Category Archives: Road running

Falkenberg’s city race in 2015

July 26, 201510 k, Road running, runningTomas

Then it was time for my eldest son Tor making premiere at the 10 k distance. My idea was to take the 2 weeks of träningsledigt after the Ironman Zurich, and so far it’s gone well. Was out there and ran a very easy pass on 6 k last Friday for bringing the body a little only. But this race I have run 3 years in a row before, so it’s just stupid to break a fine tradition.

The weather was not very nice, rain, wind and 13 degrees. I and Tor found inomhushallen, and ran the warming there. The body felt pretty OK though, and we warmed in a little over 10 minutes, with some speed increases at the end to get your heart rate up.

We walked out 10 minutes before the start, and there I met Erik, Johan and Keke that would also run. I had no idea how the body would react, but I said I went in for under 40 in all cases. It, I have been running before. Tor stood in the middle of the start Group for over 5 min/km pace, as he aimed to go under 50 minutes.

I put me as usual, just behind the elite, and was waiting for the starting gun. In the middle of människohögen I put me. It’s warmer there.

But when the shot went, it was usually difficult to keep again. I quickly went out to the left and passed a lot of slower runners before I got into the rhythm after a few hundred metres. I was going to run solely on the pulse, and so got the pace to become what it became. And without reaching the top of the threshold heart rate went first mile at 3:38, so I continued in the same tempo, type. And in the second kilometer, I came up in the threshold heart rate, 156 strokes per minute.

Second mile was a little up, and finished in 3:54, but the third went in 3:46. Now I was up there over threshold heart rate, and I figured I stick in there and see how your body reacts. As usual, says the head stop, but now I know better, and push on anyway. Halfway I was stable just under 4 min/km, but then came the headwind, and a few kilometers just over 4. Now the pulse has risen, and was steadily over 160.

In spite of this, I felt I had pretty much be at 40, so I kept pressing. I know I can handle myself quite some time pretty close to max, and now I lay on 97% of my estimated maximum heart rate during the latest test in the spring. So I had to remain there as long as their legs could.

And they could. Last few kilometers there is even more at will, and last 500 are up to while trying. I squeezed out the last out of the body, and finished in 39:11 according to my watch. only 1 second slower than last year on this course, and then I had topped shape before the race, so I was very happy! The official time was 39:09, and 88.

Soon afterwards went Keke in goal at 39:46, the first time over 40! And pretty soon was also Erik and Johan in at just over 41 minutes. Great borne by everyone.

But I was waiting at the finish line at Tor. He had no clock, so I didn’t know if he had run for gently, or run like I know he can. And pretty soon I got the answer-he had run like I know he can! He came in at 45:11 and 320 who completed the placement of 1269. Incredibly good! The next year he hit me, or give me a hearty match, if he puts in a little interval training in your schedule.

Afterwards, I was really cold, after waiting on Tor at the destination, and then on the wind and the other children, so when we went to the dressing room it had been safely half an hour out in the rain and the wind. A hot shower, a warm change of clothes, and a walk back into the city centre where we traditionally eat Chinese food buffet until we are gorged.

But this somewhere I felt that I did not feel particularly good. Matt, pain throughout the body, and feverish. I was driving home, but once there I had to curl up on the sofa in a large down comforter, and then I fully decked. It was a reaction to the hard physical exertion followed by cooling.

After 3 hours in this State, I took a dose pronaxen and voltaren, and after some hour I felt the fever dropped. Today, Sunday, I feel better, but the body needed enough to recover properly, and I suffered enough even by the suites from Ironman the weekend before.

Link to official results

Link to the race on garmin connect

Ironman Zurich 2015

July 20, 2015Competition, cycling, Ironman, Marathon, Road running, running, Swimming, TriathlonTomas

Here is a summary of the actual race. I post a separate post about preparations for the race later.

Sunday morning 4 am the bell rings, and it's time to get up and make breakfast. We are staying at Fischer's Fritz campsite 2 km from the event area, so there's only a short walk to the start. Last minute additions to the various Exchange bags. The forecast has said rain and thunderstorms during the day, so I add an extra bicycle shirt. Watch the bike, peel off the protective cover and head off to the swim start. On site I get confirmation that it's wetsuit prohibition, since the water temperature is 25.2 degrees. No direct benefit for a guy with very heavy legs, but you have to accept.

New this year is that it's rolling start with självseedning. I am in the next slowest group, 80-90 minutes, and waiting for the start. The pros start 06:40, and I'm going in the water at 07:00. The start is quiet and nice compared to the usual mass starts.

I think I look a bit muddy, and watch glasses. Notice that I have not taken them at all, and drag them down over your eyes and continue swimming. I have come off a bit with the crawl in the final weeks, and swum almost every day for the last 14 days, so I'll soon into the rhythm. But I like to take at all to be confused with the other and swim, then I do not want to be bothered with kicks and nudges, so I put me 10 metres to the left of the entire field. Here I can swim undisturbed, although there will be a little longer way, and even if I do not get the help of being behind someone.

But oh how long it was to the first buoy… look at the clock, and it shows 735 metres. But that's just to round it and continue. It floats on well until turning processes were, but where it will be crowded again, and it's hard to get past. Once at the island, I am the missions out of the water to run over and jump in on the other side. I know I'm not even halfway, the official distance is 1500 metres the first lap and 2,300 others. But my watch is already showing 1996 meters … Have been swimming too far out from the track … The time halfway is 48 minutes, which is a little more than I bargained for.

The second round will be heavy. It has begun to blow, and the waves beat into the mouth and nose on the way out. I can still only breathing in one direction, so just to stay afloat. And continue to crawl. The last stretch toward switching is the waves towards my left, so it runs better. Now swallow I don't quite as much water. Up from the water bells I by at 1:48. The GPS on the clock stopped working half way into the final stretch, so the distance was just key 3.7 km, but more likely be I swum just over 4 km in total. And I crawled all the way! time was less important, since the main objective of my swimming was able to crawl over the long haul. And now I can, even in open water with a lot of people around me. And without wetsuit in addition.

First switching to the bike. Now it was my concern out of the way, and now I was on safer ground with my two best branches left. Exchange area is large, and it's long way to get around. I took it quite calmly, for quiet indeed if I compare my switching times with others. But it was nice to get everything in place. Fixed when I would press firmly the shoes in the pedals they wanted to click in, and I realized that I have not removed the block guards. Of them, and discard them. Up on the bike and set off.

I thought open half quiet to get into cycling, but at the same time, bring up the heat. I had a stomach ache after swimming. Almost 2 hours in the water meant I got stomach cramps when I drink sports drink. But the first three miles were the rather flat, and where could I average around 35 km/h. And now I began to pass a lot of people. A bit in order to have something to do, I started to count how many times I passed. There will also be a good way to divide the space into smaller stages.

Then it was time for the slopes. I dreaded the beast, but found it was not so bad halfway through the first lap. Now should the Hill have come, and sure enough, I had climbed some, but not as much. Fixed then I had of course not come up to the Hill yet … After having climbed standing in the pedals in 1 km I thought that now takes the Hill end. but it did not. It just continued. 3 km steep uphill. I made sure to lie just below the acid threshold, and could climb the large rack up all the time. But then it perform, I knew. And it made it a little while before the next climbing started. Not as steep, but more than 5 km long.

And then it performs a. .. Really very performing. I lay in the speed position, and looked at the speedometer to the began approaching 80 km/h. Great I thought, good with speed. But when I approached a curve at the bottom and would slow down, Mark I to fly barely decreased slightly, and it started smelling burned… So I had to stand up, put on as much braking could be, and hope it doesn't come a sharp curve. But it didn't, and now it was flat again. A little climbing on 1 km before turning at Heartbreak Hill. But a steep one at that. First lap took 2:50, so I was well above 30 on average.

And out on the second lap. First 30 km was flat, and very be on barsen and pumping on. But I started to get very sore ass, and craved climbs where you could stand up. Though this time it was legs not as fresh, and it did not respond as good when I stood up. And when I got to the beast, only to switch down to the small rack up, and sit and chew themselves up. This time the climb took 2 minutes longer than on the first lap, and the next climbing, which I had thought was something other than a little tough on the first lap, was really annoying. But so shall it not be …

The last stretch toward heartbreak hill was flat, and I pumped in as best they could. It had begun to blow some, and it was an uphill battle most. And heartbreak hill was really tough the second time. The second round went on over 3 hours, but I had still made the 18-mile at 5:54 am despite all the slopes. So we should be happy with. And that's right, I passed 560 cyclists, and was passed by 15:)

Last letters before the races. I took once again good time on me, pinkade in 5 minutes, and got his back rubbed with lotion. Now it was really hot out there, more than 30 degrees in the shade and blazing sun. So you got a little triathlonbrännan though.

I ignored the quick lacing, and changed the socks. Wanted good shoes before the final marathonloppet. Because I had taken it pretty quiet in Exchange I came pretty quickly into the races. Step sat quite nicely, and a nice and slow tempo just under 5 min/km was felt right nicely. Now I was in my element, and I continued to count how many times I passed.

First fluid control came after just 1 km, and they served both fruit and nuts in addition to all the junk food that are usually present. So I poured in me. Probably a little too much, but I wanted to have good energy. The checks kept coming with 2 km intervals throughout the race, and the first lap went relatively easy. Just over 50 minutes of 10.5 km is quite OK.

But then it got heavier. The second round began the bones speak up. No cramps, even though I only got in me 1 elektrolyttablett before I dropped the bag, but it hurt. But out on the 3rd lap, I stopped counting how many times I passed (I counted 560 before I stopped half way) and started thinking about what it was I was doing. Not in a bad way, but in the same way that I usually think when it feels heavy at the end of the course I have prepared myself long before.

Now it's 18 km left. Enjoy them. You have been looking forward to this for 1 year soon, so enjoy the last few kilometers. See each felled kilometers as a dear friend who you take leave from, and all that is in front of you as great acquaintances. And enjoy every kilometre. Spring easy, running easily and effortlessly. You love to run, you can run much longer than this, and you will run much longer. The legs hurts is just a sign that you are where you should be. In step. In the entry step. Here and now.

So it hurt, but I ran with a smile on his face. And I continued to push into me energy, now in the form of gels. And kilometres floated on. Soon, I was in front at the last, and then it was just pressing. Right through the last water control, and into the finish.

And to hear his name called, "Tomas, you are an Ironman!" was very nice. And the whole family was in place at the finish. And then I was just happy. Time, 11:42:59, was perhaps not what I hoped for, but I did not have it would be like. The final maran went at 3:44 pm, and it's actually my second fastest mara. I was tired, but pain in the body of course. No cramps. I've probably learned how to prepare before and during these races now.

And now I've done my ironman. I think this was a first and last given how much preparation you have to add that "disrupts" the rest of the workout. But I keep enough to swim a bit. That recovery after harder workouts …

Here is the link to the race on garmin connect: https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/838714281

And here is the link to the official result:
http://tracking.ironmanlive.com

sub40 on midnight run in Gothenburg

August 24, 2014Competition, Road runningTomas

I've been training pretty hard and felt tired last couple of weeks. Högerfoten suffered a blow when I ran backintervaller two weeks ago, and it has not quite recovered. Nevertheless, I have been able to run on as planned with ran the workout, not missed a pass.

I could even clip with a Skatås all-in last Sunday. All tracks in total completed skatås 44km at just over 4 hours. Perhaps not so surprising that I was worn in the week.

I made the last entry pass on Tuesday, tisdagstraileni Ängårdsbergen. Then I rested from the run the rest of the week. Instead, I focused on weight training and swimming, given next week's triathlon. More on that in a separate post.

On Saturday I brought the body with 1500 m crawl after lunch, and was able to relax and recharge with salmon and rice, and lots of fruits and raisins in the early evening. 3 hours before the start, I ate nothing, saw just to drink sports drink last hour.

After a short warm-up, barely 2 km in seal dust Hill, I put myself in starting the fold for tier 1B. Just then the sky opened up, and a heavy rain poured out upon us. Things did not improve to the start was delayed 5 minutes. I was not especially cold, but I have to remember plastic bag until next time. It's nice to run in short sleeves, but not nice to stand and freeze before starting.

The start went, and I added myself in the midst of starting the group. It was nevertheless a bit cramped, and it took the 500 m before I came by enough to find my tempo. At 1 km so had the power gone, and it became the 400 metres hurdles over 10 white ouppblåsta frames. Then floated it on. I found my tempo, which was around 3:40 min/km, and then I lay under the threshold heart rate of around 155 bpm. I increases at the end I thought.

A little up and down, but clean, and the first time the warning after 15 minutes came shortly after the passage 4 km. 5th km were up, and here came the first mile of 4 minutes. But then it was just to float on again before masthuggsbacken.

Last year I remember I could find quite a few places up, but now it took against. Several runners passed me in the beginning, but I didn't want to press too much. At the end of the Hill, I was caught up with them again, but it burned properly in the legs. Although it is 4:23 far too slowly. Not even on göteborgsvarvet, I had such a slow kilometers.

Perform I could roll on, but was overtaken. I had perhaps not so much the forces left to end anyway, and after my fastest kilometers, the 8th, at 3:28, Hill came up vegagatan. If it still had been vegagatan, now we ran next door and it was up and down and slängigt. No powder left in the legs and passed by 10 runners the last bit, and an additional kilometre over 4 minutes.

I headed in goals in 39:38 and the total location became 96: (a) and 11 (a) in my age group. A marked improvement since last year with almost 2 minutes and over 100 positions.

So it goes forward. The more races to do it for 40 minutes, the easier it will be. Though I will not say that it is easy to be at 90% of maximum heart rate in a mile. But the more times you do it, the more accustomed you become. I will try to push on in this heart rate of training sessions to come, so get used to the body. In particular, I shall try and press OVER threshold heart rate, to see how long you can work against the lactic acid. To lie and to section on threshold heart rate is, after all, to play safe;)

Sub 40 at Falkenberg's City race

July 26, 2014Competition, Road runningTomas

My second mile race in 40 minutes! Falkenberg's city race in 30-degree heat and Thunder in the air. Here is a link to the race on garmin connect: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/549856670

For the first time, it was the whole family and watch as I ran, and it was incredibly inspiring! At the same time I knew that we had decided that we would go out and eat at a restaurant in Falkenberg after the race, so it was best not to suffer the same running stomach that I got last year:)

This year, however, I had the wrist unit to help. I knew that I just had to keep me under the threshold heart rate during the first half, and just over in the second half it would be quiet. Then the time and location it it becomes.

The first kilometre went a bit too fast, 3:32, and I was pretty quick up in 160 of the pulse. I am struck by something on the tempo, and maintained the buzz around 160. 2nd and 3rd km at 3:46 pm and 3:40 and then remaining around 4 min/km. 500 m from the goal stood and greeted family, and from here and in, I pulled on a small spurt.

The feeling afterward was really good, and I recovered quickly. A quick chat with race 2: (a) in the locker room, then rushed me to the family dinner.

The upload before the race has not been optimal, I have felt rubbery in the legs after vätternrundan. It has as well been no power there, it felt like. Sure, I've been able to work out at pretty good, but it has taken 10-30 minutes before I felt that I have been able to run on. Km times have surely been ok, so that's the most sense is missing. That light feeling, when you feel you can run at the speed at any time.

Now I have been quite hard to get your heart rate up, both on entry passes and bike passes, and it has felt as if my lactate threshold has been 10 strokes under my threshold measured in the last month. But I still put people on 5 km on the course on Wednesday, and since then I've rested. If you count 8 hours a day for two days in the water park at the Skara sommarland amusement park as the rest …

Can I call myself a runner now?

March 25, 2014Competition, Road running, runningTomas

I was going to start up with a good result. Yesterday I ran for the first time in 40 minutes at 10 k, 38:59 became time of demonstrably Göteborsvarvets in Gothenburg. It blew hard, but I found good backs on the first lap. On the second lap I was tearing more in headwind.

I've read somewhere that you cannot call themselves for runners before it has been during 40 min on the mile. So it is time now.

Hi, my name is Tomas. I'm a runner.

Never stop running

To live in balance with oneself and nature.