Sunday Runday

Across ice, I set off to complete the last of the virtual races organized by Idre Fjällmaraton. Running in my well-worn VJ Sarva Xante, I decided from the beginning that I would take it slow and focus on keeping my heart rate down with plenty of breaks for drinks and energy. On my run, I got to see all parts of Umeå featuring everything from luxurious atrium villas to traditional red “västerbottensgårdar” with some “million programme” houses thrown in between. As tradition has it, I of course had to stop by Circle-K Ersboda for an Emelie-style cinnamon bun with coffee before taking on the ice again...

Inspired

Between five kids and three jobs in two different cities, it was a long time coming but today Elin and I were finally able to kick off the river run season of 2021. The conditions could not have been better and I felt so inspired about the year that lies ahead. 

Already on my morning school commute with the Thule Cougar, I was able to complete the 300 km endurance running challenge for February. With a marathon scheduled for this Sunday, this month will go down as my most active yet with a margin of 10+ hours of exercise.

Eat like a straw robber

After running through a merciless snowstorm to school, Elin and I decided to postpone our river run to Friday. Instead I have spent the day writing. Yes, you read that right, not admin or grading, but actually writing stuff. By afternoon, the temperature climbed above zero for the first time in two months and I could even hear the first dripping from the roof.

Still, I felt like making a warming goulash with the last wine from Navarra, the kind of food that people have eaten for thousands of years on the plains of Central Europe. With lots of paprika, celery and sour creme, I am dreaming of the day when one can travel again. 

Muir

Having spent the morning wrapping up the last marking and submitting a journal review, I decided to go skiing in the forest for an hour before returning to work. Thanks to all the snow that keeps falling, the downhills did not go too fast and I could allow myself to be absorbed by the calm amidst the trees. For a moment, I regretted not taking my phone along so I could take a picture of how beautiful it was but, sometimes, it is more important to find your soul than documenting stuff.

DUÅ

In a time of travel restrictions and rampant fetishization of the “local”, DUÅ here in Umeå remains a bastion of a better future with delicacies from around the world, although with an obvious emphasis on Italy and Spain. Beyond chocolate and cheese, I sometimes sin and pick up a bit of pancetta to make some of Gennaro Contaldo’s lovely spaghetti carbonara which is just perfect after skiing around the lake in -8 degrees.

Northerly winds

Waking up to yet more snow, I struggled for two hours in the cold northerly winds (real feel -17) before returning home to some veranda blend coffee and toast. I would be lying if I said that I am not seriously considering renting a car for the coming days as there is still plenty of snow in the forecast. Yet, having made it this far through the winter, I would regret giving up on my Thule school commutes.

Last night, Anna and I watched another 30 minutes of the Korean movie “Parasite”. It is really good but, as always, margins are thin as the boys keep getting up at 5 am every morning. Hopefully, we will be able to finish the rest tonight. For now, it is once again back to marking.

Be careful what you wish for

Yesterday, I was stunned to find an acceptance letter for the Development Studies Association’s online conference in late June. Of all things, I did not expect this since my abstract so directly contradicted everything that the panel convenors presumably believe in. The only plausible explanation I can think of is that the convenors really seek to encourage an open academic debate, something that has become very rare and precious these days. This leaves me with a difficult choice, should I withdraw now or try to turn that wild abstract into a full-length paper by 1 June?

For the moment however, I am busy with marking anyhow with little time for research. At least I was able to swing by USM this morning even as I find it increasingly difficult to keep up with my twice-a-week gym routine as it eats directly into my prime working time.

With Anna back from her online IFJP conference, I made a simple dinner with Tortilla Española, chorizo, grapes and a salad to go with a glass of wine from dreamy Navarra in northern Spain. It is strange to think that just a little more than a year ago, one could travel practically anywhere in the world at a moment’s notice. At least there is some good news out of Israel where the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine does not only seem to prevent illness but also cut transmission to a large extent. The question of course remains to what extent this applies to all the different variants that are now popping up around the world.

Close call

After marking exams all day, I set off on an evening ski adventure to Innertavle. Having done a total of three loops around the lake as an adult, I had forgotten how fast cross-country skis can go downhill. According to my watch, I achieved a maximum speed of 22.8 km/h the second before I fell right into the deep snow, next to a big tree. Had my trajectory been just a little bit different, I guess I would have hit that tree pretty hard but now all is fine and well. Annoyingly, I came 100 meters short of completing Salomon’s 42 km Nordic Ski Challenge so I guess I will have to go for some more skiing over the weekend. For now, it is back to marking...

Domes

When reading science fiction books as a child, I remember being fascinated by the idea of whole cities being built under glass domes. While obviously scary, since it would mean that something would be seriously wrong with the planet’s atmosphere, my fascination has since moved on to winter gardens and other less frightening constructs. Here in Umeå, one long-term favourite has been the cultural centre Väven with its large “piazza” built under a glass roof, allowing for lazy brunches at Gotthards in the midst of winter. 

Likewise, my gym is located under a large glass dome. With the temperature again being below -20 degrees this morning, I decided to forgo my morning lake run and instead take the bus down to USM for some tempo running and strength training. Looking up on the blue cold sky above, it was difficult not to think of those less fortunate in Texas who are currently suffering massive power outages. Electricity remains as crucial as ever for human freedom and development. As such, it is painful to witness the complete lack of global imagination that continues to plague the Swedish energy debate, including most recently Per Bolund’s blanket dismissal of next-generation nuclear.

Semmel-tajm

After the department morning meeting, Anna and I kicked off our new “lunch ski” routine with eight km around the lake. Being from Kiruna, Anna clearly has a head start but I am thrilled by how much I have improved technique-wise over just a few sessions. Next step will be to take on “Hundspåret” with a bit of elevation but first a traditional "semla".

Morning ski

Punt Road

While many years have passed since I drove around Yarra Valley myself, its allure appears perennial as I walked down the lane at Systembolaget and discovered a new #småparti made with Gamay grapes to go with some pappardelle, zucchini, and chili pesto for a simple but delicious Valentine’s dinner.

After marking the first batch of police student exams yesterday, I have spent most of the day with quintessential February activities: cleaning the house, running a 32 km cold but sunny long run, and pondering whether or not William will have recovered enough to return to school tomorrow. Slightly less predictable, I also read some articles in the Journal of Religious Ethics on everything from Kierkegaard to Kant, reminding me that some people in academia still engage with substantive and important questions.

Balance

With Nordic skiing now being added to the repertoire, my total training volume is only going up. There was a time when I considered it wholly unsustainable to run 50 km per week, now I often run the double and I have no plans of stopping, not to mention the indoor rowing and the strength training. In retrospect, it will be interesting to look back and see if this was just a mad exception or the beginning of a new normal. At least, I am trying to recover some of the lost calories as Eddie insisted on buying one of those buns of my childhood at Maxi.

Nordic skiing

Leaving the kids at home in front of Minecraft, this evil parent just had to try out his new skis, and wow, what can I say, that was a lot of fun!

The last time I went skiing in earnest was on a trip to Bohinj in what was then Yugoslavia in the late 1980’s. Also, ten years ago, my parents-in-law took me out around Lombolo on a cold December night in Kiruna, noting that I had somewhat of a camel style ;-) 

Yet, after much hesitation, I ordered a pair of Fischer RCR skis about two weeks ago as I realized the absurdity of living here at Nydala and not owning a pair of skis. With “sportlovet” coming up in March, I look forward to spending a lot of time outdoors with the kids as both William and Eddie are able skiers. Before that, Anna and I are having plans for a new “lunch ski” routine.

Who said snow?

 

Hotel weekends

This winter, Anna has been spending a number of weekends away working on her PhD. With the kids still being at home with cold symptoms, she is now off again for two days of intensive writing while I am holding the fort. Luckily, I was able to go for a 12 km run early this morning, bringing my total distance for this year above 500 km which puts me about 30 km ahead of pace with respect to my annual goal of 4,000 km.

Though chances may be slim, I have still not given up on running Österlen Spring Trail in mid-April. To support the race, I ordered a mug that may end up being as close as I ever get to those 60 km in Skåne.

Over waffles, Eddie surprised me by correctly recounting the whole Alexei Navalny story. It is incredible to listen to how his world is expanding and, right now, he and William are re-enacting Russian politics with Lego on the floor above.

Night flight

Today was one long series of breakdowns starting with the kids again having cold symptoms. Later in the day, the drivetrain of my bike gave up completely and so did the computer at work just as my Zoom Q&A-session was about to begin. Still, as always, resilience is key so in the end I was able to bounce back, get Zoom up and running on another computer, play some Risk Junior with William and make waffles for “mellanmål”. And if I am lucky, the bike shop will have my bike repaired already by tomorrow.

Long before Covid, I used to go for runs to the airport and dream of the world beyond. With my school commute likely to be cancelled for the remainder of the week, I felt like making up for the lost volume by crossing that illuminated white bridge once more at night. With the evening temperature being a crisp -18 degrees, I kept the pace down though and instead focused on all the great adventures that lie ahead. As for those however, I just learned that Kullamannen has again been postponed, this time to the 28th of August which would give me exactly a week to recover before the Trondheim Marathon.

Classic texts

Though very subtle, the last days have brought a sense that even this winter will someday end. Do not get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoy life in this winter wonderland with its long cold days and blue skies, especially as my cross-country skis will get here any day, but spring always has a draw of its own.

Yet, waking up at 5 am my phone informed me that it was again -21 degrees outside, meaning that I would need to wear the Airtrim mask for my morning school commute. Once back home, I have a full day of classic text seminars on Zoom coming up. As for the watch, I have to admit that I felt a bit bad about splurging on a new device but, waiting in line to pick it up at the gasoline station, the guy in front of me paid 950 SEK for filling up his car, i.e. half of what I paid for the Polar watch, leaving me feeling quite happy with my life choices after all.

Polar Vantage M

After much deliberation, I decided that the time was ripe to trade my old Suunto for a new sports watch that will allow me to run for longer than the 6-7 hours of battery time that I currently have. Given that I have several ultras coming up, including a 100 km “Fjällmaraton” in August, I jumped on a XXL sale for a Polar Vantage M that comes with 30+ hours of battery time, enough even for my long-term dream of running from one end to the other on the island Öland. In addition to extended battery time, I am really looking forward to more reliable heart rate readings, in particular when biking.

For my first run, I took the Polar watch out to Innertavle to pick up the boys in the Thule Cougar. Speeding up on the way out, I loved seeing the watch briefly recording a 3:35 min/km pace despite all the snow and my heavy shoes. The interface seems intuitive enough and I look forward to exploring more of the different functions over the coming days. 

Once back home, I could not resist making another of Julia Tuvesson’s recipes, this time brown saffron butter with passata and gnocchi for a vegetarian dinner. 

Back to biking

As the days are getting longer and most bike paths have been cleared, it did not feel right to keep my bike in storage, so I took it out even as the drivetrain remains unreliable in colder temperatures. While my long-term plan is to invest in a new bike, it felt great to be able to ride up to the university and pick up a few books that I needed for tomorrow’s seminar rather than taking the bus.

Wayback weekend

As I am eagerly waiting for my new skis to arrive, my parents were kind enough to send me some old photos from when we were in Bohinj at the end of the 1980’s and made a daytrip up to Austria for some cross-country skiing. For some reason, they also enclosed a classic school photo taken around the same time which I thought I would share here. Funny enough, Google Photos automagically recognized that it was me.

Rush

With the workweek cut short, I have been busy trying to catch up with little time for blogging. Sadly, my skis are still in limbo but hopefully they will get here by early next week as the weather is absolutely perfect for winter sports.

Today, I had the third Q&A session with my political philosophy students on Zoom which again reminded me of how difficult it is to know where you have a group when you are not in the same physical classroom. With most students having their cameras off, it sometimes feels like you are talking into a void so I am really looking forward to next week’s literature seminars.

After spending the afternoon marking, I felt like picking up the pace a bit and raced those 2.3 km out to Innertavle, setting a new PR of 10 minutes and 38 seconds (or 4:34 min/km) which I am quite happy with considering the winter conditions. Later in spring, I will definitely make a new attempt to see how much faster I can run without studs and the snow. For now, it is time to jump back into my new Norwegian wool socks.

Cougar time

Winter panzanella

Back in May last year, I made a panzanella just as the realities of the pandemic were sinking in. This morning, it was again -20 degrees outside, so I traded my outdoor run for a virtual race around Lake Merritt in Oakland, as a throwback to pre-pandemic days when the world was an open playground.

In her new cooking book “Brynt smör”, Julia Tuvesson had a recipe for a winter panzanella that immediately caught my attention. Featuring kale, oven roasted polka beets and brown sage butter, not much could go wrong. Paired with a glass of Alvarinho Contacto from northern Portugal, one may even forget that the municipality is rapidly running out of snow dumps...

Sleep

In my life, I have generally been very fortunate when it comes to sleeping. The times when I have not, as when the kids were small or when I have been flying across multiple time zones, have still made me respectful about sleep and insomnia. As such, I have been hesitant to try out the sleep tracking function of my Suunto, fearing that putting too much thinking into my sleeping patterns may make me sleep worse. Still, always curious, I tried it some time ago and then again last night. Unsurprisingly, it did prove what I already knew, that I do sleep a lot :-)

Thyme and skis

Monday and the kids are home again from school with “minimal cold symptoms”. Deprived of my usual school commute with the Thule Cougar, I started the morning with a lake run (which once again has become possible after the snowstorm a week ago). Otherwise, I have spent much of the day with LMS maintenance, as in setting up different groups in Canvas and uploading assignments for my three courses.

In a weak moment last night, I ordered a pair of Fischer RCR cross-country skis which I hope to receive later this week. Considering that we live in a Nordic skiing paradise, it is embarrassing that it has taken me this long, but I have simply been hesitant to commit to another equipment-intense sport, especially as I am already averaging 40 hours of aerobic activities per month. However, with both kids loving their skis, I thought this could be a good way of doing something social together while giving me a shortcut to some strength training outside of the gym. It should come as surprise to no one, but I have already signed up for two Strava skiing challenges...

For dinner tonight, I sinned and made some creamy thyme chicken with Dijon and honey mustard.