I’m in Falun.

I live in a prison.

I’ve just survived two days of testing.

Racing the World Final in Budapest will be like a dream after this….

I forgot how much these tests hurts. It’s not for long, but the pain is very present when it comes. And to do it again, again and again (run/swim/bike) takes the most out of the body.

Now I have 1,5 day of easy stuff.

Then the challenge of a 10k run in Stockholm.

More pain.

But of a different kind.

And as for the prison. It is a prison, but nowadays converted to a youth hostel. I’m in cell 220, complete with heavy doors and bars outside the window.

This is not a holiday

The reason to leave Davos?

I guess going down for altitude 10days + of Budapest is a good one.
Preparing for a 10k run in Stockholm is another.
Or get to Falun for a block of testing in the lab.

But that wasn’t the reason I that came to my mind today when I rolled out on the train.

I think the SNOW was the best reason for me to leave!

Davos was trying to tell me something.

Telling me I have done enough of mountain running and altitude training.

It’s time to go down and enjoy the work!

Wow, what a day!

Won the first ever sprint World Championship gold medal today in Lausanne.

I’m a WORLD CHAMPION!!!

On my bed next to me is a gold medal… need to look at it every once a while to belive it’s true.

I had a great day.

Swam exteremly well.

Got away on the bike.

Got two really strong girls with me. Emma Moffat and Daniela Ryf. Best possible scenario.

Got off the bike and ran hard.

Had Moffat with me at the half way point. Didn’t want to loose in the sprint. Did want to win the true way. The tough way. To run one off ones feet is the true way to do it.

I did it!

I managed to get a gap. I closed my eyes. I ran.

I won!!!

The headcoach put is hand out with a swedish flag. I had time to celebrate at the finish. My smile stretched from ear to ear.

Pictures to come. Video to come.

Keep posted!

Imust admit I’m not a big fan of the amount of World Championships titles there are triathlon.
For me there is one and only that matters.
The ITU WCS medals that is.
Thats the olympic version of triathlon. That’s the pinacle of the sport. Thats where the deep high class field is.

Not taking the glory of IronMan Hawaii. But it’s a different sport.
It’s fantastic athletes – but a complete different world from mine.

So now we have a Sprint World Championship as well?
Does it matter? How heavy is that medal actually going to be?
Looking at the field I think it will be a decent race with accurate and fair medals.
It will be interesting as some juniors might be gunning to take down some big names.

The dynamics are very different from the WCS races.
Leg speed will be more important that efficiency.
Lausannes hills will favor the strong bikers instead of swimmers.
It will be interesting.

For me it will be a good speed hit out. Two days of short sharp racing.

A step towards more speed in my legs.
A step closer to Budapest.

I’m not here with some big goals in mind.

But if I somehow would manage to get one – it would be very important for my country.

A country where triathlon now is beginning to grow.

A country that will have a young and inspired team on the start line for the Team World Champs.

How could I miss not being a part of that?
I’m in Davos. It’s a train trip.

I wouldn’t miss it for the world!

Read more about the event at ITU’s homepage.
You can also watch it live saturday and sunday.

Another podium!

The 2nd place in todays ITU World Champsionship Series race put me in 3rd position in the overall standings.

This means that I’m now in the running for a medal!

The race was solid. One of my best I think. I just lacked three seconds in the end. Three seconds I dugg deep to find, but wasn’t there.

Now I have three weeks to get them there. Them and maybe some more…

Bring on Budepest!

Challenge Copenhagen is coming up.

So is Alexandar’s showdown in the Danish capital.

Aleksandar will wear the number #1 in the race.

It doesn’t really mean anything. You don’t get a head start or faster legs.

Aleksandar decided to give it a bigger meaning.

Watch the video.

Shows he is of real number #1 material.

Great job by Fraser Cartmell today!

Winning the Ironman UK is a big one in the bag.

ENJOY YOUR DAY FRASER!

It’s been an emotional roller coaster over the past week. From a surprise win in Hamburg to a disappointing 20+ place in London. None what really what I expected of myself coming into the races.

I was going down to the two races thinking I’d be able to squeeze out two solid, but not exceptional results.

Wasn’t quite the outcome!

But looking back, I rather have my 1st and 26th instead of the two twelves that would make out the average.

To be on top of the podium is one of the best things in life. And the times when you don’t expect it are the best. Not that I do expect to get up there very often. But after great blocks of training when you know you are running well, thats where you do want to end up!

When I ran into the last couple of corners still being in the main pack I knew I was in contention. If I played my cards well, it could be a great outcome. I had two(!) of my training partners in the same pack, as well as Moffat, Hewitt and Bennet… So I also knew I could as well miss out. I didn’t. And I thank my lucky star for that! It hasn’t been a lot of sunshine on the Norden sky lately so it was well sought after.

On the contrary London was a messy experience. It’s a busy city with lots of people and heavy traffic. The accommodation wasn’t perfect but I had to share a mini room with Kate for the first night before moving all my stuff to another building. There was a few media things to do and the venues were spread out and going places was time consuming. Training had gone well and I felt the best in the pool for quite a few months! But, it’s not necessary that reflects in the race results. A miss in the swim can cost you dare. Ask me…  I know.

I had a position on the far right side, maybe 5-7 places in. As my speed is not bad I normaly manage to get a way just a little bit which saves me a little bit of fighting. I didn’t and I got stuck with the girl on my right side swimming all over me reducing my speed. Made me hit the boy just a little bit too late, together with the big mass. And the carnage.

That was where my London race came to an end. 50 seconds behind in T2, stuck with a pack where very few girls wanted to work and frustration by loosing time by the lap.

Decided early on that I might as well turn it in to a good training session and get something out of it. Had a painful run and a reminder how it feels running 10k’s of a bike with smashed legs. It’s not fun.

It’s was so different and miles away from how it feels to run for medals at the front of the race.

Disappointment. Anger. Frustration.

But also fire.

What did I learn?

I know I have the capability to win a World Championship Series race.

My training is going in the right direction.

I’m still far from top fitness.

I just need to keep working hard.

And that is exactly what I’m planning to do!

A picture say more than a 1000 words…

The beer was sticky. The victory sweet.

Sweet as to put it the aussie way.

I finally got to win a sprint. Not sure how it happened. I didn’t think I was in great shape.

But I love Hamburg. And I love the Hamburgians! They always cheer for me like I was German!

Thank you Hamburg!!!!

watch the video from the race at ITU’s homepage