Rehab rehab and.... rehab

Again, I am not sure what to write in a runner blog when I dont run.. But soon enough I will! Now, exercises in the morning, more exercises in the afternoon. Not fun, but I dont think, I just do.
Doctor on Friday, then I will take the next step.

Rehab- so far so good..

Exercises twice a day now, 20 min in the morning and afternoon. In the afternoon I add 10 minutes on the bike as well. Less than two weeks until I meet with the doctor again. Then we will do physical- and strength test, and decide on a new program. A program that just might include some running! I have more or less decided on the goal for next year, but I have to disucss it with my doctor.

Friday 3.30 pm, sun going down.

Friday 3.30 pm, sun going down.

Spanish course on the subway..

Sitting on the subway home from work, and I cant help picking up a conversation in spanish beside me. My spanish ears have grown larger during the fall, and when they start to talk about dancing and salsa I can not keep my mouth shut of course. Seven stations later I know more about colombian salsa and a number of other things. Maybe something to try after new year..

Rehab went well today, so far. Lets see tomorrow if the knee hurts more or swell up. Did the same exercises, but easier on the bike.

Rehab sucks..

I had forgotten what rehab is like. Pain and slow motion. Everything goes so slow, and the pain is always there. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Sometimes lurking around the corner, ready to spring forward. A runner said "make pain your friend, then you will never be lonely". Yeah, right. Funny guy.

Mindshift.

Normally, I go by heart, by feeling. I almost never follow my training plans. I adjust them depending on how I feel, if I am happy or sad, if I want to feel the smell of the woods or the speed of the street. I make the program and then I adjust.

Now I have to follow the program to 100 %. Otherwise I will end up destroying my knee again going too fast or drinking tequila listening to blues. I just have to stick to the program and start mental training. Loosing the salsa for a few weeks is tough, I realize I got a lot of energy from that.

Mindshift.

I have to see the good in the small things. Walking the stairs without pain. Feeling my muscles work while I do the exercises. Feel myself while doing the mental training.

Setting the goal for next year will help as well. I will not set an easy goal, but I need to talk it over with my doctor. I like challenges, and I need this to keep my motivation.  

No bike this evening. Only the exercises, carefully. And pray that my knee feels a tiny bit better tomorrow, so I can add the 10 minutes of bike I should do. It has to feel better tomorrow, it has to!

Rehab started- good and bad

At last. Was at the doctor this Friday, and I might be able to start running sloooowly in around three weeks as part of the rehab. Until then, rehab exercises including 10 minutes on bike. First day was fantastic, today not as good. Put too much weight in one exercise, and the knee hurt more afterwards.

Pekka, my doctor, warned me that this could happen. In this case, he ordered one day rest and anti-inflamatory medicin. So, thats what I have to do.. I might sneak away to the gym and do some other exercises tomorrow, just to feel that I do something..

Short walks and plastic foil..

Walking 100 meter, pain. Have to walk slow. I know I will quickly get stronger, but this really sucks. Work tomorrow. Well, one good thing I guess is that I will not be able to run between meetings. I have to walk sloooow.
Taking a shower takes some time. How do you shower without getting the knee wet?!? Tomorrow morning, I  will put the plastic foil to test...

Rehab..

Finally. Had the surgery done this week. It turned out to be a broken miniscus, which is good I guess. Good in that they found out what was the problem. Day after surgery, I started with easy rehab following the instructions from the doctor.

Next week on Thursday, I will call my rehab-doctor for a first meeting. Not easy to write about running when I effectively have not been running for many months. Its almost as if I have lost the running, and I am almost nervous to discover it again. Slowly I guess, and I will mix with biking (or spinning) and swimming. Or rather, I have to. To get a more varied training.

Think I will use this blog now for describing the rehab. Going from 0 km to the ultras I want to run. Later this year, I will set the goal for next year, when I see where the rehab is going. Maybe not an ultra 2011, we will see. Maybe a triathlon..?

Finding new ways..

Lost..?

"Why not search for new ways..?" A brilliant idea, getting a bit tired of the same routes to and from work. And to get some more training, more than the 18-19 km.

Using the excellent routeplanner for bikes, http://cykla.stockholm.se/, to find a new, nice way home from work. Since I wanted to pass the beautiful Järvafältet, I got this one: http://cykla.stockholm.se/Tiny.aspx?c=28e499s.

It worked perfect! For 500 meters...

Lost. Well, not completely lost maybe. But definitively not on the route. I sort of got the general direction right, and after a while I got on the right track. For a few minutes more, then lost again in the area of Tensta.

Tensta and Rinkeby are areas with maybe not the best reputation in Stockholm. Coming from the green and beautiful Järvafältet, crossing the motorway E18 to get over to Tensta, expecting a "concrete getto", finding nice parks and smiling people!!! (see the picture above)

A very nice surprise, and this is definitively a route that I will take home more times, with variations of course.

Yesterday I took an evening ride, seeing the first signs of fall- a group of swans flying south for the winter. This is really Sweden! It is supposedly summer still, but the birds are already flying south. Well, I cant really blame them..

But, no good thinking about that. Summer is still here, even though it is a bit more chilly now, and there will be many more beautiful days before the leaves have gone from green to yellow and red, and finally painting the ground in colours.

Soon MR X-ray

Visit at the doctor, and hopefully a date with MR X-ray (not superman or MiB, magnetic resonance x-ray..) during August. No running really sucks..

Just realized that rain in Sweden is slightly colder than rain in Panama. But not as heavy.. :-)

20 minutes of excercise for my knees, then 20 km on the bike. Nice ride, not many people outside. Sunday evening, gray.

Listened to an audiobook about philosophy, about truth. Interesting concept, truth. Have to think a bit more about it, maybe write down something. There are some odd ends to this, thinking about the movie The Matrix, a traditional philosophical question about existence. But I am too tired now to try and sort this out, some other evening, with whisky and lit candles.

Tomorrow, going to the doctor again, see if I can get the swedish health care system to take some more interest in my need to run, and hence my need to fix my knees. The swedish health care system is excellent for kids and old people. But when I come to think of it, that must be perfect for me! I am getting old, but I behave like a child :-)

Bikers are cool, runners just run

Back to the doctor again- and the bike.

No running the next two weeks, only boring rehab. Is there anything more tedious, boring and frustrating than "rehab programs"? Yes, I understand the importance of it, and I will stick strictly to the doctors plans.

"After two weeks, you can try very slow 500 meter runs". Wow. 500 meter. Not easy to find the motivation in that.

At least, I can bike. Thats ok. But I have realized that runners and bikers are very different. Or are they?

When I meet a runner, we greet eachother. With a smile, or just a nod.
When I meet a biker, they just look straight ahead, not moving a muscle in the face. Looking sooo coool.

I am thinking about participating in my first race the 15th of August. All money from the race will go to a cancer foundation. So, I was looking for a shirt. Not that I am very fast on the bike, but still it would be nice to get rid of the "flapping" of my shirt. And I realized that it is more or less impossible to find a biker shirt without one thousand commercial on them.

I am not that fast. Why would I try to look "professional" with a team-shirt, when I am just a happy beginner? "Simple is boring" was the answer from the guy in the shop.

With all the expensive gear, could it be that the bikers look serious and unhappy because they have no money left for the rent..?

So far, the only conclusion I can make is:

Bikers are cool, runners just run.

Slippery gravel and a good evening

Visiting our friends out on Helgö, an island in Mälaren, close to Stockholm. So, why not take the bike? Around 30 km and beautiful views- a perfect ride!

http://www.funbeat.se/tracks/shownonav.aspx?RouteID=446313

Very nice roads for bike. Well, maybe except for the last few hundred meters, when the asphalt turned to gravel. Last turn, going very slow, and the front wheel just started to slip to the right. Nothing I could do, except feeling happy that I had my bicycle gloves on. Never thought that gravel could be so slippery. Something I dont think about when running..

Happy to have learned something new this day as well, I cleaned it up in the shower, and then enjoyed a campari. Ok, maybe two camparis. Really good for a bloody leg.

Razak made some fantastic things with the grill, and after a great dinner awaited Germany against Uruguay. So much better football than the finals. Of course, here we had two teams playing football, in the final there was only one team playing football.

Since I didnt have any lights on the bike, I put the bike in the car, and got dropped close to Ekerö Centrum, to ride in the remaining 20 km. Cool air, still some light, very enjoyable.

Changing tyres

I just realize that I have no name for my bike yet. Have to think about that. Names are important. Or. Are they..?

With all the gravel and sand removed from the bicyle lanes, I thought it was time to change tyres to my racer-tyres. I found the perfect bike for me, a cyclocross. Built like a roadbike, but with enough room for wider tyres if necessary. Like wintertyres with small metal spikes on them. Or the original, that works for both road and trails.
But now its time for roooooad only!

Changing tyres, getting these racer tyres on, is really tough. Took almost one hour of hard, physical work. I just hoped it would go easier next time..

With these tyres, I at least feel fast. If it wasnt for the somewhat nerdy helmet with the "Ericsson" logo and for the fact that I was going only slightly faster thant I would if I would have been running, I would have looked almost like a biker. Almost..

Just before it was time to turn around and head back, my bike decided that she (yes, a bike is always a lady) wanted some rest. Flat tyre. Time to see if I was any faster changing tyre this second time. No problems, and 15 minutes later I was on the road again.


Crossing over the bridge Essingebron, and I had to stop for a while to enjoy the view. With weather like this, biking is so good!

Surprise on the bridge- and no more running for a while

Have had problems with my knees since February. The marathon was ok, but I could not prepare well for it. Also, it was not completely painless. At least not the last 30 kilometers. Time for rest, and I have decided to rest from running for one month and cancel all races this year. No Midnight Run, no relays at Bellmanstafetten, no Sörmland Ultramarathon.

Will stick to biking and swimming. Focus on bicycle, but it would be nice to be able to swim more than 25 meters without sounding like a steamtrain, so I will go swimming at least once a week.

Bike to work is pretty good. 18-19 km one way and a good 50 minute exercise, or slightly longer now when I am not that well trained. Slow through the central part with many redlights, but otherwise really good.

On my way back, I stopped at a red light just before the bridge Västerbron. Beside me was an overweight guy in bicycle tights on a racer. "Well, well, one of these guys that think they can go fast just because they have cool gear and clothes" I though. I mean, 10-15 years older and at least 20 kg more than me!

We started to talk, a very nice guy, when the light turned to green, we continued slowly up the bridge, chatting. "Where are you going?" "Ah, so you got a bit longer to go than me" etc etc.

Halfway up the bridge, I wanted to increase the speed. "Ok, I better get going" I said, and expected him to let me pass. Instead, he increased his speed and was soon flying towards the top of the bridge! "What the heck..".

Struggling to catch up I was sounding like a steam train. Centimeter for centimeter I managed to slowly close the gap. Saved by a red light at the other side of the bridge, I looked at his bike. And clothes. Old cloths, old bike, but gear that showed that this was no "wanna-be" bicyclist, but rather a "was-earlier-half-pro-and-still-kicking-ass" kind of bicyclist. He really kicked my ass at least! And oh was I laughing at myself! Who is the "wanna-be" bicyclist...? :-)

Legs soo heavy..

15 km on Saturday, rather fast, 7 km on Sunday, slow. And my legs feel soooo tired and heavy. Maybe need to mix in swimming in the training. And relax a little bit.

Thinking about cancelling the races for the rest of the year..

Getting running again..

Slowly getting running again. Not long. Not fast. Knees feeling ok though after marathon. Thinking about trying Vibram FF. Going barefoot..

A beautiful marathon- with a smile on my face, but thoughtful now..

First of all: Stockholm Marathon is a beautiful race. The surroundings are fantastic, and Stockholm in summer is like no other city.

With injuries during spring and only around 250 km of running the last three months before the race, running for a good time was out of the question.

Before the race, I had no time goal. I simply wanted to make it without my knees saying no. And I wanted to run across the bridge Västerbron (which we pass at 9 and 34 km) with a smile on my face, and I wanted to cross the finishline with a smile, not hurting too much. I succeeded with that!

I also managed to keep a very even pace throughout the race, not hitting any wall. The split-times for each 5-km part was like this:

0-5 km: 26:28
5-10 km: 26:58
10-15 km: 26:11
15-20 km: 26:13
20-25 km: 27:09
25-30 km: 26:03
30-35 km: 27:01
35-40 km: 26:41

and the last 2.2 km in 11:16. The fastest 5 km between 25 and 30 km, which means the last part of Djurgården and Gamla Stan.

Back to the start. 45 min before start, the gates to the start were opened. Together with some 15000 runners, I sat down on the wide street, waiting for the start to come. Runners from over 70 countries.

When the start came, nothing happened. At least not for half a minute or so. So many people getting started at the same time, and the first few km was pretty slow. But not terribly crowded, since the road was so wide.

Running through the city, with huge crowds on the sides. But. There were not so many applause, not so much cheering and not so many smiles. Neverheless, I enjoyed the run, running through my home city, seeing it from a different angle.

But running in a crowd like that, with so many spectators, is running with everyone watching, but noone seeing. A strange feeling..

Ida waving and shouting just before Västerbron, giving me some extra energy to cross the 30 meter high bridge with a light stride.

Just at the start of the second lap, my friend Benny and Stephen shouts! Good, starting to feel a tiny bit tired, I got some more energy. Soon after, there are several km of fantastic running through a green area in Stockholm, Djurgården. Not many spectators, but soo beautiful.

Feeling a bit tired now, but getting closer to the city and the crowds again gives me energy. I increase the speed slightly, passing a lot of runners that start to get tired. Passing Gamla Stan on the second lap after 30 km, feeling tired, knees hurting now.

Thinking about where I would be after 30 km in Panama City Marathon, right at the start of Amador, the worst part of that race, with sun blazing down with no protection. This is much better..

Reaching the bridge a second time, Västerbron, and still with energy in my legs, slowing just a tiny bit to maybe 5:25 min/km, starting to feel the smell of the goal.

Tired now, but when I pass Odenplan with only 2 km left, I increase the speed. Why not try to run the last part a little faster..?

Passing runner after runner, and finally entering the Olympic Stadion from 1912 for my first time is a fantastic feeling. Running like crazy the last part, crossing the finishline with a big smile on my face!

Beep beep. Looking at my watch "Do you want to update the max pulse to 186?" it says. Ok, maybe I was pushing myself a tiny bit towards the end, but I couldnt help it..

Walking to the medics tent, asking for ice to put on my knees. Hurting a bit, tired, but overall feeling good.

So, to conclude. A very beautiful race, and a great way to experience Stockholm. But will I run it again? I am not sure.

So many spectators, and so many runners. But so few smiles. On a few places, I got a lot of energy from the crowd.

At the start of Västerbron.

Across Västerbron.

When there was a speaker cheering and making the crowd cheer.

At S:t Eriksplan, with 3-4 km left, a bunch of people singing "Alla ni som skall till Stadion klappar nu" ("All who are going/running to Stadion clap your hands").

But all other places? A lot of people, very little sound.

Before the race. So many people, so little talking. Yes, if you talk to someone, they talk back. Thats actually true..

Same after the race.

I think I am spoiled with the races in Panama.

So social. So much talking and chatting before the race. When I ran the marathon in Panama City last year, at least 20 runners greeted me (or vice versa) during the race. Not much of a crowd, but the few people watching were cheering and shouting.
After the races in Panama, more chatting and talking which made me stay at least an hour after every race. Just to talk.

So, right now. I am not sure about next year in Stockholm. Actually, I am not even sure about Midnattsloppet in August. My dear brother doesnt know yet, but maybe I will focus on supporting him in his preparation of the race, and during the race.

One race I am certain of at least, is Bellmanstafetten in September. 5x5 km, and with only runners from our department at Ericsson, I will most likely be the slowest runner in our team. And I hope to do around 20 min. There we will rock!

3:44, perfect weather and beautiful race!

More info later. Now dinner, then a hot bath..

2 1/2 hours left. Time to go :-)

Will update here: https://twitter.com/medalavida

D-1. Or rather, 16 hours left

16 hours left, and a last short, slow, nice run. Our house can be seen on the other side of the water.

Tomorrow, I will wear my whit Pura Voluntad shirt and my white cap. And I will run with a smile on my face :-)

D-2.

Just got my number. Look at the flag to the right!!!

Testing the second lap of Stockholm Marathon

A cold Saturday in Stockholm, one week to the marathon. 10 C, rain and wind. So why not test the second lap on the marathon, just to get a feeling for it.

First lap is 16 km, second lap 26 km. Took the subway and started at Hornstull, rain pouring down the first few km, then it got better. The real start will be at Stockholm Stadium, on the picture below.

Following Valhallavägen, very green and nice.


But before that, or just before Stockholm Stadion, I pass a very strange flag. A flag with a machinegun on it.. Eeeh.. What country put a machinegun on its flag..?!? I have to stop, and read that the embassy of Mocambique is situated there. With a machinegun in its flag.. Actually, an AK-47, that represents their fight for freedom. In any case- interesting.



The added 10 km on the second lap take me out to Djurgården, maybe the most beautiful part of Stockholm, at least of the city. I hope I have the energy left on the second lap to enjoy the surroundings!

The preparations have already begun, and on several places tents where they will serve water etc is in place.


Passing the royal castle on my way back, passing the old town.


And finally in Hornstull, taking the subway back. A bit wet, somewhat tired knees, but happy!

Thin ice..?

A little less than 10 km, no long run. Nice but chilly.

I couldnt help laughing when I passed the sign on the picture further below, "Varning för svag is", "Warning- thin ice". Yes, I could almost see that. Thats why I left my skates at home and went for a run instead..

1 1/2 week left, and the signs are up: "Stockholm Marathon". I could feel the excitement. Is there still a chance? If I start slowly, like 5.30 pace..

A long run and Heaven Bikers!

Two weeks left to the marathon, and a final check. 20 km.

A month ago, I told myself that if I can run 20 km at least two weeks before the marathon, I still have the possibility to run the marathon.

Stopping a few times to stretch, felt the knees but they didnt really hurt. When I had crossed Liljeholmsbron and Västerbron, I found a big crowd of really tough bikers. Wow! They looked really cruel!

But wait a minute! Whats on their backs? "Heaven Bikers"..? Eeeh. Ok. Pretty cool actually. MC Worship! Found it later on the web, http://www.tyfrimc.se/aktiviteter/mc-gudstjanst/.

Smiling, I continued. So many happy people out today. So much energy. So much warmth. 26 C.

Just a few degrees more, and it will be perfect.. :-)!



Started through Vinterviken, Trekanten, crossing Liljeholmsbron and Västerbron, Rålambshovsparken above, christian bikers behind me.


A lot of activities in Rålis today. This was kayaking for beginners. Looked really nice!
















Continued Norrmälarstrand, passing City Hall (pic below), crossing over to Slussen and Södermälarstrand.

Then running Södermälarstrand, small bridge over to Långholmen, and around that small island. Fantastic, old houses below! This is in the middle of the city, more or less. Some parts of Stockholm is really fantastic and unique!



















Passing below Västerbron, running around Långholmen island.




















Långholmen, just below the Långholmen Youth Hostel and Hotel, a lot of people enjoying the sun. No one in the water though...

Troubled bridges over calm water..

Planned a longer run, and everything went smooth until the first bridge. A canal, slightly smaller than what I have been used to the last two years, but nevertheless big enough to let those small, irritating sailboat through. And to raise the bridge..

Took the time to stretch, and continued by the shore towards the next bridge. Firetrucks and policecars. And a closed off bridge. Some sort of car fire below the bridge, and the police couldnt tell how long it would be closed.

Decision.

Find another bridge? Add around 5 km to the run.

Or the subway...

Feeling a bit lazy, I went for the second option. The subway one stop, and then continued to run.

Nice run, a bit more chilly. And the knees are not very good. Three more weeks. Realize that the odds are about the same as for Denmark beating Russia in the ongoing hockey-game. That is, not extremely good.

But as always. I refuse to give up.. :-)

Beautiful sunset!

Short note, getting later here. 10.5 km run, not too fast. A bit chilly, but beautiful sunset. No wind.

Tomorrow rest, or, actually salsa at La Isla.

¡Vamos a bailar!

Running cold..

4 C. Rain. Wind. Can not be much colder than this, in a way. Knees hurt a bit. Slow pace. I seriously doubt the marathon in 4 weeks.

But.

We will see. There is still some time left.. :-).

Running blind

Running. Slowly closing my eyes. Focus shifting from breath down to my feet. All of a sudden, I can feel the ground through the sole. All my focus is on the feet now, shifting from eyes to other senses. I can see the ground with my feet, with my soles. I can hear the ground. So many more senses, more intense. Really weird.

10 seconds, 20 seconds. I can feel when I slowly get off track, and adjust to the left. 30 seconds, and I carefully open my eyes to make sure that I dont run into a tree.

Finally, I have to open my eyes. 30 seconds of a very strange feeling.

Running blind.

First 10 k in months!

10.5 km, 55 min. Rehab-speed, trying to keep it down. Felt good, but knees started to hurt just a tiny bit after 6-7 km.

8 C when I left home, sun setting, really beautiful! Just after 8 pm, sun shining red just over the horizon. Trees starting to get green, the sea Mälaren a mirror to the left. 2.5 km to the small lake, Trekanten, going for three laps around it and then back.

Sun below the horizon, temperature dropping. At the start of the third lap, it is getting cold. Sun have set, but it is still bright, close to 9 pm.

Running back, and I cant help holding my arms like an aeroplane, zig-zagging across the road. Too much energy in my legs, and I have to keep myself from running too fast. Knees starting to hurt, just a tiny bit, nothing disturbing.

4 1/2 weeks left. 10.5 km. I will have to do 12-14 km next weekend, comfortable, but with lower speed.

Tomorrow bike to work with my brother. Short run on Wednesday morning (getting drunk on Wednesday evening). Medium (hangover) run on Thursday, rest on Friday. Then I will see for the weekend.

Time to sleep..

Stockholm Marathon and minor brain problems..

Yes, I probably have some minor problem with my brain. Less than five weeks to Stockholm Marathon. What should be good paced 25 km runs on the weekend is now instead 7 km rehab runs, pretty slow.

Five weeks left, and I am doing rehab. Yeah! This is the point, where I stop taking advise, since I will find noone that support my view that five weeks to prepare for the marathon should be enough. Oh, and I want to beat my personal best as well. After all, its not a tropical marathon..

Well, Ida supports me. Probably because she knows I am crazy, and maybe a few of my panamanian friends, who not only thought I was crazy, but renamed me "Sueco Demente". And gave me a shirt with that printed on it! Thats the shirt I will wear on Stockholm Marathon!

I have decided that if I can run 20 km two weeks before the race, I will go for it. Otherwise, I might consider skipping this marathon. Sunday in a little less than three weeks. 20 km. Should work.

Meanwhile, I will mix biking with increased distances of running. When I run 10 km, feeling good in my knee, I will take my next glass of swedish whisky- to celebrate. That should be soon enough.. :-)

Cold but beautiful. And panamanian on the subway!

6.82 km, 37:08 min. Slow run after sunset.

Days are getting warmer, but after sunset its getting closer to 0 C again. Ice flakes still on the lake, but almost all snow is gone now. A few people out taking a walk, one or two runners.

Took a slow run, that turned out to be just a tiny bit longer than planned. It is really difficult to be patient. It felt pretty ok today, not too much pain. Felt a bit stiff, and a slight pain but not too bad.

Getting late now in Sweden. Thinking about what goals I should have for this year when it comes to running. I have a few ideas, and starting to think about one or two interesting projects. Soon, it is time to take a first look at the maps.. :-)

Coming back slowly, and two fantastic ultras

Have not written much the last few weeks, not here, not in FB. Why? Simply, not much running.

But, as all runners know. Injuries and rehab is part of running too. So, why not write about that boring part as well. When things do not go so well. When the smooth flight is transformed into a stiff trotting around, feeling every part of the knee, trying to sense differences in the pain. Improvement? Any change at all?

Less than two months to Stockholm Marathon and I am trying not to get stressed. After all. Its only 42 km. But maybe I have to give up my 3.15 goal that I set after the marathon in Panama last year. But I will run for sure, b ut I have to wait a bit with setting the goal. For now, my goal is just to get on track again.

4.5 km yesterday, and it did not hurt too much, just a little. Fairly slow pace, 5.30 min/km, talking and chatting with Dino. And the spring is really here! More than 20 C in the sun, everyone full of life. Today gray again, around 0 C. This is April in Sweden!

One day flowers are fighting their way up through the ground, the beautiful yellow flower above. Next day, a layer of snow.



Last weekend was exciting. Two fantastic ultra-races, and it was frustrating not to be able to participate!

One race here in Sweden, where Zebban (http://gonnarun100miles.blogspot.com/)made a go for his magic 100 miles in the 100 miles ultra TEC in Täby, north of Stockholm. 90 km this time. Next time you will make it for sure, Zebban!

Second race in California, where a number of my panamanian friends went for the 50 miles ultra AR50. Seven panamanians, and by far the largest foreign team in the race. Everyone made it, and making fantastic times as well! Some pictures and my friend Carlitos story here: http://gonnarun100miles.blogspot.com/.

Now I am looking forward for my next "not-so-close-to-ultra" training, with a knee that is slooowly getting better.

Will try training today- slooooowly. And spring is coming!

Sweden is a strange country.

During the weekend, it was +10 C and the snow was melting fast. Yesterday was too many degrees minus. And the light! Woke up this morning at 5.20 am something, and it was getting bright already. At this time of year, days are as long as the night, and the days are rapidly getting brighter. Something inside wakes up when the light returns to this strange country.

And on Sunday we change to "summertime", i.e setting the clock back on hour to get longer evenings. Summertime. With snow on the streets. Hmmm....

After one week of medication, anti-inflammatory, I will take a sloooooow run on the treadmil tonight. Keep your fingers crossed...

My crazy friend LC!

Its with excitment I follow my crazy friend LC in Panama on his 700 km run through Panama. From as close to the border to Colombia you can get in the east to the Cost Rican border in the west.

700 km.

In tropical temperatures!

Around 55 km every day!!

I thought the marathon in Panama was pretty tough, and our run together from the Atlantic to the Pacific last year even worse. But LC do this every day for two weeks! Craaaaazy!

He is running for Pura Voluntad (http://puravoluntad.org), which is spanish for Pure Will.

A few days ago, LC passed Panama City, crossing the bridge over the canal, Puentes de las Americas, and he should be passing my favourite surf-spot about now, El Palmar. But I hope he sticks to the road. Surfing and Corona is for later, LC.

Go Go Go!!!

Bursit - a good Monday?!?!

Imflammation in the knee, "bursit" (slemsäcksinflammation in swedish). Patience and medication, but no surgery!

The doctor did not think it was a good idea to run 50 miles in April (smart doctor), but Stockholm Marathon in June should be ok if I just took care of the rehab and had patience.

Yeah!!!

Next: anti-inflammatory pills for one week combined with anti-inflammatory gel on the knee. Rest, well, or swimming.
If ok after one week, I could get started reeeeally sloooow. With short strides.

The change from asphalt to snow was probably a large contributing factor that increased the stress on the knee (slemsäckarna). The 80 k run in December and all the races in November and December could of course have nothing to do with it... :-/

Ok. This means I will be a better swimmer, that I will exercise my patience and that I will be rocking in Stockholm Marathon!

Meanwhile, I will follow the progress of my dear (crazy) friend LC on his 800 km adventure in Panama that started yesterday. Will post link mas tarde.
And the three crazy (!) girls in Panama in their preparation for AR50 in April.
And of course my crazy friend Fer- my 80k-pal!

Copper Canyon Ultra - is this real?!?!

http://www.caballoblanco.com/

Is this for real? Is there really a possibility to participate?? To be there???

If so, I know for sure what my next target will be!!! Wrote an email to Caballo Blanco. Waiting with excitment for his reply.. :-)

Still alive..

Now I have an appointment with a doctor, in a little more than a week. Probably record time for socialistic Sweden..

Step-machine actually worked today, 20 minutes, and cheating a little bit with 15 min slow jog. Didnt hurt too much, actually not much at all.

Strange country, Sweden. Strange country..

Down and out

Ok. That was that. No TEC-ultra in April. Looking for a doctor.

Sometimes life sucks.

A bad knee and receipts to China

Lets start with the bad part. The knee sucks. Really sucks. But I guess that is an experience too. Yesterday, I could do 20 minute running, without really hurting. Today 40 minutes. And it felt really good. Then I was stupid enough to add some workout for my legs. That was not so smart. Now I have been sitting with ice on my knee for 40 minutes.

And I think to myself. "Why do I have to make such stupid mistakes to learn?". Isnt there any smarter way to learn? Like listen to other, smarter people? But I guess that is me, and I have to accept me as I am. Even the parts I dont like. Sometimes it is good to be stubborn, sometimes it is not so good.

Change of subject.

At work. Sharing room at work, with too few power outlets. I have this nice desktop that I can change the height, so I can sit sometimes and work standing up other times. Very nice. Only problem is that I have to unplug my charger for the mobile in order to plug in the desktop, to change the height.

So. Easily solved with a power splitter. So, I go to the secretary to ask.

Secretary: "We have no process for ordering power splitters".
Joakim: "Eh. Ok. So, what should I do?"
Secretary: "Easiest if you go and buy it yourself."

Ok. No big deal. Ok, it will be one more thing to fix, but no probs. But to claim the money, which is more or less nothing, 2-3 USD, I have to use the following process:

1. Scan the receipt.
2. Log in to the tool where I put in the claim.
3. Send the claim to China.
4. Send the receipt by airplane to China.
5. China checks my claim, probably to make sure that I dont try to fraud my company for 2-3 USD.
6. China sends the claim to my boss for approval.
7. My boss approves the claim and sends it back to China.
8. China informs the financial department that they have a GO to payout the 2-3 USD, that they now are sure is not a fraud, but an ok claim.
9. When China get my receipt by airplane, the store the receipt together will all other receipts they get from the whole world (in a big barn???).
10. I get my money on my account.

How much does this cost in working time?
How much does this cost in money?

and most importantly

How much CO2 does it cost to fly a receipt to China?

That would be truly interesting to see...

Tomorrow I will go and buy my power splitter. I will not keep the receipt. I think I can survive a 2-3 USD loss, and I will feel good about saving the environment some added CO2 in the atmosphere.

No, I will not tell you which company I work for... :-)

Curro Ergo Sum

What do we really know?

What is knowledge anyway..?

And more importantly. What the heck has it to do with running? And why write about it here???

Running is a good moment for thinking. Especially the long runs. With the bad knee, and alternative training, I have contemplated why running is so important to me. The running itself. Why?

How do I know that I am sitting here, writing on my blog? How can I be sure I am just not dreaming? A fundamental philosophical question, which is actually quite profound. The modern version is of course the movie "Matrix". A pretty cool movie by the way.
But seriously, how can I be sure..? And how can I be sure, that everything around me actually exist outside my own body?

If you take this to its bizarre limit, the true skepticism, I can actually only be certain of one thing: that I exist in this moment. I can not be sure I existed 5 minutes ago, but I can be sure I exist now. This is where Descarte said "cogito ergo sum", which translates a bit sloppy to "I think therefore I am". Great! At least something to be sure of..

Then of course, you can ask yourself: does it matter?

But if we know that we exist- what is then knowledge? What is knowing? Fundamentally?

According to some philosophers (or most, what do I know), for something to count as knowledge, we need to have a justifiable belief that is also true.

Belief. We have to believe it. Yes, I believe I exist. Most of the time.

Justifiable. Hmm. Well, cogit ergo sum. From my own perspective, I kind of think that there are a fair amount of "evidence" that I actually exist. I mean. The completely bizarre IT- and HR-support in Sweden, I would never have thought something like that out. So there must be something outside me that exist, hence I exist. But then again. Its a matter of definition if our IT-support actually can be defined as "existing". Damn, this was more difficult than I thought.

True. This is a really tricky part. How can say it is true. Cogito ergo sum, again (yeah yeah, maybe I am mixing things up, but I am a runner, not a philosopher..).

But.

When I run. When I feel my muscles, the breath. The pain. Can I be anything else but alive? How could I be non-existing, and feel so much?

And could that be it..?

Could that be a reason for running, or even the reason? To exist? To be, for a few moments (or hours if you are in the slightly bizarre ultrarunning-business) be certain of your own existence.

Curro ergo sum. I run, therfore I am?

Heart, reason and a bad knee..

Body and soul. Heart and reason. There is always a balance, or should be.

The first month in Sweden have been tough, tougher than I thought. Salsa have helped me, or us, to keep the balance, first in my ears, then the course we started.
And Alberto! Our wonderful salsa-teacher! Every second sentence en español, laughing and joking.

And the running of course, the core of my being. Well, an important part. That especially clear when I can not run. On my run home on Friday, I jumped to what I thought was solid ground.

It was not.

10 cm of icefilled water, and ice on the bottom. Managed to keep my balance, but hurt my left ankle bad, and it did nothing to improve my right knee. On Saturday morning, I could hardly walk. It was a balance of sorts, since I could barely walk on my left foot because of the ankle, and barely on my right thanks to my knee.

Balance.

Went swimming with Ida on Sunday. For the first time ever, I managed to swim 8x25 meters! Ok, I have some way to go before I will make the Ironman, but I dont care. If I can swim 25 meters now, I can do the Ironman.. I dont know... next year? The only two Ironman I know about, is the one in Hawai and the one in Kalmar.. I have to think hard about which to choose...

So. Balance between heart and reason. Reason tells me to rest. Heart tells me to go running. I am not the most balanced person on earth, but this time I will let reason win. For this time.. And for a while. Swimming is ok, but nothing, absolutely nothing beats the slow, steady, soothing rythm of long distance running. Or the adrenalin-filled flying through the air, beeing the antilope, short distance race. Nothing. Its all heart.

There is no reason, or sense, to run really long runs. Or to push the muscles and will to the limit on a heart-pounding 5k race. No reason at all. But heart. All heart!

But. As Blaise Pascal put it. Heart has its own reason (free translation)!

A dark wood, icecold water and two hours for contemplation

Friday afternoon. Sun is setting, and it is time to close down work and run home. Today we saw a strange, yellow round thing up in the sky. Someone said it is called "The Sun". I dont know, but it was quite beautiful.

Anyway, when I got running at 5 pm, that yellow things was long gone. So was the moon. Why use a headlamp in the wood if you can stumble on in loose snow on the tracks. If you find the tracks..

Met three horses on the way. Almos crashed into the first one. Shouldnt they use headlights???

Found a strange sign on the way. Could someone explain, please! "Skuttipp". Doesnt translate in any language.

Continuing passed Ulriksdal station and towards Stockholm. Probably above zero degrees C now, a lot of muddy snow. Pretty heavy to run through. Especially with my "light" pack on my back, with the work laptop and some clothes, around 5 kg extra.

Running across S:t Eriksbron, and the sidewalk are fairly crowded now. Jump to the left, onto the cyclelane. What looks like dry ground is actually 10 cm deep freezing cold water mixed with snow. Wonderful! Swearing a minute or two, before I calm down and realize that this is a good opportunity to see if wool-socks are as good as they are supposed to!

Freezing quite a lot for about 10 minutes, then my right foot start to warm up. After 20 minutes, I am perfectly ok. Wool rocks!

I like the two hour run home on Fridays. Give me time to think and relax. Listening to salsa, hearing the spanish brings me back to Panama for a few moments!

Running with a smile on my face!