My old friends ...

Back with my old friends - the rain and the mountain bike. Not a bad combo though and I enjoyed 2 hours alone on Carretera de las Aiguas with nice music in the ears. It was raining cats and dogs when I left home and I got a weird look from our door-man, leaving home. I guess my Nordic genes still allow me to enjoy the cold rain while training, it almost animates me, makes me go even harder - definitely not something you see a lot around here. Met Guillermo running on the ways back and we kept company through-out the remaining part of his training. Good to see he is coming back from a leg injury! Bad weather can be a friend ;)

Improve running tech ...

Now that winter is really taking its toll, why not spend some time on the belt, trying to improve your running technique. Its never too late. It takes a while, it hurts in the calves - but a good technique avoids injuries and propels you forward faster. I gained some 0:30 min/km once I started running more fore-foot. This video gives a good insight into the mechanics:

Nutrition for dummies in eyes of Hamburgerman

Lately have been mailing with my fellow IM trainees about dieting in general. I felt the urge of contributing my first 50 cents to this blog in terms of what I eat.

In mid August I started a diet called "Diet from hell" eh...name sounds pretty HC but actually its pretty straight forward and doesn't require too much of suffering. Of course first few days were bit tough and I was feeling hungry most of the day but after few first days it started to make sense and your body got used to it.

Now three months have passed with this diet and I have been able to drop weight significantly. When I started the diet I was in 98kg, today 92kg. Actually pretty funny that when I wake up every morning I'm looking forward of eating my bowl of oats with natural yogurt and honey. Breakfast of champions innit…best thing ever.

This is my typical workday menu:

7:00 Bowl of oats with natural yogurts and honey, Redoxon multi-vitamin shake and coffee
10:00 little bit of dark bread with brie cheese and coffee (this is the only bread of day)
11:30 apple
13:00 lots of carrots, tomatoes in weggie salad and little plate of pasta with pesto/bolognese/tomato sauce and fruits for dessert. Normally I go for honey melon which has become my new favorite. Last cup of coffee after lunch.
16:00 apple
18:00 2 rice cookies, vitamins
21:00 salad dinner with piece of steak or chicken. Glass or two of red wine.

During the day I drink around 4-5 liters of water.

On weekends I eat about the same except for dinner there can be a cheeseburger and beer or two.

When going for long bike ride or run on weekends, I'll add energy bar or two in mix but during the work week this is what I eat.

I have noticed huge improvement with my run and bike after I have dropped weight and got bit leaner. I'm planning to keep eating according to diet until June, hoping to drop another 4kg before summer. Ironman Zurich is taking place 10th of July 2011


HamburgerMan's tip for dieting is: bread is the enemy! You get used to live with less food.

My 2011 Challenge - Road to Kona

So - let´s get down to whats it all about really: The Challenge

This year somehow stepping it up. After 3 Ironman races completed, especially after posting 9h50m on home turf in Copenhagen, I felt that taste of blood - Make it to the Mecca of Triathlon, to Kona, to Ironman Hawaii, to the World Championships in October 2011!

For sure a daunting, bone-crushing task, but impossible is nothing. To get on the road to Kona, you need to qualify for one of the 1800 slots offered to non-professionals every year. All Ironman-branded races have a designated number of slots. For my age group (35-39) this probably means staying within the best 8 or 9, which again can be transposed into a required improvement of 25-30 minutes on my time in Copenhagen - that is A LOT !!!

So, teaming up with my buddy and Ironman veteran Guillermo Lladó, who is also our local and trusted Argon 18 bike pusher. Guillermo has more than 20 IM races under the belt and qualified twice for Kona - most definitely an adequate soul to follow and train with, trying to accomplish above objective!

Looking for a qualifying race, we quickly narrowed in on Ironman St. George in Utah, May 7th 2011. A new race with an aggressive profile, both on the bike (1600m of climbing) and on the Marathon that climbs 700m. This year only 3 Pros went under the 3 hours on the marathon and Kona qualification was secured around 10h30m - which proves that we need to focus a lot on climbing both on the bike and run. On the other hand, St. George looks like a beautiful landscape, surrounded by mountains and stunning views. And being accompanied by one the the best chaps in the world, my mate Anders Gramkow and Guillermo´s wife Monica, I am sure we´re gonna have the time of our life. Andy and I head out from San Francisco, make a classical road trip down to Las Vegas to pick up Monica & Guillermo - then all head to St. George a few days before the race! As a (hopefully not-needed) back-up race, I have chosen Ironman Zürich in July where I am joining Pablo, Janne and a bunch of Catalan training mates!

So what does it take? Well - I think I can safely say that I have gear right, so that leaves only hard training to be accomplished! So for the next 5 months leading up to IM St. George, training efforts will be fierce, clocking some 20-25 hours a week in the pool, on the bike and running.
January and February will be focused on volume and running (as its still a bit cold for long bike rides, even around Barcelona) and then March & April will be more quality will be virtue, hitting the bike hard with race specific long and fast training sessions, pushing the boundaries above VO2Max.

Motivation is on full and I honestly cannot wait to get going. My legs are itchinga and I have a hard time (some would say I do...) to stay relaxed and rest these weeks. I have a burning desire to give all that I have to reach this goal - without a doubt the hardest physical and mental test I have ever put myself onto.

Quoting the great Lance Armstrong: “If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or Fight Like Hell.”

Above all, looking forward to the great company of my training mates and enjoying that taste of blood in the mouth, while the old engine is hauling hard.
We take no prisoners. Hugs T

Training when sick…

Since last Sunday I have had a bad bad flue. I went swimming with my kids and girlfriend and caught something horrific in the not so clean water of the kid’s pool…
Dam, Shit F… What to do about training???
Should I ask big T? No ways – he would just tell me to get on with the training despite my health and general well being. Run the cold out of your body or maybe something like - Are you in or not your wimp!!?? I could not take the chance asking Thomas and letting him down J. Who should I turn to for advice? My brother could be a good choice! But then I started to think about his general feeling towards this type of extreme training activities and could already hear him preaching… don´t do anything your body tells you not to do. You will only prolong your illness, training when sick and so on…
So what to do? Listen to your own inner voice? Maybe a vice decision. That’s what I did and almost got through the week with my planned activities.
It has been a though week. The training itself has actually been the time of the day I felt the best. But after training and at night time my lungs have had a terrible week.
Today a new week start and I’m still feeling so bad…. I am surrendering and asking anyone advice – and that´s includes Big T…
Unfortunately I don´t live in Barcelona where the medical tolerance is somewhat lower then here in Nordic. Should I see a doctor or just keep on training?

If You Had One Chance...

Recovery Week Over

Closing the week with an easy 2 hr ride in the Collserola mountais, bit cold, but blazing sun and sweet music in my ears! Recovery week is over, though I must say that to recover well, I need to sleep much more - not only train less. This week back on full throttle, which will be last week of charge before I take a few weeks with swim-focus before Lanzarote Training Camp around New Years! VAMOS!

Berga Morning Ride

Good day on the bike today, testing the track of next year´s Berga Half Ironman. Leaving BCN early, blazing sun, chilling in the car with Sergio - hitting Berga downtown where we´re met by 30-35 riders and -2 degrees which is COLD even for Spanish snow-covered pre-Pyrenees in November. The folks told me the track was flat, hence brought the E-114. It turned out to be a trap and after hurling downhill at 65-70km/h we hit an easy 12km ascent - not stuff for a time trial bike at all. Good day though and the circuit took us through nice catalan country side with views to the mountains with snow, which may await us for some Randonee and Splitboarding next weekend.

Clean air has always been my favorite breakfast! - Luv T

Testing New Bike Fit and Position

Update from Copehagen, Siberia

First of all, I am so happy today.

This thing called triathlon really is contagious! I got infected some months ago and now two of my best girlfriends are seriously considering joining me for the HIM in May. Actually got confirmation from one of them some hours ago and cannot describe how good that felt. This is so awesome. I will truly love to share this with them. I am so motivated right now. It gives me loads of energy.

Just need to hook them up with some bikes. Minor detail. We’ll fix it!

Now, my training.

Swimming: Still in the very first learning phase, definitely. Have had a little bit of trouble with my shoulder - old injury from a long lost career as a handball player. In fact the swimming has made it a lot better, but the bike kills it sometimes, and then the swimming hurts like knives into the muscles. Getting a lot better though and almost back on 100% now.

This weekend's preview

So after a kinda lazy recovery week, looking forward to hitting the road again.

Friday afternoon, Josef Ajram is inviting to an early night trail run in Collserola with headlights, I guess a bunch of friends and fans will show up - should be a good training and test for the knees! At 17.00 in front of Mira Blau if anybody is in!

Saturday we're heading up to the mountains, to Berga where Sailfish (wetsuit producer) has invited us to test the circuit of a ½ IM race they plan for 2011. I guess we'll be going with a bunch of guys, but looking forward to the company of Guillermo, Fer and Sergio! 90km morning Time Trial and then some nice country side lunch! Have been playing a bit with the fit on the E-114, so looking forward to see if my back and shoulder can carry me. Check more on FB here:

Sunday for sure more bike - prolly head out with the lazy scandos. Tuesday's get-together revealed Jan Jepsen in historical off-shape after 3 weeks of hamburgers and love around SF. We will take no prisoners!

Quoting the great Lance Armstrong: "Through my illness I learned rejection. I was written off. That was the moment I thought, Okay, game on. No prisoners. Everybody’s going down"

Fatboy´s Nutrition Series:

So, based on today´s discussions, decided to write a few little words on nutrition: These are the Fatboy´s Nutrition Series

I: Types of nutritions - optimal weight vs. peak performance
II: The nutritional account - Input vs. output
III: Nutritional Value - crap vs. performance intake
IV: Eating like a champion
V: Supplements

First posts should hit the lights Friday! Luv T

Today´s training - Thomas

12km fartlek at around 4:00, pushing down to 3:30 at 600-800m. Tested the new shoe inlays again and this time better - I am sure I am still having new blister from where the soles are pushing under my feet. The feeling is very stable and no pain in the knee. Guess they are worth the 255 Euros after all;)
Now stretching for a while - then nice dinner! Recovery week rocks!

Dark Side of the Lens

DARK SIDE OF THE LENS from Astray Films on Vimeo.

My Challenge

So. First post on a new blog – always a challenge.

Challenge!

From being a standard phrase in job applications and something that “I am never afraid of” and something that “I see (together with possibilities – to get it all standardized) instead of limits” it has evolved to become a genuine part of my life. At least for the next 11 months.

My Challenge!

…consists of a major goal…

The Challenge Barcelona Maresme 2011.

But there is so much more to the dream than that…

Right now I am sitting in my living room with my feet in some kind of soap solution. The water is a wee bit too warm, burning actually. Putting my feet in there is in fact a challenge. So why do I do it? Because they are all covered in blisters – nothing new under the sun there. Except this time these little bastards have not been caused by wet football shoes or stiff ski boots – this time they have been caused by running. Simply… just plain running. True story. I did not run after a ball or because someone was after me. I did not run because my coach forced me or because I was late for the train, again. Nope. I ran because I like it. I have learned to like it. Still not love – love is such a great word – but like. Definitely. I do, however, truly love the challenge of competing with myself. Competing against time. Against the pain. Against my personal limits.

This love does what true love really should - it gives me the power to keep on fighting even when everything looks the darkest. It supports me when I feel all alone in the world out there on the road. It gives me inspiration to seek new challenges, and most importantly; it makes me want to perform my absolute best.

I know that I cannot perform my absolute best in Maresme unless I take every minor or major challenge along the road serious and the road is so long.

All of these challenges – the entire process – the dream – that is; My Challenge.

Why? Why on earth do you want to do this? That question must pop up in the mind of every single sane person reading this.

A dear friend told me that he considers it decidedly vulgar to do an ironman. He thinks it is too much to cope with. Extreme beyond the extreme, is how he put it. But in the same breath he said: I think it’s cool that you do it. You are physical – I know that. I know that you need this.”

…He knows me better than most.

I could write pages about a lot of other issues concerning inner and outer goals, personal development and the beat goes on. I will spare you for that song now – a song, which will probably change tune a billion times during the next 11 months. You will hear the original and a bunch of remixes – no worries. Later.

I will instead introduce to you a beautiful little piece of art made by the surf photographer, Mickey Smith. Yes, some will call it art. I will call it art. What is art? Who is Art? Ohh, not that discussion in this forum, sorry. Focus. Soak in the impressions yourself in the short story (movie clip. Don't know how to embed videos in here yet) here and in the so perfectly put words below.

“If I only scrape a living, at least it’s a living worth scrapeing. If there is no future in it, at least the present is worth remembering. For fires of happiness and waves of gratitude, for everything that brought us to that point on earth in that moment in time to do something worth remembering with a photograph… or a... scar. I feel genuinely lucky, hand on heart, to say I love doing what I do. And though I may never be a rich man, if I live long enough I will certainly have a tale or two for the nephews, and I dig the thought of that.” – Mickey Smith

Even though you cannot compare surf photography and triathlon directly, when not taking every sentence literally, this is exactly how I feel deep inside when thinking about the big notorious “why?”. It touches me deeply and without being able to explain it better in words myself, and with the chance of sounding a bit cheeky, I can say that the essence of his are – terrifyingly - close to “a greater meaning” in my world.

And once when I turn to my nephews and go “kids, let me tell you a story” it will start something like this:

“Once upon a time, in the very northern part of Sweden – so far north that the sun never sets and the people never speak… that is where it all began”

How the story will end I have absolutely no idea about, but I cannot wait to reach the part, where I can say

“…and then I made it to the line in Maresme in the year 2011.”

…and neither can my nephews.

This blog is dedicated to share experiences with my top of the pop co-writers and to entertain whoever is interested in following me on my journey creating my story. Living My Challenge!

Btw, no worries… I will not just write long jada-jada stories like this. I will post my training stats and stuff too when I have something to share on that matter. But hey – I missed blogging, man.

…The water is no longer burning, but my feet do look like raisins.

I’m out! Keep it real.

Recovery week

Thomas - Training status for 24th of November:

• Recovery week ... it´s so fucking nice weather in BCN and that combined with the diamonds in the legs (from not training so hard) brings out a lot of happy hormones ... dangerous !!!
• Still adjusting on the E-114 - punished myself too hard on Sunday after being shit faced on Saturday night, so my back hurt.
• Swimming stronger than ever - but even swimming with paddles, I had my butt kicked by 12-year old girls in the pool yesterday - damn they are fast.
• Had massage, 12K run, 30 minutes weights, 70 min swim and then Compex yesterday - adding up to almost 5 hours ... and we still called it recovery week. However - feels amazing today!
  
• Knee seems much better - still making noise, but no pain while running or after!

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