After completing Ironman 70.3 I only managed to get 1 bike session in my body before Göteborgsvarvet.

I was ill Wednesday/Thursday and on Friday I took my car to drive up to Göteborg so there was no time to get some kilometers in my legs.

Göteborgsvarvet is a Halfmarathon and goes through the city of Göteborg. It is a very hilly course with 2 long bridges you have to cross.

Not my favorite kind of race and I was not signed up to do it, however my significant other was. I was only there to cheer for her.

But the company she works for, HiQ Skåne, had a slot open and offered it to me. Not feeling 100% I accepted the offer thinking this could be a good workout.

Race morning I ate a sturdy breakfast as the race was not going to start until 13:42.

Changed into my running gear, met up with some other people from HiQ and we went to the start area.

Once there we searched for the HiQ tent. It was easy to hear where they were as they had a DJ blasting great music. I was supplied with a T-shirt with their logo on and I could not happen to wonder if this is how “semi sponsoring” feels 😉

Anyways, since I considered this a workout I set my goal to run in 1:40h. I did not feel the previous Ironman in my legs, but could not shake the feeling that it probably was there waiting to show itself.

Another guy from HiQ said he was also trying to go for 1:40 so we said we were going to have company with each other.

The race started and the big mass started moving. It was very chaotic in the beginning and I had to run between people all the time and thought this is wasting precious energy.

The guy I was going to keep company with found a speedier path and I saw him disappearing from me. With all the people in front of me I told myself to let him go and I settled into my own pace.

After a couple of kilometers it started to open up and I could enjoy not having to zig-zag between people. I really enjoyed the scenery and watching Göteborg from so many different places really was breathtaking.

I had my pace and it felt really good. No fatigue in legs nor heavy breathing. Only a high pulse (180bpm), but it was somewhat hot (21C) so I thought my pulse was high due to that.

Around 12km I caught up with the guy that I was supposed to run with. He was looking terrible and I tried to encourage him a bit. He had run too fast in the beginning and was now suffering while I was hopping along just fine. I continued kkeeping my steady pace and he dropped back.

However around the 17th km something happened. I felt heavy and was not having a good posture, took small strides etc. I hit a wall!

I thought about walking. There would be no shame in walking since I just finished an Ironman just one week ago. And this was not a race I was supposed to be in.

But I focused on the word “Ironman”. Heck, I am an Ironman!

So close to the finish line I was not about to quit and start walking. I mustered my strength and pushed my legs. I thought about posture. I high fived a couple of kids and continued on my path forward.

I saw the kilometers pass and now only 1km was left.  A little girl shouted “you are so close, the finish line is near”.

1km should be easy. It was not. This last 1000m was a path where you did not see more than 100m in front of you until the next turn or bend.

And when you thought you had reached the finish line after the next turn, there was another turn 100m in front. But then the holy grail of stadiums appeared.

I was so pleased to see it and when I entered the stadium I told the fellow next to me “let’s enjoy this”.

Jogging the last 75m to the finish line this other guy was coming hard on my left. Without thinking my body reacted and I started sprinting.

I’m talking Hussein Bolt sprinting. Crazy mad adrenaline what the hell am I doing sprinting!

It was not a good half marathon for me. I had taking it easy until I hit the wall. I had set up a goal that I thought would be reasonable (1:40). I had nothing to win and I had nothing to lose.

Just do a long workout and get some distance in my feet.

But these last 75m, they mattered now.

And I beat that guy.

We shook hands at the finish line thanking each other for that last push.

My time of 01:41:51 was right up there where I though I would be, which was nice.

I did not expect to have to push my legs those last kilometers but it’s good to know that I can, if needed to.

After the race I headed to the HiQ tent and got myself a beer.

I was worth it 🙂

The sprint broadcasted by SVT:

Times recorded by the chip: