Rode finished his secondary education in 1903, and graduated with the cand.jur. degree in 1908. While a student he joined the sports club Norske Studenters RK. He became a competitive rower, and competed in coxed fours at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm. At the end of his active career he served as a sports administrator, as chairman of his club from 1913, and board member of the National rowing federation from 1914. He was president of from 1918 to 1919, and of from 1925 to 1930. He chaired the Association for the Promotion of Skiing from 1951 to 1953.