Slowly training fast

The deadline is approaching fast. The first of july my first Tri race, the Øresund Challenge is due, and although is seems a comfortly 2½ month away, it is still critical, since my knee still isn't fully functional. The good news is, that my doctor, the x-raymachine at the local hospital and my physiotherapist has established, that it isn't some serious longterm disabling injury/damage like osteoarthritis.

I run twice a week and have used a heat-massagedevice on the back of my knee two to three times every day for a week, but the results haven't really been impressing. I concentrate now on stretching several times every day, and wearing knee braces while on the bike or running.

One thing that I've learned (the hard way!) to avoid at all cost while struggling with a runners knee, is soccer, baskeball and similar sports, where you suddenly accellerate or/and make jumps. These are killers for your knee and aggrevates the injury, so avoid these!

On the lighter side, all the bike-equipment, that i have collected for christmas and my birthday in january (all my wishes, was tri related) was mounted today on my racing bike. Thanks to the bike-expert in the family, aka my kid brother, i now am the proud owner of a tri bike, fully loaded with tri clip on bars, click pedals, bike computer, pro saddle bag and new non-puncture tyres (knock on wood!).

Even with the knee-situation and all, my spirit is still high. i bought the ticket for the race in july, and at the same time an insurance, so that if i'm prevented due to injury, my admission-fee isn't lost. So there's no pressure for me right now...if i make it there fine, but if i'm in doubt or don't feel that "i'm there", I will wait for 2013. But right now i want to participate more than ever and i  wil do anything i can to slowly advance as fast as i possibly can.

Iliotibial band friction syndrome

No, its not a headline for a fancy new dysfunctional rock band-term. Its apparently whats wrong with my knee. The more common term is "Runners Knee". I haven't seen my doctor yet, but i have consulted the infinite wisdom of the internet. After 5 minutes with google, the mystery was solved. I suppose it hit me with a mixture of relief and annoyance. Relief because it wasn't arthritis or something else, that i couldn't do anything about, and annoyance because it's gonna cost me 6-8 week away from the tri-training i had planned.

Even though all the symptoms was spot on by Dr. Google, i'm still gonna consult my physician to be sure. If you are in a similar situation, i advice you to do the same. But still, the internet is a thing of wonder when it comes to finding great things (although you sometimes have to sort through a lot of garbage to find the nuggets of gold). Be thorough and critical though.

The pain (for me anyway) is not so much in (or behind) the kneecap it self, but the top outerside of the calf and towards the backcenter of the knee.

When i sit down on my knees and play with my little son, it hurts after a while, and when i sit in the same position on a chair i have to shift legposition after a while. But when i run og cycle it isn't that bad. I played basketball a little week ago with the kids at my work, and that was definitely a mistale (before i consulted Dr. Google!)

The remedy apparently is:

1. Rest
2. Ice
3. Stretching
4. Strengthening of muscles (Quadriceps and Gluteus Maximus)
5. NSAID or other anti-inflammatory medicine like ibuprofen or aspirin

If you want to do cardio, you can swim with a pullbuoy (that prevents your legs from bending and aggravating the pain and injury) When the pains subsides, you can start running for short distances on soft ground and be careful not to start with too long running sessions and too often.

But to be sure, i advice you to contact a physician to be sure if you think you have Runners Knee (or any other pain or injury!).

But as i said in the beginning there a many good sites, where you can get an description and advice regarding runners knee - One of these online-places are the "Sports Injury Clinic" where you can get a description (symptomes) and get advice (with film) for streching, massaging and strengthening exercises).

So - If you are in my kind of situation with a runners knee, be patient and grateful that it is something we can do something about, and hopefully before too long so my tri-training doesn't suffer too much! :-)

Flying danish colors (for some danes at least)

As a triathlete and a dane, i must use this opportunity to salute a countryman Rasmus Henning, that crushed the course record today in the Abu Dhabi Tri Race. Congratulations Rasmus!

Danish Triathlete Rasmus Henning

Here in Copenhagen the weather is great, the sun is shining, the february frost is currently held at bay by a mild and almost spring-like weather. All the bikes (but with and without motors) are outside with happy owners on top, the woods are crawling with smiling joggers and i sit here watching all that with my nose pressed against the window, and a sulking expression on my face i suppose.

I could go on a walk or a light bike ride, but its not quite the same, whispers the sarge cunningly in my ear, but just as quickly he appears i lock him down in the stockades. This time i stick to the plan - Today weight training - and tomorrow a light jog for 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) with a steady and SLOW pace (got that sarge!?).

But despite shutting down for the drill sergent i still have a bit of bad conscience, since i've been neglecting my swimming. I can't exactly blaim my knee injury for that and since swimming is my least favourite of the three legs, i HAVE to train more.

When i started training for triathlon, i was all ready a reasonably accomplished cyclist and proficient runner, but my swimming was definitely lacking. I could swim breast swimming from morning to sunset, but unfortunately you use your legs a lot when you do brerastswimming, and with 56 miles of cycling and 13 miles running right after your ocean swim, i think its a good idea to be as kind as possible to your leg muscles during the swim.

I could freestyle allright, yeahh...for like 40 yards (i had always freestyled short sprint-distances after balls when i played as a teen at the beach, and tried to impress the ladies) but then i started to having trouble breathing, then my swimming became even more laboured, then i needed more air...and i think you already can see a pattern here. I stopped after a short while gasping for air shocked at my bad form and got a mental DNF (Did Not Finish - A term used in triathlon for participants that, for some reason, do not finish the race, but have to quit during the race).

Should it stop right there in the pool, before it all really started? All my plans and visions shattered by 2 lengths in an indoor swimming pool while old ladies passing me by in the pool, quietly blaming me with their sharp glances for blocking the lane.


And it wasn't just my poor swimming form i was worried about. The swimming leg of the triathlon race i'm supposed to participate in, is roughly 1.2 miles of ocean swimming in cold water with a LOT of other swimmers, and many of these will be blundering amateurs as well. Sounds like a great recipe for disaster, panicking, drowning and what ever unpleasent terms you can throw in there.


After a few deep breaths, and apologies to the old ladies, i signed up for a swimming course with a pro trainer - A very competent man named Mark that took me through the basics of freestyle (crawling) - After about a month i got more confident, and after 2 month i could swim withoout thinking about the movements, but just getting in the "zone" and train endurance, like i do when i ride my bike or run.

So if you're scared about the swimming part or don't feel confident about it i STRONGLY recommend you sign up for a swimming course with a good trainer - Don't try to teach or correct yourself, its impossible - You need a pro trainer, that can look at your movement in the water and correct your errors before they litterally weighs you down, and give you a DNF.

Gadget Fever

I think that one of the reasons, that triathlon appeals to men is all the gadgets you can get. Not only for one sport, but for three! Pick up any Tri Magazine and almost every page will be about trinkets, gadgets and fancy new inventions for your bike, the running leg or what about all the stuff, that makes your swimming training (and racing) easier.

Even on a normal danish workers income, it is difficult to get all the gadgets that the advertisers, tri magazines, webpages and fellow triathles tell you, that you absolutely cannot live, train and race without. And as a student it isn't exactly easier to keep up.

Tri bar for bike

With that in mind i knew what to wish for christmas and my birthday in january: Wetsuit, bike shoes, tri bars, pedals, tires that shouldn't puncture (a must for me, since i'm not exactly your allround craftsman. I'm gonna go through all the motions with my younger brother (that far surpasses me in bike maintenance- and repair-skill) and rehearse for punctures with him, but that's not where my skill or interest is. Hence the need for safe tires!)


When you read triathlon books, most of them says: "You don't need a lot of things to compete in a triathlon race, just swimming gear, a bike (that's safe), a bike helmet, running/cycling clothes and a pair of running shoes" - Voila!

I don't wanna be the only one starting in my first Tri Race in an old diving wetsuit (wetsuits mandatory for that race), my old rusty bike with 4 gears, tires that could sit well on a tiger tank and running shoes that should have been retired 3 months ago and at the same time being surrounded by young athletes on their carbon fiber bikes and timetrial helmets. With all that in mind, and in respects to my current status as a student, it all comes down to 2 things: Prioritization and Commitment.

Not quite my old bike, but close!

I prioritize and therefore don't spend a lot of cash on other things (i'm talking about things for my personal amusement. Naturally i buy food for my family and pay the bills!) and i'm committed to let those things i need for my Tri training and race come first.

Naturally my family comes first, both when it comes to spending time- and money, but i think you have to be 100% committed when you start to train and race triathlon. making a list over what things that was absolutely essentiel for me, also made me cut down to the vital gadgets, so i don't get "blinded" by all the fancy stuff.

As with most other things in life, the trick is to stay in the middle of the road, as the buddhists say, not to much, but not too little either. Yes maybe i could praobably finish a ½-Ironman race with my old bike, my tattered diving suit and worn out running shoes, but it would be a lot harder and less funny than pulling on a new (but still a cheap model!) wetsuit and go into the ocean, or to click into my new pedals on my restored racing bike and finally running the last leg with new(er) running shoes.

Kepp your eyes open for good offers (I use the internet and especially Chain Reaction Cycles in Great Britain that has some really nice offers from time to time (but guess you can find some good offers in the States as well)). In Denmark the prices are very high on tri equipment, so it pays off to have a keen eye on websites abroad (particulary if you are a poor student ;-) )

Shut up mind!

Fighting with a knee injury. The burden of age beginning to show its ugly face in the horizon (especially if you train for a triathlon!). Every time i think its ok and start to pump up the training volume, it starts to get sour again.

This is another drawback of being a triathlete, or at least using a lot of time training for it: You become stubborn and goal-oriented. When you train those long training-sessions you sharpen, and train your mind as well as your body, and all in all thats a good thing...but (and there's a big but ;-)):

This mentality can quickly turn against you and become an enemy in stead of an ally, when you're injured, sick or perhaps a little bit out of training. Because your flesh maybe weak, but your mind, the master drill sergent still wants you to get on that bike and go out there, or get your running shoes on and do the miles.

Most times the drill sergeant just follows you, when you gets lazy and your breaks between training sessions become longer and longer, and the couch and remote is your preferred tools of exercise. Your mental endurance becomes blunt and gets only honed when you starts your physical training again (NOT the remote exercises!). But the physical and mental training progress mostly along at the same pace. BUT in the beginning of december 2011 i was operated and was out of my training cycle completely for a month. Even if i was in off season form, i was in a very good shape, and the month without training gave me withdrawal, and the very day i could start training again i made the mistake of listening to the drill sergeant.

That was a very bad decision and i can thank sarge (aka me) for that. I just hope, that the next time i'm in a similar situation i remember Sarge and the time he screwed me over and gave me a knee injury.

The bottom line is: Learn when to listen to your mental drill sergent - He's priceless in a race or when you're supposed to train and its cold outside, and the couch is tempting you with its sweet warm chill-factor, but when the body really needs a rest because of great strain and fatigue or you're struggling with injuries, he can be a real pain in the ...

Why bother?

Many people find it crazy when i tell them, i'm training for triathlon. They won't admit it directly, but i can see it in their eyes, its in there, mixed with admiration and envy. And perhaps 15 seconds into that conversation comes the showstopper, the piece of information, that seems to puncture that admiration, like a big balloon that was taking you to the skies, and instead you fall clumsy to the ground: "ohh...no i'm not training for an Ironman, i'm training for a ½ Ironman".

Maybe its the "½" thats the fly in the ointment? I dunno, but swimming 1.9 kilometers in the ocean, cycling 90 kilometers and running 21 kilometers all in one day after each other is impressive after my standards (i apologize to all english-speaking out there, both for my language errors, and my preference for the metric standard, but hey i'm danish and that was what i was tought in school!)

Perhaps is Triathlon, and especially the fabled distance - THE IRONMAN - just the latest peak when it comes to athletic and sports as a status-symbol for the modern man (and woman!). Marathon peaked a couple of years ago, but thats just not enough any more, no...now we want to be triathletes and more specifically IRONMEN!

I wish i could say that i myself, swam outside this trend current, but i cannot. I admit, that i like the admiration and the (sometimes physical) gasp that follows, when i tell people that i'm are training for a triathlon (alas only until the "Ironman"-issue is brought up!). But there are more to this than trends and fashion (luckily).

The start at the London Triathlon swim

The entire proces and journey that one embarks upon, when you decide to be a triathlete i will try to tell about on this blog, as frankly and precisely as i possible can. Not only tips about training, but also stories about injuries, doubts, triumphs and failures.


With this i hope to help other coming triathles out there, that perhaps read all the gruelling endurance horror-stories, see all the shocking pictures, gasp at chaotic sea swim footage where they wonder "did anyone survive that carnage!?" and ask the obvius question any non-traithlete must ask:


Why bother becoming a triathlete?

Found this funny film on youtube, and it kind of summons it up: If you're not a believer, its difficult to understand why to do it - Why train for Ironman?