When Norwegians say ‘extreme’, they mean it: racing the Arctic Circle’s Lofoten Triathlon

It’s 7pm. There is just 5km left between me and the cod drying rack that marks the finish of this race. I’ve got a cramp in my left thigh.

I’m soaked through and just about to set foot into the forest to commence the 300m climb up Tjeldbergtinden. 

As I slip, slide and grab onto trees in an attempt to stay vertical I question my sanity. Is this really a sensible idea? I mentally go through the contents of my hydration pack – a long sleeve t-shirt, some water and an energy bar. 

The doubts creep in… should I have a torch? A survival bag? Would trail shoes have been a better choice? It was just as well I didn’t know what I was going to find at the summit. 

Tackling the Lofoten Triathlon

There were many clues when I signed up to the Lofoten Triathlon that it probably wasn’t going to be like standard middle distance events I’d done before. 

The word ‘Arctic’ in the brand name and ‘Extreme’ in the event title all gave subtle indications that I was in for some adventure. 

Based on Svolvær, the Lofoten Triathlon is held in the 33rd week of the year as the final event in the Arctic Triple – a series of three annual events. 

Week 33 provides a variety of races including swim runs and different triathlon distances. 

I chose the Half Extreme – a 2km swim in the harbour with water temperatures expected to be around 15 degrees, 100km bike ride around part of Austvågøya and a 21km run which promised a wonderful views of Svolvær from the top of Tjeldbergtinden. 

The almost 24 hours of daylight mean a nice relaxed start with transition opening at 10am and a 12pm starting gun on the jetty in the harbour. Plenty of time for a good breakfast and to prepare all my kit. 

I was hopeful that the early morning drizzle would subside and the low cloud would rise so I could see this part of the Lofoten Islands in all its glory.

I was really looking forward to seeing the beaches on the north around Strønstad and Grunnfør. 

Facing the weather 

At 68 degrees North, Lofoten experiences weather; so it was no surprise that rain was the name of the game. 

The 63 athletes in my Half Extreme Lofoten Triathlon, including a subset of those competing for the Norwegian National Championships, scurried between the nearest hotel and transition racking bikes and preparing kit sheltered in large plastic boxes in an attempt to keep it dry. 

A short safety briefing in transition and we were ushered to the jetty where the race would begin. 

Spirits were high as we entered the water for some acclimatisation – I’m sure I even saw a summersault entry from one confident participant! 

After a quick check of the goggles, I took my place lined up gripping the jetty ready to head out to the first buoy. 

As a reasonable open-water swimmer, I decided to push hard from the start and try to get ahead of the chaos that a mass start can become. 

Catching the pack

I quickly found my place in the pack, hooked onto a reasonable draft and then could really enjoy the swim around the harbour. 

The area has such a rich history of cod fishing and you can really appreciate it from the water. 

We swam past numerous fishing boats and rows of the iconic red robus. You can’t help but imagine the hard winters these fishermen face – the chilly yet crystal clear waters are a reminder of just how far north you really are. 

After a single lap within the calm harbour waters, I could all too soon see the flags that marked the swim exit. 

Despite being in the water, I could tell that it was still raining and I questioned whether I really wanted to ride in this weather. 

I was riding a borrowed road bike that I had ridden a whole 500m on pre-race (enough to check the seat height – sort of!). I was nervous about the unknown roads in these wet conditions. 

The doubts were there. I was soon in transition. A friendly face supporting from the barriers under an umbrella gave me the push I needed to focus on the job.

Wetsuit off and… wet clothes on! I opted for the perhaps slightly unconventional choice of full cycle kit plus rain jacket over tri-suit! 

Having travelled light, I didn’t have a huge amount of options and knew I needed to stay warm. 

Heading north 

From my laptop in the UK, the cycle route was the part that excited me the most.

It was taking me to the furthest North I have ever been and would give me the chance to explore some of the incredible coastline. 

I would be cycling within the Arctic Circle!

As I flew into Svolvær a few days ahead of the race, the mountains looked to climb straight out of the sea. Had I overlooked some serious elevation on the bike? Would I have enough gears?

I need not have worried, the road snaked around the edge of the island hugging the coastline. It was gently rolling without any steep climbs or descents. Absolutely perfect for a nervous cyclist and probably dreamy for the Norwegian Champions settled onto their aero bars for a speedy circuit. 

On one side rose steep mountains with jagged tips, crevasses still holding snow and peaks hidden in the clouds. On the other side lay fjords and stunning mountains. 

I settled into a comfortable cadence and stuck to my hydration/fueling strategy aiming to give myself the best possible chance of survival. 

The cycle route was out about 15km then there was a large single loop before returning to transition. 

After following the Raftsundet strait to its head at Laupstad, the course winds between mountains before bringing you out on the north coast adjacent to the Hadselfjord. 

Tropical sand and arctic temperatures

This area was absolutely spectacular. White sand beaches that could have made me think I was in the Caribbean had it not been for my extremities reminding me that we were far from the Equator! 

I really started to relax and enjoy the event. This was what I had come for. The scenery, the peacefulness, the space. 

With a relatively small field, there was plenty of time for me to enjoy it alone. I occasionally passed someone with a laden bike clearly bikepacking their way around Lofoten (I’ll do this next time!). 

A brief stop at the feed station in Laukvik and I was soon fuelled up on hot soup and a trusty banana. A smiling volunteer, who had more hand co-ordination than me at this point, kindly refilled my water bottle.

I arrived back in to transition to great cheers – at first I thought for me but alas no! 

I had timed my arrival perfectly with the finish of the kids race. But I did snatch a few cheers from proud parents encouraging the future generation of triathletes. 

Heading up

Those of you familiar with my triathlon prowess will know I’m no runner! 

But, I embraced the task ahead and set off steadily one foot in front of the other. 

The Tjeldbergtinden with its imposing ridge looms above Svolvær. It is visible almost immediately as you head out on the run course. 

The course is two laps. Lap one goes along the bottom and, you’ve guessed it, lap two takes you right over the top.

Pretty quickly I was out of the town and on quiet residential streets and then even quieter tracks around the many lakes to be found in the foothills. 

The geography of the land means that you can soon hear the cowbells of the encouraging volunteers luring you to the feed station at the half way point (and foot of the climb). 

Cramps set in

More stunning scenery, then a drop back into town, past transition and out for the final lap.

Now lap two is where we started this story… the cramp, the doubts (again!), the ascent through the trees. 

The climb finishes on the haystack at the top. Where I paused to bring my heart rate back to an acceptable level I could see it sitting ominously above the trees. 

I was grateful for the tree coverage for some respite from the day of downpours. But I hadn’t quite appreciated just how breezy it had gotten as I had climbed. 

As I came out above the treeline I was hit by some pretty strong gusts of wind and I still had the haystack ahead of me. 

Focus was required here. I knew I was tired and I know I can be clumsy.

So I concentrated hard to ensure I remained on the path trusting that my GPS tracker was emitting the necessary signal to let someone know where I was. 

Not a descent for the faint-hearted

I staggered/crawled up the haystack, half took a look at the view.

I’ll be honest, it was through my fingers as I am no fan of heights and this felt high. I was about to breathe a sign of relief when I saw the way down. 

Now, had I known in advance what was in store here, I would probably not have ascended! 

There was a gap in the rock with what looked like an old fashioned toilet chain hanging down the middle and a drop of around 8-10m. 

I was expected to abseil off a haystack on cramped legs, tired, and inappropriately dressed for such activities!

I questioned the route but could see the trusty pink flags beckoning me down. 

Thrilled to finish

I made it down the chain and indeed the rest of the hill and arrived to cheers, hugs and smiles at the finish line. 

The warmth from the Lofoten Triathlon organisers and the fire pit soon made all my aches and pains subside.

I was proud of my achievement.

But it was all put into perspective the next day when fellow Brit Sebastian Harris received his Arctic Triple Gold award. This was for completing not just the Triathlon (Extreme distance: double what I did – twice down the loo chain!) but also the 100 mile Ultra Trail run in May and the Skimo 4000 in March. 

What an achievement! Lofoten is an absolute playground for the outdoor lover and the triathlon gives you a real flavour of the area. 

It’s absolutely stunning but beware – when the Norwegians use the word ‘extreme’, they mean it! 

Got wanderlust after reading this? Check out our guide to the world’s best triathlons?