Morning madness

Inspired by Maria von Schmalensee who has been able to rack up 20,000 meters of elevation now in May, I thought I should head over to Bräntis and at least complete this month’s Strava run climbing challenge. Leaving the house at 04.50 am while everyone else was still asleep, the madness of it all briefly became apparent but, hopefully, adding some more vert will help me with all the races that I got scheduled, in particular Tallinn Marathon in September. And going up and down the ski slope, I even got to run a bit on the very last snow of the season.

Otherwise, this is a busy week with lots of grading and little time for blogging. Last night, I at least found the time to make some moose meatballs that were greatly appreciated by the rest of the family.

Gammliaterrängen

Four years later, it was again time for me to race Gammliaterrängen in Stadsliden together with some of the best runners in Umeå. Running one minute and 15 seconds faster than in 2019, my running felt much more controlled compared to Tuesday’s race and I can now leave behind a week with two races and 70 km of running.

Unfortunately, William (in yellow) was less fortunate as the rain had scared away almost all the other kids that were registered for his junior race. In the end, they were just four kids starting and, sadly, William lost his way quite early on. Luckily, on my second loop, I found him, and he was able to make his way back to the finish.

Overtraining

While making some roasted vegetables with halloumi and kale for dinner last night, I opened a view in my Samsung Health app that I had not seen before, similar to Strava’s activity summary. I have to say that seeing the last month of training summed up like this was a bit shocking, especially the fact that I have not taken a single rest day in all of May. 

While I do not have any pain in my Achilles tendons or anywhere else (except my left arm which still has not fully healed from the skiing injury but that is obviously unrelated), I am wondering if I am maybe pushing myself too hard here and that I would see bigger improvements with more rest? Yet, not running is not that easy for me as I have clearly become addicted. And today is race day in Stadsliden but perhaps I should be kind to myself if I am not able to run my fastest. However, before racing Öland Ultra Trail on 17 June, I promise to take a few days off.

Sinaia

Seventeen years ago today, I was out travelling with train through Romania, stopping by in Sinaia, a centre for hiking and winter sports in the Bucegi Natural Park. At the time, trail running did not exist in my universe, so I mostly walked around, drinking mineral water, and looking at Neo-Renaissance castles. Later on the same trip, I would go on to explore abandoned spa towns from the Habsburg era and the painted monasteries of Southern Bucovina (which are now on the UNESCO World Heritage List).

Island Time

As any long-time reader of Rawls & Me knows, I have a certain fondness for islands, and while some remain elusive, I have nevertheless made recent progress on my island count, adding both Mallorca and Malta. For dinner tonight, I received the new Kinfolk Islands coffee table book, full of slow travel itineraries and ideas for future adventures.

More immediate, we just booked a night train journey with all of the family to Gothenburg on 2 June to attend a concert by the kids’ favourite Hooja and also start moving into our new apartment in Örgryte. Luckily, I am fully ready for summer, with a new white overshirt and the knowledge that Espresso House now has added "Iced Americano" to its printed menu.

Coughing and cramping

While both Elin and Justin were able to set impressive new PRs, neither William nor I got the races that we had been hoping for. William was first out, running a course that was shortened to 850 meters this year with some really fast young runners. Sadly, the cold that he has been suffering from returned with coughing as he exerted himself, so in the end, the race was what it was. But he is already excited for Sunday when he will be running the 4 km junior version of “Gammliaterrängen” with other kids of the same age.

As for my race, I got to talk a bit to Justin as we were lining up to start which is always nice. Coincidentally, he will also be moving to the Gothenburg area this summer so hopefully we will be able to go for some trail running there in the future. Already before the race I was feeling quite a lot of heartburn (something that I rarely do), but I was hoping that it would go away once I started running. After the gun went off, the first kilometre was a bit tricky as there were so many other runners but Justin and I were soon able to pick up the pace, completing the first kilometre in 4 minutes and 22 seconds (precisely the pace I needed to set a new PR). As you can see from the splits below, I was able to keep my intended pace for three more kilometres until it all fell through as I started to experience intense cramps due to the acid reflux, feeling short on air with my heart rate spiking, and seriously considering just quitting the race. 

For some reason, I soldiered on nevertheless, as both Justin and Elin overtook me, but it was clearly with a feeling of defeat that I ultimately finished the race in 45 minutes and 32 seconds (chip time). Like William, I am now looking forward to Gammliaterrängen on Sunday when I will be running 8 km on trails in my blue Salomon Ultra Glide. Considering all the misery yesterday, I did not have time to think much about my shoes but my general feeling is that they were really good and I think that the Hoka Carbon X 3 will indeed be perfect for Tallinn Marathon in September.

Shades of blue

Apparently, I am going all blue this spring with my Hoka Cliftons, a new merino running t-shirt from Devold and a pair of dark blue “Söder Mälarstrand” running shorts from YMR Track Club. Finishing my last run before Blodomloppet 10k on Tuesday, I was able to rack up 92 km this week which is about the same as last week but still slightly below my ideal goal of running 100 km per week. And tomorrow, I will for once forego my morning run as I want my legs to feel as fresh as possible on Tuesday so next week I will be happy if I even make it to 80 km.

Out on the run, I had to stop to take a photo of the wooden boat resting at the south end of the lake. As much as I look forward to all the adventures that await down south, I will surely miss following the seasons around Nydalasjön.

Kammen

When originally planning this weekend, I had hoped to take the ferry over to Vaasa in Finland with my parents but, sadly, they had to remain in Kalmar so instead I settled for a shorter excursion with a rental car just me and the kids. More specifically, driving about 80 km towards the northwest from Umeå, we got to see one of the best marked eskers in Västerbotten that I first discovered when running Isälvsleden with Elin two years ago.

After hiking about three kilometres along the ridge, we had a BBQ down at the water. Had I been Sofi, I would of course had gone swimming, but as I am not that cool, at least not on my own, I simply took in the views and the calm of “Åmträsket” before it was time to take the kids on a short rowing lesson.

Staying close to the shore as we had no life vests, it was still a nice throwback to my own childhood and our Askeladden rowing boat. Unlike back in 2011, there was no rain and by the time we got back to Umeå, the sky had turned all blue, which of course meant that I had to go for a lake run while the boys stayed indoors playing Minecraft.

Clifton 8 - after 250 km

In February this year, I picked up a discounted pair of Hoka Clifton 8 and I have used them for most of my runs since I got back from California in early April. Having just passed 250 km in the shoes according to Strava, I thought I should write down some of my thoughts.

Aesthetics aside (never buy blue or white running shoes if you live in Sweden), I think the outsole has held up quite well this far. The forefoot feels snappier even as the cushioning is better than in the previous versions of the Clifton. After some initial problems with lockdown (which I was able to fix by being more careful when lacing the shoe), I would give the shoe overall high scores in terms of comfort. While clearly more of an everyday trainer than a race shoe, I would consider using the shoe for a marathon, especially if you are one of those runners who are less focused on time (I know, it sounds weird, but such people do exist). Going forward, my plan is to keep the shoe in the rotation for as long as it lasts which, at 300 km per month, will hopefully be over the summer at least.

Grass widower

This spring, Anna has spent quite a bit of time in Gothenburg as she has already started her new position as senior lecturer at Gothenburg University. Though only temporary as we will all be moving south in less than two months, this means that I have been practicing life as a grass widower and becoming even more impressed by all those single parents out there.

For once, I woke up before the kids this morning, so I was able to go for an early run around the lake. Getting soaked by the rain, I was reminded of Ultravasan last year, and how much I want to take on another really long race again. First, however, I need to start tapering for Blodomloppet 10k next Tuesday, where my only goal is to beat my current outdoor PR of 43 minutes and 44 seconds, a PR I set with Elin when we did a virtual seeding race for Göteborgsvarvet back in 2019. To do that, I need to stay under 4:23 min/km which I have done repeatedly on the treadmill when running 10k but never outside (though I came pretty close once during the pandemic).

Gnarly

Hoping that most of the snow would have melted by now, I left home shortly after 5 am this morning for a trail run around Grössjön.

Always one of the more technical and gnarly trails around Umeå, it turned out to be more of a challenge than usual due to all the water that has been accumualating in the forest. Occasionally, I would pass through fields with snow, but I would guess that it will all be gone by next week.

Now time for APT and then perhaps a quick visit to the gym for some indoor rowing.

Long winter

Once we got up to Hässningberget this morning, we were surprised to find that the entire valley was still covered in snow. Considering that it is already mid-May, this is rather exceptional and quite a contrast to the extreme heat that southern Europe has experienced this spring.

Back to Bettnesand

Almost seven years after our last visit, we took our rental car down to Bettnesand this afternoon for some empty beach time in the sun. Seeing on Strava that there was a trail segment just nearby, I of course had to make a mad attempt to take the crown. To my surprise, I was able to fly through the forest in 3:52 min/km-pace and seize Joel’s CR.

Otherwise, we have spent most of the day emptying our storage in Hörnefors, driving back and forth to the recycling station. Tomorrow we have to return the car by 8.30 am but hopefully we will be able to go for breakfast up on Hässningberget before that.

Onto the road

After eight months in storage, it was time to pick up my blue Stålhästen bike and hit the road. As expected, the tire pressure was not the best but with the help of two friendly guys working at a nearby garage, I was on my way in no time. Riding along the coast, I briefly contemplated a swim but decided to save it for the “Battle of Ratan” on the 6th of June. 

Crossing the railway multiple times, I was reminded of the fact that I now have less than two months left here in Västerbotten until I take the night train south on the 1st of July. 

This means that I will never get to see the new “West Link” highway open so, contrary to my usual law-abiding self, I decided to take a shortcut on the still closed section on my way to Max for lunch.

With Stålhästen now in Umeå, I not only hope to complete one more 100k “Gran Fondo” but also finally being able to call myself a “randonneur” (after riding 200 km in one day), although the latter will probably have to wait until “Kattegattleden” on the West Coast.

Off-season

While returning some clothes for Anna at MQ today, I found a pair of corduroy pants in size 32 on final sale. The deep discount was perhaps not that surprising given that the brown, earthy colour literally screamed “autumn” but, for that price tag, I am happy to keep them in the wardrobe for a few months.

Otherwise, the forecast for the coming days suggests that summer is just around the corner. If I can find the time, I plan to take the train down to Hörnefors on Friday morning to pick up my blue Stålhästen bike as we have to empty out the storage before moving to Gothenburg next month. Riding along the coast, it would probably be about 44 km so it should be doable in less than two hours.

Burnt Sienna

After running nine kilometres with Elin along the Ume River, I just had to continue for another six on my own as the weather was simply irresistible. After all this cold, it feels so good to once again be able run in just shorts and a t-shirt (though in all fairness, I did get a summer sneak peek in the Bay Area about a month ago).

Later, on my way home, I picked up a package with some Sunspel stripes that I fell in love with when passing through Heathrow on my way to California. I mean, seriously, how could one possibly resist stripes in a colour called “Burnt Sienna”?

Back to 100 km

For the first time since August last year when I ran Ultravasan, I am back at 100 km of running per week. With almost all of those kilometres being low heart rate easy pace, I am not feeling overly tired in my legs so hopefully this is a volume that I will be able to sustain.

Last night, I listened to some old speeches by JFK, including one from 1962 that warmed my heart by reminding me of a time when politics was still about ideals:

“We welcome the view of others. We seek a free flow of information across national boundaries and oceans, across iron curtains and stone walls. We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.”

Though he talked long before social media and the rise of the censorship industrial complex, JFK was, as often, prescient:

“For in the next 20 years your problem and ours as a country, in telling our story, will grow more complex. The choices we present to the world will be more difficult, and for some the future will seem even more empty of hope and progress. The barrage upon truth will grow more constant, and some people cannot bear the responsibility of a free choice which goes with self-government. Finally, shrinking from choice, they turn to those who prevent them from choosing, and thus find in a kind of prison, a kind of security.”

King's corrie

With Anna back from Gothenburg, we started the morning with a jog down to the airport to pick up her bike. Though perhaps not on par with Amsterdam’s new underwater bike garage with room for 7,000 bikes, I still find it absolutely adorable that Umeå Airport has its own heated bike garage open to the public, something that really makes a difference through the winter months.

Unfortunately, William has come down with another cold so, instead of our planned bike excursion to Hässningberget, we got to stay at home, giving me time to finish my book about Märta “Quelqu'une” Lindqvist which I can wholeheartedly recommend. And, of course, we had to watch a bit of the coronation from Westminster Abbey. Now, time for tacos!

Fanø

In 1919, the journalist Märta Lindqvist spent a summer on the Danish island of Fanø which made her return to Stockholm in the autumn feel extra gloomy. However, reading her complaining about the weather, I can’t say that she gets much sympathy from me after this unusually cold and snowy spring. Still wearing my Craft SubZ jacket, I was nevertheless treated to plenty of sun on my morning run as I keep building volume with the hope of reaching 90-100 km per week through the month of May.

Already, I have a packed racing schedule, starting with Blodomloppet 10k in less than three weeks, Öland Ultra Trail in mid-June, Jönköping Marathon in August, and then, finally, Tallinn Marathon in September where I hope to, yes, I will say it out loud, qualify for Boston. As such, I really need all the volume I can get, especially now when I cannot swim due to my injury and Stålhästen is still in winter storage.

On open borders

A couple of days ago, ABC wrote about my favourite topic of open borders while travelling on a train to Frankfurt. As I have just invested in a new book about night trains, the tragedy of what is going on in Europe right now becomes even more apparent, although I doubt that I have something more to say than what I have already said.

As always, the future is a choice, and there is something patently absurd in suggesting that we should give up on the hope of a global civilization in order to reduce the concentration of an atmospheric trace gas. Clearly, working together, we are much better equipped to do that as well as meeting all the other challenges that we face as a species.

Back to Innertavle

Last night, Eddie and I took our bikes out to Innertavle for a traditional May bonfire organized by his former classmates. Contrary to tradition, it was neither snowing or raining, and we had a great time saying hello to old friends.

Then, today, I ran down to USM to attempt some indoor rowing for the first time since my skiing injury in Stadsliden. To my great relief, I did not feel any pain while rowing so, hopefully, Beach 2023 is still within reach ;-)