Reason prevailed

While still technically on vacation for another week, I have spent this Monday eating bagels and reading Elgar's Advanced Introduction to Governance for one of the courses I am teaching in September. In between, I have done the laundry, run ten kilometres in the sunshine, and ended the day with a swim at Simstadion Brottet. Open from 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on weekdays, it is simply incredible to have free access to a 50-metre lap pool in the neighbourhood.

In a weak moment, I briefly considered registering for the 100-kilometre edition of Halland Ultra Beach on Sunday but, fortunately, reason (and a closed registration window) prevailed. After failing to complete the Essex Way Ultra just over a month ago, I feel a bit like I did in 2022, when I simply had to run Ultravasan 90 to set the record straight.

Sydney simulator

When visiting Jon in Sydney, one of the things I appreciated most was the city's public swimming pools, like the Andrew (Boy) Charlton Pool next to the Royal Botanic Garden and, of course, Icebergs out in Bondi. Here in Halmstad, we have “Simstadion Brottet”, which has been temporarily closed for repairs but reopened today, something that Eddie and I celebrated with a short swim in the afternoon sunshine.

Offering free admission, it is an incredible asset to the municipality, and I hope to return a few more times throughout August before it closes for the season.

Run to Båstad

Heading out into the midday heat, I began my birthday adventure by exploring the non-fording option of Halland Ultra-Beach (HUB) across Fylleån in southern Halmstad, a body of water that I have crossed many times further upstream in the woodlands of Halland but now got to share with all the cyclists following Kattegattleden.

Keeping a steady pace around 5:45 min/km, I then crossed the birdwatchers' paradise of Tönninge Meadows and the golden fields beyond. After cutting the HUB ultra race short twice, I was eager to finally see the coast between Halmstad and Båstad in earnest. Not racing, I allowed myself plenty of stops, including at the most lovely garden cafè in Påarp, overlooking the glittering sea and wind-sculpted pines. After a smørrebrød, I felt energized to continue into Gullbranna Nature Reserve on highly runnable trails.

Nineteen kilometres into my run, the trail headed out onto sand dunes that quickly proved difficult to navigate and slowed me down considerably. The preceding two nights with only a few hours of sleep made the whole thing feel like some kind of SEAL training exercise as my mind drifted to Coronado, sand filled my trail shoes, and the sun kept blazing. At Hökafältet, I finally plunged into the cool water before continuing on towards Mellbystrand.

Talking to Eddie on the phone, he said he wanted to come down to Halmstad tonight, so instead of running along the beach, I followed the bike path all the way to the railway station in Båstad. Finishing the full 38 kilometres in just under four hours of moving time, I was reasonably happy with my performance and already planning another run on the Bjäre Peninsula.

Excess kilometres

The last twenty-four hours have been absolutely wild as Anna moved out of Ängtegsgatan and into her new apartment in Gamlestaden. Crisscrossing Gothenburg to pick up various pieces of new furniture, I got to see everything from exclusive pool villas in Askim to social housing in Mölnlycke and, by the time I finally reached Halmstad around midnight, I was beyond exhausted. Throughout it all, I had great help from Anna's brother Erik and the kids.

Unfortunately, I had to get up again at 4:30 this morning to return the truck to Gothenburg, a misery compounded by having to pay 1,700 SEK for the excess kilometres. At least I was rewarded with beautiful misty fields as July gave way to August and, now, I finally have all my things in place at Hallandsgatan.

Caractère

Drinking a black coffee from Pressbyrån, I am now on an Öresund train to Gothenburg, ready to help Anna move into her new apartment in Gamlestaden. Behind me lie a couple of incredible days in Bakareboda, just on the border between Småland and Blekinge, waffles with my parents in their garden in Kalmar, and an early birthday dinner at Hallandsgatan over a glass of Weszeli Caractère Grüner Veltliner.

Driving all 242 kilometres of Road 25 in a white Škoda, yesterday was a true coast-to-coast adventure, with plenty of amusements along the way, including listening to the absurd story of the 31-year-old Swede who attempted to build a nuclear reactor at home. Sticking to safer hobbies, I am planning my own guerrilla version of Halland Ultra Beach this weekend by running from Halmstad to Båstad – the section I never completed in 2024. If I succeed, I will finally have one continuous red line on my Strava heat map from Åskloster to Båstad.

3x Bakareboda

The Odyssey

Turning fourteen in the City of Birches, Eddie and his girlfriend got to walk along the river in the sunshine, revisiting all the places that once signalled home and that now, for me, mark the breathtaking passage of time. Looking through old photos, like the one above from Broparken, I am reminded of what an immense privilege it is to be a parent.

After building supertall structures at Curiosum and having dinner at Basta, we all got to watch Christopher Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey, which spoke directly to our own times: of worlds descending into darkness, and of how violence – be it in Gaza or Ukraine – ultimately distorts our souls.

A short sleep later, we are now on SK25 to Arlanda with breakfast being served above the clouds, as my own odyssey continues. Before nightfall, I hope to be in Bakareboda, but looking back on these two days in Västerbotten, it is above all with a sense of warmth.

Norrland

Taking off from runway 01L/19R at Arlanda, our CRJ900 banked right and then turned sharply towards the north. Flying into sunshine, I looked down on the blue waters of the Gulf of Bothnia, thinking back on all the years when this was my gateway to the world.

By the time we were on final into Umeå Airport, the plane was surrounded by heavy rain clouds. Yet, after a couple of hours on the ground, the sun had made it up to Umeå as well, and I got to repeat my signature river run with Elin followed by coffee at Kulturbageriet – all while Eddie reconnected with his Umeå friends at Nydalasjön.

Ending the evening with pizza at Ruccola in Haga, we passed by the house on Hemvägen where we lived during our first year back from Korea. With every turn came memories of stroller walks, playgrounds, and pre-school drop-offs.

Bjäre

A short hop through the air later, I am back at Pontus, this time with a wooden medal after yesterday's fantastic race on the Bjäre Peninsula. While Kullaberg has always held a special place in my heart, Bjäre has remained practically unknown to me beyond a few visits to Båstad.

Running 35 kilometres on technical trails with plenty of elevation, I got to experience breathtaking views across Halland and the sea, Khazad-dûm-like bridges, and steep birch forests. Completing the first loop in just over two hours, I struggled more on the second after being stung by a wasp and accidentally grabbing an electric fence. Truth be told, the drama of the past few days had also taken its mental toll, with my heart rate being much higher than the terrain warranted. In any case, I crossed the finish line in just under five hours which, after having to throw in the towel in Essex earlier this month, felt like a small measure of vindication. With this race behind me, I am not planning anything competitive until Malmö Marathon on the third of October.

Tomorrow, Eddie turns fourteen, something he wanted to celebrate by returning to Norrland and Umeå. After all, he spent the years between the ages of two and eleven there, so it is hardly surprising that it still feels like a kind of home, even though the house has long since been sold. Having gone from outright abysmal to merely a bit rainy, the weather forecast still suggests that we will probably stay in Umeå rather than drive out to Bettnesand or anywhere similar.

Kasai

From the depths of Djuphavsbadet to the skyline at Kasai, yesterday had it all, including a falafel at Davidshallstorg, which has been transformed from parking lots into an urban living room for the summer. At a time when public space is becoming increasingly scarce, it was uplifting to see the trend being reversed with ping-pong tables, outdoor chess sets, and community bookshelves.

Now on high-speed train 484 to Gothenburg, the coming week will be something of a logistical puzzle, with rental cars, a 34 km trail race on the Bjäre Peninsula, a flight to Umeå for Eddie's birthday, before I finally make it to Bakareboda on 28 July.