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A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [Herbert] [ In reply to ]
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cool name!

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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [ericMPro] [ In reply to ]
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I initially thought about "Meet the Norwegian Stormtrooper" as the title, and then I thought the better of it
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [Herbert] [ In reply to ]
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he's far more interesting and "brandable" as an age grouper than he would be as a pro.
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [jkhayc] [ In reply to ]
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That would be my thought. But I am not him. And he has to decide what matters for him, not I.
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [jkhayc] [ In reply to ]
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Isn’t that true for most pros?
Either way LP is an awesome athlete

Terrible Tuesday’s Triathlon
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [oscaro] [ In reply to ]
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probably true. but because LPS is coming from a top age group background (kind of like Kyle Buckingham) over many years, that's where most of his ''notoriety'' comes from. Did you ever hear anything about Clay Emge as a pro? Ryan Guiliano? Now, they are dominating the age group field after what were "mediocre" professional results (I say "mediocre" because they were still just as fast if not faster but it's the difference between "losing" a race and "winning" a race when you're a pro or an age grouper) and everyone knows who they are.
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [Herbert] [ In reply to ]
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What is cool is that both his employer and his customers are OK with his triathlon passion and associated training. Good luck with that in almost any company in North America. It shows you the difference between Norwegian sporting culture and what we have here in North America. I can't imagine a single cirucumstance in my entire network for tri friends in North America where this would fly, "Sorry Mr. Customer, I realize we have a deliverable for you, but I have to cram in a 3 hours ride to train for triathlon XYZ....that's the day when the customer calls the CEO and fires the company because his guys are off playing rather than servicing customers". Its cool that Norwegians on both th employer and customer side see value in adults doing sport at a high level!
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [jkhayc] [ In reply to ]
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Did Stormo indicate that his reasons for going pro were to make more money, or become more brandable?

The difference between a pro triathlete and a pepperoni pizza is that a pepperoni pizza can feed a family. LPS is stepping up to the next level based on competency and performance. They don't make any money at that level either, and this guy has a job so he probably doesn't need free Rudy Project sunglasses.

He also indicated that, like Emge and Guiliano (and I must admit, I've never heard of them), he can always step back down to AG if he races pro and isn't competitive.

One question I'd love Herbert to ask these guys (maybe it can replace 'Anything else we should know?') is how many of the top age groupers, in their estimation, come out of the draft packs? That's a tough one, but I've often wondered if the pointy end of the (especially younger) age group fields have an honest race.
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [eganski] [ In reply to ]
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eganski wrote:
Did Stormo indicate that his reasons for going pro were to make more money, or become more brandable?

The difference between a pro triathlete and a pepperoni pizza is that a pepperoni pizza can feed a family. LPS is stepping up to the next level based on competency and performance. They don't make any money at that level either, and this guy has a job so he probably doesn't need free Rudy Project sunglasses.

He also indicated that, like Emge and Guiliano (and I must admit, I've never heard of them), he can always step back down to AG if he races pro and isn't competitive.

One question I'd love Herbert to ask these guys (maybe it can replace 'Anything else we should know?') is how many of the top age groupers, in their estimation, come out of the draft packs? That's a tough one, but I've often wondered if the pointy end of the (especially younger) age group fields have an honest race.

....wait....to that point in bold, did you just turn into the old guy telling the young guys to get off your lawn? Man, time flies when you're talking about the young guys...you USED to be the young guy
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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Yeah well, back when I raced in Kona...

(***sips Ensure***)

The Queen K was uphill, both ways, and it snowed.
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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devashish_paul wrote:
What is cool is that both his employer and his customers are OK with his triathlon passion and associated training. Good luck with that in almost any company in North America. It shows you the difference between Norwegian sporting culture and what we have here in North America. I can't imagine a single cirucumstance in my entire network for tri friends in North America where this would fly, "Sorry Mr. Customer, I realize we have a deliverable for you, but I have to cram in a 3 hours ride to train for triathlon XYZ....that's the day when the customer calls the CEO and fires the company because his guys are off playing rather than servicing customers". Its cool that Norwegians on both th employer and customer side see value in adults doing sport at a high level!

I worked for a company who did just that in Illinois. Olympic silver medal rower who they employed for 1/2 days and supported him to train. He ended up winning Gold in World Championship, so YES, it DOES happen. UPS has a long history of that as well.

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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [eganski] [ In reply to ]
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eganski wrote:
Yeah well, back when I raced in Kona...

(***sips Ensure***)

The Queen K was uphill, both ways, and it snowed.

Well if it snowed this guy would have won Kona overall...he's a Norseman stud. Now can we go back to drinking Heineken on our lawns????? Official welcome to the old guy club!
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [eganski] [ In reply to ]
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eganski wrote:
Did Stormo indicate that his reasons for going pro were to make more money, or become more brandable?

The difference between a pro triathlete and a pepperoni pizza is that a pepperoni pizza can feed a family. LPS is stepping up to the next level based on competency and performance. They don't make any money at that level either, and this guy has a job so he probably doesn't need free Rudy Project sunglasses.

He also indicated that, like Emge and Guiliano (and I must admit, I've never heard of them), he can always step back down to AG if he races pro and isn't competitive.

One question I'd love Herbert to ask these guys (maybe it can replace 'Anything else we should know?') is how many of the top age groupers, in their estimation, come out of the draft packs? That's a tough one, but I've often wondered if the pointy end of the (especially younger) age group fields have an honest race.

Maybe you missed this section:

ST: Did folks try to hang on to your wheel?

Lars Petter: No, not that much actually. I was racing at the front of the AG field, and I feel the guys try to race fair. Of course it was a pretty large group who just sat in the back not doing any work at the front, but as far as I could see they tried to race fair. On our way back from Hawi it was me, Plews and one other guy who did most of the work and after a while it was just the three of us left.

ST: And what did you see in terms of drafting a bit further back as you came back from Hawi?

Lars Petter: I did not see any of the big packs that I saw pictures of, and it looked like everyone was trying to keep a distance to the guy or girl in front. When I’m racing I try to put my head down and focus on my own race, so I actually don’t look much at what’s happening on the other side of the road. I feel that most athletes try to race fair and keep within the rules, but then again I’m at the front of the AG field and it might be different further back.


"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [devashish_paul] [ In reply to ]
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I found it cool that he swims 5-7 times per week for an average of 15,000 m/wk, or about 5.5-6 hr/wk, vs Sam Gyde who only does the Vasa and never swims except before a race, or Sami Inkinnen (sp?) who only swims like 1-2 hr/wk. And hence he goes 55 for the iron swim vs 1:05 for Gyde and IIRC around 1:00 for Inkinnen.


"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."
Last edited by: ericmulk: Oct 20, 18 18:55
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [ericmulk] [ In reply to ]
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Aloha
Lars Petter Stormo here. I can try to answer your questions if you have any.

Regarding going pro not: I have not decided yet, but will go pro if I can put the finances together. I can alway go back to AG racing later. It’s not that I think I will win pro-races, but it would be a great challenge for me and a way to push myself further. No Norwegian has ever qualified to Kona as a Pro so that would be awesome, but that is really hard and I don’t know if it is possible to get to that level.

Regarding swim volume: on hard swim weeks I swim around 20.000 meters/week. Normal weeks are more around 15.000 m. I was long stuck on the level of 58-60 min IM-swim with swimming 3 times/week, but after swimming more like 5-7 times/week I raised my level to 53-54 on wetsuit races and now 55 on Kona. In minutes it is not that much, but when racing for the overall AG win I have found it important.

Shoot with your more questions if you have. It might take some time as I’m in vacation mode on North Shore Oahu, but I will try to answer everything :-)

Instagram and Strava: @lpstormo
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [Stormo] [ In reply to ]
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How much vacation time is typical with your company or in your industry? I know work:life balance is treated differently in Europe than it is here in the US, so am curious what it's like when you have a well-paying job (presumably you do, otherwise this sport wouldn't be affordable) in Norway.
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [jkhayc] [ In reply to ]
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jkhayc wrote:
How much vacation time is typical with your company or in your industry? I know work:life balance is treated differently in Europe than it is here in the US, so am curious what it's like when you have a well-paying job (presumably you do, otherwise this sport wouldn't be affordable) in Norway.

I am moving from Seattle to Norway in under two weeks.
In my new job in Norway I will get the mandatory 5 weeks vacation. Then I will have all the public holidays (Christmas, easter, national day, May1, + some other Christian days). On top of that I have 15 days with paid time off.
I do not think I will use everything. Big change after being 15 years in the USA.
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [Halvard] [ In reply to ]
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So 25 days + 15 "flex" days? That's solid, but not crazy.

I'm just curious how age groupers race the way they do. LPS has spent at least 2-3 weeks in Kona, plus - presumably - other races that required vacation days. And he's not unique. Age groupers seem to spend an inordinate amount of time in Kona for that race, which is a whole other thread to itself.
Last edited by: jkhayc: Oct 20, 18 16:23
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [jkhayc] [ In reply to ]
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Like Halvard I have 25 days of payed vacation + our office is closed for holydays (like Christmas, Easter etc). I try to make the most of these days, but I also need to take out some vacation without pay to make time for some of the races. Like for Kona both me and my wife have 4 weeks vacation without pay.

I would say both me and my wife have jobs that pay pretty good in Norwegian standards. (We also don’t have kids). We work to be able to live the life that we love, and our passion is triathlon, other sports, training and traveling :-)

Instagram and Strava: @lpstormo
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [Stormo] [ In reply to ]
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Thanks for the response. Sounds like it's more acceptable/encouraged to actually USE your vacation or other days in Europe, which sounds nice!
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [Stormo] [ In reply to ]
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Hei Lars
Congratulations of you race.

This is a more general comment.
I think endurance sports have a higher status in Norway than the USA. That is my experience after living and working in both countries. Of course that does not mean that every Norwegian company will do everything they can for an athlete, but I think you will find more flexibility among Norwegian employers.

Every May in the capital Oslo you have an endurance relay with 15 stages and over 1,000 teams. Most of those teams are companies. It is prestige to become the fastest company.

The most popular athletes in Norways are endurance athletes.
Here you have an example. The middle distance brothers Ingebrigtsen have had a tv team following them the last two years. The episodes is shown in prime time on Norways most popular channel. Each episode is 1h long. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1coWM1436E


Lars Petter has gotten quite a bit of press coverage in Norway. Before Kona he got 4 pages in one of the largest business papers.
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Re: A chat with Norwegian Lars Petter Stormo - 8:37:27 in Kona this year [Stormo] [ In reply to ]
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Stormo wrote:
Aloha
Lars Petter Stormo here. I can try to answer your questions if you have any.
Regarding going pro not: I have not decided yet, but will go pro if I can put the finances together. I can alway go back to AG racing later. It’s not that I think I will win pro-races, but it would be a great challenge for me and a way to push myself further. No Norwegian has ever qualified to Kona as a Pro so that would be awesome, but that is really hard and I don’t know if it is possible to get to that level.
Regarding swim volume: on hard swim weeks I swim around 20.000 meters/week. Normal weeks are more around 15.000 m. I was long stuck on the level of 58-60 min IM-swim with swimming 3 times/week, but after swimming more like 5-7 times/week I raised my level to 53-54 on wetsuit races and now 55 on Kona. In minutes it is not that much, but when racing for the overall AG win I have found it important.
Shoot with your more questions if you have. It might take some time as I’m in vacation mode on North Shore Oahu, but I will try to answer everything :-)

I recall an interview with Chris McCormack wherein they asked how hard he pushes on the swim. IIRC, I think he said pretty hard or something similar. The one thing I do remember very clearly is that he said that, even if he only got a 2 min lead out of the water, "2 minutes is 2 minutes...". If you look at this year's men's pro race at Kona, about 3.5 min of Lange's 4 min margin over Aernouts came from his faster swim. Similarly, though she could not hold her lead this year, on some year in the near future, Lucy is going to hold her swim lead all the way and no girl is going to catch her. :)

I just think it's cool that you care enough to take your swim up a level, vs most AGers who just want to have a "decent" swim. Thanks a bunch for responding!!! Getting insights from guys like you is one of the great things about this forum!!!


"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."
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