I’ve been chasing a KQ for some time - three failed attempts over the past six years - two at IMMT and one at IMLP. I was finally successful at IM Norway ten days ago. This is a very long post, with lots of details - read if you want to waste a bit of time.
Huge congrats Nate!! Amazing job! Thanks for sharing your blog. So helpful and inspiring. Like Desi Linden said after winning Boston, “if you keep showing up”.
Word on the street is that WTC hasn’t decided if the full IM will continue for 2020. IM Norway is a top choice for my next IM in 2020 and I’m crossing my fingers it will go on for next year. Did you get the inside scoop about next year?? Living in Vermont, those conditions are ideal for us 
I did IM Copenhagen last year and had a great race but I don’t think I ever fully recovered from the jet lag. And our trip from VT to Copenhagen (via JFK) was much simpler than getting to Haugesund. Although air travel is never a picnic with delays and long layovers!
PS - my husband is a fellow Zooter but due to injuries he’s only doing one 70.3 this year (Whistler while I do the full)
Nice story, thanks for posting. Pretty nuts that there were six M40-44 below 9:45 given that course and conditions, on a weekend when there were two other major WTC Ironmans going on. Doesn’t look like there’s ever been more than four go that fast at IMLP, for example . . . seems like you made it harder on yourself!
Congrats Nate! Well deserved!
Congrats!
#TeamZoot
@Nate - awesome!! You chose your race wisely.
@70Trigirl - per the RD and other Facebook posts, this was the last year for both the 70.3 and the Ironman. I’m so glad I did the inaugural full in 2018. I was also lucky to do IM Regensburg; it was around for only 3 editions.
@70Trigirl - per the RD and other Facebook posts, this was the last year for both the 70.3 and the Ironman. I’m so glad I did the inaugural full in 2018. I was also lucky to do IM Regensburg; it was around for only 3 editions.
Aw that is a huge bummer. I didn’t see the posts on FB 
I hope there will be some future IMs in Norway. I really don’t want to fly all the way to Europe and do a 100F degrees IM.
Hey Nate
Thanks for the great race report and the very kind words. Your opening paragraph hits home. Hard.
The #roadtokona continues. IMLP and IMMT are too close. On top of that, say I pull it off… That would mean 3 Im’s in 100 days! Way too much for my old knees. I have to bury dreams of Kona 2019 and look ahead to 2020.
Maryland, Choo or Lou might fit the bill. We’ll see. Giving myself 1 more week to decide. Maybe by then the lost garmin thing will stop keeping me up at night…
Congrats again on the KQ.
Oh, check this out. Great wide shots of the epic day. https://www.triathlete.com/2019/07/news/athletes-battle-wet-conditions-on-a-breathtaking-course-at-2019-ironman-haugesund_381292?fbclid=IwAR2spgq1hczDM90Fx77yHSXnIoKkANfYgvuAeGYqkCtQ3P9wKx8DAI9TQdc
Excellent Report, and congrats on the race and KQ!
Yeah, very bummer. It was a licensed race, not Ironman-owned, but apparently the city pulled its sponsorship making it no longer viable; especially since it was a very small race by IM standards.
Other considerations for you would be IM Kalmar or IM Cork.
Race director (race is HIS BABY) spoke about it and didn’t sound very confident. As always, comes down to $$$ or NOK in this case. Apparently he gets very little help from the town and the region. His last hope is funding from Oslo in some way. Might already be too late though. Truly a shame. Haugesund is now home to the biggest tri club in all of Norway. Has done wonders for getting people off their couch and embracing a healthier lifestyle.
I also should add that the race organization was stellar. NO CARS ON THE ROAD. Not one! Volunteers at every intersection and ahead of every dangerous curve made even more dangerous by the wet/puddling surface. On top of that much of it was spent standing under torrential rain on what was a cold and miserable day on the bike. Kudos.
I certainly don’t know what the cost/benefit metrics are for the town and the region. You always have to give to get.
I do know that they got close to $3000 of my hard earned money that they wouldn’t have gotten without IM Haugesund.
And when I went back on Wednesday after the race to pick up my bike after touring Stavanger and Bergen I can tell you the place was dead…
Race director (race is HIS BABY) spoke about it and didn’t sound very confident. As always, comes down to $$$ or NOK in this case. Apparently he gets very little help from the town and the region. His last hope is funding from Oslo in some way. Might already be too late though. Truly a shame. Haugesund is now home to the biggest tri club in all of Norway. Has done wonders for getting people off their couch and embracing a healthier lifestyle.
I also should add that the race organization was stellar. NO CARS ON THE ROAD. Not one! Volunteers at every intersection and ahead of every dangerous curve made even more dangerous by the wet/puddling surface. On top of that much of it was spent standing under torrential rain on what was a cold and miserable day on the bike. Kudos.
I certainly don’t know what the cost/benefit metrics are for the town and the region. You always have to give to get.
I do know that they got close to $3000 of my hard earned money that they wouldn’t have gotten without IM Haugesund.
And when I went back on Wednesday after the race to pick up my bike after touring Stavanger and Bergen I can tell you the place was dead…
Wow, I’ll really be sad if WTC cancels this race. While the temps are appealing, the area looks and sounds so amazing to us. And we would spend a few days there after the race before returning home.
Am I naïve to think that if a bunch of us emailed WTC and expressed our sincere interest it would help? I know there are thousands of us on this forum. I wonder if a different race date would work better? IM Frankfurt and IM France were on the same day or weekend. Gosh I really want to sign up more than ever now!
Congrats on your race Scott! Well done. You’ll get your KQ. I’m still chasing mine too. We just have to keep showing up
I’ve been chasing a KQ for some time - three failed attempts over the past six years - two at IMMT and one at IMLP. I was finally successful at IM Norway ten days ago. This is a very long post, with lots of details - read if you want to waste a bit of time.
http://262toboylstonstreet.blogspot.com/
Great read and congrats on the KQ. I see you were treated with the typical norwegian summer weather on race day.
However I have travelled a lot in norway and cant really understand how you can say that they make great coffee in Norway. Definitely some of the worst coffee I have ever had was there.
If you are French that would explain a lot.
Race director mentioned that we were treated to something a little more extreme than normal Norwegian Summer weather
Thank you to Julia Sysoeva for the photo…
Congratulations! Will look forward to cheering you on at Maine.
It is a pretty big disappointment that it looks like this was the last iteration of both the 70.3 and 140.6. It’s such a great venue and a challenging course - the weather made it all the more so. I really hope that there is at least some way to keep the 70.3 race for the future.
I’ve been chasing a KQ for some time - three failed attempts over the past six years - two at IMMT and one at IMLP. I was finally successful at IM Norway ten days ago. This is a very long post, with lots of details - read if you want to waste a bit of time.
http://262toboylstonstreet.blogspot.com/
Big congratulations to you, Nate! You’ve led a consistent path to get here. I’m a big fan and have enjoyed you progress and finally succeed at the KQ! Thanks for the detailed report.
I was watching on race day and tracking you and had real concerns as those transition times were posted. I was not aware of how many slots there were and knew it’d be close. Was hoping you were pressing at the end, which you did.
Best of luck to you and I hope you relish the Kona experience.
Congrats! Great trip/race report too.
Congrats, the 2am bike rides paid off 😜. See you in Kona!