Suunto 9 Peak

After using a Polar Vantage M as my sports watch for the last two and a half years, I decided to invest in a Suunto 9 Peak Granite Blue Titanium when Suunto had a super sale just in time for my birthday. The main things I have been looking for in a new watch is navigation and even better battery time, allowing me to complete longer ultra marathons like Tjörnarparen 100k in February next year without having to worry about the battery running out.

Having been generally happy with Suunto in the past, I was doing a bit of research with the Coros Apex 2 being the obvious contender. Ultimately, it was the price that decided in Suunto’s favour but also the design which I find really stunning. As for its accuracy, it is too early to say anything but I liked the feeling of the watch as I pushed through to 200 kilometres this month in the afternoon rain.

Gunnebo

Today, I am turning 45 which I have been celebrating with my parents who are here in Gothenburg for a couple of days. Walking up to Gunnebo Slott from Mölndal, we had lunch in its beautiful gardens before further exploring the castle grounds. The area has a lot of running trails that I will definitely return to in the near future.

Parents visiting

Skatås

Today, Eddie and I got to check out the 2.5 km hilly loop in Skatås as part of our daily 10 km run/bike routine. And six hours later we were back again in Skatås together with William for “Tall Tales”, a medieval themed adventure game that the kids just loved (despite its slightly commercial undertones). As much as I may miss Nydala, these recreational areas are really stunning, and I can only imagine that they will become more beautiful in the fall as the trees turn yellow and red.

Meanwhile, Anna has been able to go for her first longer walks since falling on the cliff. Though she is still experiencing dizziness from time to time, the trend is definitely encouraging.

Walking around in the well-heeled Överås area, the houses reminded me a bit of the White City in Tel Aviv. With a Porsche or a Tesla parked outside many of the houses, one can tell that some people have really been doing well in Sweden over the last decades as the country has become somewhat of a haven for the rich with no property tax, no inheritance tax, etc.

Eleven

While Anna continues her journey towards full recovery, Eddie is turning eleven today, something that has been duly celebrated by unlimited screentime (since about 5 am), mud cake, and yet more cake. During the afternoon hours, William got a break from Minecraft Legends as he attended his swimming class for the penultimate time where he today mastered the ability to float on his back in the water.

For my part, I am so happy to be back running again completely pain-free. With 45 days left to my key race, Tallinn Marathon, I remain cautiously optimistic even if I will end up running about 150 kilometres less than originally planned in July. Tonight, I got to run around Härlanda Tjärn after doing the full loop around Stora and Lilla Delsjön yesterday. Passing all the trams in the sunset, I was reminded of Vienna and my many runs there during the summer of 2004.

Cobblestones

For the second day, I took Eddie out for morning ride on his bike with me jogging along, showing him the surroundings of his new home. Unlike yesterday when we got completely soaked by the rain, today's run was just perfect, taking us down to the cobblestones of Haga and back along the river for a total of 11 kilometres.

Running in the original version of the Hoka Rincons which I have otherwise mostly used for racing in the past, it was tempting to pick up the speed but I have promised myself not to do anything that would risk delaying the healing of my right calf. As for healing, Anna is on the mend even as her neck remains very stiff, limiting her mobility.

Cliffhanger

Sometimes, life is indeed hanging by a thin thread. Yesterday, we wanted to top up our incredible family excursion to Marstrand by driving down to Smithska Udden and go for a morning swim on the cliffs. As we were getting ready to go into the water, Anna slipped and fell hard on the back of her head, seeing flashes.

Driving her to the emergency room at Sahlgrenska, the doctors attested that she had been very lucky and that the result could have been much worse than a concussion. Feeling better though dizzy today, Anna will have to take it slow over the coming weeks. 

3x Marstrand

Da Matteo

Sometimes when you return to the same place many years later, you are left with a sense of disappointment; you discover that time has taken its toll or that it was always more about a specific phase in life. Fortunately, when biking down to Da Matteo this morning, I experienced the very opposite, that the present-day version was even better than the past.

Babylon Berlin

With my mind thrown back to the neo-noir world of Provocateur in Wilmersdorf, it is the third season and police inspector Gereon Rath is seeing the Weimar Republic crumble from within. Though I do not often watch television series, it is worth making exceptions sometimes (be it StarTrek or Buffy). Or, in this case, Babylon Berlin which is now available for free on SVT Play for those with an IP-number residing in Sweden.

The last time I dived into the Weimar years was during the pandemic when I read Christopher Isherwood’s Goodbye to Berlin. Just like tonight, I remember feeling uncertain about whether or not I even want to return to Berlin again, as if my memories are already enough for a lifetime and nothing more can possibly be added, at least not in a meaningful way. It is funny, because I do not think I feel like that for any other city, with the possible exception for Hong Kong where I suspect I would feel so sad about all that has been lost. On the other hand, that would also be interesting in itself, although in some horrifying Black Mirrorish way.

Road to recovery

One week after I pulled my calf on the treadmill, I was able to run 1k this morning with almost no pain. Though it was difficult to stop, I have promised myself not to rush things, so I will wait until tomorrow and then attempt 2k.

Yesterday, I had a conversation on Strava that reminded me of how fortunate I have been with injuries in the past, especially considering that I have been running 2,500 – 4,000 kilometres per year since 2018. If anything, I think all those long stroller walks that I did with the kids helped a lot to lay a foundation but, of course, so did growing up in a family without a car. As much as the kids may complain about having to bike everywhere, I do not think that the long-term health effects of everyday mobility can be overstated.

Balcony breakfasts

One of the things I like the most with the new apartment is the balcony which is just perfect for Indian take-out or a decadent second breakfast with sourdough bread, Jamón Serrano and Manchego like today. Its western views overlooking calming green trees mean that there is afternoon sun and morning shade, and as the rain stays out, we can probably make use of it for most of the year.

Otherwise, the big thing happening right now is that we have finally found a swimming class for William. Yesterday, the class started in Mediterranean-style sunshine and ended in distinctively Scandinavian rain but today the weather was a bit more moderated. While William had his class, I at last got to swim for a bit longer since my injury in April and, to my great relief, my shoulder felt good throughout so the plan is to do another 500 meters tomorrow. 

Russia against modernity

The other week, Fareed Zakaria mentioned Alexander Etkind’s Russia Against Modernity which immediately sparked my interest. As I have already written along similar lines here on Rawls & Me, I was not surprised to find myself humming in agreement to much of what Etkind has to say, ranging from the dangers of extractive economies (yes, natural resources are truly a curse) to the central role of homophobia.

Yet, perhaps equally unsurprising, I find his romanticization of a “decentralized gaiamodernity” powered by renewables to be not only empirically false (just consider the deep fossil dependency of the German economy) but also the very last thing we need to “survive the Anthropocene” as Etkind puts it. If anything, it is rather the Russian high modern project that Etkind detests that comes closest to providing viable paths to a low carbon future.

Micromobility

As much as I like to talk about (nuclear) innovation, I am often surprisingly sceptical when it comes to everyday innovations, like the global trend of electric scooters, a scepticism that got further reinforced when I witnessed a nasty accident on Kolbäcksbron last fall. 

Anyhow, one day I just found myself downloading the “Ryde” app and then, ten days ago, I went all-in with a monthly pass for 199 SEK. Though I will probably stick to my bike for the most part, it has been really useful after my calf injury on the treadmill. Arriving at the gym yesterday, I even managed to do a perfect colour match.

Kharon

With the Cerberus heat wave now giving way to Kharon, southern Europe is firmly descending into the underworld. While there is no doubt that anthropogenic climate change is making these events more frequent and severe, the long response time between emissions reductions and temperature changes (up to 70 years), means that even if meaningful action would be taken today, like a rapid buildout of nuclear energy, we would still be facing many decades of ever more extreme weather events, underscoring the need for climate adaptation, meaning everything from planting trees to new reflective forms of paint.

Though Sweden got some heat earlier in the summer, Atlantic low-pressure systems have delivered rain and much cooler temperatures for the last two weeks. Yesterday, when swimming in a nearby lake, the official water temperature was 17 degrees, so I brought along my wet suit. Though probably a bit warmer in reality, it was absolutely lovely to go for a swim, and I was even joined by Eddie after a while. Later in the evening, I also took Stålhästen out for a first ride in Gothenburg, as I keep cross-training while my right calf heals.

Crazy canoeing

Despite gusty winds and scattered showers, Eddie and I braved the elements and rented a canoe on Delsjön today which turned into a lot of fun (and a few scary moments) with zero (!) pain from my supraspinatus tendonitis that I got when I fell when skiing back in April.

Though I still have to run around the two lakes, I can already tell that this area will be one of my favourites in Gothenburg, now when I no longer have Nydalasjön next door.

As for health issues though, I have discovered that a large hematoma has formed on my right calf so I am afraid that my break from running will be slightly longer than initially anticipated. Even as the medical recommendation may be “complete rest”, I would go crazy just sitting in the sofa, so I will keep up the rowing until I am back to running, and today I did my 5k at at Nordic Wellness Odinsgatan where I used to train last time I lived in Gothenburg.

Old Oak

As I had hoped, I was able to persuade the kids to go for another ride, and with the help of Anna’s mother who bribed them with some cinnamon buns once we got down to Frölunda, we completed the whole loop around town for a total of 28 kilometres, including spotting a many centuries-old oak in Skår.

Afterwards, Anna also signed up for Nordic Wellness so now we once again have the same gym chain. Together, we got to check out their Ullevi gym which turned out to be much nicer than the one next door at Lunden. Still unable to run, I took my Ultravasan 90 finisher t-shirt to the gym which quickly brightened my mood. Regardless, my calf is already feeling much better so I really should not exaggerate the drama...

Point 65

Absorbed by self-pity for not being able to run, I opened a bottle of Point 65 Shiraz from north of Melbourne and registered for the 46 km edition of Transgrancanaria in February 2024. Immediately feeling much better, I was reminded of Seth James DeMoor and the many injuries that he has successfully bounced back from. After all, injuries are very much part of the sport and something that naturally happens when you keep challenging yourself.

I would lie if I said that I have not been eyeing the “classic” 128 km edition of Transgrancanaria but, not the least after Öland Ultra, I think I have a better appreciation of my current limits. And with 2,000 meters of climb and nearly 3,000 meters of descent, I think my quads are up for enough of a challenge with the 46 km edition.

Bridges and bikes

Sadly, my right calf really did take a beating yesterday at the gym. When I tried to go for a morning run today, I had to stop already after 1.5 km. Thus, instead of running, I persuaded the rest of the family to go for a harbour bike ride to see “Stena Danica” head out to sea.

With William now having Eddie’s old bike, and Eddie his new mountain bike, it feels like we have levelled up with regard to how far we can ride so hopefully there will be plenty more of such rides throughout the summer.

Italian Chocolate

Once back in Gothenburg, I was greeted by thunder and a fierce rain which continued all day today, prompting me to trade my planned long run across town for a faster treadmill run at the gym. Setting the treadmill at 4:21 min/km pace, I apparently overstretched myself as I started to experience a sharp pain in my right calf after 30 minutes, forcing me to slow down and walk the last meters until my watch said 6.66 kilometres.

Comforting myself with Elin's favourite Italian chocolate ice cream at “Lejonet & Björnen” afterwards, I was grateful for stopping rather than repeating my mistake from January last year that put my running off for more than a month. Hopefully, I will be back to running within days and able to regain some of the volume that I lost due to my cold last week. Still, I have decided that rather than going for 4,000 km this year, I will stick to my initial goal of running 10 km per day on average in 2023 (a goal which I am currently 97 km ahead of pace of).

Beyond running, I have spent a bit of time revising my forthcoming book chapter on ecomodernism and the Anthropocene in response to the reviewer comments that I received two days ago. As always, it is worth so much to have Jon in Sydney. His honest feedback has prevented more embarrassing mistakes than I can remember and my work would be much more polemic, in unnecessary or even unintentional ways, were it not for his editing help.

Twenty years ago today in Cambridgeshire

Sad tidings

This morning, I find myself travelling to Tranås for the funeral of my childhood friend Gabriel’s dad Leif. Growing up, I spent much time in their home, and as I got older, I also got to know Leif better, remembering with fondness our philosophical conversations over coffee in the Krusenstierna gardens.

With the funeral service starting at 11, I am currently in Jönköping at the southern end of Vättern where I plan to return at the end of August to pace Petra for her first official marathon. Otherwise, I will be back in Gothenburg already tonight and remain there for much of the summer as we are getting settled in.

Pöl Harbour

After yesterday’s trail run along Vildmarksleden, I got to explore a bit of the lovely Delsjö area this morning with Anna. Running again in my Salomon Ultra Glide, I have to say that I have really come to appreciate these shoes that I bought back in 2021 just before Fjällmaraton 100k. Though I ultimately decided to run in my S/Lab Ultras back then, I would not hesitate to take them out for a longer run.

Following our morning run, we spent some time unpacking boxes before heading down to the river and the outdoor pool “Pöl Harbour” (sic!) for a lunch swim. Confusing as the British spelling may be, it proved to be an instant summer classic and I am sure we will return many times over the coming weeks. The only downside is that the pool opens first at 11 am which precludes any early swimming, something that I would otherwise love to do as part of my morning runs.

Scouting

Waking up to blue skies, I was joined by Eddie on his new mountain bike for a bit of exploration along Vildmarksleden. 

Though parts of the trail was quite technical, and I had to carry his bike up some of the steeper climbs, other parts were just perfect and we got to spend three hours together in the green. The whole trail to Hindås is about 42 km and I will try to find the time to do that as well as the 75 km Gotaleden before the summer is over. 

Nordic Wellness

After seven years with USM, I have, for obvious reasons, been forced to find a new gym. Having settled for Nordic Wellness as the ability to use their gyms wherever I am in Sweden seemed very useful given my new commuting lifestyle, I went over to their Lunden gym today for a first rowing session. While perhaps not up to the standards of USM, it still felt so good to be back training after my cold.

Sing-along

Of all the things I would not have expected to do this summer, attending “Allsång på Skansen” was definitely high on the list. However, with two kids who are dedicated Hooja fans, and limited concert opportunities due to age restrictions, I found myself on train 422 yesterday morning, heading up to Stockholm for a full afternoon at Skansen.

Opting for the dress rehearsal at 5 pm rather than the real thing at 8 pm, I at least avoided the risk of having a live microphone in front of me on national television, and we all had a great time, despite the passing rain showers. Today, I had hoped to go for a morning run in Hammarby Sjöstad where we are staying but unfortunately I have come down with a cold so I instead I will have to take a few more rest days (which I guess is good after all).