Etikettarkiv: kneeissue

Double Death

Finally this weekend came when it would be time for Kullamannen, Double Death.

This is the second year that we have headed up on Friday, the day before the race.

I thought it would be better to not have to take the car on Saturday, instead head up on Friday, check in to a hotel, pack up the equipment I would need on Saturday, eat a nice dinner, get to bed early, eat breakfast and get ready for the race, also nice to have someone with me, who are close to me, who would cheer me on during the day. Very appreciated.

This year they moved the start a bit further up because they would renovate the harbour in Mölle so we switched hotel to Grand Hotel, or actually not the main hotel but one of Grand Hotel’s other hotels.

The number bibs got to me before the race so I didn’t have to get it Friday or Saturday. We booked dinner at Grand Hotel, I realized when I got to the hotel that my gloves were at home and hoped that I would be able to buy new ones. They have runner stores who sell things during these race days and lucky me I could buy a pair.

When we walked down to dinner the first 100 miles runner passed the hotel where the loop was so I cheered him on.

It was raining during the evening and I hoped that it wouldn’t be this type of weather Saturday. Kept my fingers crossed.

The dinner was yummy.

Then it was time to head back to the hotel and put the running clothes on the couch, mix the sports drink and charge the batteries for the headlight and also the extra battery for the mobile phone and then sleep.

Woke up the next morning and when we walked to breakfast there were 100 miles runners who passed the loop so I cheered them on.

Nice to see that the sun was out, it looked like it would be a great race day.

Had breakfast with a very nice view. Was nice to sit there and eat breakfast and then breathe for a moment.

I asked the information where the start would be because it was not really clear but now I knew.

When I was heading out from the hotel Camilla P showed up, she would do the Black Course. I wished her luck. While I was waiting for Wille to move the car closer to the hotel, Roger L showed up. He started running the 100 miles but had to throw in the towel. Nice to catch up with him.

I got ready, put on the clothes I would wear and checked that I had everything in my ultra backpack, filled the soft flasks with soft drink and the bladder with water. Stretched.

Got a ride down to Hotel Kullaberg and then Wille would park the car somewhere and hopefully get to the start before the race started. I was walking around the start and saw some familiar runners and talked with them and then Wille showed up

It started to get closer to the start so I I left Wille and got to the start

I would start in the first group and was waiting to get into the corral and also wait for the horse and the pompous music just before the start.

I had said that I would have a great day, no knee issue and I would get out on the second lap and finish this year.

Finally the race began, I realized that I had a good pace from the beginning and was suprised at the narrow part in the beginning that it was hardly any clogging. Here people stop and walk even if it is not even hilly, you can run there and do not need to stop.

It did not take long til the gloves, hat and runner jacket went off, when u get into the nature reserve it gets hilly straight away and u get very warm.

It was a new route this year because the Nimis part had turned into a no-go zone. I tested the new route in October and liked it a lot. It would be off road instead of the Nimis part. It would be interesting how we runners would handle all the narrow parts of the race. I let the faster runners pass me, stood to the side. I am not sure I will do different next year, some runners informed me that they would pass me and then I either stepped aside or kept running since they could pass on one side.

The weather was perfect, the sun was out, it was not too warm or not too cold and not too gooey. Some colleagues from work passed me and said hi and we cheered each other on.

I realized that I still was doing good. I wanted to run the first lap around 3 h and 30 minutes and realized somewhere during the first lap that that would be possible 🙂 So I was hopeful, stopped to walk from time to time because of some challenging hills, need to work on running up those hills next year but the knee did not give me any issues

When I was on my way to the light house, I passed a kid, kids are so spontaneous, how slow she is running, I turned around and said Yes I do. Compared to the runners around me I ran slower but it was ok, the pace was not that bad.

New this year was the rope down the stone part after the light house, that is one of the tricky places where you have a big stone but cannot just climb down, you need to move down trying to find something to grap with your hands and now you could use a rope, went so much faster. Was still hopeful but when it was 3K left the knee started to complain, bummer! Let Wille know that I had to see what would happen with the knee, I might throw in the towel. I hoped that the issue would go away but that did not happen

When I got to the beach where it was a lot of stones, my feet were not happy. Then I heard it was only 600 m left.

Interesting feeling hearing people cheering me on, also Wille who sat on that last part before the loop. and know that  I wouldn’t continue. Showed the official who kept track of us runners, he wanted me to get out on the loop but I signed that I was throwing in the towel.

Even if it did not go my way, I had a great first lap, 3 h and 38 minutes. Now I have to fix my knee issue.

The goal now is to run pain free, the journey has already started with going back to the gym twice a week, Yoga once a week, massage every other week, the calves have been stiff and might be one thing that cause the knee issue or hips

I will be back next year, be able to run pain free and run through the finish line.

Results

 

 

39.37K Trail Run

#51

This week it was time to raise the bar, 2 months left til the only race I will run this year.

When I got back from vacation I looked at the calendar and decided that it is more important that I run 3x40K runs and 2 runs at Kullaberg before the race.

So the first 40K trail run would happen today and first time on Österlen. Decided  to start at Alunbruket and thought that 40K would be at Baskemölla.

So I wanted to start running earlier since I thought it could take 6h to finish.

Started the run at 8.13, it was 13oC (55.4F), wore shorts, t-shirt. It was definately cooler but I never got too cold. Great to run when it was cooler.

Did not have to deal with the cows at the first meadow, they had been moved 🙂

Since it has not been a lot of trail running on my vacation and I have gained some weight it would be interesting how I would handle the hills but I ran up on the hill at approximately 3K (4K normally when I have started at Christinehof) and then I managed to run up on the hill at approximately 7K (8K when I start from Christinehof)

Then I decided that I would give it a try on the first hill when I get close to Brösarp and managed to do that, not all the way but part of it and then to my surprise when I got on the top it was cows there instead of horses. I thought that I would be able to run on the side of one cow that I thought was a good distance but she got scared and ran away 🙂

When I got down in the valley one cow was just where I would run so I had to get up with an alternative way because it was a lot of cows, worked.

The first 20K went well, I ran 10K in less than 1.5 hours, 20K in less than 3 hours.

After 20K I ran into a knee issue and had to do some more walking but thought that I still would be able to finish under 6h.

 

When I got to Stenshuvud I walked up because it is a lot of stones and some stairs.

 

What a view, I am blown away every time I have run up there. Now the uphill part was now the down hill part.

At Stenshuvud I got 5 drops of rain on me, saw that it was blue sky and white  clouds so I thought that I would be fine.

Felt good when it was 5K left

At the end I had very tired feet and the right leg was tired, ate a lot of carbs and drank Tailwind with coffeine to get the soreness off.

Last longest run was 28K and now I ran 39.37K, ran at the end, a bit tired but I can do it 🙂 Was expected to be more tired the first time

Some trekkers were out and passed some runners.

After the run of course I had to take a swim in the ocean, oh boy it felt much colder

Results

20.47K City Trail Run

#48

I am back, did not blog over vacation, ran 5x5K runs. Enjoyed starting early in the morning when it has been cool.

Got back yesterday, before I went on vacation we had tropical heat in Sweden and after nearly 2 weeks in France the temperature has dropped but it is still warm.

Decided to head out on a long run after breakfast but the temperature as 24oC (75.2F). Brought 1 liter of water in my ultra back pack.

My legs were fast from the beginning but me running in the heat is not best friends so a slower pace would be much better but forcing my legs to run slower is just going to give bias (=snedbelastning) so I decided to let my legs decide the pace and when I would get this uncomfortable breathlessness I would stop and walk to catch my breath.

Even if is was warm when I started it was cloudy and there was a breeze so it  was not as tough as two weeks ago when I only lasted for approximately 1K.

The first hill I just ran up but then around 3.5K I had to stop and walk for a moment and then I ran again til I got to this part where I have walked in the past, it is a road in the neighborhood which goes up for a while.

Then I ran longer before I had to stop again.

Thought that I would be fine when I got to the first hill at Klosterängens höjder but I could not run all the way up that hill. When I stood at the top to catch my breath I saw on top of the second hill were school kids, they were not going to destroy my run but decided to run back on the first hill and run up again and hope that they would be gone. Now I managed to run all the way up 🙂 Felt good.

They had started walking down the second hill so I got ready and ran up the second hill and then ran down on the other side, ran back up again and ran all the way 🙂

Then up the fourth hill.

Then it was time to run to St Hans hills and run one lap there.

After approximately half the run I ran into a new knee issue, did not feel the same as before so I had to deal with that, what helped was to walk, if I started to run too soon I felt it in my knee so then I just had to walk some more.

It felt good to run up all the way on all hills except one, what I did this time was not to stop and catch my breath, kept walking instead and then when I was ready I started running again.

Then the worst was over and I had approximately 5K left. Wanted to finish under 3h.

I could wet my whole hair at the grave yard, had a place where you can fill water pitchers with water. Oh boy did that feel good.

I have to say that the heat was not the biggest issue, earlier it was blue sky and sun and now it was cloudy, but the fast legs in the heat made me have to walk from time to get rid of the uncomfortable breathlessness and then then knee issue from time to time.

Was glad to head out and get this long run, hope that it will cool down soon so I just can run.

Results

Weight report

Been on vacation, expected weight gain since I would not run as much as I normally do, hoped it would be around 2 KG and this felt good

+2.3 KG

 

20.38 City Trail Run

#35

Last week when I ran this route I had to cut the distance due to rain.

At lunch it started to rain and according to the weather report it was suppose to rain the whole afternoon. Oh no. The best would be if I could run my longest run Tuesday. Lucky me the rain stopped and when I biked home from work it was cloudy but not grey.

Decided to wear my linnen, shorts, ultra back pack so I had plenty of fluid to drink and wet my hair if I wanted to.

Started my run and it was not too hot in the beginning, managed to run to the first hill part where I always walked. I had issues with the water, hardly came out anything, knew that I had set the water bladder correctly so it was a good idea to stop just before it was time to walk. Turned out that I had not pushed the tube enough and fixed that issue, so much nicer when I got water flowing into my mouth.

I had tired legs so it would be interesting to see how I would manage the hills.

Ran into a smaller knee issue and decided to stop and walk for a while to get the knee feeling better.

Then it was time to run up the first steeper longer hill at Klosterängens höjder, so far I had been able to run up all the way but just below the top my legs did not want to run anymore. Stood at the top to catch my breath.

 

Then it was time for the second hill where I could run up all the way 🙂

Stood and enjoyed the view and catched my breath a little before it was time to run down on the other side.

Stood still at the bottom for a short moment and hoped that I would be able to run up all the way on the third hill and I did 🙂

On my way to St Hans hills I had to stop and walk a few times due to both the heat and knee issue.

Still no grey clouds indicating it would start raining.

Got to St Hans hills and ran up the first hill, walked after that.

Ran up almost all the way on the second hill but had to stop and walk just below the bottom. Before that hill I had a horse and rider in front of me and they were getting up on that hill. Hoped that they would have gotten enough up before it was time for me to run up the hill, do not like to come behind a horse where it is narrow but they were up before I got up.

Then I managed to run up the short steeper hills and was curious about the circle hill. I couldn’t run up all the way on the second hill and I was not surprised.

Then on the hill in the grove I had to walk on the hill at the end.

But then I just decided that I would run up all the way on the ”Murder” hill and I did it, what a great feeling.

Still no indication that it would start raining so I decided that I wouldn’t cut the distance.

Some more walking before I got back home, hoped that I would get under 3h and I actually did it. Glad I could run the original route that I had planned.

Results:

 

Weight report:

 

25.2K Trail Run

#34

Since it was going to be a warm Saturday I had decided that the car would leave at the latest 8 am.

Got up 15 min earlier, started with brushing my teeth, clean my face and put water in the water bladder and sports drink in the soft flask before I ate breakfast.

Turned out to be a good thing, had time to stretch longer and we wer actually out of the door before 8 am 🙂

This time I did not forget to put on my pulse watch.

Actually it was a bit colder when I started my run and was hoping it wouldn’t get too hot.

Got on orange marker, everything was fine til I got out on a meadow where I realized it was cows there, had not been any animals there before. I thought I would be just fine til they started to move towards me, oh no. I told them that I am just going to pass you and continue my run and all of a sudden they ran down the meadow and I thought that they were scared of me and thought that they would stay where they were but now they got back, gave me the evil eye. It was long way til I would get to the other side, this did not feel good so I backed back watching them and when I thought that I had a distance that was close enough to the stair I ran fast and got back on the other side of the wall.

Text message Wille and informed me that it would take a bit longer because of the cow attack and have to run back on yellow to get ahead of the meadow.

When I got on yellow I saw cows on the right and thought oh no, no more cow attacks but they stayed where they were 🙂

The first half of the run was fine. When I got to the rest room at the rest area and finally it was cold water so I could wet my face the regular way.

Felt that it started to get warm.

So the last 6K to Haväng I wet my face 4-5 times.

Friendly cows by the way.

When I started the run between Haväng and Vitemölle I got down to the water to wet my face and hair to cool off, felt SO good.

When I ran between Haväng and Vitemölla I had a good pace but had to stop from time to time and walk but finally I got to the finish point and once again stepped into the water with my clothes on. Before that Wille had brought cold water in the car and I drank most of it.

Results

Then a lovely lunch at Ingelsta Kalkon

 

10.03K Short Run

#33

After work I had decided that I would run a 10K run, yesterday I changed my mind and decided that 12.5K would be the route but then I changed my mind again and decided that 10K would be fine.

It was hot when I biked home so it was running skirt, linnen, water belt and flip belt.

It was warm from the beginning but if I wet my hair I was fine, it is so important to wear water belt or have a ultra back pack with a water bladder so you can drink and/or wet your hair in the summer when you are not close to the water.

At approximately 4K I ran into a knee issue and was forced to walk and had to do that from time to time after that.

Still I ended up with a pretty good time.

I am doing a test this week, hope that by running Wednesday before Saturday will get my right knee in shape. I do not want to run into a major knee issue on Saturday when I will run my longest run.

 

16.07K Hilly Run

#28

The original plan was to run the same hilly run as last week but got delayed at work and when I biked home it felt very warm. I was not sure if I would survive or not but time would tell.

Put on linnen, running skirt, ultra back pack with one 250ml water bottle and one 500 ml water bottle.

Me running and heat are not best friends and the heat affected me early.

Forced myself to run approximately 2.7K before I had to stop and walk.

What is it with stones. Why do they most of the time put themselves between the shoe and my heel?

Then it walking from time to time up to Klosterängens höjder. But I had promised myself that I would run up all the hills there.

Was totally exhausted when I had run up the first hill and had to catch my breath.

Then I ran up the second hill and catched my breath there for a shorter time and ran down on the other side. But when I turned around and started running on this longer hill I had to stop and walk shortly and then ran up the last part. Had to catch my breath 🙂 Then I just had to run up the last hill before I ran towards St Hans Hills.

At around 8K I ran into a knee issue.

I decided on my way to St Hans hills that I would try to run up all the hills even if it might mean I had to walk between.

Got ready, last week I was not able to run up the first hill but this time I did. Was very breathless and had to walk before the second hill.

Running up on all hills was very exhausting tonite. Tired legs as well but I ran up all the hills which felt good.

During the run I decided I would cut the distance due to the heat and knee issue at the end.

When I finished running one lap on St Hans hills I ran directly to my home instead of continuing on my 5K run back.

 

 

20.4K Hilly Run

#26

The original plan was to run a 18K hilly run in the city after work.

I remembered that I had run a hilly run to Klosterängshöjden and on St Hans hills.

Checked my earlier runs and tried to figure out the route.

Today it would be a ad hoc run. Would figure it out on the way. The route that I found was 20.69K and I was not ready for that even if I will increase the distance this weekend.

Started the run towards Vallkärra, my original 5K run and then turned up to Annehem and on my way to Klosterängshöjden.

It was a bit warm so I was glad I brought my water belt so I could wet my hair and drink water. I also had decided to wear my linnen which was a good choice.

When I had run around 5K this longer flatter uphill started and my legs once again refused to run. I also had to stop and get out the irritating stone that had got in between my shoe and my heel. Why do the stones always get stuck there. Really annoying.

Then I ran all the way to Klosterängshöjden, ran up the first steep hill and was very breathless when I got to the top and had to catch my breath, ran up the second hill where the bulls are.

Ran down on the other side and up again and down on the first side.

The first 12K I had a good pace and didn’t have any issues but when I got closer to St Hans hills I started to feel an issue in my right knee, not pain but something so I walked up the first hill.

At St Hans hills I had to walk more times due to this knee issue.

Decided that I would run back on the 5K that I started on and thought that I would end up with 19K but ended up with 20.4K.

Now I have really heavy legs but I was glad I got out and ran this route.

Weight Report

-4 KG since May, it is definately going in the right direction.

12.7K Trail Run

#16

Time again to get up to Frostavallen and continue with my trail running.

Suppose to be warm so I wore running skirt, linnen, ultra backpack, altralone peak 3.5, compression socks.

The weather was perfect, not as warm as the last time I was here but not too cold and also a breeze

Nice to be back and also that it is so dry, last year it was wet wet wet, gooey, gooey, gooey

The goal was of course to run up all the way on some more hills and also start running on all hills except two (Djuralids hill and the hill after)

Groups of treekers were also on the markers where I ran, I combines green, white, green today. In the beginning it was a larger group and they were in my way 🙂 A funny comment was here is someone who is in a hurry. Yes I am I responded and ran up the hill all the way, don’t think I did it last time 🙂

I would increase the distance to 12.5K, that’s why I added the white part which is a bit hillier than the first green part. Got up all the way on the first one on the white part which felt great but then there are two that are close to each other where I had to stop and walk on part of them.

It is so nice to run in the woods, I hear the birds singing and it smells lovely. And now it is so green.

I realized that when I would get back to the parking lot at Frostavallen I would not have been running 12.5K and have to come up with a new plan what to do. Decided to run around the lake of Wax (Vaxsjön) but still did not get 12.5 so I ran back on the green marker on the other side of the lake (where I normally come back on) and then found a new orange path into the woods and explored it.

Did not run into any knee issue til 8K and then I had to do a lot of walking.

Every time I run it just feels better and better now. I hope that it is true. I get lighter and get used to running again.

12.5K Short Run

#15

Tonite it was time to increase the distance to 12.5K.

When I biked home from work I would cross the route that the St Hans Extreme 6h race would run. Had time to stop and cheer them on. They had started 2 pm and I biked home 4.30 pm

It was warm so I put on linnen, running skirt, mandatory water belt and flipbelt.

Started my run, at one point I started to run faster and in the heat my lungs protested and had to stop walking for a bit

So then I got to the part where the ultra runners were running between the hills and they had a flat part where I also ran. I cheered on all of them who I was passing, some I knew and some were strangers, I probabaly cheered on some regular runners, thought they were part of the race but probabaly wasn’t.

I had issues with my right knee so most of the walks was due to this knee issue but was glad I got out anyway.

I had to pass a horse that was in front of me, ran as far to the left as I could just in case the horse would be scared.

Did not suffer so much because of the heat, am so glad that I have water with me so I can wet my hair and drink water to not get dehydrated.