DNF - Did Not Finish Swimming, Biking and Running Tales from the Back of the Race. the Story of How Twin Brothers Attempted the Most Extreme Triathlon in the World - Norseman

Every one of our results tells a story, even the races we did not finish. Andrew and Iain grew up on an island in the Outer Hebrides. They regularly traveled by ferry to the mainland. It was a boring journey. Iain joked with Andrew that one of them should jump off the ferry, just to add some excitement to the journey. Neither of them realized that many years later they would both attempt to jump from a ferry to start the extreme triathlon - Norseman. An extreme triathlon event challenges athletes to push their boundaries and be part of an unforgettable experience. Norseman is known among athletes as the most extreme in the world. The race starts with a 4 meter jump from a ferry into a fjord. Athletes then swim 3.8km to the beautiful town of Eidfjord before cycling 112 miles through hilly terrain and bad weather. Finally, athletes run a marathon to the top of the 1850m peak of Gaustatoppen. The race is limited to 250 competitors of which 160 are allowed to finish at the mountain peak. Thousands of people all over the world apply to take part but only a lucky few are successful. There was only one problem. Neither Andrew or Iain had swum since leaving school and neither had ever done a triathlon. This is the story of how twin brothers tried to become Norsemen. It details how two ordinary athletes, with busy lives and other commitments, spent 20 years learning to swim, bike and run. It is a story about finding the joy in racing whether you come first or last.