Norseman Tips from Black T-shirt Finishers
We have previously shared our complete training guide for Norseman here. In this new article, we have spoken to three TMR Coached athletes who have completed Norseman, all achieving the coveted black T-shirt. Here are their top tips for having success on the day.
Additionally, Coach Doug has crewed at the event on multiple occasions. He has added his top tips for crewing Norseman below.
TMR Coached Athlete Dave in his Norseman black T-shirt
Tips for the Norseman Swim
Aim to get on the ferry early and had to the other side of the car deck. There are seats, it is warmer and more relaxed. You won’t be sitting on a cold floor waiting for the start and there is loads of time to get ready.
The cold water spray is a bit of a gimmick (maybe because water wasn’t that cold in 2025…)
Jump off the ferry within first third (unless it is extremely cold). The boat can only go backwards from where it stops. In some years, the boat has drifted back so much that it added 400m+ on the swim distance, just to get to the start line.
If you only breathe to your left when swimming, get used to breathing to your right. Then you can breathe to your right in the race, and don’t really have to sight frequently as you can keep the coast equidistant to you.
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Tips for the Norseman Bike leg
A pre-race recce can help a lot. Drive the bike course in advance, if you can, so you know what to expect, can arrange with support crew where to meet etc.
When you get in the tunnels, the air is warmer and thicker than you would expect. One athlete recalls that “anyone around me who put on a rain jacket for warmth when leaving T1 was sweating, trying to take it off, and probably regretting putting it on in the first place.” However, be ready to adapt to the conditions on the day, while being mindful of how you dress when leaving T1, especially if it’s a relatively warm year.
If you can’t descend on a bike… learn to! There is a lot of descending on the bike course, and being confident will help save a lot of time. Why waste hours of grinding up the climbs to then lose time going down? It will also make it a more enjoyable experience.
Tip for poor descenders: When you see the Xtri flags on the downhill, slow down as it means a tight corner is coming up.
Definitely have the means to sort a puncture on you, not just in your support car. You cannot access your crew on the first part of the bike course, and given the tunnels and gravel bits at the start, you may get a puncture there and be stuck.
If can avoid it, don’t stop to meet your support crew. Get confident riding with one hand on the handlebars and grabbing bottles and nutrition whilst still cycling. This will help you pick up many places on people who stop for crew.
Tips for the Run at Norseman
Coach Doug with 2025 Black T-shirt Finishers Dave & James
Ultimately, lots of athletes worry about the run part of Norseman and are even put off from entering the race in the first place, as only the first 160 who reach the 37 km mark at Stavsro can finish on Mount Gaustatoppen and claim the black finisher’s T-shirt. However, you can definitely still make this if you get the swim and bike right and you are on top of your race day nutrition.
At Zombie Hill, run walk to save energy until the end. TMR athletes have routinely overtaken lots of people with this strategy.
Runners are allowed to use headphones from the start of Zombie Hill at 25 km. If you like running with music, take advantage of this. You can enter your “pain cave” with the appropriate playlist, which will see you through if you’re not joined by your support from the beginning of the hill.
A shoe change at the bottom of Zombie Hill (or at the top if you’re still pushing for places at the bottom and have no time to stop) is a good idea. Use fast road shoes for the first part of the run, then trail running shoes once you know you’re going for the black T-shirt and switch to off-road terrain.
Time for a coffee break while crewing? Unlikely!
Tips for Crewing Norseman
It is very possible to have the full race experience and success with only one person in your support crew. You just need to make sure they are well briefed and understand their role clearly.
If your support crew has crewed at Norseman in the past, don’t let them take it for granted. Make sure they read all the latest instructions as there are often changes from one year to the next.
Know exactly where the crewing starts and ends on the bike, and give yourself time to get to T2. The final part of the bike course is fast, you have a short walk from the parking at T2 to get into the transition, and in 2025, we witnessed a cyclist arriving before his crew got there.
However much water your crew think they need, double it. They need to eat and drink as well, and it is not uncommon to see crews going into local shops (and adding time pressure!) to buy more water during the bike and/or run.