#21 – 50 runs in 100 days spring edition
#55 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge

Did not get up 5 am this morning but 6 am. Looked at the weather report yesterday and it looked like it was going to be perfect temperature, 15oC (59F) at lunch time.

The last couple of runs I have checked the (water) blader at home and got water and then when it had been time to drink after 15 min running, no water 🙂 Decided to do a test on the train station before the run but did it actually on the train and got water 🙂

So the plan was to run 40K, the last long distance run before the resting weeks before the ultra June 6th, two weeks ago I ran into issues with my right under leg that forced me to turn back at 15K and ran a total of 30K with a lot of walking and stretching at the end.

I have had some discussions about why and there was talk about periosteum but I did not think that, I thought it would because I did not rest enough before the run Before.

My trail runs are not pure trail, it is longer dirt roads involved and the trail shoe I use is Salomon Fellraiser. Earlier this week we discussed if it could be the shoe and I was not sure it was.

It was a magical run

This was the start of the run and I realized it was so much greener now than two weeks ago, I also realized I forgot to take my spring allergy medicine

After around 4K there is this pig farm with these little cute piglets but they are afraid of me for some reason, just before I passed this farm I saw these beautiful fields

I was hoping I would have a good day, familiar now with the loop even if it is a challenge to find the streamers. During the run I saw one roe deer for the first time on this run. When I got to 12K I did not have any issues with my right under leg 🙂 there was hope. When I got to Frostavallen all of the sudden a dog came from the left, scared me a bit, I think I scared him too but he didn’t chase me or bit me (I am not afraid of dogs). Later on I also saw a squirrel.

I felt some pain in my under leg at some point but when I got to Frostavallen into the Woods it disappeared, which happens, you get some pain somewhere, it disappears and then you might get some pain somewhere else and it disappears. It is when the pain get worse and worse that you should be more worried and take a walk and stretching and then continue to see if the issue is still there or continues.

In Frostavallen I saw a new trail mark and was thinking if they had a new green and orange trail. There is is this place where there is a lot of water now so I walk on the stone wall and exercise balance :-), walked up some heavier hills but was fine at 20K and also at 23K but then the dirt road was there and the under leg issue came back. Decided to stretch at 24K. Continued to 27K and then I also had pain when I walked.

Now I was sure it is the trail shoes that cause this and made my first decision to run with my regular running shoes at the ultra run in June. Decided to shorten the run to 29K and got picked up at the 4th fuel station

So distance today 18.03 miles (29.03K), time: 4.36.27 h

Another decision that was made is that I am going to invest in another trail shoe that handles mixed trail running. You will find out more about this shoe later.

#16 – 50 runs in 100 days spring edition
#50 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge 🙂

Yesterday I was asked by Malin D if I wanted to run with her on St Hans hills, both of us are preparing for the ultra race June 6th and Malin is a very nice person to run with so it would be a morning run. It was around 10oC (50F) when I started the run but both the jacket and gloves and hats were taken off during the run to St Hans. The sun was out and the sky was blue, couldn’t be better 🙂

To St Hans hills
Distance: 1.22 miles (1.97K), time: 12.26.4 min,
average pace: 6.18, max pace: 5.33 min/k,
VO2 Max: 28 ml/kg/min

When I got to the top hill I saw Malin coming down that hill and we had a chat before it was time to run 2 laps on the St Hans Extreme route

It did not feel it was safe to run on the down hill mountain so we ran to the start (new trail alignment) and when we came to the last mountain we took the original hill and then on the second lap we took the alternative hill (new trail alignment).

We ran in a very comfortable pace and talked a lot about what races we have plan to run, what we need to do before the ultra and foam rolling and other things.

It was very nice to be back on those hills, I have avoided them for a long time because of my glutues problem but SHE is May 28th, Hallandsultran June 6th and I also need to run there in preparation for Lidingöloppet this Fall. Glutues did not complain and not my right knee either and it was not so bad to run on those hills. There is hope.

St Hans hills
Distance: 3.07 miles (4.95K), time: 40.59.3 min,
average pace: 8.16, max pace: 6.12 min/k,
VO2 Max: 26 ml/kg/min

Then it was time to head home

To home
Distance: 1.15 miles (1.85K), time: 11.48.7 min,
average pace: 6.23, max pace: 5.13 min/k,
VO2 Max: 24 ml/kg/min

Total distance: 5.45 miles (8.77K), total time: 1.04.34 h

#14 – 50 runs in 100 days spring edition
#48 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge

This morning I got up at 5 am to take the train to Tjörnarp.

The day did not start the way that I wanted. When I got down to the train station I realized that the pulse watch had been locked for the second time after recharging and I have had Another issue with VO2 max and heart rate not showing in the GUI in Movescount. I realized that the pulse belt had been disconnected from both Movescount and my pulse watch and paired it again and it was important that the pulse watch was working today. So I was thinking about a second plan how to get things registered and be able to follow a route. Tried to unlock it on the train several times without any success but suddenly it just happened 🙂

I was afraid that I might have put on too cold clothes. It was 3oC (37F) when I walked to the train but it turned out I was just fine.

It felt great to be back in this area again and running in the Woods. When I got to the loop I had to put on the extra hawk eye, had some trouble finding the markers but found them one by one and I also think I ran it correctly this time 🙂

When I got to Frostavallen I got a bit annoyed but a dog that wanted to jump on me several times and I just wasn’t in the mood. I am not afraid of dogs.

When I got to Frostavallen I saw some boy and girls scouts getting ready to walk and I passed them and hoped that I wouldn’t meet them on my way back and I didn’t

During the run the sun came out and it got warm and I was taking off my ultra back pack and jacket from time to time. It is interesting to continue running and get the ultra back pack off, have it hanging on one side and then get half the jacket off and then finally get the ultra back pack back on again.

Last week when I ran my flat run I did not have any issues with my glutues but then my right knee caused issues so when I turned back after 20K I was wondering how the rest of the run would be.

Ran without any issues with either glutues and right knee to 29K when I started to feel my tired legs and then at 32K they got REALLY tired and had to stop and stretch and the last 8K was stretching from time to time. I tried this trick to eat a lot of carbs to get the brain to think about something else, it worked for a while but those legs are aching so bad there will come a time when I just have to stop.

But I do not have any problems stop and stretch because I have tired legs then have to stop because my glutues and knee bothers me. I was hoping that I would time the train when I got back to Tjörnarp and when I stand and stretch 650m from the train station and from 40K, I see the train coming across the sea and I said NOOOOOO. Bad timing. At that Point my right calf gave up so I walked the last 650m and then when I got to the train station it was 8 min left til the train would arrive 🙂 Realized later that the train that I saw must have been the train getting in the north direction while my train went in the south direction.

Saw a squirrel, some geese

Distance: 24.85 miles (40.01K), time: 6.08.45 h,
average pace: 9.13 min/k max pace: 5.53 min/k,
VO2 Max: 26 ml/kg/min