#28 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#86 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge
This afternoon it was time to run 4 laps on St Hans hills. My next race is Lidingöloppet end of September and need to focus more on hilly runs since it has not been too many of those this year. I have the distance, 30K but need more hilly training til beginning of September when it is time for resting weeks.
It was a great day for running, the sun was out, the sky was blue, temperature was 30oC (86F) but it looked like it would be a breeze but of course I do not run without my water belt with 3 bottles of water and 2 bottles of Resorb. Running shoes for this run was Altra Lone Peak.
This time I started the hilly run on the half moon at the bottom and then ran up the ”mördarvariant”
Most people who were at St Hans hills were getting a tan, not so many other runners but there were some.
I am so grateful today that I am back after all my issues this spring. I decided I would rehabilitate myself so I could continue my goal to become a bit faster this year and I am so glad I made that decision.
Now I can run faster down and up hills and I feel so much stronger and that makes me very happy. I have promised myself that I won’t get overtrained so I hope that this positive continues through the whole year. It also looks like I can fulfill my goal at the Ultra race in December.
From time to time I had to wet my hair.
It was fun to hear a girl scream at me when I was on my way up ”Slalombacken”, turned out it was Marina, a running buddy of mine from Coach K Runners, who did some pepping.
While I was running I changed my mind about my 30K hilly run this weekend. It looks like I am ready for that. You will find out later what I will do.
Two times I was on my way to fall flat on my face but managed to stay up on my feet 🙂
Distance: 8.3 miles (13.37K), time: 1.35.38 h, average pace: 7.09 min/k, max pace: 3.28 min/k
#27 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#85 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge
Today it was time again for some barefoot running.
And it was also time to increase the time to 15 min.
When I started with barefoot running I was a bit afraid of my feet and was running slower but I felt that I today could try to run faster as well.
Since I have both my pulse belt and pulse watch sent in for inspection I had to use Movescount to get this run registered which means no cadence.
Started on the grass and then I ran to the parking space to run on smooth asphalt. And then ran back to the starting point and then did the same run again
Where I am doing this barefoot running there is a tiny grass hill and a then a longer grass hill that I also run up and down on. Down hill I have to run on my whole foot otherwise I do forefeet running.
It is no good to run on branches and these prickly green plants that looks like dandelions but is something else, I do not remember the name. That can hurt 🙂
It is interesting how I have changed my mind. I have not been interested in barefoot running since I have heard a lot of stories about stress fractures and that runners have started with too long distance too soon and all the issues that they have had. But I also know runners who run in barefoot shoes and are excellent barefoot runners. They have a more graceful running. But with all the running technique discussion I have had this summer I decided I would give this a try.
Distance: 1.45 miles (2.34K), time: 15.01 min, average pace: 6.25 min/k, max pace: 3.58 min/k
#26 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#84 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge
I have decided that the weekend after I have ran a longer trail run that I will run around 20K flat run and today it was time to do that.
The temperature was 25oC (77F) but what saved me was the breeze 🙂
I have had a discussion with some people that believe that you should just drink when you are thirsty and I do not agree with them. I agree that you should drink when you are thirsty but at other times as well. I usually drink every 15 min but since I do not have a pulse watch at them moment and had a water belt with a pocket on my belly I didn’t keep track of the time so I drank when I was thirsty and also wet my hair during the run.
The route is running out in the country til I get to T-junction and turn back. So on my way to the T-junction it was warm but then I had the breeze that kept me going.
Last time I ran here was a month ago and it was a beutiful landscape with all the Lovely fields. This time they had started to reap.
I was a bit bored part of the run and I was wondering if I have gotten used to these lovely trail runs.
When I turned around at the T-junction I was hit in the face with a much cooler breeze which was awesome but it also meant upwind. But I prefer cooler breeze and upwind then oppressive heat
I felt strong today and felt that I was running a bit faster but I saw that I was faster last time. I do not think it was so warm then and I think that the upwind slowed me down a bit.
What I wanted to check was how far off Movescount would be with the distance. Last time I got 18.7K and now I got 18.74K so it was pretty much the same.
At the end I increased the pace and then I was home.
Distance: 11.64 miles (18.74K), time: 2.00.05h, average pace: 6.24 min/k, max pace: 4.10 min/k
#25 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#83 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge
Tonite it was time for intervals again.
I am very satisfied with my Suunto Ambit3 Peak but during the spring the pulse watch ran into issues not finding the pulse belt from time to time. It was not such a big deal in the beginning because I could live without not getting the pulse registered, even if it is interesting looking at once in a while.
But since I started to look at my VO2 Max and also have started with pulse based training the pulse has become more important.
Suunto Customer Service has been great. I have had several support requests about the pulse belt, I have gotten several solutions and then it has worked for a while but then the issue has come back and now it was time to get to the bottom of this. I have suspected that the pairing of the pulse watch and pulse belt falls out and we have discussed if the pulse belt is the problem.
So when I scheduled pickup with UPS this morning I found out they could fetch my pulse belt and pulse watch this afternoon.
This meant that I wouldn’t be able to see the pulse and had to use Movescount on my iPhone during this training.
So I had to go on feeling as far as the pulse was concerned. When I was running on a hill up and down with my running buddy Lars at Vallåsen I was having a pulse some pulse beats below my threshold pulse and remembered the feeling in my body.
Last time I did this interval training I was increasing the pace a lot on the last intervals and the plan was not to run too fast.
This pulse based interval training means that I run 4x2K intervals and the positive things about this type of intervals are the following:
+ Gentler
+ Less risk of getting injured
But it is also important not to be above the threshold pulse because then it becomes so hard that it might require several days of rest!
It was very warm today so I brought one bottle of Resorb and one bottle of water in my energy belt.
Started with 2K warm up. I pass a horseback riding place during this warm up and today a girl was out with a horse on the dirt track. I am not afraid of horses but I know what damage one kick can do so I had to run across to another path because I felt that I wouldn’t have enough space to pass the horse.
Then it was time for the brutal pain. First interval. Part of your brain want to quit but it gets a bit easier when it it 1K left. Decided to stand still during the rest for 2 min and catch my breath.
Another brutal pain for 2K. Here is a longer hill, last time I was flying up that hill but today it was tougher. Could be that I still has not rested enough after my 48K trail run last weekend, the heat or that I ran alone. The pace got a bit slower here. When I was standing to catch my breath a elderly lady asked me if I had trouble breating. Inside I was laughing a bit because of course it can look that way after a interval and she didn’t know that I just finished an interval. So I told her that you would be a bit breathless after an interval. A conversation started about summer allergy and I couldn’t just start running, felt I had to finish this conversation so the rest was a bit longer than 2 min.
During the third interval I felt that I got above my threshold pulse and had to slow down a bit. Rested for 2 min.
Then the final interval, same thing happened here, increase the pace so I got above my threshold pulse and had to slow down a bit.
Ended with 1K cool down.
Since I did not use my pulse watch, no cadence was registered and of course no pulse or VO2 Max.
I have a little separation anxiety and hope that Suunto technicians can find a solution to the pulse belt issue and that I will get my pulse watch back soon. But it worked quite good with using Movescount on my iPhone.
Distance: 11K, time: 1.07.42 h,
average pace: 6.09 min/k, max pace: 4.04 min/k
#23 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#82 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge
This morning it was time again for another trail raun.
It is definately worth getting up at 5 am to start a trail run at 8.17. Of course I have the attitude that I am going to have a good day but I am also realistic and prepared for anything. That’s why it is good to start early.
I had the pressure to not walk at all 🙂 but it is also something I am aiming at this year.
I am such a different person now. This spring I started with a glutues issue that forced to run much slower and not longer than 20K up till end of March. And after my first ultra race it was time to get ready for the rest of the year.
This spring I did not have any enjoyable runs because I was forced to walk part of the runs and now I am just running. It is so much fun to be out running now on those trails and see results.
The weather report did not look good. It was suppose to rain between 10 am and 4 pm but I was optimistic it would be better than that. When I walked out of the train and started running the sun was out
I wore t-shirt, semi compression tights, regular low socks, my altra lone peak 1.5. Earlier this week I had problems with my pulse belt and this morning it refused to be found but lucky me it was working with me when I was started running which meant that I would get the VO2 Max registrered.
When I had ran around 5K it started raining but it did not bother me, it was actually OK. I do not like to run in the rain but it was just drizzling.
The rain did not get me very wet, my shoes got soaked early due to wet grass and my t-shirt due to wet bush leaves 🙂
When I got to Frostavallen I realized it was a dog competition there and got a bit confused and forgot to turn up to the left but did not get very far til I realized I was at the wrong place.
Today I would run where there would not be any markers or streamers. I have helped removing some of the streamers and also got a bit far when I was going to run up a hill near the quarry but also did not get very far before I realized that as well.
Near Frostavallen there is a local cheese factory and you can have a coffee break there and taste their cheese. I said hi to the owner or this cheese factory plus she also has a really cool hotel called Nyrups naturhotell. I had to turn around and tell her that I am still interested to come and have a coffee and taste their cheese but another. I have to work on this 🙂
So after this cheese factory you are running on a dirt road and turn to the right and get on a dirt track and then after a while you are turning to the left and cross a stone wall and in December you see a path very clearly. The problem with this season is that it is very overgrown. Even if I had the route on my GPS pulse watch I gott off track and here is a stream and cavities but at least I fell soft 🙂 I had to take a time out and get back on track and finally I found this path in the jungle.
I could see on my pulse watch that I had part of the run a pace under 6 min/k and around 7 min/k which made me very happy.
When I got back to Frostavallen I ran to the left of a lake and also got a bit too far to the right and had to run back and get back on track 🙂
I then realized that the run would be longer than 45K.
When I had finally got my tights dry and t-shirt it was time to run through the bushes and grass and get wet all over again. I couldn’t help myself then just laugh.
Since I had the pressure to not walk I just had to run through the loop even if it is a tricky part and managed. It is a lot of dry branches and cavities.
When I get tired during a trail run I get grumpy but it seems to happen only when I run solo 🙂 I have a tendency to not lift my feet so I bounce into stones and since my trail shoes are a size to small my big toes get extra beating so I have to pep myself to lift my feet and get less grumpy.
This trail run was a good run to evalute my altra trail shoes. Salomon Fellraiser handles gooey better but Altra is OK, both Salomon Fellraiser and Altra Lone Peak 1.5 is not good on wet branches and footbridges. Altra is good on the other hand on wet stones. There is another thing that is negative about altra is the shoe laces. I had to stop 3 times to tie them again. Does not help with double knots or triple knots. Altra has improved the lacing system though 🙂
At the end I had very tired legs but I could still run and I had a natural Fartlek at the end when it was about 1K left Since I was going to run 45K in 6 hours I realized it would take longer than that, also because the distance was going to be longer. Since I was more focused on the speed I got too far to the right at one marker and I got far before I realized that. Had happened one time this spring one time when I was really tired at the end but did not get very far til I arealized that.
So now I had to run faster to not miss the train, missed it by 4 min last time, they go every hour.
When I bought the ticket the train came so I was very sweaty on the train 🙂 I did not have time to buy a coke but when I got back to town I Went and bought a dr pepper instead of a coke. Drank this in the 80’s and forgot the taste. I cannot believe I liked the flavor then 🙂
Distance: 29.7 miles (47.81K). time: 6.19.39 h, average pace: 7.56 min/k, max pace: 5.03 min/k,
VO2 Max: 40 ml/kg/min, cadence: 170
So proud of myself. Really good time for me who finished with 8h on this ultra race in Dec.
#21 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#81 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge
Tonite it was physical training with Coach K Runners at St Hans hills. A warm evening so I brought my energy belt with one bottle of water and one bottle of Resorb
First we started with warmup where we were going to touch each other on the outside of our bodies and if I got touched I did one burpee, after a while it was changed that if I was touched I did 2 burpees and the one that touched me did one burpee. After a while it was changed that if I was touched I did 3 burpees and the one that touched did 2 burpees. The other set was to be in plank position and touch each other hands and if I got touched I did one pushup, after a while it was changed to that if I got touched I did 2 pushups and then one that touched did 1 pushup. After a while it was changed that if I got touched I did 3 pushups and the one that touched did 2 pushups.
Then we ran up and down the top hill
Exercise 1: Then we paired ourselves and stood in one line. The first couple jumped with the inner foot up to a bush and on the way back changed foot. The rest did ”Jägarvila”
Exercise 2: Long jump to the top hill, then we did regular plank. Too my surprise I was not last even if I was one of the last people up.
Exercise 3: Down hill doing reverse low lunges where I closed my eyes because imbalance strengthens you. Doing this with close Eyes made me move more to the left. Heard Suz say that Gabby get more to the right (I was on my way to bump into the person to the left of me) 🙂
Exercise 4: Everyone did an individual exercise while one ran up to the top hill and back, then we switched to the exercise to the right till all had run up to the top hill and back. Afterwards we were asked if the exercise that we started with still was the same exercise, if it wasn’t we did 15 burpees. If it was right we did ”Jägarvila” The exercise I started with was regular plank with head to the top hill but it had changed to regular plank with head down hill so I got punished with 15 burpees. There was one guy who asked our instructor what he needed to do to get the rest to do his exercise correct all the way. The good response from Suz was that we know why we are here so it is not really a punishment.
Exercise 5: We run up to the top hill where we paired again and did the circle both directions, then boat,, doing 10 reverse crunches and the boat again. Repeated the circle and reverse crunches
Exercise 6: Obstacle course where every other person was doing regular plank, every other were doing straight arms plank with butt high up. The first person jumped over the person who stood in regular plank and then under the one that stood in straigt arms plank. Here I am one of the fastest 🙂
Exercise 7: Rushed up to the top hill, did 10 burpees and then ”Jägarvila”. I was counting shoutint the number but when Suz got up there she has only Heard one count so we had to do 10 burpees more.
Total distance: 3.09 miles (4.97K: 1.98K to St Hans hills, 0.94K physical training, 2.05K back home)
#19 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#80 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge
This morning it was time to join Happy Trail – experience running. And they would take us 1 lap on Kullamannen (Sky Ocean Hell), a ultra race end of October. Since I have signed up I thought it would be a good idea to see what I up against.
It really has been an running like no other.
We were around 25 people where most of us are going to run this ultra.
Turned out that the weather was going to be perfect
We all met up in Mölle harbour and then started the trail run
In the beginning it was regular trail run. All of us ran together. Unfortunately one person sprained his foot, they put an elastic bandage on his foot and we found out he was going to run an alpine Marathon next week some of us told him to walk back to the harbour.
Then the first challenge started when we ran down a very technical hill. Very likely that I won’t run down this hill at all.
We would continue near the water and it was big stones, also not very likely I will run there in October, they might be slippery and also in the dark would be dangerous
When we got to the top we were divided in two groups, one faster group that I wouldn’t join and one a bit slower group which I would join.
So the fast group left and the rest of us continued on our journey
At one place we were going to get down to the coast again. When I saw this very steep part, you could not run down this part, one girl was afraid of heights and we told her to take her time. We were gliding, I can just imagine how it would be in the dark. I need to get a new head light for this adventure
It was also tricky getting up
Then we were suppose to find a path that we had a tough time to find, it ended that we just got through the bushes, and finally found the path
At this point we had run 10K and found out that this was the toughest part. We had around 5K to the light house.
When we got to the light house we found out that this steep hill that we had glided down was not the correct path down. We came too far to the right, it is going to be a path you can run down 🙂
I was adding new fresh water to my water bladder and ran into this issue that I have run into earlier, no water was coming out. Got help and thought that everything was just fine but we had to stop again to solve this. Learned something new today how to set this water bladder correct. Thanks Fredrik.
We also saw some nice flowers and wild animals
Finally we saw Mölle when we were standing on a top and had around 4K left
After this picture was taken I was doing a dive to the ground 🙂
This is going to be a completely different ultra then the two that I have run so far.
So nice to take a dip in the water after this warm trail run and then have some ”fika”
Distance: 13.47 miles (21.68K), time: 5.22 h,
VO2 Max: 27 ml/kg/min, 864 meters of altitude
#18 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#79 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge
Tonite it was time to test pulse based interval training. To have a pulse a couple of heart beats lower than my threshold pulse.
But of course I ran into issues with my pulse belt.
I had the pleasure of doing this with Malin, another Coach K Runner.
We started with 2K warmup and then it was 4xK intervals with 2 minutes rest between each interval.
I had created a workout in Movescount and thought that it was correct. The warmup, interval and first rest worked but not the second 🙂 so then Malin had to keep track of the distance after that.
Since I couldn’t see the heart beat on the display I had to go on feeling. My threshold is 163 and when we ran up the hill at Vallåsen this weekend I had a pulse around 160. So the first 2 intervals felt that I was below my threshold pulse.
Some other runners were out and dog walkers and I am wondering what they thought when they saw us and I was screaming at myself to continue and shout to Malin how long is is left from time to time 🙂
Sometimes I wonder why I do intervals because I do not like them at all. That is the most brutal running I can do but I also know what it will give 🙂 And tonite I was running REALLY LONG intervals.
The last two felt VERY LONG and I also went above my threshold pulse, thought it never would end.
The pace was definately outside of my comfort zone
Distance: 6.42 miles (10.33K), time: 1.01.20 h, average pace: 5.56 min/k, max pace: 4.11 min/k,
VO2 Max: 29 ml/kg/min, cadence: 182
MTD: 135.47 miles (218.1K)
YTD: 625.44 miles (891.90K)
#17 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#78 – 100 Days Of Miles Challenge
End of October I am going to participate in my toughest ultra race and needed to have a hilly running with higher meters of altitude.
I went to Vallåsen with my running buddy Lars and we ran on a hill Halmstad which is 1260 m long. The plan was to run 30K but was not sure if I would do it, was also sure that it would be some walking. From the beginning I was not sure I would run on this hill but decided to join Lars.
Lars is preparing for another ultra race and I managed to keep up with him and not the other way around 🙂 This is big for me. This was a nasty hill.
The weather report did show rain but it turned out that it was not so bad. There were some rain and some upwind.
I forgot to choose the hilly mode from the beginning to be able to see the heart rate, it was important to not have a too high heart rate. It was a bit high in the beginning. So on the top I changed to the hilly mode.
It was raining when we started to run up the hill so I put on my rain coat but after some rounds it got too warm wearing it so I let it be at the top.
It was interesting because in the beginning we had pretty much the same heart rate and then when we started to get a bit tired in our legs my heart rate decreased and Lars heart rate was 6 heart beats higher than mine and we also increased the pace at the end.
We decided that we would run at least 20K and then we would see how we felt after each hill and then realized that we were not too far from 30K and would go for it. You can run on tired legs.
I did not walk one meter on this hill. I really surprised myself today.
We had to watch out because it was a mountain bike competition going on and they crossed our route at some places.
This was definately my toughest run I have ever done. We did 1810 m meters of altitude.
I thought that had run 30K when we got back to the car so I saved my training there but it turned out we were not really done so the last k has not been registered.
Liquid: 1 bottle of Tailwind Raspberry and 1 bottle of Redbull. Plus one energy bar.
Shoes: Altra Lone Peak 1.5 and it was a bit gooey and the trail shoes had good grip.
Altitude today:
Results:
Total distance: 30K, time: 4.55 h, 1810 meters of altitude 🙂
#16 – 50 runs in 100 days summer edition
#77- 100 Days Of Miles Challenge
Tonite it was physical training on St Hans hills with Coach K Runners
I run from my home to St Hans hills. When I get to St Hans it is a dirt road that get steeper at the end and I am always breathless when I get to the waiting Group. Lately I have run the ”Mördarvariant” instead since it is going to be tough anyways.
First we started with warmup where we are going to touch each other on the outside of our bodies and if I get touched I do one burpee, after a while it was changed that if I was touched I did 2 burpees and the one that touched me did one burpee. The other set was to be in plank position and touch each other hands and if I get touched I do one pushup, after a while it was changed to that if I get touched I do 2 pushups and then one that touched did 1 pushup.
Exercise 1: Everyone did an individual exercise while one ran up to the top hill and back, then we switched to the exercise to the right till all had run up to the top hill and back. Afterwards we were asked if the exercise that I started with still was the same exercise, if it wasn’t I did 15 burpees. Interesting with my exercise was that I started with bridges and it ended with crunches 🙂
Exercise 2: Long jump to the top hill, then we did ”Jägarvila”. I am definately the last person up 🙂
Exercise 3: Long jump down the hill
Exercise 4: Obstacle course where every other person was doing regular plank, every other were doing straight arms plank with butt high up. The first person jumped over the person who stood in regular plank and then under the one that stood in straigt arms plank. Here I am one of the fastest 🙂
Exercise 5: Up hill doing low lunges and Suz made me close my eyes at the end because imbalance strengthens you.
Exercise 6: Different plank exercises
Exercise 7: own the hill doing reverse low lunges. When we got down we did ”Jägarvila” til the last person got down.
Exercise 8: An exercise we have not done in a while called ”the idiot”. First you do one burpee, run up the hill and do 2 burpees, down the hill and do three burpees til we finished with 10 burpees at the top. Ran down and stood in ”Jägarvila” til the last person got down.
Exercise 9: Brutal. Ran as fast up to the top hill and ran as fast as you could down the hi..
Tonite I was beat but that is exactly how physical training should get you.
Ran back home and the pace was much slower
Total distance: 3.58 miles (5.73K)
Transport to: average pace: 6.17 min/k, VO2 Max: 30 ml/kg/min, cadence: 176
Physical traning: Distance: 1.09 miles (1.76K), max pace: 3.09 min/k, VO2 Max: 31 ml/kg/min
Transport from: Average pace: 6.43 min/k, VO2 Max: 22 ml/kg/min :-), cadence: 172
