By Jørgen

Congratulations on winning Norseman in 2009! Tell us about your race.

First thanx to the crew which made it my race and victory possible and is responsible for a fantastic experience I had in Norway. I felt great from the beginning (the days before the race and the startline) until the finishline on the gausta. I know now why its called the hardest IM distance, because it surely is, but I had races in my life with more suffering and pain. The reason for that is the emotional context for the race: the location, the way to start the race on the ferry, the landscape and scenery and of course the crew and having your own team always around you. I had a good swim and came out of the water gladly 2 min behind the leading woman. On the bike I felt strong to do a safe but careful ride. Carefully because, I had not that much mileage in my legs as usual. A heavy lung infection from October 2008 until mid of January 2009 forced me to start very late with training, so I was little afraid about difficultness of this race and the necessary power you need. My run felt already very well at home, so I was sure if I come off the bike in a good condition, that I would be able to run until the checkpoint (my main goal ☺) and most of the parts of the trail. I came off the bike with a 17min lead over the second and so I was able to concentrate on myself for the whole run. I always felt strong and had no moments of real suffering the whole course, motivated by the race itself, the people – especially my team – around. Just my back made little problems in the last km on the run but I was still able to run the trail faster than the 1th and 3th men and came with a 47min lead as the first female to the finishline on the Gaustatoppen. Very happy about the victory in THAT for me so special race, and - because of normally having my strength on the bike - about the 10th fastest marathon in the whole field.

We understand that you stayed in Eidfjord for about 7 days before the race. How did you like your stay in Norway?
Yes, I cameover on Saturday before the race. At home I work about 50h a week as a freelancer, and so I need a little time without the laptop, internet and work. Eidfjord was the perfect area for me to come down from all that stress and action at home and I felt recovered already after 3 days. On Thursday I was ready to go and looking forward to walk on the ferry. I came with one of my best friends luise and my parents and brother followed us. Additionally as a surprise on of my best friends Felix Walchshöfer – race director of the Challenge Roth and Challenge series – came one day before the race. We had a nice little apartment at Kjærtveit Camping with view over the fjord. Best place in the Eidjord to stay to relax, if I would have been possible, I stayed for the next 3-4 weeks ☺. I went training on the bike in the Hardangervidda and had the same thoughts: just wanted to stay longer. The people around and the race crew made it all perfect to feel 100% comfortable with lots of energy for a great – I think my greatest – race and it all paid off.

You are a full time triathlon coach in Germany. Did you do any special preparations regards of your own training before Norseman?
Yes.. when I got the information, that “i´m in the race” I started to concentrate just on this event. I have not that much amount of time for training because of my own business but I can organize my dates and work quiet well. I did much biking and running in the mountains and lots of power workouts, which meant heavy training for me after that long break in the winter. So I always needed much recovery from the training sessions. So I always had about 4 days very serious training and about 3 days nearly “off training”. I never had less training before a race counted in hours, but it was very specialized, so it worked.

Tell us a little bit about your background in sports.
I come from the alpine ski-racing, what seems to be good requirement for the biking. When I started with triathlon in 98 I decided to go on long course right now, so I raced Roth, won the agegroup and got the slot for Hawaii. Of course I was on fire..
I had a few good years with a victory of a long distance race and a personal best in IM racing of 9:40h. While I started to found my business of professional coaching and sport medical testing, I had to reduce my sports but found a way to manage to walk the line between these both challenges. I were able to place myself several times in the top 10 and top 5 of IM races, with a 3rd place at ironman UK 2008 as my the best result so far.

Back home in Germany, were you reasonably recognized for winning Norseman, or was it a waste of energy in terms of publicity?
Previously I expected nothing.. not the victory and not the publicity. In the end I got both ☺ I had a big amount of reports in newspapers , print and online magazines. But this was not the reason to do this race. Of course you´re happy and proud about it, but it don´t work if this is your motivation to race such a hard competition.
What´s your plans for the rest of the season?
First I planned to race the long distance challenge Barcelona in October but because of my plans for 2010 I just go for 70.3 in Italy (Elba - Elbaman) on the 27th of September, to be able to start earlier a save build up, without the risk ok being ill again.

And what do you have coming up for the next season? Will we see you race Norseman again?
I signed up for challenge Copenhagen already in may 2009 and I will keep that contract. But I´m so touched by the Norseman, that I will also come back again as my seasonal highlight. So my crazy little plan is to come early to Norway to do my favourite race again, than travel directly to Copenhagen to race the challenge race on week later. I have one year now to prepare my body and mind for it, and I´m sure it is possible to work. Most of the planning and booking is already done and I´m already very keen on the special training and racing. For me this is the chance to come back with more strength and specialized than this year and that is on what I want to work right now.
We couldn’t help notice your beautiful pink bike from PlanetX. Tell us about your sponsors.
I´m lucky to have very good partners and sponsers who offer me the best material and stuff for great races
Planet X is one of them and I´m extremely happy about my little pink bike, because i´m not just a sports(wo)man…as a woman who like stuff which also looks nice and feminine.
The same is with my clothing from Cocoon and Odlo.. functional but also very nice to look at, as well as my new sponsor on board:eyewear from Oakley (hopefully no clouds on gausta ☺ )
For my good swim I have to say THANX to jan sibbersen from Sailfish, also sponsor of the race and once supporter of jens richter, when he toke part in the race. He was quiet happy about my victory because of knowing what it means to race here in Norway.
The 10th fastest marathon was run with the shoes of Saucony and will be again - hopefully faster - next year.
Suunto watches help me to train and treat myself and my athlets right, so they support me as an athlet and also as a trainer.
Penco and Cadion nutrition gives me enough power to stay strong until the end of the race without getting any problems with the stomach, and to have a quick recovery from the race. Especially next year I will need that very very urgent!
More sponsors and partners are:
• CEP Compression Socks
• Inlays in all shoes: Pohlig Orthopädie
• Steffen Mayer: Magic-Sportfood
• Best bike fit: Radsport Fritz Buchstaller
• Sportshops: Infinity Sport and Synergy Sports
• Wechselszene – Sven Hindl
• Cosmetic studio: Hirsch Apotheke
• Fitnessstudio: Sport Park Rednitzhembach
Business Partners who also care about my sports and health:
• Physiotherapist: Jörg Brenn who will be with us in 2010 to bring me in top shape for Norseman and reduce the pain and marks of the race before Copenhagen
• Challenge Roth: best old race and race crew… and friends
• Hannes Blaschke: Hannes Hawaii Tours: Triathlon legend, biggest triathlon travel agency worldwide and one of my best friends
• Acitve Woman: Sport magazine for active women