http://connect.garmin.com/activity/189902595
Wow! A very amazing race. I don't have time to write too much but here are the highlights.
Pre race
It was me, Ida, David and Anders (as during the last three years). The preparations were smooth. Arriving at Motala at 12:30. Nice weather, sunny. We had some nice preparations, bought some stuff, had some food. Back in the sleeping area at 19:00. Since it was a football game at 20:45 I didn't sleep much, maybe 2.5 hours. Start time was 3:20
Race
The rain forecast was 100%. We were going to have a lot of rain. But no rain at the start. I decided to start with tshirt and short bibs. I think it was a good decision. Temp was 11 C at the start.
0-30km
Good start. We were pretty fast. I think we did 33.5km during the first hour. Basically no rain. We all felt strong
30-90 km
The rain started and it was terrible. We quickly decided that we would stop and dress with the rain clothes. Quick stop, 5 minutes. Now the rain was awful. Pouring down. But we knew that we would have rain at least until Jönköping and maybe 1 hour more. Some hills almost killed me at 50-60km. I said to David that I can't continue in this pace. We got passed by some Norwegian riders and they saved me. Kept apps 33km / h and I sticked with them (and Ida, Anders and David behind me). Rain rain rain. We didn't stop at Gyllene Uttern but decided to have a quick stop (for food that we brought and peeing). We decided to stop at Huskvarna (some 5 minutes before Jönköping). After a big downhill ride David stopped pedaling. David said that he had cramp! Cramp!??? David - you? So we stopped at the first possible place. David had cramp in both legs! Totally crazy! We made a 10 minute stop and David was obviously very concerned.
90-178 (Jönköping - Hjo)
After some food, resting for David (and totally freezing) we started to ride. Big question mark for David of course. He managed to stick with us and we managed to ride the enormous hill after Jönköping.
Then the miracle happened. A group passed us that said that they don't want any members since they are a closed group. I asked them how fast. They said that they are a sub 10 group that started at 03:24 (hence just 4 minutes after us). Wow! So we said that we will ride with them (but behind their gatekeeper). The gatekeeper was a nice guy and I talked with him a lot of the time until Hjo. The hours to Hjo were amazing! Fantastic ride! Rain almost stopped. Perfect pace (33km/h) and everything was so very easy! Those hours were the best during this years Vätternrunda!
178 - 280 km (Hjo - Medevi)
In Hjo the group stopped for 5 minutes and we decided to do the same. We were actually faster than the group so we started and thought that they would catch us. So we are now alone. Joined some other groups and we kept a good pace. Just before Karlsborg (208km) Ida had to pee so we stopped for 3 min and at that stage the group passed us. Anyway - we were strong and rode together with a bunch of people. Everyone was strong, rain had stopped. We made no more stop (we said that Hjo stop would be the last stop). When we had 50km to go Anders and David joined a group and Ida and I thought that it was too fast. We didn't see David after that. We caught Anders just after Hammarsundet (40km to go). We passed Hammarsundet at 08:33 race time! Hence 1h 27 min to ride 40km! Very manageable! Just keep 30km/h avg and we are there! Wow! Anders joined. The road after Hammarsundet is very hilly. Incline after incline. I think it killed me. We passed the 30km to go sign at 8:55. Hence 65 min for 30km. Still ok! But Ida and I were tired. Anders was fresh so he left us when we had apps 25 to go. He looked strong. Ida and I passed Medevi (21km to go) and we were tired. We understood that we will not be able to do sub 10 and we decided to do a slow ride to Motala. Ida was stronger than me at this time. I said slower slower slower. I was tired, pain in left shoulder. The sun started to shine. Too much clothes! Sun! Pain! Good! 20km/h pace. Tired. Then when we had 11km to go Ida said that she needs to stop. That she might faint! So she stopped. Lay down on the ground and looked gone! Pretty scary! But after 2 minutes she stood up and could ride again! We had no water letter (bad)
The backpack
Anders took our backpack until 90km. AFter 90km Ida felt strong and took the backpack. She had had it until 290km. So for 200 km. I said that I will take it now! And what surprise when I took it! It was crazily heavy. I would estimate the weigh to at least 8 k, probably more. It was filled with our wet rain clothes. So Ida had that weight during the bigger part of the race! Crazy! Why didn't I take it in Hjo? Honestly - didn't think about it! Now I understood what a weight she carried. So I took it. It felt a little bit better and during the last ride home we did some 30km/h. We finished at 10:04, extremely proud of ourselves.
We found Anders who managed to do a fantastic 9:54. He had some crazy kilometers at the end where he raced with a sub 7:30 group. Amazing. Anders - please write!
David did at the end 9:53. Considering his cramp at 90km this has to be one of the biggest achievements ever! Amazing! He was also in a crazy group that rode 40-45km/h during the last stage!
Summary
A rainy, but fantastic Vätternrunda! Its amazing to ride together and this year Ida was strong. Stronger than me. She also carried the backpack during 190km of the time (with heavy weight)
El Maco
Wow! A very amazing race. I don't have time to write too much but here are the highlights.
Pre race
It was me, Ida, David and Anders (as during the last three years). The preparations were smooth. Arriving at Motala at 12:30. Nice weather, sunny. We had some nice preparations, bought some stuff, had some food. Back in the sleeping area at 19:00. Since it was a football game at 20:45 I didn't sleep much, maybe 2.5 hours. Start time was 3:20
Race
The rain forecast was 100%. We were going to have a lot of rain. But no rain at the start. I decided to start with tshirt and short bibs. I think it was a good decision. Temp was 11 C at the start.
0-30km
Good start. We were pretty fast. I think we did 33.5km during the first hour. Basically no rain. We all felt strong
30-90 km
The rain started and it was terrible. We quickly decided that we would stop and dress with the rain clothes. Quick stop, 5 minutes. Now the rain was awful. Pouring down. But we knew that we would have rain at least until Jönköping and maybe 1 hour more. Some hills almost killed me at 50-60km. I said to David that I can't continue in this pace. We got passed by some Norwegian riders and they saved me. Kept apps 33km / h and I sticked with them (and Ida, Anders and David behind me). Rain rain rain. We didn't stop at Gyllene Uttern but decided to have a quick stop (for food that we brought and peeing). We decided to stop at Huskvarna (some 5 minutes before Jönköping). After a big downhill ride David stopped pedaling. David said that he had cramp! Cramp!??? David - you? So we stopped at the first possible place. David had cramp in both legs! Totally crazy! We made a 10 minute stop and David was obviously very concerned.
90-178 (Jönköping - Hjo)
After some food, resting for David (and totally freezing) we started to ride. Big question mark for David of course. He managed to stick with us and we managed to ride the enormous hill after Jönköping.
Then the miracle happened. A group passed us that said that they don't want any members since they are a closed group. I asked them how fast. They said that they are a sub 10 group that started at 03:24 (hence just 4 minutes after us). Wow! So we said that we will ride with them (but behind their gatekeeper). The gatekeeper was a nice guy and I talked with him a lot of the time until Hjo. The hours to Hjo were amazing! Fantastic ride! Rain almost stopped. Perfect pace (33km/h) and everything was so very easy! Those hours were the best during this years Vätternrunda!
178 - 280 km (Hjo - Medevi)
In Hjo the group stopped for 5 minutes and we decided to do the same. We were actually faster than the group so we started and thought that they would catch us. So we are now alone. Joined some other groups and we kept a good pace. Just before Karlsborg (208km) Ida had to pee so we stopped for 3 min and at that stage the group passed us. Anyway - we were strong and rode together with a bunch of people. Everyone was strong, rain had stopped. We made no more stop (we said that Hjo stop would be the last stop). When we had 50km to go Anders and David joined a group and Ida and I thought that it was too fast. We didn't see David after that. We caught Anders just after Hammarsundet (40km to go). We passed Hammarsundet at 08:33 race time! Hence 1h 27 min to ride 40km! Very manageable! Just keep 30km/h avg and we are there! Wow! Anders joined. The road after Hammarsundet is very hilly. Incline after incline. I think it killed me. We passed the 30km to go sign at 8:55. Hence 65 min for 30km. Still ok! But Ida and I were tired. Anders was fresh so he left us when we had apps 25 to go. He looked strong. Ida and I passed Medevi (21km to go) and we were tired. We understood that we will not be able to do sub 10 and we decided to do a slow ride to Motala. Ida was stronger than me at this time. I said slower slower slower. I was tired, pain in left shoulder. The sun started to shine. Too much clothes! Sun! Pain! Good! 20km/h pace. Tired. Then when we had 11km to go Ida said that she needs to stop. That she might faint! So she stopped. Lay down on the ground and looked gone! Pretty scary! But after 2 minutes she stood up and could ride again! We had no water letter (bad)
The backpack
Anders took our backpack until 90km. AFter 90km Ida felt strong and took the backpack. She had had it until 290km. So for 200 km. I said that I will take it now! And what surprise when I took it! It was crazily heavy. I would estimate the weigh to at least 8 k, probably more. It was filled with our wet rain clothes. So Ida had that weight during the bigger part of the race! Crazy! Why didn't I take it in Hjo? Honestly - didn't think about it! Now I understood what a weight she carried. So I took it. It felt a little bit better and during the last ride home we did some 30km/h. We finished at 10:04, extremely proud of ourselves.
We found Anders who managed to do a fantastic 9:54. He had some crazy kilometers at the end where he raced with a sub 7:30 group. Amazing. Anders - please write!
David did at the end 9:53. Considering his cramp at 90km this has to be one of the biggest achievements ever! Amazing! He was also in a crazy group that rode 40-45km/h during the last stage!
Summary
A rainy, but fantastic Vätternrunda! Its amazing to ride together and this year Ida was strong. Stronger than me. She also carried the backpack during 190km of the time (with heavy weight)
El Maco
Fantastic! You guys are heroes! And Ida is an Ironwoman! I can't believe you stuck her with the backpack for 190 KM's!
SvaraRaderaI totally agree! But the only thing I can say is that I didn't think about it! No one did!If I would have taken it at Hjo at 178km she would absolutely have done sub 10 (and I probably 10:30)
SvaraRaderaCongrats, well done, all of you :-)
SvaraRaderaNice reading, as usual! For me it was the best Vätternrunda so far, really fresh the final part. Managed to ride around 40 km/h the last 5 k or so, with help from a fast group! Very satisfied with the time!
SvaraRadera/Anders