Tag Archives: #sailfish

Not where I had hoped to be physically at this point in time.

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With just over two weeks left until the start of my 8th Vidösternsimmet 21+km I have to admit I am not in the form I had hoped to be.
2023 started off badly because om my back to back lung infections. but I was able to swim a lot of open water in May-June-July-August, This year I was able to swim almost normally with only a few missed practices. But with Lily’s high school graduation and my parents here for 2 weeks, I was barely in the water in June. July started with 8 straight days with no swim practice. Most of my OW friends did not seem interested in swimming outside either…

I will not be able to make up for lost time, but I am hoping to be in the water every day I can. Not to swim fast, or long, but just to swim so my body remembers how it feels. I am not going to be able to swim the 5th-7th because of a business trip.

I have however been able to add over 180km running to 2024 that I did not have last year and I have been biking on a similar basis since November last year.

My first goal for this years race is just to finish. For the first time since I started doing longer races in 2013, I am more concerned about finishing, than what my time is. I am guessing that if I do manage to finish, it will be around 7:20.

To swim or not to swim…

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Vidösternsimmet is a 21km race in August. The race has been around for 12-13 years, the first year was a test swim amongst friends. They have added a 500m kids/beginner race, and a 5500m race that has been modified to be 6km. I have participated 8 times in the past. Twice I have finished the 21km fast enought to make it to the start of the 6km race. I even managed to swim the 500m race with my daughter. My first time was in 2013. I have since then swam the 21km 7 times, and swam their Viking edition which is 42km once. One year I swam the 21km without a wetsuit just to say I could do it.


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Vidösternsimmet 2021 – The Viking Edition

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This will get long and I’ll most likely revise it a few times as more memories come back to me or I find more photos of me during the race.

I’d like to start this race report off with a huge thanks to my wife. Back in September/October 2019, pre Covid, I asked her if it was ok if I were to attempt a 42km race. I explained that it would mean lots of extra swimming for me. She gave me the ok. Little did anyone know what was coming our way and a 11 month training plan would eventually turn into a 23 month commitment. Without her understanding of the level of training I wanted I would not have been able to be in the swimming shape I am today.

Sept 28, 2019 I get an email from Vidösternsimmet with the official invite to swim a special 10th anniversary double Vidösternsimmet they called The Viking Edition 42+km. They gave two options. I could either swim solo or with a partner. I was quick to decide to swim with a partner and that partner would be Hampus Carlsson. I wasn’t sure how long it was going to take to get Hampus onboard with my plans, but 2-3 texts later and we were registered.


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Stenungsundsimmet 2021

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Sunday the 8th of August will not be a day that I forget for a long time. The plan was to leave home around 0720, drive up to the lake in Stenungsund arriving about 90 minutes before the last check-in time, eat an early lunch or big snack, swim as fast as I could and be home by 18:00.

I leave Växjö on time, but get informed that Pär and Emelie have car problems about 120km north of the race. I offer to pick them, up, but Pär thought they could make it. As I get to my exit for the lake I get a call, they only made it 60km, so I offered to pick them up so he could make it to the race on time. So my 90 minute window got reduced to 5-10 minutes. I continue north and find them on the side of the road near a highway on ramp. We quickly get them and their bags in my car and go back south. After taking the scenic route to the lake, we get lucky with a parking spot close to the lake, walk to the race area and check in with 2-3 minutes to spare.


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