The original plan was to run a 10K city run but since it went well around Frostavallen, my first trail run last week I changed my mind and decided to run 3 or 4 laps on St Hans Hills.
Unfortunately while I was working I ran into an issue with my right knee but was still determined to run on St Hans Hills.
When I got home I couldn’t decide, City run? St Hans Hills? City run? St Hans Hills? At the end I decided I would run the city run to not strain my knee but just before I headed out the door I realized I knew a 9.9K city run but more out in the country and decided to run that route instead.
In the beginning I had heavy legs, hard time breathing, it was 23oC (73F) and cloudy. Decided to take out the t-shirt under the flipbelt and now I could breath a bit better 🙂
The flipbelt has its pros and cons.
Ran in the beginning but then I got on a road in a neighborhood where it just went up and my legs did not want to run so I decided to walk all the way til I was on the top, was a bit breathless.
I was hoping that I would be able to run the rest of the way but no such luck. The knee protested plus it was bit warm, almost decided to not bring my water belt but was glad I did because I had to drink and water my head and face a couple of times.
I realized that the route would not be 9K and was thinking how would I get those 9K and realized if I ran back and then turned to the left I would end up on my 5K route but backwards and that would be around 9K
When I ran into pneumonia I googled how to get back after pneumonia and runners said that you would run into set backs, would have some good days and then it would be heavy again and maybe this nite was a set back?
Don’t get me wrong, I was glad that I got out but I did not think it would be this hard, I guess the knee and some heat was part of the problem.
During the run I had a good pace from time to time, I have decided know that I will let the legs decide the pace, they will slow down when they want to and it is very true.
I saw this scenery during the run, it is dandelions which have bloomed over and the wind had spread the white over the ground, looked really interesting.
I hope that the next 10K run will feel much better.
The original plan was to run the same 8K run that I have run lately.
Decided to do the grocery shopping after work and then run.
I decided to do a test.
On the first §K I let my legs decide what pace just as long as it was around 6 min/k, they tried to increase the pace to 6 min/k but felt it definately in my lungs and had to calm down.
Switched my route a bit and started with the end first and then the bog.
For some reason I decided to do a detour and got to the bog another way and when I got to the bog I ran into a knee issue that I thought would go away so after the fast pace, slow pace and then fast pace again the first knee issue appeared so I had to stop and walk for a short distance and then I started running again, ran into the same knee issue again, most of the time it is my right knee which it was tonite.
Decided to cut the distance, my lungs were just fine, the knee made this decision. I am not sure if the knee got stressed because I increased the running time to 3 and also increased the distance to 3 times.
I probably walked 3-4 times.
Still it was nice being running again and I will keep going.
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
The original plan was to run 5 laps on St Hans Hills but I was not sure how tired my legs still would be after the trail run last weekend.
According to my training plan I needed 70 minutes so I knew that if I had to cut the distance I would be fine.
Got to St Hans hills and it did not take long til I realized, yes I have tired legs so I decided that 3 laps would be just fine.
Nice with the sun out, I chose to have long sleeve, capri tights, did not bring any water but hoped that I would be fine.
First lap was just fine, a bit breathless but ran up all those hills, no walking.
Decided to run the second lap backwards, which meant that I would start with the end first and end with the start. So I had a good pace up the first hill, I am not sure if that caused the knee issue later on. Ran into a knee issue, right knee on at the front, the second lap and had to walk for a short time.
Ran again but then I ran into a knee issue again, right knee but now it was the hollow of the knee and had to walk again.
Turned around and ran the last lap the regular way, in the beginning I had to walk again due to a knee issue but could finish running after that.
Nice to see the Nordic
Then it was some walking on my run on my way home but nice to be back on St Hans hills
So it is hilly training on Wednesdays and after work it was regular hilly running on St Hans hills.
Warmer so shorts and linnen, mandatory waterbelt.
The first lap was just fine, a bit warm but shadow at some parts. Ran up all the hills.
A lot of freesbee golfers was also there.
At the end of the second lap I ran into an issue with my right knee so I was forced to walk for a little while. But started running towards the end and started on my third lap.
Same thing happened at the end of the third lap so some walking again but also started running towards the end.
The last lap is always the best because u know that every hill is the last one. Was forced to do some walking also at the end.
Need to get a faster pace but when I get lighter I am sure it will work out and more hillier training from now on.
Distance: 12.85K, time: 1.49.05.6 h, average heart rate: 143, average pace: 8.29 min/k,
max pace: 5.58 min/k, cadence: 158, VO2 Max: 28 ml/kg/min
The original plan was to go with Coach K Runners to Fulltofta and run a trail run but UPS fetched my pulse watch yesterday to make a trip to Finland, have problems with following the route and that is what I would be able to do in Fulltofta, I have a 20K route there but have to have my pulse watch to follow it (a mix of different routes combined) plus I needed a bit longer route to get ready for the long run next week and also burn off the extra pounds I carry nowadays.
So I changed my mind and decided to run ”Lund Runt” a 27K run around the outskirts of the city, a nice run, you see a lot.
Up 7.30 and got away before 8 am. I thought it would be a great idea to bring my charger too just in case my mobile would die. Have to use it today to get the route registered.
Thought it was raining but it was just rain in the air, grey, cloudy and foggy.
When I got to dammarna there were a lot of different birds for a change, not just swans and mallards (gräsänder), I heard a popping sound, I asked the birdwatcher if it was a birdsound and I learned that it was the sound from a coot (sothöna). Birdwatchers were at the dammarna today.
Fun to see Amanda and Irma (dog) coming running towards me and a second time too. I felt like a heffalump (heffaklump) today, upwards was just bad so I had to walk plus there were some ice parts at the dammarna where I had to walk too.
After 10K the issues started, I started to feel pain in my right knee and right groin and had to walk from time to time.
At around 14K I decided to check my mobile and lucky me I had the charger, the battery was low so I put in the mobile in the charger. Decided to cut the distance, even if it won’t too much cutting but less hilly.
When I was on my way to Sony I saw a horse on the bike path that had chosen to be on the outside, no way I would pass the horse from behind on the inside so I ran across the road to the other side.
At the end I just wanted to come home. I realized when I started to run faster I did not run into the knee and groin issue. At the last walking and it was a couple of k’s left I told myself that now you run all the way home without stopping.
Even if it felt like a shitty run I was glad I got out. Had brunch afterwards at home and good coffee
I thought that I was so much slower with the longer walks but was surprised about the finish time so I must have some faster moments 🙂
Distance: 26.1K, time, 3.08.14 h, average heart rate: 131, average pace: 7.13 min/k, max pace: 4.30 min/k, VO2 Max: 24 ml/kg/min
The day felt so much better when I got the weight result. Training did not go as planned but I did almost everything that I had planned except one gym time, was suppose to be there two times this week
I am part of a running group Coach K Runners and the plan from the beginning was to take the train and bus to Frostavallen and do some trail running but then I realized that January 6th Coach K Runners has a tradition to run ”Lund Rund”, a 27K city run around Lund and I hadn’t run with Coach K Runners in a while so I changed my mind and decided to do the city run instead.
Heard rumors that it would be -10 (14F). Felt it already Thursday evening when I was going home after work.
Oh boy, looked at the temperature and it showed -9.5 (14.9F) so I decided to wear orange long sleeve, fleece, windstopper, warm hat and gloves, winter compression tights.
Decided that I when it was approximately 10 min Before 8 am that I would take the elevator down to the basement and walk to the end of the building where we would meet. Got to be the ”fire” police in the basement, these guys who do not understand what a firebreak is….
When I got out only 2 other runners were there, we were suppose to be 14 but then they popped up. Some Pictures were taken and off we Went.
Now I am a bit heavier (those pounds are going to get off this year), we were going to have a 6 min/k pace and I was at 6.30 min/k but let say that the cold made the runners increase the pace. I fell a bit behind but could still see them, I am much more familiar with the route today and was prepared for this, the flock leader Åke ran back to me and we chatted and then the rest of the group ran back to me and I told them that they didn’t have to do this all day long, I am fine.
Then before 10K I was on my own and ran into a knee issue and was forced to stop and walk. I did some thinking, thought first that I would do the 27K but it is a bit hilly, go uphill and at Råby decided to cut the distance, not that it would be so much shorter. When I got to Linero I turned left instead of to the right and tried to stay as flat as possible.
Got back on the route at Sony. Did some walking but tried to make it as short as possible and tried to run as long as possible.
Was satisfied with my 25K, nice with brunch afterwards even if the espresso machine did not work, knew the problem, made coffee from the Nespresso instead and then reset the espresso later so I got my latte.
Survived the Cold
Distance: 25.03K, time: 3.00.38 h, average heart rate: 137, average pace: 7.12 min/k, max pace: 5.13 min/k, cadence: 166, VO2 Max: 25 ml/kg/min
Sunday last week when I checked the trains to Tjörnarp I realized that, due to train rails work, the first bus (was replacing the trains) was going to come to Tjörnarp at 8.07 am and the race would start at 8.30 but then there was a saviour, Maria, who was in the same car as me to Dödens Zon Nov 5th, who would drive and asked if I wanted a ride. And of course I wanted to have a ride.
So I woke up 5 am to eat breakfast, fix the last things and then Maria would pick me up at 7 am and then we were picking up Fredrik, who I ran with at Kullen before Dödens Zon in November.
Friday evening it started to rain and it rained during the night. I really hoped it would stop before the race. The goal to finish with 7h could be a problem but I would do my best.
We got to the school and changed and had a chance to talk to some other runners, Malin showed up, she and I ran on the 6h treadmill battle, and we talked with her.
From the beginning I had compression tights, long sleeve, fleece and windstopper, gloves and hat.
Time to walk to the start where we were going to fetch our GPS tracker (read more about it at Live tracker)
I had heard that around 152 runners would run Tjörnarparen – 50K or 100K
The raining stopped, thank gosh. I do not like to run in the rain for a whole day and get smakintryck wet.
In the beginning it was a bit cloggy and some places and when I tried to get my windstopper off (had problems with my breating) one of my salomon soft flasks fell to the ground so I decided to stop and get off the windstopper, then I got some space, which I like.
When I got to the loop I had caught up with a girl who I passed and noticed that Lars had changed part of the loop, now we didn’t run up in the forest but stayed down on the right side and when I got out from the loop I saw this magnificent view
At around 9K it was very wet but I managed to not get any wet feet and then at 11K I got to the first fuel station where I got a hug from Petra.
Continued my running. When I got to Frostavallen there were some dog walkers and two guys who were fishing.
I also fell flat faced on the ground.
At around 22K is the second fuel station where you can eat cheese and coffee but even if I love cheese I do not date eating it to avoid getting an upset stomach and just passed the fuel station, took a walk and ran and then I turn to the right on a dirt roads with smaller stones, there are some uphill parts where I walked. Started to get tired legs. It was very gooey, slippery and wet part of the route.
When I got on the blue marker and you get down to Dagtorpssjön the blue marker has followed the lake on the right but then last year when it rained most of the Fall they redirected the blue marker (was black earlier) I couldn’t see any yellow stripes and took the route to the right but when I have been running for a while, other runners showed up at the left.
Then I heard a runner behind me who turned out to be Maria (who drove the car), she had been out on a longer detour, she was a head of me, we talked for a while but then I had to start walking again and she continued running.
After a while we turn to the right, walk over a fence and then there is a longer footbridge that might be very slippery, it was just fine this time but another interesting person was in front of me, since last year a guy is running this race barefoot in sandals. I finally got up to him and passed him close to the third fuel station where 3 of the Hektor family was and we talked and I ate salt cucumber for the first time (turned out to be a big mistake later). Here last year I was on my way to throw in the towel but Ola Örnberg lended his knee pad to me but threw in the towel 3K later.
This time I continued and finally got to the toughest hill on this race, Djuralidsbacken, very steep and wet, you have to walk sideways part of the hill and then you have another steep shorter hill close after that but the worst is over.
It got a bit more windier so I put the windstopper back on
15K left. First I had very tired calves and then some pain in the right knee that disappeared and then I got issues with my left knee that forced me to walk from time to time. I could still walk and didn’t have any severe knee pain during my walks. Maria showed up again behind me, had another detour. I got to the fourh fuel station and got a hug from Petra again and Conny another runner was there, I asked him about his running, he ran into knee issues last year and take small small steps getting back running longer and longer.
I found out that 3 runners were behind me.
It was a bit groovy passing the 100K ultra runners who had headed out on their second lap. I cheered them on and they pepped me that it was not so far now from the finish line. I was glad that I didn’t run 100K.
When I had 6K left it started to get a bit darker so I put on my headlight and when I got to the tricket (snårskogen) I walked because it is a more technical part where I didn’t want to fall and injure myself. Realized that the batteries was a bit weak so when it was 3K left, I stopped and changed to new batteries. Put the hat back on, which also got off when I got a bit warm on my head. The headlight is sitting better on over a hat then directly on my head. Great to have better light but walked on the more technical parts. Ran on the dirt roads and walked in the forest parts and then I got to the clear-cut and the finish line is getting closer. Now my left knee was bothering me, I could not run on it and decided to rest so I could run on the last part before the finish line. Then it is only 1.5K left, what a great feeling. Saw the finish long sleeve shirt in front of me, did not vare about the gooey parts anymore, didn’t try to avoid them anymore.
And then I saw the train trek, up the stairs and ran to the finish line and over it. Oh my gosh what a relief.
It was tough this year, worse time than the first year but I am really satisfied I didn’t have to throw in the towel. Got my goodie bag and went to the school to change and then head back to get the good ”fika” before it was time to head home
Here are Maria, me and Malin who had fika together, before Maria and I headed home, Malin was staying to wait for Henrik who was running 100K
Distance: 51.37K, time: 8.13.07.7h, average heart rate: 137, average pace: 9.31 min/k, max pace: 5.51 min/k, cadence: 152, V02 Max: 30 ml/kg/min
The trail shoes were a bit dirty after Dödens Zon in November but after this race they looke like this
