Row, row, row your boat

The last days have been absolutely gorgeous with blue skies and melting ice everywhere. While trail running is still a few weeks away, I have taken a couple of extra loops around the lake in the afternoon sunshine. Today however, I took the bike down to USM to complete my own 25 km rowing challenge which is a considerable jump in volume compared to previous months. While boring beyond words, rowing does help a lot with “core strength” and overall stability so I am eager to keep it up. Still, as we move further into spring, the outdoors is becoming increasingly irresistible.

Dawn's early light

Since I got my new Polar watch back in February, I have occasionally been measuring my sleep, taking particular interest in the “nightly recharge” function. Estimating how well my autonomic nervous system is able to calm down during the night, this function gives me an indication of where I am with regard to overall training volume and stress in general.

Waking up this morning with the first sunlight, I felt refreshed and ready for a Tuesday when I will mix article writing with about 30 km of running as I am trying out different gear for Mörbylångaleden. Looking at the bus timetable, the plan right now is to skip the first bus at 5.40 am and instead sleep in a bit, enjoy my hotel breakfast and then take the bus at 8.10 am to Ottenby where I will start my run. Reading about the trail, the hardest part will be the first half which has very limited services. Hopefully, I will run into some nice people along the route whom I can ask for water. Unless something out of the ordinary happens, I estimate that I will need around 10-11 hours to complete the entire 83 km rail, meaning that I will be at the Färjestaden around 9 pm, just in time to take the bus across the bridge.

Carbon fibre

This morning I went for my first run in the Hoka Carbon X 2 that I was able to pick up in size 48 just as they were released about a month ago. As the name suggests, the shoe comes with a carbon fibre plate, something that I have been wanting to try for a long time, in fact ever since I was five years old in Växjö and insisted on buying "bubbelhoppskor". 

Running the virtual Hoka Torekov-Båstad “Inspirationsloppet” with Elin, I have to say that I just loved the shoe. Branded as an “endurance racer”, it had a propulsive speed that definitely made the running feel a lot easier with support throughout the gait cycle. However, unlike when racing Göteborgsvarvet half marathon back in May last year in 1 hour and 35 minutes, we decided to hold back a bit and keep a conversational pace. Still, as we were speeding up for the last kilometre, I felt that shoe had so much more to give, making me very excited for Trondheim Marathon in September.

Mörbylångaleden

Last night I received yet another schedule change from Lufthansa which would have made it necessary to stay one more night at Arlanda on the return, further extending my trip. In combination with constantly shifting travel advice and the risk that Sweden would end up on the Robert Koch Institute's dreaded “variant list”, I decided to bite the bullet and cancel my trip to Malta. While the actual race has not been called of yet, I have a hard time seeing it happening under the current circumstances. Instead, I activated my back-up plan and pivoted to an 83 km solo trail adventure through the World Heritage landscape of southern Öland. My plan is to run in my red Salomon S/Lab Ultra 2 that I originally purchased to run Tjörnarparen 100k back in February which was ultimately cancelled.

Yes, this is a challenging time for runners and non-runners alike. Even if my parents will not have received their two shots of vaccine by then, we will at least be able to meet outdoors which I very much look forward to.

SL20 and shorts

For the first time this spring, I opted for shorts when picking up the boys. With the afternoon temperature climbing up to a stunning eight degrees, I could not resist racing one of the more elusive segments on my way to the school in Innertavle either. To my surprise, I was able to snatch the crown from the former elite runner who holds most of the segments here around by racing those 360 meters uphill in a brisk 3:11 min/km pace. I have no illusions whatsoever that I will be able to hold on to this segment for long but, still, always sweet with a CR :-) 

Windy

This morning, I was again running against the wind. Contrary to my expectations, my legs felt poppy though with a lot of energy, perhaps after “only” running 9 km yesterday. Next week, I will be back to my usual 80 km but overall I think that my body has been able to absorb this 50% increase in volume quite well. While I suffered a bit from back pain during the first half of the week following my race last Saturday, I have not experienced any other niggles.

Hard fun

Approaching a record of 120 km this week, I was definitely feeling it in my legs as I walked down the stairs this morning. Going for a recovery jog along river to start the day, I could of course not resist the "hard fun" of throwing in a few quicker intervals, even if I know it is a bit stupid given the heightened risk of injuries. 

While there is still plenty of snow and ice, one can really feel that spring is underway. Having passed the equinox, the days will quickly get longer here in the North, bringing more energy which will be much needed as I expect to receive another batch of 120 exams to mark this week.

Medal and pizza

Three months after running the 27 km virtual “Panoramica” race in Stockholm, I received my medal in the mail today, just in time for pizza. Held up by the Brexit chaos, the medal was shipped by a company in Chester, an echo from a different time when people still wanted integration rather than fragmentation.

As for that, I watched an incredible BBC interview the other night with Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, making me wish that more people saw the world like him and recognized the possibilities of globalization.

Passport renewal

Having had a passport since I was six months old and my parents took me on a trip to Poland, I will of course not let a little “gripezinha” (to speak with Bolsonaro) stop me from renewing my passport as it expires next month. Still, it of course remains uncertain when I will be able to actually travel again. While I have not given up on Malta, the island has seen a recent surge with almost double the number of cases per capita compared to Sweden, leading to a “lockdown light” being imposed over the coming month with travel restrictions between Gozo (where the race is taking place) and the main island as well as a closure of all restaurants etc.

With the realities of the pandemic in mind, it may be that international travel will remain limited for much of 2021. As such, I decided to register for Gotland Ultra Marathon in early October as I think it is an event that will actually happen. Taking place on the same day as Tvåälvsloppet, it is a 52k trail race between the fishing community Hallshuk in the north of the island and the main city Visby, following the sea for most of the time. 

As for the greater world, I am cherishing the stamps in my old passport, and the memories of all the places that I have been able to travel to over the past five years of its validity, including St Petersburg, Lima and Beirut.

Towards 120 km

Equipped with a new cap from YMR Track Club and the sunglasses that I still hope to wear on Malta, I just completed my fourth consecutive 20+ km day. Aiming for an all-time high of 120 km this week, I am curious to see how my body will react to this increase in volume. With Fjällmaraton 100k coming up in August, I know I need at least 2-3 weeks when I am topping out at 140-150 km if I am to have some chance of completing the race.

In the real world, difficult decisions abound with regard to Covid vaccinations and how to strike the right balance between the different kinds of risks. For the moment, it seems that we are underestimating the cost of caution as every delay means that many more people will die. Still, downplaying known risks, however small, for utilitarian reasons may end up increasing vaccination hesitancy and thereby further frustrate hopes of ever achieving herd immunity.

Under the smog

Reading the news this morning, I saw that Beijing is experiencing heavy smog with sandstorms turning the skies orange. After 6+ years in Umeå, it is hard to even remember what that felt like. Looking through my Google Photos, I did find this picture taken from our hotel room back in 2011 though when Anna and I spent a few feverish summer months in the Chinese capital. Apparently, the Air Quality Index (AQI) is right now many times worse (actually, it is off scale), but already back then I used to ge headaches just by walking to the subway. At least, the Chinese government is working on the problem by planting trees as a “Great Green Wall” and stepping up its nuclear programme to reduce coal use.

District 7

For an extravagant post-race dinner, I made oven roasted polka beets, carrots and potatoes with tzatziki and chèvre ground beef together with a glass of "District 7" pinot noir from Monterey.

'Cause I live and I learn

After my week without any running, it was time for the fifth and final instalment of IFK Umeå’s “Vintercupen”. Set along the river, the 10k “Kyrkmilen” got off to a flying start in 3:30 min/km-pace as I raced along the river towards Backen together with Elin. A couple of kilometres into the race, we found ourselves in a field covered in deep snow, occasionally slowing down to 8 min/km. While Elin was able to fly above the snow and once again impressed me beyond words by winning the women's race, I really struggled to keep up, ultimately finishing the race in just over 50 minutes. Not only did I get stuck in the snow but I also experienced a lot of pain in my chest and lower back, possibly after all the strength training earlier this week. So, in the end, this race definitely fell into the "lessons learned"-category.

Inland

I am embarrassed to admit this but, despite having lived seven years in Umeå, I have still not seen anything of the interior (unless Granö counts, which I guess it does not). With my 100 km mountain ultra coming up in August, that is something that I am more eager than ever to change so I have been stocking up on maps and making plans for possible future adventures.

For the moment however, I am, as my new Polar watch so charmingly informed me, “detraining”. Five days into my non-runstreak, I have been to the gym twice for indoor rowing and strength training but otherwise I have tried to limit my physical activities in order to give the body a chance to fully recover.

Gin

With my days of transatlantic gin sipping long gone, the pandemic has meant that many distilleries have had to reinvent their product lines. Stockholms Bränneri is no different. Back in September, Ally pointed me to their disinfectant made with heads and tails form their gin production and it has definitely brightened my days since (even if it is pretty clear by now that SARS-CoV-2 does not really transmit much through surfaces).

Pesto picante

As few other brands, “Zeta” has come to define Mediterranean cooking in Sweden and, for my part, I still have very fond memories of their “pasta party” on the night before Stockholm Marathon. Some time ago, Zeta launched a new almond and pepper pesto that I of course had to check out when I saw it earlier today at ICA. Together with garlic-fried sourdough bread and fresh chives, it made for a simple yet delicious vegetarian escape to Southern Italy.

Office work

While officially on vacation this week, I had to swing by the office today to have two Zoom thesis seminars with my health care administration students. Afterwards, I had lunch in the sunshine on the department balcony where only the complete absence of colleagues gave away that something was not quite right. Yet, with more evidence that the Pfizer-Biontech vaccine is effective also against the Brazilian and South African variants of the virus, I think there is a good chance that the university will be back to campus teaching in the fall.

Out of thin air

Always suspicious of simplistic genetic explanations, I was happy to pick up Michael Crawley’s Out of thin air which finally recognizes the hard work behind the success of East African runners:

‘This tendency to describe African runners as “effortless” or as “born to run” masks the years of preparation and sacrifice that have gone into creating this illusion’

In my own line of work, few things make me angrier than when people, who themselves have everything, romanticize agricultural poverty. Similarly, poverty is often invoked to explain away how hard these runners work:

‘The implication is that growing up in rural poverty necessitates a more “natural” way of life […] We come to believe that running for Africans is something they take to easily, without thought or consideration’

Grauburgunder

Considered one of the best budget wines in February by Svenska Dagbladet, this German take on pinot grigio felt like the perfect escape plan on a grey Monday in March when Malta may be about to become Mörbylånga. Making a spicy fish soup with fennel, mussels and lots of garlic bread, life is obviously not that bad. 

Backup plans

Even if I have not given up on running Xterra Malta 50k, the world of international travel is clearly not what it used to be with ever more intricate restrictions. At least I have now booked a PCR test at Arlanda on the day before departure and signed up for an extra travel insurance that will even cover the possible costs of quarantine.

While a lot can happen in the 50 days that remain until departure, I have already been researching different alternatives. Though slightly less Bond, the STF Turist magazine reminded me of the 83 km Mörbylångaleden that would be one such alternative, assuming that I could get some help with the logistics. By then, my parents may even have received their two vaccine shots so I could see them for the first time since the pandemic began. So, perhaps Mörbylånga instead of Malta. At least I can still bring my Sunspel t-shirts ;-)

Breaks

As a runner, one of the most difficult things is to know when enough is enough. With both kids off from school for the coming week, I decided that it was time to take a five-day long break to give my left Achilles tendon in particular a chance to recover. Still, I can already tell how painful it will be to see my Strava fitness score plummet and the Polar app informing me that I am “detraining”. Before my break however, I made sure to top up with one last run to bring this week’s total volume up to 80 km.

Otherwise, the plan for “sportlovet” is that Anna will be working on her PhD at the office while I will be at home with the kids, with the exception for Tuesday morning when I have a thesis seminar. As for work, last week I had the final Zoom meeting with the pedagogical mentor programme that I started back in August. Overall, it is a been really worthwhile as it has given me a chance to reflect on my journey as a university teacher and also meet a lot of people who are genuinely committed to higher education. However, after this course, and the six others that I have taken since moving back from Korea in 2014, I think I will take a break with UPL courses for now :-)

Sunrise

After running with carbide steel studs for months, my feet were overjoyed to be back in the soft ride of the Hoka Cliftons. With another bout of snow expected over the weekend, I seized the moment and went for some speed work even as it was a chilly -10 degrees. As the sun was rising over Tomtebo, I managed to set a few new PRs without much effort, clearly a testimony to the long-term aerobic benefits of my daily school commutes.

Croissants

On New Year’s Eve 1998, I was on a Eurocity train from Strasbourg to Vienna, a ride that clearly has left an impression. As part of our winter Interrail, Sofi and I had made a spur-of-the-moment decision to travel to the Austrian capital for New Year’s and we were now having breakfast in the restaurant car just as the train crossed over into Baden-Württemberg. This was at a time when there were still some onboard culinary standards with white linen tablecloths and non-microwaved food. Anyhow, I very much remember the waiter profusely apologizing for the possibility that the croissants could be a bit dry. They were not.

Maple

Seeing Seth James DeMoor making breakfast to his four boys, I just had to make some American pancakes myself once I got back from the morning school run. Even if the weather is incredible right now with mild winds, clear blue skies and still enough snow for cross-country skiing, I am afraid I have to stay inside in front of the laptop for the time being.

Caramelized salmon

Lockdown galore

With Finland declaring a state of emergency and Oslo closing down all restaurants and shops, the third wave is definitely here. Even at our local COOP, we are no longer the only people wearing face masks so change is clearly underway. At the same time, more people are still dying from the economic effects of lockdown than from Covid itself (though one should recognize that deaths would presumably been higher had restrictions not be imposed). In retrospect it is interesting to note how different the response to this pandemic has been compared to past ones, as illustrated by this telling Google search:

In defence of the present, one may argue that it is a good thing that we value life so much more today and that Covid with its cluster transmission would always be different from a wave-like flu that would quickly dissipate afterwards.

Österlen

With the number of ICU patients again rising rapidly in Sweden, I was not particularly surprised to learn that Österlen Spring Trail in mid-April has now been officially cancelled. This means that my hopes for a spring trail ultra are now tied to Malta Xterra 50k two weeks later.