training since Saturday, so I should be back to some consistent training. The Christmas is coming up, and I expect to train 2½-3 hours per day the next week. I am not really that keen on Christmas foods, which is probably my luck, but I will still definitely eat way too much! But then it is nice to get outside and burn some calories and get a bit of freshness. Training is GOOD!
On Saturday I was introduced to “Pole Running” in my club SigmaTri. "Pole Running" is almost like Cross Country skiing all though without the skis… You are basically running in the forest with two poles using them as you would use them if you were cross country skiing. So you are also using the upper body and your swimming muscles. We are running flat, up and down sections, and especially on the very step uphill sections, it is very hard for your thighs as it is also difficult to get foothold on the slippery surface, which at the moment is snow. It is just great training! We also did it today, just me, my brother and Rasmus H. And after the morning swim I must admit that it was tougher. My arms are definitely sore now…
Merry Christmas, y’all :-) Don’t forget to get some training included in your Christmas schedule… ;-) If you are short on time on the Christmas days, then a short tempo run, perhaps including some fast intervals, is always better than nothing. And it makes you feel a lot better, both physically and mentally. And it may give you a break from your family... ;-)

Swimming in the Olympic Pool is a pleasure

It is in general not often that I swim in a 50 metres pool. But when I am also doing it out in the open air, and most of the time in the sun, and in addition to that usually has my own lane, then it really is a pleasure. All though I sometimes have a hard time believing that the pool is heated, but I am pretty much alone in this view, so it may just be me. When I put my tri suit on, as well as my speed suit, then it is none the less not a problem, not even for me.
Today was also my last day of cycling. Tomorrow the weather most likely will include raining conditions and add that to the increasingly wind, then I will use my last full vacation day on Las Playitas. I rode 112,5 km. and 2.000 metres of elevation height. Was out for 4½ hours, and took a longer break today, which included some chocolate cake... Not bad at all ;-)

I will mainly run and swim the last two days, and probably do some core training. I will also do some combined spinning and running, which I plan to do very intensively to get my pulse up, and to get some speed and action in the training. But I look forward to a couple of easy days, so I will also just relaxed and get the maximum value out of the last days before arriving in Denmark Sunday evening.

Another sunny day in Fuerteventura

The weather the last 3-4 days has been great. The wind has settled down a bit, and the sun has been shining and there hasn't been many skies. Great stuff. It really hightens the quality in every sense.
Today I went out early. Had planned a 3 hour bike ride, but got ecxited and did almost 4½ hours, which equalled around 120 km. and over 2.000 elevation meters. Very nice ride. From Playitas I went south towards Las Hermotas and then rode north to Pajara. This part has some tough long uphill sections. Not very steep, but it just keep rising gradually, and it is always a head wind. Took its toll out of my legs today. From Pajara I rode up the climb to Betancuria. It lies down in a valley, so there is a climb from both sides. I went all the way down to the other side, then up the first climb, then down to Betancuria village, then a hilly section to the next climb, before the downhill part to Pajara. This is definitely my favourite part of the island, and it is a great place to ride some climbs without being disturbed by traffic. And there are some great views.
Did a 35 min. swim in the afternoon, but was cramping up in my thighs. It was hot today, and hadn't gotten enough salt. But still a great swim in the sun. Nice and hot and managed to dry off in the sun today without getting cold. Happy Days :-)

Riding with Team Saxo Bank

Started Tuesday with a very nice and enjoyable bike ride of 3½ hours trying to get as much climbing as possible. Also had a break in Betancuria with the objective to purchase some local aloe vera for my sun burned hands... Turned out to be a bit of a "tourist trap" and went home towards Playitas 50 Euros short... But the salesman was nice...
Finished it off with a quick 45 min. swim. No running today, but is hoping for tomorrow. Bruised my hip the other night going to the bathroom. Unfortunately on the way back I forgot the bed was on the left side and not down the stairs...
I started today with a 40 min. swim, but had to go up and take a warm bath, as I was freezing yet again. It is a bit colder in the morning, so tomorrow I plan to swim, when the sun is at it heighest.
At 10am I met up with Rasmus Henning and Team Saxo Bank. Was out riding with them for 4½ hours, all though quite a few went home after 2 hours. It was the easiest and most relaxed ride I have ever been on. They are really taken it easy at this time of the year. I personally prefer shorter, more effective training sessions with an higher intensity. I have learned that this philosophy works for me, both physically as well as mentally. So the next days I will ride approx. 3 hours trying to get as much elevation height as possible. Saturday seems to turn into a poor day for cycling as the weather takes a turn for the poor, so better get the maximum profit out of the two next days.

Cyclists as "Men in Black"... Or just "Man" as in triathlete...

To me a new expression came to light in the Tour de France 2007, when it was known that Michael Rasmussen trained in a complete black outfit to not get recognized. I am also training in black. Am I hiding as well? No, not really. But it is enjoyable to be riding around the island or in Playitas and you can just see almost everyone turning their heads asking eachother... Who was that? Was it a pro cyclist? Well, not a Team Saxo Bank rider, as they are also at Playitas at the moment. Just a triathlete who enjoys his anonymity. And the short confidence boost feel of people thinking I may am a famous pro cyclist :-)
I have caught a little bit of sickness, which makes me feel freezing cold most of the time. So I am wearing a lot of clothes, even though the sun is shining. I don't have any fever or such, but just need to take care of myself, and there is no need to make this a longer permanent health status. It has and will not prevent me from training, but it caused me to take half a rest day today. Did a early morning swim of 45 min. and a easy cycling ride of 2 hours. And it will probably mean that I will try not to push myself too much the next few days and do shorter sessions. That will give me more time to other activities like relaxing and enjoying the sun :-) Go on, my son...
Yesterday I did a 3½ hours bike ride which included some good breaks, as I was not feeling great. Finished it off with a tempo 25 min. run and a 45 min. swim session in the afternoon. Hopefully a good nights sleep will make me feel better, so I can take advantage of the good training conditions. Next week it is back training in zero degrees... I am cold all ready.

2 hard hours on the bike... Then a cold Coke sitting down... Happy Days :-)

This is only my third time having my bike with me on training camp/vacation. And my favourite start to the day is for sure to get up early... Half an hour to get a wake... Then on the bike for two hours going hard... And then a well deserved Coke in a local bar. That is so relaxing and such a firm confirmation to why I love to train :-) And it is even better that I still have a few hours left of the bike. The adrenaline and motivation is skyhigh after such a start to the day.
Friday I started off early in the Olympic Pool with a quick 15 min. session with the snorkel. Need to use it a lot to get the maximum profit out of it. Afterwards I rode with the rest of the group for 3 easy hours. Finished the bike off with a 30 min. jog. In the afternoon it was time to another session in the pool of nearly an hour. I promise you my upper body muscles are damn hurting.
Today I went on the bike a bit too early. The sun does not go up before a little after 8am so I was half an hour too early so the ride started a bit cold. Did most of the same ride as on Friday, which is Playitas->La Lajita->Las Hermosas->Pajara->Tuineje->La Florida->Juan Gopar->Playitas. Did the Betancuria climb from the Pajara side once to hit the 3 hour mark.
In the afternoon it was time for some intensive training which first combined open water and beach running. Then it was the pool, spin bike and running combined with croos fit exercises making it six drills in total. It took two hours. It was short and intensive training.
I'll be in Playitas for another week. I plan to do bike-run sessions, so I'll finish every bike ride with an immediate run for minimum 30 min. And then an hour in the pool in the morning or before dinner. It is rare to have such good conditions as the 50 m. pool to train in so I will take full advantage of it. In just 9 days I'll be back in the same boring pools for the next many months...