(birds chirping)
(serene music)
(rushing water)
- [Mark] This is the Norseman Xtreme Triathlon.
It's known as one of the toughest events on the planet.
And it's my first ever full-distance Ironman.
And it's here in Norway,
the Land of the Midnight Sun, the Vikings,
and some of the most breathtaking scenery,
its high peaks and vast fjords etched out
by the Ice Age have created
one of the most grueling terrains I've ever seen.
(intense music)
- How that's happened but they're not here.
- Yeah, this race really scares me.
Yeah, this is been known as
one of the toughest events in the world.
Yeah, I'd be mad if I wasn't scared of this event.
(upbeat music)
The Norseman Triathlon first took place
back in 2003 with just 21 participants.
Today, there are thousands of applicants,
with just 300 athletes being lucky enough
to get a start.
It's known as one of the hardest events in the world,
and here's why.
It starts by jumping off the back of a ferry
into the freezing cold water of the Hardangerfjord
for a 3.8-kilometer swim.
Then a 180-kilometer bike.
This starts with a grueling 40-kilometer climb
from sea level up to over 1,200 meters.
This brings us to the largest
mountain plateau in northern Europe, the Hardangervidda.
Onto the second half of the bike,
there isn't a flat square inch,
with the final nail in the coffin,
a seven-kilometer brutal climb,
with a total elevation of 3,500 meters.
Now despite the brutal bike course,
it is in fact the run that Norseman is legendary for.
It's a 42.2-kilometer run.
It starts by following the valley floor
towards Mount Gaustatoppen.
It's at this point we begin to climb.
And boy, do we climb.
The next 10K is up the infamous Zombie Hill.
And it's here, the cutoff point,
where the first 160 athletes
are allowed up to the top of the mountain
for the black finisher's t-shirt.
The run tackles hills, mountains, rocks, and boulders,
a total of over 1700 meters of climbing,
all of which happens within the final
17 kilometers of the race.
Now to put this into perspective,
every athlete is required to have a support crew
that follow them throughout the day,
including even having to run up the mountain section.
(tranquil music)
This has been really tough for me to train for.
It's been really hard for me and my girlfriend.
I've had to sacrifice so much,
in terms of getting my training in,
so actually, for me, if I can get
to top of that mountain, fingers crossed,
I get that black t-shirt, and I go to the top,
that would mean so much, not only for me,
but also for my girlfriend,
and also for the support team here.
Global Triathlon Network, Fraser,
everyone that's helped me make this possible.
(serene music)
In a weird way, I was relieved to finally be here.
I've raced professionally hundreds of times,
but for some reason, this time felt different.
I've visited Norway before,
and have always been taken in by the scenery,
but these mountains surrounding me
all of a sudden felt a lot bigger
knowing I'd have to climb them in less than 24 hours time.
This race has been on my mind for so many years,
and for the first time, I wasn't racing for money,
or for a job, I was racing for me
and for those who helped to get me here.
- You going to catch us both diving?
- Yeah.
- Shall we go off this side.
- It is deep enough to dive, right?
- Yeah.
This, as many of you know, is Fraser.
(upbeat music)
A colleague, a friend, and a very accomplished Ironman.
And most importantly, an experienced Celtman finisher.
And this is Cassie, my partner of four years,
my biggest supporter, and despite ignoring her
for my training the past few months,
surprisingly, she really wanted to be here.
And I felt so much more confident
knowing she would be there on race day.
(engine roars) - Shall we have a picnic?
- Make a nice sandwich?
- Yeah. - Yeah, that would be fun.
- [Mark] So this makes up my support crew.
They will both be following me
throughout the course of the race,
effectively a mobile aid station,
and helping me to get around this event in one piece.
- Doing really well. (traffic rumbles)
(gentle percussive music)
- Okay, thanks. - Thank you.
- Bye-bye. - Bye.
(tranquil music)
- It's 3:00 a.m., this was it.
The culmination of all that sacrifice
and all that training.
(racers chattering)
I'm pretty nervous now,
it's all becoming a little bit real.
The tension's just sort of building
for the next hour as we get the ferry,
go out into the middle of the fjord.
We wait, we jump off.
We got 10 minutes then until we start.
(athletes chattering)
So, yeah, part of me just wants to get on with this.
Obviously a big day ahead, so very nervous.
(athletes chattering)
As I stood there looking around
at all the other nervous faces,
it started to get to me.
Okay, moments away from the door opening
and jumping into the water.
This is the big unknown for me (laughs).
First iron-distance (laughs).
Toughest race out there.
But this was no time to back out.
- [Race Announcer] (mumbles) and now we are ready to jump.
(athletes cheering) (tense music)
(athletes chattering)
(water splashing) It was cold.
(upbeat music)
Without thinking, I'd somehow managed
to swim my way to the front.
It was just a natural reaction.
My mood was up, and it felt good to have a lead,
although oddly, I was having some slight issues
with cramp in my legs.
(upbeat music)
- Mark is almost out of the water.
We just spotted him on this jetty here
where the ferry picked him up about an hour ago,
an hour and a half ago.
And it's lined with people,
everyone's cheering him on.
It's really exciting.
So I've now got to get to the exit of the water,
coz we have to be there ready for your athlete
to run through transition and help them,
so I'm going to get my way there now.
(crowd cheering)
How do you feel?
- All right. - Yeah?
- (mumbles)
- Come on, Mark!
- How much of a gap have I got?
- Quite a lot, at least 200 meters,
so there's quite a long gap in there.
It's very spread out, so I would just take the next
- I didn't even mean to get a gap, but it's like
- Well, I think that's just instinctive, isn't it?
(crowd cheering)
(bike motor rumbling)
(upbeat music)
- With a gap of roughly three minutes,
I knew I would have to pace myself.
My competitive nature really wanted to do nothing but race.
But I couldn't let it get the better of me.
I let the excitement settle, locked in,
and started to appreciate the scenery.
I actually started to have fun.
I was enjoying the scenery, I settled into a good rhythm,
and it was great to see Fraser and Cassie out on the road.
- I don't (mumbles) - Yeah.
(traffic rumbles)
(upbeat music)
- [Cassie] I don't think I'd have any doubts
about him completing the race,
I think he'll definitely complete it.
He's got the skills in the bag,
he's got the background in these activities.
(soft music)
- Coming out of the fog, after the climb, I was tired.
I'd allowed myself to be passed by a few people,
not trying to follow them took a lot out of me mentally.
But more than that,
my legs were really cramping.
And for the first time,
I was genuinely worried.
(serene music)
My support team was seven kilometers downhill from me,
and from experience,
I knew that all I needed was some electrolytes.
- When I fell over and he was like electrolytes,
and I remember then they're not in there.
(bags rustle)
See this red bag, this red bag here underneath the seatbelt.
- We need to stop.
- I don't know how they've gone missing, but...
Cassie I know you think that nothing went in the bag.
(traffic rumbles)
Unless there's some underneath the seat or I don't
- [Cassie] Yeah, it's strange.
- [Fraser] Well the thing is,
in a long race like this like this,
when you tend to need something like an electrolyte drink,
you need it right now.
And Mark's had to wait a good 20 minutes
for us to find the electrolyte tabs,
then we've had to catch back up to him with the car.
So I do feel a bit guilty about that,
because we don't really know what impact
that's going to have on him physically.
(bike whistles)
- Right I'd like to have two gels.
- You eaten a Mars bar?
- Yeah I've eaten a Mars bar.
- Are you sure?
(traffic rumbles)
(serene music)
(traffic rumbles)
(upbeat music)
(mumbles)
(upbeat music)
(calm music)
- With 130 kilometers covered
I was into the last 50 kilometers of the bike.
But with the nail in the coffin,
the final climb of the bike course
still awaiting my arrival.
This is my last opportunity to use my support crew,
as for the final 30 kilometers from the top of this climb
I would be alone, as no support cars
are allowed to help beyond here.
I was hot, I was still cramping,
but the bike leg was almost over.
One more climb, and I can tuck in on my aero bars,
and get down to T2 and be reunited with my support crew.
(serene music)
(cheering)
- [Spectator] Well done Simon.
- [Mark] Never thought that was going to end.
- Sit down, sit down on the wooden bench.
Slide down and sit down, that's the one shoe.
How are you?
- Yeah, alright.
- Can I put some suncream on you.
- Really, really
- I'm cramping quite a lot though, like all the way,
like I've just
- You got enough salt?
- Yeah, have you got any more pills here?
- [Cassie] I haven't got any pills here,
- [Fraser] No we'll get them - [Cassie] but I'll be
(mumbles) in a second, so I'll get some more out.
- [Mark] It began to occur to me
that I was already in the unknown.
I'm relatively inexperienced at running a marathon,
let alone running a marathon off of a long bike leg.
I had 25 kilometers of flat running to prepare me
for what was going to be one of the biggest
mental and physical battles I'd ever undertake.
(upbeat music)
(traffic rumbles)
- [Cassie] Doing really well.
- [Mark] My legs started to feel
a lot better than I expected.
They felt less heavy than they have all day,
and I found a really nice rhythm.
Now although my physical state was improving
it was becoming apparent that
it may be my mental state that could get the better of me.
(serene music)
- [Cassie] I just don't like seeing him struggling.
I'm not worried, I know he can do it.
It's just how he thinks,
break it down for him to get him there.
(serene music)
(traffic rumbles)
- I was barely halfway through the run,
and I'd stopped enjoying myself.
And unfortunately that is when
I caught my first glimpse of the mountain.
(serene music)
And it broke me, absolutely broke me.
I did start to wonder how on earth
am I actually going to be able to do this?
Yeah, my body just, I literally felt like I was crumbling.
Every step felt so hard, I had to go to a walk.
And when I went to that walk
the thought of getting going again was really tough,
and I've worked so hard to get to this point,
then to suddenly start walking felt like a failure.
And that's a long old time to feel like a failure for,
all the way up there.
So yeah, there was a part of me that was starting to wonder
am I going to make this?
(serene music)
At the bottom of Zombie Hill Frazer joined me on the run.
Which was good, and bad,
coz I was probably at my lowest point
and actually I needed that company,
but at the same time I was the worst company to have.
I did not want to talk,
I wasn't really in the mood for chatting,
I just want to get to the top of that.
But having Fraser there was really helpful.
It just sort of put the pressure on,
it made everything a little more real,
that these guys are out here for me
and I can't let them down.
It was a pretty pivotal moment in the whole race.
The top 160 get to go on to the top of Mount Gaustatoppen,
to the black finisher t-shirt.
The rest of the field go along
to the white finisher t-shirt.
And yeah, to be honest
that was one of the biggest motivators for me,
doing this race, is to get that black t-shirt.
So I got to the top of Zombie Hill,
actually probably in the top 15, top 20.
So actually quite high up.
So that was a massive motivator to me,
not only as I was getting to the top of Zombie Hill,
but then from there on it sort of lifted me,
knowing that I've made it
and I'm going to get this black t-shirt.
So that really pushed me on.
And also knowing it's just five kilometers to go,
I'm going to do this.
And yeah, I just found some new legs,
so like a new lease of life, and I just,
yeah, I was like wired.
I've to to get to the top at that point
and just there was no stopping me.
(serene music)
Well the finish line,
it's quite a bleak point on the mountain really.
It's basically a mast at the top.
And literally at the summit,
it's like a real point on the mountain,
so there's not all that much there, but the mast.
And you've got to work your way up these steps.
You come off of this pretty off road bouldery path,
finally onto some steps.
But my goodness, these steps just seem to go on forever.
But as you're getting to the top,
obviously it's quite exposed,
the wind's picking up, you're shattered.
So yeah it was a really tough point.
You're so close, yet so far.
And as you're getting closer
you can hear the roar from the top,
where all the spectators are, there's the event crew,
so that's really pushing you on.
So whilst you're struggling so much
again it's another lift and energy to get you there.
So yeah, I'm kind of like hands on my knees,
pushing myself up each step, getting myself there.
The roar's getting louder and louder,
and you finally, finally get there.
That was an emotional time,
just those last few steps getting over that finish line.
(serene music)
- [Spectator] Well done.
- [Fraser] Good one Mark.
- (mumbles)
(spectators chatting)
- You did well.
(mumbles)
- Yeah, it was one of the best things I've ever done.
(gentle music)