Photo: Niklas Källström

Tomorrow is the first day of the Swedish National Chamionships for roadcycling.

As a part of my preparation for the Syracuse 70,3 I’ll race the time trial tomorrow afternoon. For this race

specialized have organized a UCI legal Shiv for me.

I’m really looking forward to the challenge which is going to be a tough one this time. Sweden has got quite a few strong female cyclists and I expect the standards will be very high.

It’s a great chance to blow the legs out and get a good benchmark of where I am standing.

On the startline there are names like Emma Johansson (olympic silvermedalist in Beijing 2008) and Emilia Fahlin.

First start is 16:00 tomorrow and updates from the race is found on Ã…storps CK’s homepage

Photo: Catarina Axelsson

I’m very privileged in life to have a talented circle of friends around me.

On the 9th floor in my house lives my favorite couple, a french man and a swedish woman.

Both keen cyclist with passion for food, coffee and the beautiful things in life.

They might have been the final force that eventually saw me end up in stockholm.

And maybe have something to do with the fact I bought my apartment in the very same location.

I got to know Nicolas and Catarina in Canberra some four years ago.

Nico was involved with the local cycling club – and Catarina was swedish. Apperantly a reason strong enough for the bikeshop guy to introduce us.

Catarina ended up doing a job on the life of a triathlon squad shadowing coach Darren and my training group for some time.

And we became friends. Not because she was swedish, but because they were such great people.

Photo: Catarina Axelsson

Watching the photos Catarina has taken over the past four years is like looking on a more beautiful version of my career.

Her strength (I believe) is her ability to capture emotions and different sides of athletes from the standard race shots.

I have never seen her carry a tri pod or a flash.

It’s her and her camera. The natural light and real location.

Photo: Catarina Axelsson

The other day she had found this beautiful lake not far from our house.

With a lit up face she described the waterlilies and the fairytalish setting.

We took our bikes, packed some gear and left for the forest.

Photo: Catarina Axelsson

Catarina worked her magic and I got to enjoy yet another beautiful swedish summer evening.

Then we biked home, ordered sushi and had dinner on the 13th floor rooftop terrace.

A brilliant day.

Catarina Axelsson herself

For more photos by Catarina Axelsson check out her homepage Envol Photography or Facebook page

Photo: Catarina Axelsson

Another week another race has turned into a weekly routine for me now.

I’m getting top speed training by racing various local races .

Last week I did a 23k time trial, this week a local triathlon at the end of a big training day. Today I raced the 800m free and the 4×200 relay for my swimclub Polisen in the regional champs.

It was my second ever swim race and I still don’t feel comfortable in the setting. It’s a bit terrifying, which really, is the whole point by me racing it.

The 800m looked like a really long way and i was matched into a really quick heat. I went out conservative thinking I was being smart pacing myself. Proved that the 1:08 split still was a little too optimistic. I came home on 9.53 which was much slower than expected, but still satisfactory looking at the training I have been doing in the past two weeks.

The 200m was again slower than a few weeks back with a 2:19 – but also now with legs that’s back into run training.

I take that over injury and a superfresh swim form.

The highlight of today was getting the opportunity to race in the TYR AP12

One amazing suit to swim in!

Lisa and Freja in the TYR AP12 and TYR tracer C-series racing suits.