I succeeded in many things, but not in that last one. My good friend Hårek Stranheim did, when he invented NXTRI. And I love him for that.
To me, Norseman is all about love. I don’t love triathlon anymore. I burned out on that. But I love Norseman. I love Eidfjord. I love Imingfjell. I love Zombie hill and I love Gaustaoppen and the white course equally.
It all starts after the draw. After the selection of the lucky ones, we put up our Facebook group, this athlete zone. And we start to connect. Bit by bit, we build ourselves a little community. A community that doesn’t materialise until we meet in Eidfjord. But for one week, we have our own little Norseman village. Our tribe.
Absolutely love to meet each and everyone of you; your support, the crew, the mechanic from intersport, the photographers, the manager of Vøringsfossen Hotel.
We love seeing how you help each other, how you respect each other and seeing how you get into the Norseman feeling
It’s the kind of love we have for family. We want to see you all succeed and have the ultimate triathlon experience. And like family we both take and give. During race week you give so much. You give it all you got. You give us your smiles and your trust.
“I think Norseman has a special spirit. One that makes you responsible for everything, but never leaves you alone”.
Thorsten Firlus – 2018 Finisher
“I think Norseman has a special spirit. One that makes you responsible for everything, but never leaves you alone”.
To me, that’s what family and good friends do.
And like family we care as much for each and every one. To us the first ones to Gaustatoppen is as important, but not more, than the last one on the white course. I get really happy when I see who number 159 and 160 is on checkpoint 32k. I’m happy for them. And I’m equally sorry when I see the face on number 161 when he or she gets that dreaded message from Race Director Torill. It’s the rules of the race, but sorry none the less.
As most of you know, we are all volunteers, and many of us do this year after year. There’s no money in it, our reward is of another kind. It’s seeing you have the real Norseman experience and loving it.
Saturday night and Sunday morning is highly emotional for the crew. We see you walk a little funny and you talk a little muted. But most of all we see your pride, your smiles and the fact that you light up and are so happy when you meet the fellowship of Norsemen in your new clan clothes.
And then suddenly we part. Our little village, our little tribe, our family, suddenly disappears. We all go our separate ways. Some we’ll meet again, some we’ll meet next year, but most we’ll never see again.
But the memory of your participation will live on for ever.
Because we are family, and we made something together that we couldn’t do alone.
And then there’s always love! And we will always love you. And we share the love of the Norseman course, a course that is….
So beautiful it hurts
This is
my last desire
This is
my burning flame
My dreams
push Me higher
being me,
by being you
is why I came
This is what
I ever wanted
A memory
beyond our words
It’s you
I ever wanted
always seek
May never find
So beautiful it hurts
To beautiful
For Words
So beautiful
it hurts
I pray it lasts forever
And I want it all to end
If this dream is broken
I’m afraid it’ll never mend
This is what
I needed
To experience
all your pain
This is what
I ever hoped for
being me,
by being you
is why I came
To each and every Norseman, thank you! Peace and Love
