Författararkiv: admin

5K Short Run

So after 3 months cold that got over to pneumonia. Got better. Ran 5 times on my vacation. Even if it was tough it was nice being back running. But when I got back home I ran into another severe cold that made me cough for some weeks.

Yesterday I was able to sing through the whole choir rehearsal, now it was time to head out on my first run since February 18th.

So this is reality

This really disturbs me, before I ran into a cold in November I was down to 61 kg and I am sure that I would have gone under 60 kg by the end of year 2017 if I would have been able to continue running and also run the last ultra race in December.

So this year it is going to be about loosing a lot of weight, main goal is to finish those two laps at Kullamannen in November so it is going to be a tough year.

In the beginning of this run it felt good, not so breathless, sun was out and blue sky, I looked at my watch and saw that the pace was 5.25 min/k but knew that that wouldn’t last, had to slow down.

When I was in Thailand during my vacation I was forcing myself to run 2K and then I had to walk and then the last two runs I was forcing myself to walk a short distance and then run til I get back to the hotel, got up to 4K.

Had decided to head out on a 5K run, I was not sure how it would go but I was going to try to run as much as possible. Decided that I would run longer than 2K if I had to stop. Today I ran 2.8K before I had to stop and walk. It was not fun at all at the end, really heavy legs and it felt like I had a ton on my chest, got very breathless but was proud of myself.

Decided that I would walk 500 m before I had to get back running again. Had to catch my breath. Started running again and got to about 4K when I walked a much shorter distance, decided to force myself to run all the way through the cemetary and made it and then it was a hill on a bike path which I walked up on and then ran all the way nome.

Those 5K felt like I had run so much longer, like running intervals but it felt good putting on those running shoes again.

This week I am going back to the gym, ached in my knees and feel sore in my lower back, have not been at the gym since beginning of November and need to exercise my back and core but also the rest of my body and then I plan to run a 5K run this weekend.

I am two weeks ahead of schedule, last Spring I ran into a longer cold, 5 weeks, starting end of November and now I have started 2 weeks before I got back on track last year so maybe I will not be so breathless in a couple of weeks and can start running shorter runs in the woods shortly.

Getting back from pneumonia is no game, I just have to make up my mind to not give up, just keep going but I have to get up to 30K around beginning of Summer if I will have a great time running this ultra race in November.

Update

Still coughing but it is my hope that I will be cough free next week.

Too long with any exercise.

Have signed up to Hallandsultran in June which is ? but the big goal is getting ready for Double Death in November when I am going to finish those two laps.

I have started to get back pain so the gym is also something that I need to get back to.

I keep my fingers crossed that I will fine next week so I can head out on my first run, have not done any exercising since Nov 8th, that is the reality so heavy and pneumonia will be a challenge but I am a fighter. It will be a different year for sure.

Update

Yesterday I got an envelope from my doctor with the result of the tests that I did when I found out I had pneumonia.

I got the following result

Best Gabriella
The airway samples taken here were all normal

I got an OK to go on vacation and can start running when I am cough free and feels cold free again. It will be tough but I will make it.

So hopefully I will be back bloging again soon

Update

Here it has been silent for a while.

I thought I would share with you what is going on.

Right now I am taking time out from training.

What happened was that after the Double Death race beginning of November I ran into a cold that turned out to be a LONG one.

I got better and better but between Christmas and New Year’s the cough got worse and felt very different, Cocillana did not help (very powerful cough medicine).

I went to the doctor and found out I had pneumonia.

So when I will get an OK to go back to training I will start my weight journey and prepare myself for Double Death in November.

I will share this journey with you here.

Right now I am just walking down to the train station, walking from the train station to work, have to take the elevator up instead of walking 4 floors at work. I feel much better after 5 days antibiotics cure and am waiting to get back to the doctor to see where I stand.

Double Death

#18 – 50 Runs in 100 Days – Autumn Edition

Friday Nov 3rd I and Wille drove to Mölle. I was hoping we would get up there in the afternoon but came up early evening.

Checked in to the hotel and found the room eventually, it was not marked well but the room was nice. I could see the harbour outside the front window.

We got to Hotell Kullaberg where we ate dinner and Ola Ö showed up and would also run Kullamannen on Saturday, he would run Dödens Zon. Naturally we had some running talk.

After dinner we went back to the hotel room and I got brought out all my running gear I would wear Saturday, mixed the sports drink and put it in the refrigerator.

Friday at 11.00 the 100 miles race started at at round 21.00 (9 pm) the first runner got down to the harbour so I cheered him on.

Was quite tired so went to bed early.

Next morning I got up at 7 am. I thought that the winner of the 100 miles was on his way down to the finish line so I got out at 7.30, instead I saw another poor sould, a runner who had been running 100K, totally exhausted, didn’t feel well, was on his way to fall apart so I and another girl led him to the harbour where two other people took care of him.

Wille parked the car and I got down to the finish line where Ola already was, we waited for the winner to run through the finish lined, did the 100 miles in 21 hours, what a fighter, his first 100 miles.

Then Wille and I had breakfast at 8.00.

After that it was time to head back to the hotel room and get ready for the race, packed the ultra back pack and put on the running clothes, decided to just have the merino wool long sleeve and windstopper and not the fleece.

The seeded runners started the Double Death race at 11.30 and I planned to start the race 11.35, we started every 5 min til 11.45. I could start the race 11.35.

They had changed the beginning of the route slightly, we ran down to the beginning of the beach where we turned right, I think we did that also year 2015.

Got out to the woods and after a while I had to take off the windstopper.

Just before the race I had a chance to talk to Roger L who had thrown in the towel on the 100 miles due to a knee issue, he informed me that it was very gooey and wet.

The first part of the the first lap I was doing just fine, walked up some steeper hills but also ran up some that I had walked up during training, see what a race can do to you.

This year we did not run down to the left on a dirt road to get to the stone part, instead we ran a bit longer til we got to a parking lot where we turned to the left and then we got down to the stone part, was keeping myself as far left as I could so I could avoid the most wet part of the stone part. It was not so bad, there were wet stones but I thought it would be much more wet than it was.

The boat was still there, I wonder how that boat driver had been driving when I was there in October, quite a crash.

Nimis was awful, very gooey, I was breathless and had tired legs when I got to the top. Came another steep short gooey hill where I walked but then I could run again til I got to Håkullen, that was the steepest of all the races I have down.

When I got to the top I could also start running again but felt my right calf getting tired, I started drinking more sports drink to get away the tiredness but then I felt pain in the back of my right knee, hoped that it would go away but it didn’t.

When I got to the light house and stopped to have some sports drink I felt how frayed I was, first time I felt that way during all training and races at Kullaberg, it is only 4k left to the harbour but oh boy they did not feel light at all. More walking, the knee pain stayed there and I decided to throw in the towel when I got down to Mölle again, I had forwarned Wille that I might do that if the knee pain did not disappear.

I knew that the knee would last another lap and why head out there, get more pain and have a really tough time getting back to Mölle.

I got a medal since I had run one lap which was the Dödens Zon.

I have never been running such a gooey and wet race before, it was just too tough for my body this year, I would have needed some longer runs but got my Fall cold just before I was going to run on Kullen the second time and run a 40K run, then when I ran my first 40K prior to this race it did not go well, decided to cut the distance, ended up with a 30K race instead.

Not been my year this year but I am getting back as a ultra runner, have been doing a lot of hilly running and hilly intervals.

Already has signed up for the Double Death next year.

Now it is time to focus on the last ultra race this year and next year I am going to get back to 100% ultra runner and finish those 2 laps on Kullaberg.

Distance: 20.93K, time: 4.20.35.1h, average heart rate: 143, average pace: 12.26 min/k, max pace: 5.45 min/k, cadence: 132, VO2 Max: 29 ml/kg/min

5.28K Short Run

#17 – 50 Runs in 100 Days – Autumn Edition

Tonite it was time for a short run after work.

A bit chillier but I survived wearing my leopard tights, long sleeve shirt.

Realized in the beginning that my legs wanted to be fast tonite but I had to slow down the pace once again.

Chose to run my 5K run on the country side. Nice being out on the dirt roads and see some cows 🙂

Part of the run I am running through a cemetery, feels weird and that I have to ”behave” even as a runner.

Once again I decided to walk up the last hill close to my home.

Increased the pace again and had to slow down again.

Foamrolled my hips tonite, realized that they were not in such a bad shape, they usually hurt, I also foamrolled my calves, they definately need to be more foamrolled. I have not done any trail running but my calves were stiff.

Distance: 5.28K, time: 34.59.9 min, average heart rate: 142, average pace: 6.37 min/k, max pace: 5.47 min/k, cadence: 174, VO2 Max: 26 ml/kg/min

9.73K Short Run

#16- 50 Runs in 100 Days – Autumn Edition

Resting week number 2.

Did not do my lunch run Monday because it was raining, I really do not want to catch a cold now.

Thought that I would run at the gym as warm up on the treadmill but when I got there all the old treadmills were occupied.

Today I worked from home and had plan to head to run before lunch, it usually is good weather during the day but just before 10.30 it was raining like it did in the morning.

The original plan was to run first and then donate blood, they have text message me several times.

But then I decided, since I do not get very affected after donating blood, I am running slower during these resting weeks that I would give it a try to run after the donating blood instead.

And then something magic happened, the sun came out 🙂

Had problems with my wifi at the end so I decided to stop earlier and head out while I could, hoped it wouldn’t start raining.

Decided to wear my leopard tights, long sleeve, flipbelt.

This is really tough, I have lost weight and starting to get back on track, so now during resting weeks I am not going to run faster than 6 min/k but my legs want to run faster.

Got down to 6.30 min/k but if I did not pay any attention I saw that I had got up to 5.55 min/k and had to slow down.

Nice being out seeing all those Fall colors during my run

1 week and 2 days til the race. It is getting closer and closer.

So two more runs this week and then I got the tip not run next week before the race.

Distance: 9.73K, time: 1.04.06.8h, average heart rate: 147, average pace: 6.35 min/k, max pace: 5.57 min/k, cadence: 172, VO2 Max: 27 ml/kg/min

5.26K Short Run

#15- 50 Runs in 100 Days – Autumn Edition

Last tough run before the race Nov 4th was Tuesday, now the resting weeks have started. I am going to do what I normally do before I am going to participate in a longer trail race.

The original plan this week after Tuesdays’s run was 8 hilly intervals Wednesday, I can tell you that that wouldn’t have happened no matter what. I was sore in my calves, front lower legs, front thighs and back thigs, also my lower butt.

Then I was suppose to run 5K yesterday but decided not to.

10K today but when I was out earlier it was raining. I changed my mind yesterday and decided to run 12.5K but when it was raining I decided I would bike to the gym and run on the boring treadmill but then I decided that I wanted to run outside and back to 10K but when I started I decided it would be 5K on the country side.

When it is resting weeks there won’t be any trail runs, no longer runs, max 10K and lower pace to keep the legs going but get the legs so they are fresh Nov 4th.

The toughest today was to keep the pace down. I had fast legs today, when I look at my pulse watch I was under 6 min/k so I needed to slow down.

So when I had ran half the distance I was having a good pace, decided on purpose to walk up the last hill, increase the pace again but slowed down again.

Distance: 5.26K, time: 34.49.5, average heart rate: 137, average pace: 6.36 min/k , max pace: 5.46 min/k, cadence: 170, VO2 Max: 24 ml/kg/min

16.46K Night Running

#14 – 50 Runs in 100 Days – Autumn Edition

Nov 4th I will run a race called ”Double Death” (=Dubbeldöden), a 44K ultra race with with a total altimeter of 2000 m. I have been prepared that I will run in the dark and needed to invest in a very good headlight. This race is on Kullaberg and it will be pitch dark.

I asked my running buddy Lars what headlight I should buy, he is running a lot in the dark and have good equipment. He suggested a Lumonite Air 1500.

When I signed up for this race I thought it would start around 9 am , at the latest 10 am and then would be 1-1.5h in the dark and I was ok with that. But then I found out that it would start at 12.30 which would mean I would be 3.5 h in the dark, now I started to doubt myself.

Kullamannen consists of many races and I have run the ”Death Zone” twice and know that I can do that and needed a new challenge, decided to sign up for two laps and also the experience of running in the dark and have prepared for this during the year. From that day that I found out that it would start after lunch I have thinking a lot of my safety. This is a very tough race, technical difficult, it could be very wet (wet stones) and gooey. Part of me have wanted to just run one lap but then I get angry at myself because this is what I wanted.

So I wanted to test this headlight and what better company could I have then running with my running buddy Lars. I asked Lars if we could have a night running with my new headlight so I took the train to Tjörnarp and met him at the train station. Put the headlight on and off we went.

Of course we needed to do this when it was dark and I put on my headlight and wow what a light. Lars who is a much faster runner than me got a very fast pace from the beginning and I just had to try to keep up with him, got breathtless. We would run around 16K.

Of course it was a lot of running talk during this run. We both still remember that day when I went with Lars to Vallåsen where we ran up and down the hill called Halmstad (no 11 on the map). I never thought that I would keep up with Lars, with his pace, never thought that I would be able to run as many laps as Lars but I did, that was one of the toughest runs I have done.

Part of this route that we ran was on Tjörnarparen that I will participate in December, a 50K ultra race, starting in Tjörnarp, but I also ran at outside of Tjörnarparen so I saw other parts as well.

We also talked about The ”Double Death” and my doubts and Lars asked what I am afraid of, the dark? No I am not afraid of the dark but I am afraid of my safety, Lars was wise, it is so true, if I think that I am going to injure myself I probably will so no negative thoughts.

This turned out to be a threshold training, I have never run a trail run so fast as I did. Good to run with somebody who is running faster with you, I also ran up a longer hill, if I have been running alone I would have walked.

At the end when it was 2K left Lars said that now we have to get up the pace so you do not miss the train, they go once in an hour. So I had to keep up with Lars, was very close to respiratory distress. And then when we got to the train station he said that now it is 15 min left, he tested me and I managed.

One time Lars asked me if I was thinking I was running in the dark and to be honest it was almost like running during the day except that it was night, I fell one time but not because it was dark, I have fallen during the day time.

So now I have finally made up my mind to do those two laps

Distance: 16.46K, time: 1.53.29.4h, average heart rate: 157, average pace: 6.53 min/k, max pace: 5.33 min/k, cadence: 168, VO2 Max: 30 ml/kg/min

21.49K Trail Run

#13 – 50 Runs in 100 Days – Autumn Edition

Today I was waking up 5 am to get ready for the last run on Kullaberg before the race in November 4th that I have prepared for this year.

If you do not have a car it will be the longer ride, 40 min train ride to Helsingborg and then wait for 20 min for the bus which takes 1 h to Mölle bus station.

Arrived to a very windy Mölle, fleece was already on but gloves was very needed as well. Chilly start. Had to use my eyeglass to find the right route, here in this area I would be lost without following the route.

Really windy when I ran near the harbour and then after 100 m I have this steep road among the villas. Had to stop and walk. Felt that I had to get rid of the fleece when I would get into the woods.

Later I also took off the buff that I had on my head, got a bit too warm.

Then this narrow gooey path, knew how this day would be 🙂

After I had run on the steep hill into the woods I decided to stop and take off the fleece to get some air.

Some longer steeper hills that I had to walk on.

Yesterday I finally got my new trail shoes that I have planned to use on the race in November, in August I felt that my Altra Lone Peak 2.5 didn’t have such a good grip anymore.

Nice color too.

Realized that it was more wet than in August.

Find my way around til I got to the part where you are running down to the stone part, had some difficulty to find my way down but managed, just had to stop and slowly get back on track.

The stone part before Nimis was wetter than August so I just had to take my time, be cautious, the only issue is not that it is wet but also loose stones.

This time I had decided that I had to find the right path up Nimis and I did, I even decided to get off the regular path and turned out that I had made the right decision.

The stony part and Nimis are two of the three tough part on this race.

Quite breathless when I had climbed up Nimis, here I have use of my climbing experience in my earlier life.

Just after have climbed up Nimis there is a tough hill but then it is some catching breath before Håkullen. This time I had planned not to injure myself and chose the Håkullen path that was at the race last year. Everything was fine in the beginning but then I got off track, some cursing when trying to get back on track but then I just decided to get up and then it would solve itself and it did 🙂

I started to hate the goo, this was definite the run with most goo, I could not even avoid it so the trail shoes got well run in if you know what I mean.

It felt good knowing that I was getting closer to the light house.

More trekkers today then other runners, met some runners that I said hi too.

At the lighthouse it was very windy and there is some tougher parts before I get back to regular running with some uphills wheren I had to walk again plus also during the run take it easy over the wet stones.

Such a relief to get down to the beach, just had top pass some slower trekkers, I was in a hurry to finish and get inside 🙂

Then it was only 800 m back to the harbour.

Finished with late lunch at Hotel Kullaberg.

Distance: 21.49K, time: 4.46.24h, average heart rate: 139, average pace: 13.20 min/k, max pace: 5.18 min/k, cadence: 140, VO2 Max: 27 ml/kg/min

Weight reporting

-0.7 KG

Gabby's Challenges

Challenges that I am participating in

Författararkiv: admin

5K Short Run

Update

Update

Update

Double Death

5.28K Short Run

9.73K Short Run

5.26K Short Run

16.46K Night Running

21.49K Trail Run