Kristian - Post IMNZ & How to Review Races

0:00I'm KB Klystomlumfeldt, Olympic and three-time world champion. I'm Dr David Lippmann, a health and human performance specialist. Welcome to the Norwegian Method Podcast. Welcome back to the Norwegian Method and fresh off a tough day in Topor. I've got Christian joining me, mate. How are you? I am cooked. I was brutal there in the end. But yeah, we move on and try to recover now having a new race in two weeks time. So yeah, it was a lot of different stuff happening in the race. Yeah, I guess we will go through it now. Yeah, I guess.

1:00Well, let's start out like before the things. How have you found New Zealand in general? How have you found being down there? Like obviously a big adjustment, time zones, that sort of stuff. But how has it been for you? Yeah, so I came here two weeks before the race. And I feel quite strange that like 12 hours time zones change. Almost feels easier than doing eight hours towards the east. So like flipping the day all the way around is easier than just going to the pan. So I felt like time zones wise, it was adjusting quite easily. I was just waking up early in the morning and have been training here with another pro band Hamilton. And staying with him and his family and had good training companies, even though Casper and Gustav decided to not join me for New Zealand. So it's been a good stay until the race that will take.

2:01And then stay with the first week in Auckland. So had the base there and moved in here on Wednesday for the race. How was the cycling around Auckland mate? Like I've been, it's pretty busy on the roads and not a lot of it doesn't feel like a cycling hub for me. It's a little bit like riding in a neighborhood that it never gets out of. Unless you go for the big loop. So we had one very nice ride, which was like the week before this race where I felt unfortunately better than what I did today. So then I had like 160 or 180kg on the bike and felt strong and just pushed the head's doorsticks today. Will the commentator seem to suggest at some point that you've been a little bit unwel leading into the race? Was that the case or have you been okay? I didn't get the best source for running those for the race week.

3:03So I didn't train much on Thursday or Friday and just hoped to be fun. So I felt fit and ready to go on this morning. But probably not ideal, but yeah, it's a long travel so trying to give my best. And I guess like going through the race, how did you find the swim like it was a bit of a fairly deep start from what I could see. So how was that for you? Like obviously, you know, the swim isn't your favorite leg. So I mean, I assume you'd probably prefer to run in and get going that way. But how did you find the swim? It was okay. I was a little bit chopper than I normal and a bit confusing with the long straight. So it was like sort of almost like 900 meters out and then a coup, 180 degrees with two turning boys and then a two-case section on the way alongside the beach.

4:06And then two turning points again and then another 900 meters back to the exit. So it was a bit like hard to get the sense of how far into this swim I was. But yeah, I wouldn't say I felt super good, but didn't lose too much time. I think we came out of the water like 140 behind the front and was swimming mostly in the feet of feathering function. So I reckon I should have been in that front pack, but yeah, maybe. Yeah, I pour swim. Yeah. And then I had the transition and I felt sort of quite slowly when I start riding and the power came sort of okay for the first 15, 20 minutes. And felt wasn't over pushing it.

5:06And a little bit confusing with having the 70 point three race starting before us. So we had the age groupers out on the course, basically the whole time. So when we started riding we were catching up the age groupers who started maybe a half an hour before us. So we had sort of athletes on course the whole time. So in one way it made it a little bit tricky at some points because they are like overtaking each other as well as we are coming there as almost like as a group trying to play within the 20 meters rule. And not getting into the red zone of each other. And then in the same time having to sort of overtake in the same way the age groupers. Yeah. Yeah, okay. And how did you how are you feeling coming out of the swim? Like you said it wasn't a great swim, but you were like within reach. I think everybody was looking at you at that stage and went sort of like all right he's there about where he needs to be right he's not going to be.

6:11He's not too far off where he needs to be. Like the first few steps on the beach wasn't great, but then when I started running in transition they felt better. So I felt like I was able to have a decent pace there for the as I was running after maybe the first 10, 15 seconds. So that then the legs felt okay. It was quite a long run. It was about 400 meters from memory like how do you find a long transition like that. Do you find it to be helpful so that you can be on the bike in a little bit better shape and sort of shake off some of the swim or would you prefer to be sort of on the bike quicker. I feel it doesn't make a huge difference like it's sort of the running the bike sort of feels the same in that way. It just makes it easier to take down the weather to the waste until you have to jump on the bike. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for sure. And so you said like initially in the first little bit the power was coming okay.

7:12Were you holding back a bit there because it was just that Kyle was surging quite hard because he was putting time into you. And I think people were like, I mean, I was certainly surprised by that. I think he was pushing hard in like to break away with like a surging whether we were sort of a little bit more careful I would say. So by memory, I think he was like 145 quicker out of the water and maybe even had a quicker transition. So that's called it two minutes. So then he took probably he gained 345 then for the first 90k by himself. And then I think we were we're bridging up a little bit again. You know, that's second lap on the way out when trying to fully was coming through. And for the funk was starting to go to the front. But then again, then one fairly funk sort of managed to get away from Trevor.

8:16Then we lost time again to Kyle. Yeah, got it. That was also the point where the groups have got to beat it up. And there was a little more one and one. And I think that was a bit the combination of that. Then the age groupers did 70.3s. They were then finished with their lap. So on our second lap, we were sort of having clear road for the first maybe 60k of that lap before we were starting catching lots of age groupers again. So we were doing the armen. So then it's more wonder like it's harder if you first getting dropped the sort of brings back in again. All right. Let's talk the Arab army like what happened with the handlebar like we saw you playing around with it. You know, sort of twiddling around and that sort of stuff. Like what went on? Actually. So someone who was tightening the like it was a noise in the handlebars.

9:20Yesterday when I worked the bike mechanic and then we tried to tighten them and. Yeah, I guess maybe it was tightened too much or too late lower. Not sure. So suddenly after 20k, the right one came off. And I was stuck there with the two cables of hanging through the handlebar and. It's sort of tricky in speed to put the cable inside against without really like. In speed I wasn't able to put put or put the air bar into the hole again. So then in the beginning I wasn't sure what to do and managed to sort of snap the cable and. And I was sort of riding a little bit and hope to find a.

10:24Eight station where I could throw it. So I didn't get a penalty for littering. And unfortunately it was also my right air bar where I'm having the. Uh, gum and computer. So I had to take the computer off, put in the pocket. I could record the data. But I was basically riding blind for the last 160k was which was a little bit annoying. I've both in terms of seeing the power and the pacing and the cadence but also the distance so. But luckily after like 40k maybe I had a bike mechanic or 35k who came up with the on the car next to me and he asked if I needed some tools and. I think in order to put it back on again. It would have taken me maybe three or three minutes or so because it's like a couple of screws that need to come off before I can tighten it again.

11:27So I thought it would be better to just. Give it to him and I still hope that I will get it back. Yeah, okay. Well, if you listen to this bike mechanic, please, please reach out to Christian and getting his handle back. But luckily it was the right one that came off because I'm sort of. I would say left dominant on the air bars. So I'm better at taking off my right arm. So like if I'm drinking I'll normally use my right right one. And I feel that the left one is sort of the arm that I'm always taking. Into the bar first and then the right one comes afterwards. So it was luckily the last one that was still on the. So that that made it a little bit more safe. I would say to ride or less answers. Yeah, got it, got it. And I guess like let's go through this because this is fascinating. You seem pretty composed about it when I was watching. Yeah, it seemed like you were like, okay, this has happened. We're all good. I know what I'm doing. But what goes through your mind when that happens initially.

12:31How do you, what's the calculus going through there is it's like, should I be stopping? How do I know if there's a mechanic? Cause I assume you don't know if the mechanics going to come. Well, first I thought that I just have to. When the first sort of good loose, then I thought I just have to wait until there. I was at eight station and throw it away. Or first, I thought this is my race is over. So I was got. I was a little bit pissed off and yeah. Lost my voice after screaming a bit for myself after on course. But that is more about trying to settle into the group and do the best out of the situation. Yeah. And so how do you stay positive there? Like as you said, you got really angry, you sort of yelled, you know, like, how do you switch your mindset? Cause like, that's an easy mindset to race angry even and like racing angry is not a good way to do it either.

13:32Yeah, but the tricky thing is that on the right one, that that's where the shift there is. We're like going one. Like shifting down. So I had to sort of go down to the base bar if I wanted to go to a more heavier gear. And every time I wanted to go one lighter, like I could just use my last one. So that was a bit like maybe the most annoying thing. Yeah. But so like, I guess how do you switch that mindset? So back to the, you know, you got angry, you know, it's easy to race angry, you know, and that's not always good. So how do you switch it to like a positive thing? That that that's more than it is. What I should I do, you know, it's a, it's a, it's a long travel to go all the way to New Zealand to, to only do 20k on the bike and the 4k swim or 3.8k swim. So just try to still race for the win and see if I could do the best of situation.

14:37Because at that point, I thought it was a lot of chance to get back into the race. I knew that I had stronger cyclists behind and that it wasn't too many upfront. Like it was, I didn't have completely the control over who was in front, but I knew that Cosmic was pushing the pace. And, yeah, I just still thought that I had a chance to win. Then what were you doing, Matt? Morton's Hydrogel technology encapsulates carbohydrates, making their gels and drink makes easy to consume and easy on the stomach. With no added colors, flavors or preservatives, you get exactly what you need and nothing you don't. It's the fuel we rely on both trading and to execute on the race day. For 15% off your next order at Morton.com, use the code TNMS4 at checkout. The code is applicable once per customer on all products except the Morton Biocub system, valid until December 31st, 2026.

15:41Check the show notes for details. Then what were you doing, Matt? How did you decide to not DNF? Because that would have been an easy reasonable option. You go, yes, it's New Zealand, but I'm going to race a couple weeks time in Australia anyway. Then I've got my, you know, the rest of my race calendar plan, but it's all you front loaded your year so that you could easily slide in another Iron Man if you wanted. Not easily. I would have to see how Texas is going. So if Texas goes well, then I might squeeze in another armament. If wait, if Texas goes well, because what talk about that, why if it goes well and what if it goes badly? No, because I need the three armament races when pro serious. And if Texas goes bad and I would just focus on what and how I. It's not like I can't suddenly put in it's yeah, two more six armons in one season.

16:46That's a bit hello. Yeah, so because I didn't give too much space for a spare armman this season in order for the pro serious. So that was there with a biggest bomber with being 16 minutes down and then because that basically means that I have to do if I want, I have to do another armman if I want to win the pro serious. Yeah, okay, because I guess it when we last spoke with your Roth announcement hadn't come out. And so it seemed like, you know, everything was from stacked and there was this big gap in the middle of the year and it's like, well, Roth's actually slotted in there. So, okay, that makes some sense then that, you know, you didn't really have the option of DNF at this because yeah, it's, yeah, I guess that makes sense. There was some chatter that you had a second mechanical, but you didn't have a second mechanical, did you? No, no, no, okay, all right.

17:47And I guess what were you thinking technically on the bike, you sort of already admit? Well, there's chain came off, but that's not really okay technical. I was able to put it back on in speed. Okay, okay. But so technically on the bike, you already mentioned you had good bikers behind you. You had a couple guys up front, but you thought what you could come through with the good bikers and still make a good run of it. Is that the kind of the plan that what you were thinking? Yes, I still thought that it could have like a 230, 235 on the run in me and even one that I came off the bike. I thought that could be the running legs I could show up with. But I think after putting on the shoes and trying to follow my magic mic and travel out of T2, I was sort of struggling to just get out to a 345 pace. So the first few cases didn't go fast, but I was still losing time.

18:51So I'm sort of trying to stay in the race the first 5K before it was more like a survival, I would say, quite early on the run. So then it was the day after 10K was from 5 to 10K I was really smoked and somehow I managed to sort of find a rhythm again. And it was a little bit easier actually the last 25K than the first 15K. What do you think that was? Maybe it was a bit because on the bike it was quite chilly. So maybe I was too focused on the carbon hydrates and didn't drink enough. So certainly there was like a change of temperature. So on the run it was fast quite warm again. So I guess the last maybe hour on the bike it was probably warmer than expected after having had like a chilly start.

19:53The first 3 hours of the bike. So I guess I should have been drinking more fluid enough to just focus on the carbs. So I was maybe a little bit overloaded with carbs as well. I think I drank I grabbed like a bottle of coke as well. Oh, as well. On the last second last station and I think that was also disturbing a bit the stomach when I started running. Yeah, okay. Well how did you come through transition because I watched you and you didn't look great through transition. How are you feeling? The first few steps is always like older and then grabbing the T2 bag and putting on the shoes and then I didn't feel great. But then it's not like I'm stressing about it is more like trying to find the rhythm the first K or so and then. It just they're running like just never showed up on that first lap.

20:54So you were running some like 4 30s and stuff and then it sort of picked up a bit. You mentioned the hydration already but there was also some discussion of you having a bit of a vomit did that I assume that helped. I did actually so it was just as a past the restaurant area. I was first running on the right side of the road basically just next to the restaurants and then I felt it coming. So then I better move to the left side of the road now and give them at least another 3 meters from the vomit. They're enjoying the lunch. So I guess I was just overloading on two much carbs and as well a mix of the bottle of coke. I could call that a grabs in the station. So that was sort of just disturbing it. And it was quite good when it came up because then I felt better again and it felt like I didn't yeah it felt better afterwards.

22:02Looking at your runs but there are a bit surgery right so there was some like high 3s and then some like mid to high 4s at times like that sort of it seemed to go you over a little bit. Was that course related or was that how you were feeling? Probably both. It wasn't completely flat so it was a bit like uphill downhill as well. I felt like I struggled to find a rhythm over time. So it was no smooth running at all. The smoothest running was maybe going out on the third lap and those 10k was maybe where I was pacing the best. One of the things I wanted to talk to you about today regardless of how things went was was a bit of a race review in terms of how you do it. And I think maybe today provides an interesting yeah I guess an interesting case study of how do you are a viewer race particularly in the light of like the mechanical and the legs not feeling good like what does a normal race review look like and what about today is it any different.

23:02So typically off the first thing I do after races like looking at the power especially now I didn't look at the power as I was riding so looking through the power and the heart rate and trying to see how that's comparing. Normally for the run I have like a feeling of how I'm running and I'm getting in the data as I'm sort of running the pace wise. But now it's more yeah I guess it was also a bit impacted by the buildup I had where I didn't feel too good over the last four or five days. So sometimes it's not too good to over think it either and more like move on and try to just get back into training for too long because I want to stress around and flip all the training around just because this race went badly.

24:09But so I guess back to firstly thank you for you know given the fact you really want to rehash this too much we do appreciate you joining us on the pod. But secondly so a normal review you'd sort of look at your data and then consider you know probably some tactics in there as well and then probably review some nutrition is that fair to say. Yeah like writing down what I was taking as well and now I like looking back I do think I grabbed weight too few water bottles on the back as an example like I think that volume was too low and that's yeah impacting the hydration and makes it freaky on the run. Yeah yeah for sure and I think also like the reason why I didn't feel too good in this way was maybe also lack of open water swimming so I think it would be nice to put in more of that layering or and before the upcoming races.

25:16Yeah okay watch along to a really interesting open water set up matter how much you know about you know I used to live there there is a really cool sort of open water pool on the waterfront there that you can go do some laps in so yeah okay but I'm not sure if that counts as open water swimming. Well it's open like so it's it's freely moves free there's a board walk around it so you can sort of swim laps but it's okay I see yeah yeah so it's on the eastern beach there so it's a lovely spot. But I guess one of the other questions I had for you was how do you navigate bike repairs on the road right so you mentioned seeing a bike mechanic because something was a little bit loose I assume that was an iron man bike mechanic but now you're on the way along I assume the iron man bike mechanics aren't going to give you a call although hopefully the one that has your handlebar does but I guess what happens from here. Now I will tighten the bots even harder and I do have good sponsors who can help around so if I need the spare parts either for the bike or stuff I get sponsors to send it to the location I'm going to so as an example a giant mechanics to have a lot of bike dealers all around the world and they are very helpful with.

26:36Yeah if I need any support as well Shimano is having a little bike stores around the world who is having like Shimano that Shimano service that have all of the parts so they could help me around if I text them. Got it got it and I assume that's a custom bit though for you a custom part that that handle is that correct or no. I think it's a normal one so it's not custom but it's like the screws that goes in is quite small and I think it's important like they need to be quite tight in order to not yeah it's two quite thin screws but I guess they have calculated or done the math on them but I was maybe not having them tight enough.

27:38Yeah well I also heard that the road surface there was a bit bumpy and that sort of stuff whereas you know Jolong's a lot nicer in that respect so hopefully it's not too much of an issue for you. Yeah but the the bars should still be fine if it's a bumpy road you always be able to trust your equipment that's important. I mean I don't know what to say mate that is for you to sort out you said that not me but let's talk about recovery now you mentioned today was a tough day was a tough day because you felt bad from the start was a tough day because you had to rinse yourself to save minutes or all of the above. I would say all of it like yeah but then I felt I was able to get back into the race again on that second lap on the bike when the bike group got split it up and we only had Kyle up front like five and a half minutes up front and as we saw in the end he was getting cooked on the run so the whole podium came from sort of my group and behind coming off the bike.

28:48So I think yeah well I was still in the race and I was sort of just failing on the run. Yeah and how do you think about that tactically because I mean that sounds like you've already thought about this a little bit which is you could have chased Kyle. It wouldn't wouldn't have been you know you're the race favorite you've got a good bike leg you've got one of the best run legs so why wouldn't you chase him is one of the thoughts right. But you sound like you've already done the calculus and it's done the math of like well actually he was overbiking and so technically you're happy with what you did is that fair to say. Yeah I think it wouldn't help me to go harder on the on the bike in order to have better run legs like I still wouldn't needed to run quicker than the 252 or so. And if I was quicker I guess I would have been running even worse so like yeah I think I should tactically wise I should be having a like on the base I should be able to do us 235 on a course like this at least on tired legs so it was more like I was just failing on that side.

30:09Okay a few guys did run in and around 235 236 237 there was quite a few so it was a good run day for the other lads. Does any of that change how you think about Kona at all like some of the performances today like I know peers somebody you've highlighted to me before as somebody that you know you think has got high potential. Yeah for sure and no I think for Kona it's still the hard like there is even going to be harder to either follow like guys like Magnus and Sam Leylo and probably Martin this year as well. And he put into the mix that yeah there's probably going to qualify and P.F. is going to be there as well just having Casper so I think it's also a different pace that's required there with the heat and the humidity so it's probably a slower run pace than what we saw today.

31:11Yeah but I guess yeah I guess it's not just a standard factor I guess some people deal with the heat better than others and historically you've done quite well in the heat so yeah okay interesting that that makes some interesting stuff but it sounds like you've got a few people in mind already that you're keeping on a little bit concerned about a little bit aware of and and aware of some tactics that are probably going to happen in Kona which is you know some of the uber bikers are going to go off the front and go for it. Yep destroy their legs so now it's back into run training I guess trying to yeah do do get the running legs back and that's a bit I felt I did some good run sessions in the water as well bike sessions so I felt that camp was good and I was happy with the shape I came out of that camp. So it's more and I was also happy with how I felt the first week here in New Zealand so it was just I guess it's just a shock for the body to be back racing and the next one will be good.

32:20Yeah well this is the I mean you sort of alluded to before the fact you weren't going to change much because it's it's not wise to make you know wholesale changes based on something that could be related to just being on well which I think is a wise a wise take on this but it does then sound like you said you know maybe a bit more running is it more about trying to find some like the feeling in the run because I know you're good start to talk about this a bit is like how you feel on the run and how you like almost technically and and sort of technique wise how it is rather. Rather than just the brute force of the times you're running. Yeah but that's probably comes down as well to doing more race specific work so I haven't done too much like longer runs for this one like it's been more threshold sessions and over pace compared to the 340 or 330 pace that was required today. So I've been doing more like 315 pace since of pushing it there. Well that'll hopefully hold you in good stead come next or not next week two weeks time in July.

33:24We build towards October don't we. So if the pace is if the pace is right in October then I'm happy. But yeah going into too long is going to be sort of plan now was to do 3 weeks basically with the more higher intensity and because I think that helps more for the recovery as well it will give me some leg speed for the 2 7.3 races that I will do. Yeah okay. And how long ever stronger in New Zealand mate and before you travel across. About 22 more hours from. Okay. To more evening to Melbourne and then staying almost 2 weeks in July having. Like 48 hours or so in goal cost and doing a 6k fund run with Matthew Halster and that's might. So if you're if you are in goal cost and you haven't signed up for the fund run with last night you can go into their web page websites and sign up.

34:32I think it's I think it's just over 100 people signed up already so it will be a fund run. Well mate both places are used to live so yeah you're you're retracing my steps for many years ago so we can have a chat offline about some places you should visit and go see and things to do but that's exciting mate. And this doesn't I mean aside from potentially racing in other Iron Man if things go well this doesn't change your year too much because we sort of talked about it already. You were kind of going into this you know under like let's call it under specificity. For lack of a better term so like less specificity for the race stuff at the moment with the view towards being sharp in in corner. Yes that's correct so but I was a bit surprised that I was still running that badly. But again like it could have been a little bit garbage this week because I did feel I've been feeling quite solid on a longer rides and runs in or not the runs but like the track sessions in the last two months so that was a bit surprise.

35:44But we will see in Texas if it's still terrible in Texas then I might have to go back to a drawing board. Yeah well thankfully you know the way you set your season up is Texas is a long ways away from where you need to be performing so you'll you'll have some time. I guess it would be remission me not to speak about Roth if you make given that you know it was an announcement between our last podcast and this podcast. So a bit about Roth what do you what motivated the choice and and yeah obviously you're excited about it I think everyone's excited to see you there. Yes for sure and if I want to race him live though I guess I have to trace him down you know like he's he's not racing Texas he didn't take his trip to New Zealand so I'm chasing him as well what is maybe the most special race we have in Europe with the atmosphere and I don't know how many thousands of people is sharing on.

36:45In North but the whole community and whole city is just. Yeah backing that event and I've never been there but I've only seen pictures and videos and it's definitely one of the sort of monument races we have in triathlon. And yeah it's I've always wanted to do it but this season I felt it was a good timing and knows I could put in a good arm and a museum and Texas before Hawaii so timing was I felt it was perfect. Yeah well you know as Mike Tyson says everyone's going to plan to get punched in the face so I wonder if there's a yeah you'll adjust and you'll make plans here and things will change. It's a really it's really impressive start field that's coming there like you want to show them as well and Patrick Lunger and yeah it's going to be a pretty stacked field so that's always fun to show up to.

38:00I agree I mean it's interesting it just feels and maybe this is a product of the Iron Man pro series it feels like we've got more stacked start lists more frequently these days in long distance triathlon just feels like you know even today you lined up and I was like look at the field and I thought she said it's a pretty good field particularly for New Zealand but you know then it'll be the same in Jolong so those guys are probably going to go across the Jolong as well. Yeah and that's a great thing with the pro series like it's sort of gets good racing feels all the time and it's like no way to hide if you want to perform well in the pro series and it's not just over the world championship days but it's like yeah from the beginning of the season until the very end so it makes it more fun to be a professional track. And hopefully it's more fun to watch as well for the fans out there. It's definitely better for us mate like there's no question about that I don't think everybody agrees with you that it's more fun to race the best people I think that's somewhat personality type and I know it's your personality type.

39:06I also know your personality type is one that is going to be stewing on this for days and days and weeks and weeks after this performance so I you know that's concerning for Jolong I think for the others because I think you'll come out there with the bit between your teeth and really go for it mate. So I'm excited to watch that and yeah anything else you wanted us to cover mate before we we ship out for the day and let you recover a little bit before your plane flight. No I think that was all from my side that was times to jump in the bed very very soon and have a good night of sleep after the race and then it will pack my bike tomorrow morning. Yeah well mate again appreciate you joining us given the tough day and given the time of day there and you know we wish you well for the travels wish you well for Jolong we'll be watching we'll be following along and you know of course as always we appreciate all the listeners so do share this podcast with people so they can hear how Christian went. Right the podcast is always because it helps us grow and of course always leave comments and etc we will get to the Christian thank you mate we'll talk to you soon.