Finally the big day was here, and it was a perfect morning, sunny and 12-13 degrees. I had a good nights sleep and a good breakfast of ham and pasta at 06:30. At 07:25 we set of from home. Janicke and the kids were driving me downtown Bergen to the start area outside Grieghallen. We arrived at 08.00, 35 minutes before my group was starting.
I said goodbye to the family and they drove of to get to Gullbotn in order to cheer for me going up the climb from Trengereid.
I meet Terje 10 minutes before start and we both felt good and ready as we rolled out from the start area at 08:37.
The group we had signed up for was a 06:00 group from SPV. I knew as we started that I would not be able to keep up with them all the way to Voss, but was hoping to keep with them until we reached the climb from Trengereid to Gullbotn.
However, it quickly became clear that they started out in a much higher pace than I was prepared to, so Terje and I let them go already at Fjøsanger. As we where riding through the roundabout at Krambua I got to close to the edge of the roundabout and almost fell, but managed to keep up.
My legs felt very good and Terje and I got into a good rhythm, we agreed to ride alone up from Nestun to Midttun. At Midttun the group starting three minutes behind us would most likely catch up with us and we would than get into that group and ride with them towards Trengereid.
However, this is where my problems started!!!!
Midway in the climb towards Midttun I got a flat tire. I told Terje to go on and not wait for me, no reason for both of us being held back. I changed my tube and got on the bike again. Two groups passed me as I was changing the tube but I manged to join the next one as I got to Midttun.
Despite the disappointing start I now felt good and I had no problem keeping up with the group. However just before the Janus factory I got a second flat tire. I stopped and changed the tube again, using my second and last spare tube. As I got back on the bike a small group that had dropped off passed me and I joined them for the next 5 minutes but got a 3rd flat tire just before I got to the old Hjelle bakery shortly before coming down to Arna. I was all out of spare tubes, however, a guy stopped after 5-10 minutes and gave me one of his spare tubes.
I changed the tube again, got back on the bike again, for 2 minutes before the tire was flat, again!!!!
This time I called Janicke and asked her to pick me up. I had lost all hope getting to Voss. However as she picked me up she said there was a G-Sport shop down in Arna so we decided to go there to see if I could get a new tube and help to fix the tire there! As we got to the shop they had just opened, but with my luck they was all out of tubes! We then decided one more try and Janicke drove me to the first feeding station up at Gullbotn as BoA bike shop had a technician there that might be able to help.
At the BoA bike stand I got a new tube and the technician quickly checked my tire. And 5 minutes later I was back on the bike. I decided to still ride to Voss although all hope of a good time was now gone.
However, 10 minutes later I was more or less in tears, I had got another flat tire just before getting to Bjørkheim. Now all motivation was gone and all that was left was bitterness thinking about all the time and effort I had put in this spring preparing for this ride. I called Janicke and she picked me up at Bjørkheim. Before leaving we got some ice-cream for the kids and let them stand along the side of the road cheering the other riders passing. I will admit it was a bit hard to watch as I was thinking about them cheering at me when I arrived a t Voss :(
As we drove home we stopped at XXL and bought 2 new tubes and a new tire. Today's ride changed from being the height of the season to be the first training ride before Bergen - Voss 2013, so although I was very disappointed, I was very clear that I was going to go home and keep training for next years race.
Terje and Beathe:
Terje and Beathe both finished the race, Beathe did it in 6 hours and 21 minutes and Terje in 6 hours and 51 minutes which I think was impressive from both of them, congratulations :)
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