I was really looking forward to swim. I swam for 15 minutes in the lake the day before and I knew the water was nice and warm. Nothing compared to the ocean in Iceland. We were about 500 people starting in my heat. In water start and I positioned myself quite forward in the rows which worked out very good. Gun went off and the swim started with some hitting and kicking from others but
nothing much and I just simply loved it. I love not having to swim in a pool! First 250m were over before I realised it and I found a really good rhythm and it seems I was flying through the water. I made sure to have someone to draft the entire time which did not always work out but most of the time it did. I looked at my Garmin at the 500m mark and it said 8:18 and I was really happy with the pace and just kept pushing it. Got my goggles kicked off once but was quick to fix it and kept swimming. Time was 16:30 at the turnaround point which is at around 1000m. It got quite crowded around the 2 turnaround buoys but once again I loved the crowd and just kept pushing through and had no problem whatsoever to turn around. After all my swim trainer told me to be less considerate while swimming lol
On the way back I saw Torben several times walking at the path right at the lake but he never saw me and he was also a bit behind as I was swimming quite a bit faster than I anticipated.
On the way back I had several 100m where I had no one to draft as most of the people went quite far towards land and I did not want to swim there. Had to slow way down about 20m before the exit as the exit is some stairs up to get out and there were a lot of people trying to exit at the same time so it got pretty congested. Stopped the Garmin right before I hit the stairs.

Awesome swim. I did not know I can swim that fast and I know the distance was accurate as it is a rowing stadium where we swim in with exact measured distances. Just thrilled about it!


Nothing. Perfect swim!

Transition one and two are not at the same place. T1 is actually quite long. You have to get out of the water over some slippy stairs and then run all the way up to the parking space and all the way around to get to your bike. Total distance was about 440m according to the Garmin. I ran slowly the entire way instead of walking even though I dont really like barefoot running but I did not want to loose any time over that.
Had no problems getting out of my wetsuit and helmet, glasses and number on took no time but then I had some trouble getting my bike gloves on which took some time. Other than that transition could not have gone any better!


Skip the bike gloves or just put them on once on the bike!

Biking in Cologne is always fun and this was no different. The weather was absolutely perfect biking weather. Dry and very light wind. Conditions I don't often bike in! Decided to hold back a bit in the beginning and get settled and try not to get the HR up too high. This worked for about 10 minutes and then I started pushing it a bit. The first part is the way into the city, about 16km. Had to concentrate a lot on staying out of the drafting zone during that part as a lot of people came on the bike course at the same time and there were also still quite a few people biking from the IM distance that started early in the morning. This way into the city ends by going over the bridge, past transition and then around the turnaround point. Then the big loop starts by going the same way out to the lake and further through the country side. After the turnaround point I finally remembered nutrition and from then on I ate regularly and drank Nuun and Water. Nutrition wise it was perfect I think because I never went into this low energy zone like in the last few years. In total I ate about 450 calories on the bike which comes out to about 180 an hour. Wanted to have a bit more but lost half of my chomps towards the end when I opened my Bento Box.
On the way out on the big loop I landed in two huge drafting groups and I got really annoyed by it. One group I overtook and led for some time and the other I let go and was about 50-100m behind them and they did not break up. This is always a huge problem in this TRI and the one thing I don't like but I decided for myself before the TRI that I would bike clean no matter what and I did! I could have probable gone 5 min faster if I would have stayed with some or the groups. At least this year they had a few more judges but still way to few for this course and I have no idea if they actually gave out penalties or just warnings.
Out in the country the roads are not the best and you have to really concentrate on biking and not hitting holes in the road. it is also always a bit windier out there as it is in open fields but although there was some wind it was actually not much! My neck and shoulders started to hurt and got really stiff during that part from being aero for so long and I decided to take a pain killer to make it more tolerable.
Was with two other guys at that point and we pretty much kept overtaking each other regularly.
The course is pretty much flat except for two bridges and a short tunnel so there is no where you can actually relax. If you want a good time you need to keep spinning and you never really get a break. Kind of like being on the trainer. I thought about that when I started to have to pee around 60km and actually tried to go on the bike but just simply couldn't! I did not want to slow down and even if I would have I am not sure I could have actually been able to go...
The big loop ends once again in the city and over the bridge. I always took it very easy over the bridge and just spun the legs to get the HR down and not to make my muscles too tired.
The last loop is half of the bit loop and its fast. Good roads, just flat and you can really speed up if you want to. I decided after the turnaround point to slow down a bit as I had been pushing it quite hard and was afraid that I had done too much to get a decent run in.
Last time over the bridge and I was so excited that I completely forgot to get out of my shoes before transition. I realised it with about 10m to go and only got out of one shoe and lost some time taking the second one off once I was off the bike.
Saw Torben and our group several times during the bike which was always so nice and gave me an extra boost!


Nothing! Very good bike....

Ran into T2 and this is were I had some trouble. I assumed that T2 would be executed exactly like last year where you left your bike anywhere on the rack, keep your helmet on, ran to a next rack to find your T2 bag and then run to a changing tent where a volunteer helped you with your stuff.
Well this year all the racks where marked with your number, your bags where with the rack and you changed right there. I neither found my bike rack nor my bag at the start as I just did not expect it. Took me a while to figure it out and then it took no time to out socks and running shoes, grabbed drinking belt and visor and off I was. As I could not pee on the bike I made a porta-potty stop before exiting transition which of course added to the time. But distance covered once again was over 300m which has to be figured in as well.


Make sure that I know the transition set-up and don't just assume it is the same as last year!

I started running and felt great! Lots of energy and the legs were ready to run and not heavy or crampy at all. It was quite warm at that point, much warmer than we are used to in Iceland but nothing compared to Abu Dhabi for example and I just simply loved it! Perfect conditions for me.
But although I did not have any problems with the heat, I poured water over my head at every drinking station and also took sponges whenever possible just to keep cool.
The first km was over before I even realized it. Saw Torben when I came out of transition as well as others from or group and even one of my colleagues! That sure was nice!
I walked for about 20-30 seconds during every drinking station but not much more. In the beginning it was even only a few steps walking just to make sure I get some water in.
The turnaround on the first loop came and I had several comments again from guys about my bike performance. Someone said: "wow really strong bike!" to what I responded "I have to bike fast because I run slow!" ;)
Still felt good going back and the run through the old town and through all the cafes and restaurants was really cool. Saw another one of my colleagues there cheering me on which was so nice. They are all really supportive!
The run through the old town is followed by the dreaded killer stairs. Got some water at the drinking station right before it and then just took it very easy and walked up. Quads were burning up anyways. Ran by transition again and onto the second loop and still felt awesome then.
Torben was also everywhere and I saw him several times during each loop. Sweet!
Each loop contains some cascade running downhill (instead of stairs) and on the second loop while running down them I felt my quads for the first time. That was at around km 12 and I got a bit scared because somehow I was hoping to get through this run without getting tight quads. I ignored it at that point and kept running. It was so nice to know to be on the second loop already! I kept walking all the drinking stations but the walk got a little longer each time. At km 14 I tried coke for the first time and it was just awesome! From then on I used coke as a reward to get from drinking station to drinking station! It sure gave a big energy boost at that point!
From km 16 on I felt the quads more and more and at km 17 they were pretty much tight and cramped up. It happened during all 4 previous HIM so I knew the feeling but still had hoped it would not happen this time! Well thats what you get from biking like a crazy maniac lol
So for the last 4km after the turnaround point I pretty much focused on repeating my Mantra over and over again and I also told myself several times out loud: "You will NOT walk" and that helped. I was not ready to walk anywhere else than the drinking stations and I also knew if I would walk once I would keep walking more and more! Kept focusing in ever single step and the here and now and not the next km ahead! That worked!
During km 19-20 you run through the old town again which distracted a bit from the pain and then I knew the stairs would come up again. I grabbed some water again at the drinking station before the stairs and then slowly made my way up, knowing that once up it is just downhill and to the finish and that really gave me a good kick!
With about 500m to go I started to have this huge smile on my face and I was just so proud for not just beating my PB but crushing it and I was so happy that I was almost done! I told myself to remember this time to lift my arms up when running through the finish line as I wanted a good picture for a change instead of one looking down to stop my Garmin ;)
The finish line is red carpet and some cheerleaders standing left and right and right before I increased the speed a bit I actually felt that my calves were also quite tired and about to cramp up. Once running down on that red carpet I felt it more and more but I was too busy of enjoying being done and having the finish line right in front of me....I saw Torben and all our friends and remembered to lift my arms up for the picture and in that moment it happen....I stumbled and fell flat on my face! Well actually I fell bad on both knees ( but left one was worse) and my right shoulder (no idea how) and also on my ribs and for a moment I could not breath as pain kept shooting through me and I just could not get up and just laid there until I was able to get up and at that point I realized that the clock was still ticking and I ran the last 5m to the finish line! Of course I got extra attention from the announcer LOL!
This little incident cost me about a minute of my well earned PB!

Afterwards Torben came and all our friends came up and congratulated me and asked if I was alright. All our friends had to leave then as they had to catch a flight back to Iceland a few hours later.
I had to pretty much walk straight to the medical tent as my right shoulder got some bad " red carpet rash" and it needed to be cleaned and my left knee was really swollen by then and I could not bend it. Perfect timing right before vacation :(
Got the wound cleaned up, some ice for the knee and actually had to lie down for a few minutes as I got really dizzy.
Afterwards I went to get a massage while Torben waited patiently for me. After the massage I was finally getting a bit hungry and had some food and then we spoke briefly with another Icelander who had just finished the whole IM distance and then got my bike and our stuff and walked the 1.5 miles to the hotel. It was actually good to walk a bit and loosen up the legs.

Finished the race in 5:26:37 which is a PB by 30 minutes and included a 11 min standalone HM PB! Very happy with those results! :)