No, it isn't a triathlon but a MTB-race. It's where I started my endurance "career", and I guess I'll keep competing for some years to come, even though triathlon is LOADS of fun too.
Last year was a mess, with heavy rainfall, winds and "freezing" temperatures(being during the summer) and I finished as #199 in 3:06. This year I had set a goal of 2:55, and the weather sure did its best to help me! Nothing but sun all day, making it a great experience!
I felt pretty good leaving "downtown" Trysil and heading for the 5k long climb, which comes after about 700 meters of riding. Talk about tough start! I wasn't looking forward to this, but I found my cadence and pace and stuck to it even though other riders kept passing me. Soon, I saw the same riders paying dearly for their start and I danced up the mountain feeling great as I reached the top! I found a group to work with and kept a nice pace on the gravel. When flat, these sections is kind of my strength. But when the hills and rough terrain started to show up, I got in trouble.
I lost way too much time in the four trail sections of the race, losing my group and the chance to work with other riders on the fast parts of the course. I used much energy to close gaps, which in turn made me cramp up during the last 20-15km(just like last year).
I am very pleased with my race when focusing on my strength on the flats and descents, but I need to work on my toughness in the terrain and maybe lose a few pounds in order to climb better.
But, all in all I raced to the finish line in 2:48, just inside the top 10 in M25-29, and placing in 148th total! Almost twenty minutes faster than 2012. Pictures will follow :)
All the best,
Frank
No, I'm not a King. But I'm close. Tri-king is an acronym for "Triathlon Viking", which describes me pretty well, although I've just recently started with triathlon. Follow me on my road to Ironman.
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