THE ROOF OF THE WORLD, FROM FAR AWAY

There are locations in the world, which attract you so much, that you have to come back again. Not really spectacular locations. Kailua-Kona, Hawaii for example is besides the Ironman week a backwater town, where only a few tourist get on board. But it got three really good bike shops. The opposite of it is Eidfjord. It hasn´t even got a bike shop. The town is smaller than Kona, only the large passenger ships come and go. But some viewers will remark, that almost every host, hotel is booked out in the beginning of august since 10 years. Than, out of nowhere, on Thursday before the race, the town gets busy. Flags were hoisted, streets coloured and more… Out of nowhere people are standing in front of the largest hotel of town, located near the harbour. They all got the same destination, the registration for the legendary Norseman Extreme Triathlon. Now I´m here for the 3rd time and it feels like visit friends. It´s obviously like that. You´re being welcomed everywhere… The weather forecast told nothing good for race day. Wind up to 8windforce and heavy rainfalls over the whole day. And the Norwegian weather forecast is really good, but at least it should be not that cold, at least a little bit warmer than last years 9degrees. But, my thoughts were with the weather when I went asleep and the first when I got up at 2:00o´clock again. And? Yes, A mild and dry morning, still dark, and after the end of the day,  we all know, that we were quite wrong, like we wished, it should have come….but later more… Point 4:00o´clock on the ferry leaves the harbour of Eidfjord, for the swim start with their load of ship crew, press and silent athletes Fifty minutes later the ferry reaches the locations of the swim start. Now time is ticking, than the bow door opens and the whole crowd made themselfes ready for the jump of the ferry into the 16degrees cold deep blue sea. I´m dresses really thick with my wet suit, my neoprene socks and cap under the official bathing cap, it´s quite comfortable. You´re feeling lost with just 231 starters in the open sea of the fjord like you´re the last swimmer in the water, but no way, when I reach the shore and the first transition area, I see that there are more bike inside it than last year. My best swim time here. Now my day starts to glow. Big mistake… As you all know the first 35 km on the bike course will lead you from zero to 1250m. After all, the first third of the course is the most comfortable part. Still in a good mood, I ride up the hill, everything is running good, but than the wind is coming 10km before the peak. At least no rain until now. The wind speed is 19m a second and headwind of course. That´s more I had on Hawaii. Now I got some thoughts to solve until the end of the day. The crossing of the Hardangervidda with the highest speed of the day, sometimes even to fast for the eye. Just ahead of Geilo after 80km it starts to rain. But not enough, after the village you were awaited by4 ascents with 6-8% and about each 4-8km long. Not much, but not at the right time on the 2nd part of the course. You´re not that fresh anymore. At least the rain cools down, but than the fog is coming… The last mountain hurts the most, up to the Imingfjell-Plateau for more than 6km, when I reach the plateau, I see, it´s not the plateau, it´s just another step uphill, not that steep but 8km long with headwind again. Cold, wind, fog, loneliness, if you like the Tour de France feeling, you should not start here At the end of Imingfjell a 30km long downhill section waited for us. At the beginning it got sharp turns and later a surface like cobblestone pavement and lots of shoulder works. Not really relaxing. Obviously I was thinking about giving the race since km 120. Everything hurts in my body, most of all my feet and back. I think, when I finish here, first of all I need some new bike shoes. But to be honest, who wants to be all alone on a high plateau with just fog and rain. Just with the hope of being sometime catched by the support team. No way, not with me and finally after 11:00h I reach the 2nd transition area at the Tinnsjö near the camping site of Austbygde. Meanwhile I´m focused again and decide to go on with the race and to begin the fight, maybe because of the fact, that I´m on 160th place when I left the transition area. When we remember: One criterion for the finish on the Gaustatoppen is to reach the cut off point at 32,5km within 14:30h and a placement better than the 160th place. Running 3:30h is possible with high effort. But only with really high effort… After a circular difficult change I began to run slowly. Someone shows me a sign “202”. Damn it, all gone. The only thing I want right now is to call my team when I´m back on the road and to quit his race. When I reach the strret, I try to run a bit. Well, not bad, it works. All right, give it a try…I even prepared my running shoe to avoid ache in my Achillis bowstring… Yes, it works, somehow. And the first part of the running course is not really ambitious. Until km 23 my running is quite comfortable, than the pain starts, the exhaustion and the self-pity, so bad, that I´ve to walk. A few minutes before I saw it for the first time, it was scared, the view of the Gaustatoppen, he shows you his dimensions, just to scare you some more, you tiny little creature, who wants to climb him up. Like in the both times before I started here. I´m just happy about the fact, that I don´t have to run it up the whole way. The fact, about running the other course after half the way, I just replace in my mind Field Day is about to begin for myself. Not later than km25, at the “ Zombie Hill”, after this point, no one is running anymore, who isn´t in the fight for the top places. The road is crawling up the hill for about 7 endless km´s until the table of truth/ fate at 32,5km. Of course is quite late, 16h ago was my start. Like in the years before, I turn left onto the white shirt route. Lukas, my supporter, attends me since the beginning of the “ Zombie Hill” is also exhausted, but stays with me, at the walk in the night. Of course the coming course is not flat at all. In 2009 I was still running here. In 2011 not anymore and this year…I´m walking 11min/km. Hours later we reach the last turning point. Bent Olav, like the chef of the crew here, is also on his feet as long as I am. He attended the swimming in a boat this morning, than drove 220km to this point here. The last turning point is his favourite work, as a part of the crew. He calls every white shirt runner at this point, “ MY PEOPLE”. Today he worked more than 24h. It´s unbelievable how hard the job is for them as well as mine, but they still smile and support you. Finally 1 1/2km later I reach the finish line after 18:25h. That´s 20min faster or better 20min not that slow like in 2011. Finally athlete and support team is happy about the fact, that they made it again. Now, 2 weeks later. I´m sitting at home and try to remember every moment of the contest. Weird, almost every pain and effort is gone. I started there 2weeks ago as a last try to get a black shirt, but now I have to accept that the NorseMan is to tough for me and one other thing I know, that my start this year wasn´t my last. Not after 3 starts. I can´t just stay away from here.   Daniel Flöttmann alias Sgt. Silverback Team Pirate

<<< zurück