Etikettarkiv: trail

Dödens Zon

#49 – 50 runs in 100 days – Keep Running edition
#50 – 50 runs in 100 days – Keep Running edition

Woke up 4.30 this morning to eat breakfast, pack the last things and bike to Nova to be picked up by Marcus who would drive to Mölle. I was so glad that Marcus wrote on FB in our running group that it would be more fun to not drive alone. Beginning of this week I did not have any ride and had decided to take the train and bus to Mölle which takes 2 hours and yesterday a dead bord caused train chaos that wouldn’t be solve til lunch today so I am not sure how it would have gone today if Marcus hadn’t asked for company.

We were 5 in the car and we got there around 7.44, Maria would start at 8.50 and the rest of us would start at 9 am. It was cold and we decided to head down to the harbor to get bibs. Some of us already had our bibs and then we would go back to the harbor and get changed for the race.

At 8 am it started to rain and I thought oh no don’t say that it will be rain all day long but then, lucky me it stoppad.

This year they have changed it to different start times, last year the ultra runners started at 7 am and we who ran Dödens Zone (the death zone) started at 8 am which meant some clogging. This year the Dödens Zon started at 8.30, 8.40, 8.50 and 9 am.

I had put the wind stopper in a dry bag in my ultra back pack just in case I would get soaked

In the beginning it was a narrow path where someone of course started walking so the rest of us had to walk.

When I ran this route in October the lazy me was in charge, walked early on the hills but I had decided today that I would run on most hills except the challening ones like Nimis and Håkullen.

After a while you get down to the coast where there are 600 m stones that you have to walk on (some ultra runners passed us and they had another pace) and these stones were really slipper today, I was glad I did not sprangle my feet, I was surprised that I did not injured myself during this stone part and finallåt I came to Nimis and even Nimis was slippery.

After that it was flat for a short time and then Håkullen came where they had rerouted the route and it was very steep upwards but definately an interesting new part.

The first 10K are definately the worst part of the race, you have some steep down hill part which were gooey so I was gliding and could have injured myself there too.

In the beginning I was among the last in the group that I belonged too but during the stone part and Nimis I passed some runners.

I got a bit angry sometimes, in a nice way, when the ultra runners passed me and had a much faster pace and look so fresh 🙂

My legs were really tired after 10K but then I had Lars ”the devil” in front of me who pushen me forward and also another not so pleasant evil devil e who pushed me forward in another way (to get some steam off me)

Finally I got the light house where I met the main organizer of this race and this was my last chance to run this ultra race (60K) but was glad I did not run this year, next year it will increase to 160K (100 miles) and I asked him if he could make the Dödens Zon a bit longer and more altitude, he then informed me that 2001 it was 500 m more altitude, now we’re talking 🙂

160K is too long for me.

After the light house it is only 4K left and they feel much lighter. There is a tough part just after the light house but after that I feel the finish lite close.

I was not in the same shape this year, have gained 9 kg but finished with 3.35 according to my pulse watch, the result is not out yet

Distance: 20.65K, time: 3.35.21 h, average heart rate: 153, average pace: 10.26 min/k, max pace: 6.47 min/k, cadence: 150, Vo2 Max: 30 ml/kg/min, asc: 826 m, desc: 832 m

This race was definately the Death Zone or the Hell Zone this year but the rain stayed away, a little tiny rain during those last 4k’s but did not bother me

Finish time: 3.35.11 h, place: 129 out of 168

Then I ran to the car to get changed

Distance: 0.34K

30.8K Trail Run

#30 – (Trail Run) – 50 runs in 100 days – Keep Running edition
#31 – (Transport from) – 50 runs in 100 days – Keep Running edition

Woke up this morning at 5 am to head out for the last longer trail run before the 6h treadmill battle challenge in November and to see in what condition I am in before the ultra race in December.

The temperature was 13oC (F) so I decided to wear capri, compression socks, long sleeve and windstopper.

On the train a guy got on and sat across from me and said hi 🙂 I was not sure what type this was but said hi and it Turner out that he also was runner. I realisera that when he asked me where I was going to run and told him I would run from Tjörnarp to Frostavallen and he asked if it was the Tjörnarp route 🙂 He and some other runners would run from Höör to a lake somewhere and he got me a tip to run from Höör to Hässleholm.

Great thing with Tjörnarp is that I step out from the train and then I just start running on Skåneleden.

It was a bit chilly when I started so it was nice to have the windstopper on and it also smelled mushroom.

At around 5K I started to have heavy breathing and had to take off the windstopper and I could breath much easier after that 🙂

When I got to the loop I decided to walk because it was wet and wet branches get slippery. At one point I got very scared because I stepped on something and thought it was a snake but then it was a bransch 🙂

I was thinking on the train if it was crazy to head out for a 40K trail run one week after Lidingöloppet but I did not feel any tired legs and just enjoyed the trail run but when I had run 11K I got pain in my right knee and walked for a short time and then at 12K was a hill and then I realized that I still was tired in my legs after Lidingöloppet last weekend and that was so true.

It turned out to be a great day for trail running but I decided during the run that I had to cut the distance

I was following the route on my pulse watch as a back up but around 20K I realized two things, it has happened again, after 0.38K the distance did not work anymore and the pulse watch had lost the route. For the first time I felt that I really knew the route and very likely didn’t have to look at the pulse watch. I even found the narrow path after the ditt road after Nyrups Osteria and when I turned in to the woods.

I almost sprangled my foot today but was lucky once again.

So I ended up running around 30K with some walking.

It was nice seeing the fall colors and I passed some interesting people and drogs. On my way back to Frostavallen there was a lady who was out walking with her dogs, one little one who saw me first and started to bark and then the middle dog who said hello to me and the little one was a bit more reserved.

Then it was the transport back to Höörs train station that is approximately 4K.

Lidingöloppet 2016

#29 – 50 runs in 100 days – Keep Running edition

Friday I took the night train up to Stockholm with another Coach K Runners who was going to run Lidingöloppet for the first time.

I have realized that first class in the best alternative with the compartment by myself, my own toilet and then breakfast at Royal Saturday morning which has really nice breakfast.

The train arrived 5.14 but you do not have to leave til 7.00 am so I put the alarm to 6.00 am.

Before breakfast I had to fix a few things first, get a new SL card, good to charge money on it (I could move over the money I had on my old card which had expired. When you get back from the race at Ropsten it is chaos so you could just use the card and get to the train.

Then I forgot to take out money Friday so I had to do it Saturday morning.

After that it was time to eat breakfast

I also ate one banana, youghurt and one boiled egg with caviar

When we had finished breakfast we walked to the train station to get to the Metro to take us to Ropsten. At the track I saw Marina and Emil, two other Coach K Runners. Took the train to Ropsten and then the free buses to Lidingövallen.

This year the number distribution worked much better, they had moved it inside where the sports trade show is but had moved out part of the sports trade show in a big tent so we had time to walk through the sports trade fair which wasn’t too crowded which has been the problem earlier.

I gave some tips to Liw and put linament on my legs, mu number on my bags, the bib on my t-shirt, realized I didn’t bring the magnetic race number positioning system. Decided to wear t-shirt without any long sleeve under so safety pins.

We took a walk to the finish line and I showed Liw where she would get her bags afterwards. They had put a temporary bridge over the street which we walked over and I thought this won’t be any fun after 30K tough trail running 🙂

Ate early lunch which consisted of grilled hotdog and festis.

Then I turned in my back pack, paid 40 SEK to get it to the finish line instead of have to walk back and get it afterwards, definately worth the money.

All of the sudden I saw Magnus who would run Lidingöloppet for the first time and we talked for a short moment and wished him luck.

Since it is 1.8K walking to the start I walked with Liw to it, she started 20 min earlier than me. It takes some time to get there and then you need to pee and stretch before you go to the starting group ”hem”. They had changed the way you went into the ”hem” which was very confusing and stressing, there was only one ”hem” and couldn’t get in there earlier than 10 min before.

Some warm up and then finally it was time for start 🙂

This year I had no expectations. Did commute February til May which changed my training, not as much as I usually do because I was a zoombie for 3 months, started to get back on track during the summer, on vacation I did not run as much as I have planned because it was so warm, then I got a cold so a couple of more trail runs would have been good.

In the beginning we are running on a wide open field and then after a couple of K’s you get to a narrow path and it just stops and you just running on the same spot til the chain starts moving and that continues for a while til it gets a bit more airy. I learned a new sign, if ti stops some runners are putting up their hands in the air.

The first 15K were just fine, had a time 1.38K at 15K but then I got very sore hips and tired legs even if I had compression socks. When it was 10K left my legs were tired so I was forced to walk up some hills that when I am better trained run up. Part of me wanted to through in the towel even if I wasn’t injured but lucky I have a stronger me and Lars ”the devil” in front of me which pushed me forward. The last 10K was heavy.

The worst hill is Aborrbacken which shows up when it is 5K left and I have always walked up that hill and it was no different this year.

Now it is only 5K left so K after K just gets shorter from the finish line and we try to pep each other, you could see a lot of tired runners at the end.

Finally I saw the finish line and I got up the pace.

Distance: 30.25K, time: 3.24.46 h, average heart rate: 153, average pace: 6.46 min/k, max pace: 4.46 min/k, cadence: 172, VO2 Max: 28 ml/kg/min

23.5K Trail Run

#12 (Trail Run) – 50 runs in 100 days – Keep Running edition
#13 (Transport from) – 50 runs in 100 days – Keep Running edition

Even if I had muscle soreness after Thurday’s physical training I had decided that I would get to Frostavallen to run the middle part of Tjörnarparen, when I made that plan I had totally repressed that I would get muscle soreness after the physical training but decided to run this trail run anyway.

Took the train 8.28 am and came to Frostavallen around 9.45 am.

Wore running skirt, linnen, compression socks, altra lonepeak 2.5

The pace was slow in the beginning and I was not surprised.

Unfortunately once again my pulse watch was not my friend today, pulse belt and GPS was found and after 340m distance and pace was messed up so it was tough not knowing how long I had run when it came to distance. I need to do something about it, reset my GPS and see if I get this under control.

Today the nettles (=brännässlor) could not be avoided, was on a narrow path and they were on the sides and had to run into them, had to keep saying to myself, do not scratch, do not scratch 🙂

Then after Nyrups Osteria I run on a dirt road and after a while turn left into the woods and then I will cross a creek and get on a narrow path which is hard to find when it is very green and of course I got a bit further down to the left and there they were again, those nettles so I swore a bit 🙂 and once again do not scratch what ever you do 🙂

Not a lot of other runners, passed 4 guys who came in the opposite direction on the black marker which has now changed to blue and than at the end one other runner. But some people who were fishing with fishing rods.

Nice being back, this is definately one of my favorite places.

Tired legs today, I was glad I could finish the route, some walk sessions and at the end I had natural fartlek to not miss the bus going back, interesting how fast tired legs can go if you want to get on a bus but at the end I had to stop, got respiratory distress and missed the bus with 5 min 🙂

Thought first that I had not missed the bus, said 12.45 and I got there 12.36 but then I realized that .45 is the Mon-Fri bus, the Saturday bus leaves at .27 🙂

So I walked first back to Höör and started the pulse watch and ran the whole way for the first time 3.59K (#13)

Distance: 23.5K, time: 3.01.38h

18.02K Trail Run

#5 – 50 runs in 100 days – Keep Running edition

I ran into a cold August 5th and had to put training on hold. Got an irritating cough that I thought disappeared when I had planned to participate in physical training middle of this week but then the cough started early in the morning before I woke up but I decided I would test to run a train run this weekend.

I have not run on Österlen and got a tip about Brösarps backar.

Packed my ultra back pack and started my run this morning, part of the run was familiar since I ran part of it 2 years ago when I tested Österlen Eco trail. There are two really steep hills and then one that is very steep down hill.

Very nice run, only me and the woods, did not pass any other runners but some bikers and trekkers. Some drizzle but did not bother me.

I had to walk a couple of times, not due to knee problems but because there were certain animals that I do not trust

Had to pass these guys and they can go to attack so I walked around them and kept an eye on them and when I had walked a bit I started running again.

Interesting to cross this

When I stood there I was wondering if a train could come and the sign below gave me the answer (varning för ånglok = warning steam locomotive)

Passed some horses that I do not trust at all if I pass them during running and had to stop and walk again. Thought that I would’t have any more surprises but then I saw this

Oh boy but I walked once again and then I found a new friend

Very beautiful, varied environment, beautiful meadowns, not too cold, not too warm and the best afterwards, take a dip in the ocean, it was COLD so it was a very quick dip 🙂

Distance: 18.02K, time: 2.16.37 h, average heart rate: 154, average pace: 7.35 min/k, max pace: 5.45 min/k, cadence: 170, VO2 Max: 30 ml/kg/min

39.67K Trail Run

#14 – 50 runs in 100 days – Just run edition
#15 – 50 runs in 100 days – Just run edition

Woke up this morning at 5 am, ate breakfast and then took the train to Tjörnarp to run my last long distance run before Hallandsultran, 50K trail ultra June 11th.

Perfect temperature: 14oC (57.2F) so capri tights, compression socks, t-shirt and over a long sleeve and gloves to keep warm before the train ride and in the beginning of the trail run. It is usually a bit chilly in the morning but get warmer during the day. The gloves went off after a while.

It was a bit grey and it was suppose to rain a bit around 10 am.

Said hi to the mommy cows and their children when I had run around 5K and saw the little piglets.

Did some walking at the loop and when I came to Frostavallen the rain came and I was hoping that it would stop soon so I could run my planned 40K instead of being forced to turn back to Frostavallen earlier than planned, my weak me hoped of course that it would continue to rain but lucky me it stopped 🙂

It took me 2.35 to run my first 20K and with tired legs I was satisfied with that time, I hoped that I would get a better finish time this time 🙂

Got a bit confused after Nyrups Osteria where I after that run on a dirt road and turn left into the forest and cross a Creek, it has started to be very green and overgrown so I did not see the small path and ended up in the grove instead. But the positive thing is that I am familiar with this route and can find my way out.

The coarse tractor tracks were still there so I had to walk over them, my feet get really tired running over them.

Even if it was a bit wet (it showed it had been raining), the expanded water had decreased on the black mark and I was glad my head was with me because they had changed the first part of the black mark and I thought that wait a minute I am not going to turn left here, I am going to run around the lake. When I am on the black mark I follow the black marking but could not do it here 🙂

There are two dirt roads that has become very boring, last time I walked the whole way on them but had decided that today I would run most part of them and did it 🙂

Djuralidsbacken (Djuralids hill) was too tough for me today so I had to walk up and it felt VERY LONG.

When I came back to Frostavallen I pepped myself to run all the way to the bench at the parking lot, had a little part where I had to walk but otherwise than that I ran.

It was great running in the woods today, me and the singing birds, did not pass any other runners except one at the very end. The rest of the runners are running Göteborgsvarvet, the Gothenburg half marathon. I have been surrounded with unnecessary negative energy this week and it was so soothing running in the woods and get back on track. Soon I will be free.

Also tired legs on this run so it was some Walking from time to time.

Then it was a transport run back to Höör train station

Distance: 39.67K, time: 5.19.42.4h, average heart rate: 142, average pace: 8.03 min/k, max pace: 3.44 min/k, cadence: 162, VO2 Max: 28
ml/kg/min

Transport run – Distance: 4.23K, time: 31.24.2 min, average pace: 7.25 min/k

30.8K Trail Run

#8 – 50 runs in 100 days – Just run edition
#9 – 50 runs in 100 days – Just run edition

Alarm went off at 5 am this morning, breakfast and then train down to Lund.

I realized that this was not a good day for running, the train had been replaced by bus which meant longer ride to Tjörnarp. I even fell asleep on the bus and started to be hungry, not a good sign.

Temperature when I left was 12oC (53.6F)

Had put on a long sleeve over my t-shirt since I had heard that it would be nice weather, capri tights and my new compression socks, altra lonepeak 2.5, no gloves or hat. While I was waiting for the bus I was starting to get cold hands but the positive thing with the bus ride was that I got warm again. At the train station I saw a familiar face: Malin Olsson who was going up to Osby and run on Skåneleden with Henrik Kockum.

So I started to run a bit late, comfortable pace, at around 3.5K I had to do a combo: pee break and remove my long sleeve and roll up my capri and then I could breath again 🙂

It was a very nice day for a run, it is getting greener and greener, soon it will be clogged.

At 20K the heat took the life out of me. I had to make a decision if I would torment me for Another 20K or cut the distance and that was what I had to do.

Both in Tjörnarp and Frostavallen was thick tractor tracks that gets my feet tired so I had to walk on them. Hope the rain will take care of them later so it becomes more smooth at those parts.

I even saw a flat mouse on a dirt road

Distance: 30.8K, time: 4.17.12.4h, average heart rate: 141, average pace: 8.21 min/k, max pace: 5.47 min/k, cadence: 176, VO2 Max: 26 ml/kg/min

This time when I got back to Frostavallen I did not stretch before I headed back to Höör, I walked 500m and then ran 1K and continued that way, lucky me a cool breeze came which was wonderful. Transport run – Distance: 4.26K, time: 32.42.6 min

The bus ride home was interesting, first the driver could not close the door in the middle and then he started to drive and I was thinking, what is he doing but he stopped and finally could close the door. Now when you have a bus that replace a train you will stop at the stations where the train would have stopped but this driver probably got very stressed so he skipped Stehag and was not familiar with Eslöv where there was road construction work so he had to turn back. I am not sure if he got to the train station from the right direction, then we had sight seeing in Eslöv, he was on his way in the right direction but decided to turn back and drive somewhere else so he ended up skipping also Örtofta and Stångby where I had planned to go off at and run back. I was wondering if he would find Lund but that town was very familiar to him.

39.7K Trail Run

#2 – 50 runs in 100 days – Just run edition
#3 – 50 runs in 100 days – Just run edition

No sleeping in this morning.

Got up at 5 am, ate breakfast and took the train to Tjörnarp train station and shortly after that started my long train run.

I got the feeling it would get warmer even if the temperature showd 4oC (39F) when I left so I put on long sleeve and windstopper, thinner gloves and hat. Did not take long til I took off Windstopper, gloves and hat.

When I have been running around 5K I pass a farm with pigs and I was wondering if there would be any piglets and too my surprise they showed up

Today I tested Tailwind Green Tea Buzz (caffeinated). I have not decided if it goes up to No 1 or if Raspberry still is no 1. Liked it.

I did not know that saying good morning when I passed two trekkers would make one of them scream and jump 2 m 🙂

All of a sudden a squirrel passed me.

I was interested if it has dried up a bit, last Fall it rained a lot so in December there were a lot of new puddles so I took alternative ways to not have to wade but today at 9K I didn’t have to take an alternative route in the forest.

When I got to Frostavallen and passed the car road I heard something in the grove and then it jumped out a deer. First time I have seen a deer so close out in the woods.

At 25K I started to get tired legs and after that I did some walking from time to time.

A guy who was out trying to find a good place to fish even asked me for advice where he could stand. It was too many trees where he was. I told him to walk a bit further and hoped he would have a good day.

Had planned to run up Djuralidsbacken (Djuralids hill) but my legs were very tired and so it was walking today.

But even if the run did not go as planned it was magical with all the wood anemones

Distance; 39.7K, time: 5.26.39 h, average heart rate: 141, average pace: 8.13 min/k, max pace: 4.05 min/k, cadence: 172, VO2 Max: 28 ml/kg/min

Then I had a transport run back to Höör train station. After tired legs in the Wood it is no fun running on asphalt for around 4K so it was no fun. Distance: 4.21K, time: 33.01.4.

16.07K Trail Run

#28 – 50 runs in 100 days – No excuses edition

This morning it was time again for some trail running around Genarp with the Swiss Alpine group.

We were a smaller group today. From the weather reports it looked like it is going to be colder, grey day and it was a bit colder this morning so of course me who is afraid of freezing and getting a cold put on full gear.

During the first couple of k’s it felt like I was wearing a too heavy back pack. Felt tough to breath. So I asked for a mini pause and took off both my fleece and windstopper 🙂 Everything changed, could breath normally.

Got a ride with Madeleine and then we met Gert-Inge on the parking lot. This week I got my new Altra Lone Peak 2.5 and couldn’t hellp myself. I wore those during the run and was really satisfied.

Almost the same route as last week but not completely. I had decided that I would run all the way at two hills and did it, Felt great!

Found out that we would run down and up the serpentine, that was really fun last time. This time I just flew and felt like Emelie Forsberg.

The sun came out and it was a perfect day til I came uphill on a dirt road and saw Madeleine laying on the road and was wondering what had happened. Sprained ankle. For the first time my elastic bandage came in handy. She tried to run after a while but it did not work so we walked but then she fell down in pain again. I felt that it would be better if she could be picked up by a car. Gert-Inge got my phone number and ran to his car.

He called and told us we had to move 1500 m. Madeleine could not walk so I carried her with some pauses. Then she could walk with baby steps with my support. At the end Gert-Inge came on a bike and Madeleine ”jumped on” (a lady from the house where the car was borrowed her child’s bike to Gert-Inge.

Lucky us Madeleine had automatic transmission.

Today I enjoyed the run a lot because I did not run around angry.

Distance: 16.07K, time: 2.21 04h, average pulse: 146, average pace: 8.46 min/k, max pace: 5.01 min/k, cadence: 172, VO2 Max: 30 ml/kg/min.

Really fun tough route today.

39.86K Trail Run and 4.16K Flat Run

Lämna ett svar

#16 – 50 runs in 100 days – No excuses edition
#17 – 50 runs in 100 days – No excuses edition

I was tired of all the city running and needed to get out in the woods again so instead of running Lund Runt with CKR I got up early this morning to take the train to Tjörnarp.

Last night I was determined I would run up Djuralidsbacken (Djuralids hill) but when I woke up this morning it had snowed 🙂 Felt that this would be an interesting run.

What was magical about this trail run was that the snow was untouched, I was the first one who ran on the trail. My brain got confused because of the snow, the natural paths had ”disappeared” soo even if I am familiar with the route the yellow streamers made my day today.

It was nice running alone in the woods, such tranquility.

What I didn’t know what was under snow, I got surprised a few times during the run, cracking ice. I do not like to get wet feet and try to avoid it as long as I can because sooner or later it will happen.

Let say that it was a flashback from Tjörnarparen in Dec when I had to throw in the towel. The same wet but with snow and a bit more wet to be honest. So after the loop was a watering hole so of course I ran the same detour as on Tjörnarparen and thought that I was on the safe side and then it was water under the snow short after so my right foot got wet and it feels so much colder in the Winter.

When I got to Frostavallen I passed some dog wakers, trekkers but no runners but I saw foot prints on my way to Nyrups Naturhotell.

At 22K I got pain in my right knee and decided to walk for 500 m to see if I would be fine, hoped not to run into too many issues. Here my brain got confused again becuase they had cleared trees so it looked so different. The pain disappeared but I had to walk a couple of more times because they had cleared more trees in the woods and there were frozen tractor tracks that was tough to run on.

It was tough running in the in the snow and very tired legs and feet but felt great to back on the trails.

Trail run

Distance: 39.86K, time: 5.14.43.5 h, average heart rate: 141, average pace: 7.53 min/k,
max pace: 5.07 min/k, cadence: 168, VO2 Max: 26 ml/kg/min

It turned out that there was no bus at 13.27 so I didn’t want to stand and freeze for another hour so it was just to run to Höör to the train station. That wasn’t very pleasant after 40K trail

Transport to Höör train station

Distance: 4.16K, time: 28.38.7 min, average heart rate: 137, average pace: 6.52 min/k,
max pace: 5.57 min/k, cadence: 174, VO2 Max: 24 ml/kg/min

Gabby's Challenges

Challenges that I am participating in

Etikettarkiv: trail

Dödens Zon

30.8K Trail Run

Lidingöloppet 2016

23.5K Trail Run

18.02K Trail Run

39.67K Trail Run

30.8K Trail Run

39.7K Trail Run

16.07K Trail Run

39.86K Trail Run and 4.16K Flat Run