tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9576902325781976672024-03-18T04:04:01.049+01:00DDitlev's BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-42749892902492741022018-03-04T10:47:00.002+01:002018-03-04T10:47:29.670+01:002017, where did you go :)<div style="text-align: justify;">
Lots of stuff has happen since my last blog post.</div>
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Work wise I started as head of development in a company that had been disrupted after years of dominating the marked. Trying to turn this super tanker into an agile fast moving machine has taken a lot of energy and focus. Not much time left for ultra training</div>
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Family wise I got married to a beautiful ultra runner woman I met the first time in AAUT 2015, Megan. She joined me here in Denmark, though she was living in UK at time where we met. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The joined family</td></tr>
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Speaking of AAUT this year was the first year that I didn't run the 230 km ultra run since I did my first in 2012. I also had to skip a planned 100 km race that my wife and I had run in 2016 as well.</div>
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Some of my last posts included yoga and healthy eating. Another thing I want to share with you is meditation. I hope to find the time to write more about that in the near future.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-23747574212660762182016-12-18T14:56:00.000+01:002017-02-28T17:23:10.102+01:00Zero to a 100k in 18 hoursFriday evening after my last official day at work I set out on an unsupported 100 km solo event. I was carrying everything I was planning to eat and drink in my backpack. I had made no drop bags and no water drops. I set out on a 'pilgrimage' to dive deep and to explore those thoughts that we tend to avoid when having an option.<br />
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It has been many months since I last had geared up. My backpack was filled to the brim. Food, water, extra clothing, vaseline, spare flashlight, heat pads, .. I had to leave a few things behind as they simply couldn't fit.<br />
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At 8:22 pm Friday evening I set out. I had planned a 100 km route that would begin and end at my front door. My target would be to do it in between 16 - 20 hours. I wanted to see a sunrise and not a sunset. That was my success criteria.<br />
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I knew it would be sub-zero temperatures most of the trip, so I planned to keep a steady pace that I could keep going at throughout. I didn't want to be soaking in sweat while having to take a break somewhere in freezing temperatures.<br />
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I had told my girlfriend that I would message her every hour. She didn't have to answer but I wanted her to know that I was ok.<br />
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First 10 km was on high-speed traffic tar road, not sure what was going through the head of the drivers as they saw me but at least some of them were nice enough to lower their lights. After that, the Jyderup trail began and I could focus on inner thoughts.<br />
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The next many hours was spent in darkness. I had turned my head torch to the absolute minimum setting to save battery. A small circle in front of me was all that I could see. I am glad I knew this trail before hand.<br />
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For many hours I was merely thinking about keeping the pace. Never thought about the grand scheme of things or how many hours I will still be at it. I had a little timer in my pocket alarming me when it was time to send a new message to my girlfriend.<br />
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I am a big tall man, I am the son of a fisherman, I am from Jutland, I have won many championships including a Danish Karate one. I fear nothing .. but man, the sound of the forest running in pitch black really started getting to me. I was looking forward to exiting every forest part of the trail every time I entered one.<br />
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After 30 km I was starting to feel it. My knees, my Achilles. At this point it hit me. No matter what I did I was at least a 4 hours walk away from rest. My girlfriend asked me how I was doing and when I said 'not great' she instantly phoned me. "How are you feeling", "Yes, that is to be expected. No surprises there", "We knew that", "Keep going, it will feel so good later", "There will be ups and downs". I knew she was right. I knew all of it. I never planned otherwise. But I was very touched by her reaching out to me. No one has ever done that. She didn't hesitate for a second before calling me. I was focusing on what did feel good. I had lots of food if I became hungry. I had water if I was thirsty, I had heat pads should I be cold, I had even brought pain killers should I need them. There was no problem I couldn't handle, even on my own<br />
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About 40 km in I found myself in a freezing fog. Ice crystals were forming in the air around me. It was beautiful.<br />
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Mentally it was a huge win when 10 km later I reached 50 km. Now every step was a step closer to home. Even though I literally still was going in the opposite direction mentally it made a huge difference. I was no longer in doubt that I would make it. Another 10 km later finally the city that was my turn around point : Jyderup.<br />
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60 km done. I was cold and hungry. I checked out google maps for a bakery and found one. Headed there. The look of the woman behind the desk as I entered was priceless. I sat down and had a nice breakfast: Coffee, chocolate milk, two rolls with butter and a coke for the trip home.<br />
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Life was good. I had made it so far. It was 10:30 hours since I set out. Still had two liters of water in my backpack. Lots of food. My girlfriend as support. Only 40 km to go and lots of time to make it before sunset.<br />
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When I head out again the cold really hit me. The contrast from the hot bakery to the sub-zero outside was striking, but I knew that it would pass. Just had to keep moving. I was soo looking forward to seeing the sunrise. I knew it was supposed to happen at 8:45.<br />
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It was cloudy and foggy so I would never see it. But I equally appreciated the light spreading around me. Finally.<br />
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An hour earlier it had been pitch black, now I could turn off my head torch. Now I could see the path ahead of me. Awesome. I asked my girlfriend to get some rest. She had been awakened every hour through the night when I had sent my status message. She had been so amazing. I am so grateful.<br />
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I asked her to rest, but a few hours later messages started popping in. From friends and family. Instead of resting she had started letting people in on my 'pilgrimage', asking them to send my encouraging messages. I was so touched.<br />
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It was cold. I was freezing now more than I had been during the night. I didn't eat a lot on the last 40 km. My food was really cold and I couldn't stomach it. I had my coke and that was basically all I drank.<br />
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The kilometers passed by and I upped the pace. I wanted it to be over before sunset. One of my friends asked me what direction I was coming from. He would join me on the last 500 meters taking photos.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYBsL5ZVKTyiC2nVOGXJp2YYKJUhtzO3XiYYShyphenhyphenW1wC_h5mL4PowKqMMh_Ta8CWW1oqbMJ2v7e1iQ3Y5ds3wm9oeG1EyFMpMpLOW3rp3LlIvrHu19-v5B_wRDjYV4mSe4aXL3Dk6BbvHU/s1600/received_10211806099015690.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYBsL5ZVKTyiC2nVOGXJp2YYKJUhtzO3XiYYShyphenhyphenW1wC_h5mL4PowKqMMh_Ta8CWW1oqbMJ2v7e1iQ3Y5ds3wm9oeG1EyFMpMpLOW3rp3LlIvrHu19-v5B_wRDjYV4mSe4aXL3Dk6BbvHU/s320/received_10211806099015690.jpg" width="202" /></a></div>
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It was nice having someone be there at the finish line. He even brought a tiny bottle of champagne for me.<br />
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I had made it. 100 km in 18 hours. I hadn't trained, I hadn't geared up since I got injured in July but with the moral support of the people around me, everything proved possible. Thank you all!! Most of all my girlfriend, who's reply, when I told her about this adventure two days earlier, simply was: "I understand".<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-39414904449868420662016-12-11T18:28:00.003+01:002017-02-28T17:30:00.006+01:00Finding a foundation - Yoga<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mJRHOcNhVesmJZcpjFjeUXk3llLpDZYDwpBEt6J4vXsMdiL-5O1qzLB0DnCA1bLt_EtVIl_NLe2b9l7U2WqXtV_PHXjfLBHn-PWjvoN0Oe-_kXMorDtXvUkusOWI7keR4q2xGbVTqK0V/s1600/Different-Yoga-Style-To-Choose-From.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_mJRHOcNhVesmJZcpjFjeUXk3llLpDZYDwpBEt6J4vXsMdiL-5O1qzLB0DnCA1bLt_EtVIl_NLe2b9l7U2WqXtV_PHXjfLBHn-PWjvoN0Oe-_kXMorDtXvUkusOWI7keR4q2xGbVTqK0V/s320/Different-Yoga-Style-To-Choose-From.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">source: Google</td></tr>
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Disclaimer: To me, Yoga is not about being a tree hugger. I don't do crystals, auras, chakras or Gurus. I use Yoga for my own sake not to be part of a group. My group is my family. I approach everything that can't be explained with Science with a very skeptical expression on my face. Just because it is 'ancient' doesn't give it credibility in my book. That said I have invited Yoga into my life.<br />
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My first introduction to Yoga was a 1 on 1 session based on Forest Yoga. It was very intense and the sessions lasted an hour+. I was sweating buckets. I was a bit shocked about the exposure of some of the poses and to be honest I still am ;) Happy baby or Downward dog in Yoga pants doesn't leave anything to the imagination. My instructor was not left in doubt of what I was thinking about the hands-on corrections of my poses. With the unflattering stories from e.g. Bikram Yoga, it is easy to see how this can turn into something other than healthy exercises for the body and the brain.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYDdZQvp_nq6hW9Z3xI1RNOuPxQBr8SR5aJQUlWX1ygeaJeg4urnYbURcFewik9_LgQxjFVIon83vyKhH8j3xzlfhZKEhS7A4s82S8GWcsBwTEvlxn7Wl9jxFYHObhr1EIRMNegGb9EgT/s1600/bikram+in+india.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCYDdZQvp_nq6hW9Z3xI1RNOuPxQBr8SR5aJQUlWX1ygeaJeg4urnYbURcFewik9_LgQxjFVIon83vyKhH8j3xzlfhZKEhS7A4s82S8GWcsBwTEvlxn7Wl9jxFYHObhr1EIRMNegGb9EgT/s320/bikram+in+india.PNG" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source: Google</td></tr>
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The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga#Tantra" target="_blank">Yoga</a> that we know today has taken its root in tantra, which is aimed to help one's health, long life and liberation through extensive use of chakras and mantras and sexual techniques. As stated I don't do Yoga to examine these areas but be aware .. this <u>is</u> the root of Yoga. Again I can easily see how things can be sliding here.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYl0NAXvaZiqYHnydRaZRT49CGv9J1x_hI0nPjGNic403ox0DzIeuc5UretOEWQocbB-fUB8pE5kj6AJKU_j4ry7vtUHkctOIr6p5puSswww24jAe1hv6E3wjtOrgeVSLZ6uAvJxokLg8/s1600/bikram-yoga.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDYl0NAXvaZiqYHnydRaZRT49CGv9J1x_hI0nPjGNic403ox0DzIeuc5UretOEWQocbB-fUB8pE5kj6AJKU_j4ry7vtUHkctOIr6p5puSswww24jAe1hv6E3wjtOrgeVSLZ6uAvJxokLg8/s320/bikram-yoga.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Source: Google</td></tr>
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After that session, I went on a Google session to find Yoga without nonsense. The search was funny. Half of the results stated that Yoga without the nonsense was exactly focusing on these areas and the other half was leaning forwards alternative options such as Pilates. It seemed clear that the Yoga community wasn't seeing the problem here. What do I know .. perhaps there was no problem but I was definitely looking for something else.<br />
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I knew from a number of friends that Yoga had given them a lot especially runners so I was keen on giving it a try but I wanted something pure and rid of 'nonsense'. Clearly, the exercises were effective and strength building. Adding tempo to the routines also made them potentially good cardio training.<br />
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There are many classes locally but I didn't feel like trying out all of them plus I like an exercise where I can do it when I have the time and need.<br />
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I went to YouTube. First impressions were that many channels were very much about the exposing the Yoga teacher more than giving good classes. The camera positioned to focus on the cleavages instead of displaying the correct posture. It is a business. Viewers mean money. This was not what I was looking for. I was nearly giving up on Yoga as a serious exercise.<br />
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I was looking for a structured series of exercises that was targeted to build strength and or flexibility to a certain area of the body without mentioning chakras, sexual energy, spiritualism, mindfulness or rules for how many grams of clothing one was allowed to wear. Where the practitioner is in focus, not the instructor.<br />
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Ultimately I did find a YouTube channel that was good. It was called <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFKE7WVJfvaHW5q283SxchA" target="_blank">Yoga with Adriene</a> . I was a beginner and her beginning classes were very down to earth and she had a good portion of self-humor that made the all the nonsense way more acceptable.<br />
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I did her classes for many months until I got familiar with the names of most common poses and their target areas. Then I moved on to her more intense classes. Power flow Yoga, Yoga for weight loss and so forth. All was good but I had reached the point where I was ready for less talk and more structure. So I went looking again.<br />
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This time I ended up with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-0CzRZeML8zw4pFTVDq65Q" target="_blank">Sarah Beth Yoga</a>. Her channel was less feel good and more to the point. Most of her classes (except the early ones) are filmed from the side with a good view of how to position oneself correctly. They also provide an alternative to some of the tough poses so everyone can get something of the class. They are faster in pace so I really do suggest that beginners do begin with Adriene instead.<br />
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Both channels offer routines aimed at certain areas, moods or intentions.<br />
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One note I must make. I thought of Yoga to be safe and without chance of injuries. That is a far cry from the truth. There are many ways to get injured in Yoga. A Yoga instructor <u>should</u> guide you through these with care and you should not do something that your body isn't ready for. You CAN get seriously injured.<br />
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So have I found what I was looking for? I think I have. Though not totally ridden off the topics mentioned, I have found that at least one of these topics is actually good. Mindfulness. Being in the present without the noise of the past and the future. Enabling you to make the best decisions based on the current input. Giving yourself a mental break in a stressful environment. More on that in a later post.<br />
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Today my living room is turned into a Yoga studio. Simple and zen like. I do Yoga daily. I am more flexible and strong from the exercises. Had I been so if I had turned to Pilates? Likely, but I ended up with Yoga instead. If you want to take on Yoga yourself, try the two channels mentioned or look for no-nonsense classes in your neighborhood. Namaste!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZiFY-kTG8bXJInMj466w0Dh7oS3JT26b6v0pbHIqYeyD86pFC3ShQOMo4XudkSrw57tXOFnqE6jrHMQ1KCiQcP5NHA7D3YDBvTNw5x6GLCqU-lCu1S-5__oKYqX2CTM3S2wdPLTYonpA/s1600/Side-Plank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFZiFY-kTG8bXJInMj466w0Dh7oS3JT26b6v0pbHIqYeyD86pFC3ShQOMo4XudkSrw57tXOFnqE6jrHMQ1KCiQcP5NHA7D3YDBvTNw5x6GLCqU-lCu1S-5__oKYqX2CTM3S2wdPLTYonpA/s320/Side-Plank.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">source: Google</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-51585913103133578892016-12-10T17:16:00.002+01:002017-02-28T17:32:27.204+01:00Finding a foundation - Porridge<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWvA6J5M3cK7vfTODwcxseRHtiI6FH4DvaxTGs0NaQGOAt_tTabtGgiQvKSI9B-k6GE0AZqD7tvm-XzGpCR7gqtVu1zaGSXC-e4jrNzgIQgFfUiWh_w8ljd5IbGIyAoHtAHQm83QL5Bz3/s1600/20161122_210955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiWvA6J5M3cK7vfTODwcxseRHtiI6FH4DvaxTGs0NaQGOAt_tTabtGgiQvKSI9B-k6GE0AZqD7tvm-XzGpCR7gqtVu1zaGSXC-e4jrNzgIQgFfUiWh_w8ljd5IbGIyAoHtAHQm83QL5Bz3/s320/20161122_210955.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Porridge with apple (and a Rubik's cube about to be solved)</td></tr>
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To work properly mentally and physically we need food. In my case a lot of it. We can easily find fast food to fill the hole in our stomach with but I find that it is much harder to find quality food on the road. Fast food tastes awesome but it will leave you to crave for more soon after and its long-term effect on the body, guts and circulation is bad, <a href="http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/reasons-junk-foods-are-bad-for-your-health-sh214/" target="_blank">really really bad</a>. </div>
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One of my quick go to meals is porridge. Have you asked my younger self what my feelings about porridge was, I would have answered that I didn't like it. But this year I have really come to love it. The porridge I remember being a kid was this tasteless mass that would glue to the top of your mouth. I will share a recipe with you that is nothing like that.<br />
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I like keeping things simple so I just put the pot on my scale and add the ingredients one by one by weight.</div>
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1.) 70 gram of oatmeal</div>
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2.) 30 grams of quinoa</div>
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3.) 20 grams of honey</div>
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4.) 200 grams of boiling water</div>
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5.) 200 grams of milk</div>
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Boil for 15 minutes on medium heat to get the quinoa soft. If you don't have that long skip the quinoa or just eat them as is ( I do it all the time ). Serve with optional berries or fruit on top or mixed in of own likings.</div>
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Alterations: Lots! You can skip the honey and add more berries or bananas. You can skip the quinoa and replace it with more oatmeal. You can add more milk for a thinner texture. You can replace the milk with oat milk. Whatever you feel like :)</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXjQrdsbsEnYbxyUDXQz8v61fX9buzeLsah5WZ9R_xthD_xUd-hW1jy3Qcqfi_lS5JpcfuQbadgGl-Lsr8-ayUVJV7pyxII3p8vnbmFg7tYutAtG-330Ho4adMOdCqLWxjl3rGxswtXQO/s1600/20161210_154911.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWXjQrdsbsEnYbxyUDXQz8v61fX9buzeLsah5WZ9R_xthD_xUd-hW1jy3Qcqfi_lS5JpcfuQbadgGl-Lsr8-ayUVJV7pyxII3p8vnbmFg7tYutAtG-330Ho4adMOdCqLWxjl3rGxswtXQO/s320/20161210_154911.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">70 gram of oatmeal</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNsLAVx8Zu2s0e_B2eaEpbK8ZnPoBU2rBdRi6H4QpE9W479AjjOUixTqvOri_O58NRaFpac6IFxOqnYAy7iUAbLT7rj_aTRjw1dUyiT0yKcp5-8aeLKt7jixogG2HQSOaGVnRCCKE-hgV/s1600/20161210_155020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNsLAVx8Zu2s0e_B2eaEpbK8ZnPoBU2rBdRi6H4QpE9W479AjjOUixTqvOri_O58NRaFpac6IFxOqnYAy7iUAbLT7rj_aTRjw1dUyiT0yKcp5-8aeLKt7jixogG2HQSOaGVnRCCKE-hgV/s320/20161210_155020.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">30 gram of quinoa</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Dit9vanp7t9ALLY0ZZ7Po5lDn7AHIYBFMDDhcWe8RGwqrAsptEizNF6uAKj9KnZULgHjSr_FqtYJ5fYd92K0g_CXriM1NXF_Hsc1DSpaTzhBsdknYUOErItXjfw3bA_NWdV9VH_ALqZO/s1600/20161210_155127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Dit9vanp7t9ALLY0ZZ7Po5lDn7AHIYBFMDDhcWe8RGwqrAsptEizNF6uAKj9KnZULgHjSr_FqtYJ5fYd92K0g_CXriM1NXF_Hsc1DSpaTzhBsdknYUOErItXjfw3bA_NWdV9VH_ALqZO/s320/20161210_155127.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">20 grams of honey</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FartlZ2zacHOTnxAX6qDp9JMafNR1MiRFK4-eQSX2OI9aZev49V5pl5VIo0qr8dV_WIER0l-sJd17M8kOznlVaBkgrFLFd6FufYYODUCvsCH47VlKFBVsX6EQGnrj5P4Wh4QhgmiWghO/s1600/20161210_155238.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0FartlZ2zacHOTnxAX6qDp9JMafNR1MiRFK4-eQSX2OI9aZev49V5pl5VIo0qr8dV_WIER0l-sJd17M8kOznlVaBkgrFLFd6FufYYODUCvsCH47VlKFBVsX6EQGnrj5P4Wh4QhgmiWghO/s320/20161210_155238.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">200 gram of boiling water</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeiS4uBlt2FM_BIVnFu1M2GKNe9Wfe7R1SnWouQT58LmssvuizWT5k1bnr8p8T3X9zfhJ9XJun25yEYzI7xrX8swEM24YVNrH5EgbA6ydxg48gziNTahJMUt6iSz_y6YS1mTuxdDrD2ZMi/s1600/20161210_155423.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeiS4uBlt2FM_BIVnFu1M2GKNe9Wfe7R1SnWouQT58LmssvuizWT5k1bnr8p8T3X9zfhJ9XJun25yEYzI7xrX8swEM24YVNrH5EgbA6ydxg48gziNTahJMUt6iSz_y6YS1mTuxdDrD2ZMi/s320/20161210_155423.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">200 gram of milk</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdp1Y_6hTMCnqU-prnq-FQllbE0lduCxMZJYXbKlMkZ9ruSi1I-6mJrH0vccNW5XL4qSucvjOPKp2CFVuZSKIRN3u-Rm7RG7crvgU4n5_fD_b4v_zWHmWtiPI-rcnnCbn6EVbR9LPDvtGS/s1600/20161210_161140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdp1Y_6hTMCnqU-prnq-FQllbE0lduCxMZJYXbKlMkZ9ruSi1I-6mJrH0vccNW5XL4qSucvjOPKp2CFVuZSKIRN3u-Rm7RG7crvgU4n5_fD_b4v_zWHmWtiPI-rcnnCbn6EVbR9LPDvtGS/s320/20161210_161140.jpg" width="180" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHyH2Gtej-k_oMkQjNj3ir4h6FGnnpaTUpqkM-XE_rWPZS0UTwf9PB9evxXIvRRdSlZgUhPcpzzF7T8EFUYW2EXn4k-QwAkS8p7wrpnWhpzppKu8X01A0F3folH5UXVud9Pd_DAQyOoWP/s1600/IMG-20161029-WA0028.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXHyH2Gtej-k_oMkQjNj3ir4h6FGnnpaTUpqkM-XE_rWPZS0UTwf9PB9evxXIvRRdSlZgUhPcpzzF7T8EFUYW2EXn4k-QwAkS8p7wrpnWhpzppKu8X01A0F3folH5UXVud9Pd_DAQyOoWP/s320/IMG-20161029-WA0028.jpeg" width="180" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOe41-pnWvKwnUbrF6LSJoaDrHV45U3ApftGk2N2iC59uYAvKSlkBhpM8-e4WxYeIrDG0VHnTk7qDfMk6XdRVbJBZSIpXDxPp-zEmFYtaTR0T1TQUXGYhQMW6lOzJR6_ftDdXTwz9-kUB/s1600/received_10210556134280478.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQOe41-pnWvKwnUbrF6LSJoaDrHV45U3ApftGk2N2iC59uYAvKSlkBhpM8-e4WxYeIrDG0VHnTk7qDfMk6XdRVbJBZSIpXDxPp-zEmFYtaTR0T1TQUXGYhQMW6lOzJR6_ftDdXTwz9-kUB/s320/received_10210556134280478.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NbNwTiHfpbYwxFThci6vv-4DWfM9q0qu5yqBGmQE5kKm7oFxt0-3zcF0t26xOC59-SO5BJBdlKxxlDBOqO_J-fbmeOI5qumMhb04NUDclAEKQxrb0hpdPGxUiStPElKueXCshUwFAQLN/s1600/PSX_20160930_171448.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7NbNwTiHfpbYwxFThci6vv-4DWfM9q0qu5yqBGmQE5kKm7oFxt0-3zcF0t26xOC59-SO5BJBdlKxxlDBOqO_J-fbmeOI5qumMhb04NUDclAEKQxrb0hpdPGxUiStPElKueXCshUwFAQLN/s320/PSX_20160930_171448.jpg" width="319" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-29179202870812695682016-12-05T21:24:00.000+01:002017-02-28T17:32:56.663+01:00Hero to Zero to ?These last 2 years has been a roller coaster. I have been divorced, taken on the role of being a single dad, bought a house and a car to create a home, been someone's rock and recently lost my work through more than 10 years. Not because I did a poor job, I have worked my arse off and gotten every bonus possible. No, because my department is moving to Canada. I was offered to follow, but I can't, it would mean loosing my girls. I still have to find a new job.<br />
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I stopped running this summer. After doing too much in too little time I ended up with a ruptured Achilles. Nearly every year there have been something that I have had to fight myself back from. A broken bone, high blood pressure medication side effects, ruptured tendons, broken family. This summer I just lost my passion to be a superhero. I just wanted to be normal again.</div>
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I started running in 2010 and within that year I did my first marathon and then ultras. I focused on running instead of things that were important, should have been important. This I realized this summer.</div>
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This year has been harder than any year and I have seen a few hard ones. There are many things I would love to change about this year but I can't. I have done my best in all aspects. I just tried to do too much and hence failed miserably in nearly everything. This I realized this summer.</div>
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I don't know where life will take me now. I am not even sure I have hit the 'bottom' yet. With things coming to a conclusion I am building an foundation to grow on from here.</div>
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This year has been tough but someone told me something that has kept me focused:"When walking through hell, keep going!". I am from Jutland. I have no doubt that I will make it. This post is not about feeling doomed. I just wonder what the '?' mark in the title will be in the future.<br />
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I stopped running this summer. I wonder if it is time to start running again.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-82421506406134996362015-08-15T19:49:00.000+02:002017-02-28T17:41:44.344+01:00Different kinds of painA few years ago I borrow a book from a good friend by Marshall Ulrich named 'Running on Empty'. Now if you don't know who Marshall Ulrich is I urge you to google him. He is a study in dedication and his deeds are out of this world.<br />
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The main theme in the book is his epic run across the USA but also covers the story of why he started running and a number of other deeds he had done. The one thing that hit me the hardest was when he described how his wife laying in bed dying of cancer one day asked him not to run that day, something she had never done before, and him going on a run anyway. Knowing nothing else about the man, that situation might give you the impression that he was a cold, egoistic and possibly evil man. But he was not. Running was his only way to cope with the world at the time and not running would have deflated him instantly. It is a feeling hard to explain but I knew why he had to run and I knew how it would it haunt him forever after and I wonder how gutted and alone the wife must have felt.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXC_Jm4n_M88SOTjcBNdkB6h03iZUzdBCOUOcIEh6uqGM9SaWues1CV-vvYqGgjfZk5XdhmB3In71KVQ7l8OCzwCL-3YUhm5pKj3dUjBO1ii2Y1OrWFHvItR9P88N8pRzaF8bqP7cPSEl/s1600/4888762247_bc9cbd4434_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEXC_Jm4n_M88SOTjcBNdkB6h03iZUzdBCOUOcIEh6uqGM9SaWues1CV-vvYqGgjfZk5XdhmB3In71KVQ7l8OCzwCL-3YUhm5pKj3dUjBO1ii2Y1OrWFHvItR9P88N8pRzaF8bqP7cPSEl/s320/4888762247_bc9cbd4434_b.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Love and understanding. Marshall and new wife.</td></tr>
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The same situation can be seen in my favorite movie of all time, the big blue. Again if you haven't seen it go see it now .. cause I am about to tell you how it ends. Visually and musically it is an amazing film especially when you take in account that it was filmed in 1988. The character is loosely based on real persons from the freediving scene, though very very loosely and they are always depicted in the extremes of their character. The 'hero' of the movie is a free diver called Jacques Mayol. He is a very loving and friendly person that is clearly stuck in his past, where he lost his father to the sea. When at land he is a fish out of water and even though he has a pretty pregnant girlfriend he still decides to go on one last final dive with the plan to stay down in his hope to meet 'mermaids'. Ultimately it is his girlfriend who pulls the string that starts his dive and sends him on the last journey. I know this sounds really really bizarre but believe me this is also something he simply has to do and she knows it at that point.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUDN4JRI4URZ3LzQBomAW3zK8oWOotlM5JFnRO3PPvgMZRisKu-cROLiLXUyXJsQuV1tN6se7scJFAfB5oN5cvJStSv2QsbiXMTTyVej1duje0ngtiMc9Kp74Yz4bQfNnpzQMcX3QQuA4/s1600/6c43e718d9bd9d2bf8d20104338e34dd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUDN4JRI4URZ3LzQBomAW3zK8oWOotlM5JFnRO3PPvgMZRisKu-cROLiLXUyXJsQuV1tN6se7scJFAfB5oN5cvJStSv2QsbiXMTTyVej1duje0ngtiMc9Kp74Yz4bQfNnpzQMcX3QQuA4/s320/6c43e718d9bd9d2bf8d20104338e34dd.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hard to understand who would leave that behind</td></tr>
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These are just two examples, but I see the same all around me in different form granted .. but still. I see this in a number of my running friends and I see this in myself. For some it is about using a little energy to gain enough energy to cope with the challenges of their lives, for some it about having something that is their own .. a little 'me time' and the list goes on and on. For some, this is their very last battalion before surrender.<br />
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It is easy when one is alone to give in to these 'needs' but when in a relationship it can be extremely hard on the other half and come at great costs for both. Blessed be those who are understood and those who understand. The rest have my deepest most heartfelt sympathy. Neither side of the fence is easy.<br />
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I was at the 'pain lady' a few days ago. It had been 2 weeks since I had been there last. The cupping marks had nearly gone but now it was time to get a new set.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7Emqzlo84s63wFA0lUXSGlITM9b5MCeXmGDm98s_TJWYioyzSHDQ0RxIVrXVbdwKT4UJEyocZlBhChzPFjCkm4WlbtZ3Zi8sy2ujrdk-Dd6jaCQqjR0HuSOSUMlRQbyxVQ4eKcSwcICQ/s1600/20150813_163041.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv7Emqzlo84s63wFA0lUXSGlITM9b5MCeXmGDm98s_TJWYioyzSHDQ0RxIVrXVbdwKT4UJEyocZlBhChzPFjCkm4WlbtZ3Zi8sy2ujrdk-Dd6jaCQqjR0HuSOSUMlRQbyxVQ4eKcSwcICQ/s320/20150813_163041.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">that is blood you can see in the cups</td></tr>
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<br />
<span class="short_text" id="result_box" lang="en"><span class="hps alt-edited">As mentioned pain is part of what she does but I think it is only her way to find the relevant spots and she hasn't yet made me black out of pain. There is good pain and there is bad pain. Her pain is good .. except the blood cupping .. I could do without that, to be honest, but if it works I will convert it mentally to a good pain.</span></span><br />
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Friday I was out running with Kaare I meet at AAUT. It was our first reunion since AAUT and I was to show him one of my favorite trails. He himself is a fast runner and we made good speed while talking about running and family. Sadly I lost focus on the trail for a few secs and then I heard a large snap and felt a sharp pain in my right ankle. I have strained my left ankle many times but never my right. It didn't feel good. But the secret to stains is to keep moving them and keep them from stiffening. After a few painful steps, I was able to first slowly walk and the run and lastly run nearly normal speed again.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOdIN9onVbYDEAbPfDC0rN8jaG5iSvr9xE3aijHzka_g1ORuOZCpXvQLFP2Bkx93ZDjHTpWhG46i-znb2c6qcZymbhx-Fj2GYnQZjSD-2XahQpsjMn2XgxQRDDS-9GqNozoHPmfRfb2a3/s1600/20150815_175311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQOdIN9onVbYDEAbPfDC0rN8jaG5iSvr9xE3aijHzka_g1ORuOZCpXvQLFP2Bkx93ZDjHTpWhG46i-znb2c6qcZymbhx-Fj2GYnQZjSD-2XahQpsjMn2XgxQRDDS-9GqNozoHPmfRfb2a3/s320/20150815_175311.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">NOT my normal ankle size ;)</td></tr>
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As we were once again making good progress and was running up a nice technical hill I was hit in the eye of an insect. Normally they just bounce off right away but this one stuck and then 2 secs later I felt an intense pain in the eye. I grabbed the bugger and threw it away but could feel something still was stuck. This I removed with my nails and found it to be the poison sack of a bee. It had stung me in the thin skin a few mm beneath the right eye. I couldn't believe my 'luck'. I had to laugh afterward.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-2845366253594402802015-07-20T12:14:00.000+02:002017-02-28T17:39:31.637+01:00AAUT 2015 - Furnage edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Disclaimer: All this is written from memory and might be full of errors, misunderstandings and a <u><b>ton</b></u> of spelling errors (I am Danish not English). Photos: Jesper Kramer, Fred Coppens, Meese Geert, Francoise Therin, Joe Green and me. </i><br />
<br />
I came back from this years edition 2 days ago and are currently laying in bed with my youngest watching Tin Tin cartoons.<br />
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<b>Training</b><br />
As mentioned in my previous post I have followed the same training scheme as the last 4 years. This year however I was starting from scratch. I hadn't run for nearly half a year due to a number of circumstances including work, family life and side effects from some of my blood pressure medication (mentioned medication is now in the trashcan).<br />
<br />
Basically training this year started with 20 km a week with was increased with 10% a week until I reached 85 km. Running was a mix of interval, tempo and slow distance running. I normally combine it with strength training as well but this year I didn't which sadly resulted in slower accents and slower speed hiking than usual.<br />
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<b>Travel</b><br />
I reached the airport 2 hours before the planned takeoff but due to problems with the baggage system and a dropped boarding card I wouldn't be aboard the plane until 4 minutes before take off and that involved a number of sprints back and forth through the airport.<br />
<br />
After 3+ hours the in the plane I arrived in Malaga airport and was meet by Steve, Megan, Fran and Simon who would all race with me as well. I knew Steve from last year but the rest was new to me and the race but as I would learn the next following days they were all sweet and wonderful persons that fit the usual AAUT template.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqHXjwe15K45DoAup6f4iYjyYclZpXn9cRoKdH8OlDI_kvP0Fok1J7xXG3zX9-I29yxLJvYiPRtIp_jd1hexP66Qh7JbyqSs3WLPizkxUZFcH8D4gO23oBpQjQabOehf_6GZg0IBwN_wx/s1600/20150704_123931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyqHXjwe15K45DoAup6f4iYjyYclZpXn9cRoKdH8OlDI_kvP0Fok1J7xXG3zX9-I29yxLJvYiPRtIp_jd1hexP66Qh7JbyqSs3WLPizkxUZFcH8D4gO23oBpQjQabOehf_6GZg0IBwN_wx/s320/20150704_123931.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me, Fran, Simon and Megan</td></tr>
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<b>Pre race</b><br />
Strangely we arrived in a Malaga that was covered with clouds and we even saw a few drops of rain on the way to Loja. First time I have ever experienced rain in Loja in the 4 years I have been there in July.<br />
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Once in my room, I was greeted by a note from my roommate Kaare a fellow Dane that I didn't know from earlier. He proved to be a wonderful guy and we shared the same humor :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2hvN8q4q4KOV0wJzj7chyphenhyphenr4MrXPiUCscD7YBajb184xdREZ6VDlHKOU93AWPzLzzwDPb-DO9zOHf6Xtz4LO0brNuR1uyhk2qkGBNIyOtkqs2KcS0ucL050cOZX86qZkdouY07oelA1uT/s1600/20150704_133826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix2hvN8q4q4KOV0wJzj7chyphenhyphenr4MrXPiUCscD7YBajb184xdREZ6VDlHKOU93AWPzLzzwDPb-DO9zOHf6Xtz4LO0brNuR1uyhk2qkGBNIyOtkqs2KcS0ucL050cOZX86qZkdouY07oelA1uT/s320/20150704_133826.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hi Roomie!!</td></tr>
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The rest of the Saturday was basically spent drinking beer with the old friend in front of the hotel and making new ones.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTk5MK5qxmF-1QTor81Lemv93K5tsWrOPh1vOiWGaW4OjRclAYSMJKFUHsNdif2u84SMLM5ANKwoMDOZqDmoX582RUkZRhp13TcmO8RFuWUThcgpnkDHWdO0UiAmdRd77mzfi2CkTNJ-m5/s1600/20150704_173035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTk5MK5qxmF-1QTor81Lemv93K5tsWrOPh1vOiWGaW4OjRclAYSMJKFUHsNdif2u84SMLM5ANKwoMDOZqDmoX582RUkZRhp13TcmO8RFuWUThcgpnkDHWdO0UiAmdRd77mzfi2CkTNJ-m5/s320/20150704_173035.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Denise, Kirsty and Graeme</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75INehfof9uoAK6zQ_0IVU0yDIViUzLzektpWDRJgt85yUxKCV_0pzUzBZD9wtO0v33hyTVS_GVn6nUyLy9m61XOD2nzBs-VK4PrRIXMeQ7LCPp1NA6lyV_eqCmQfkyat2RMHN872Plpg/s1600/20150704_171515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg75INehfof9uoAK6zQ_0IVU0yDIViUzLzektpWDRJgt85yUxKCV_0pzUzBZD9wtO0v33hyTVS_GVn6nUyLy9m61XOD2nzBs-VK4PrRIXMeQ7LCPp1NA6lyV_eqCmQfkyat2RMHN872Plpg/s320/20150704_171515.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaare, Charlie and I</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9qht-5comoCQaGmOurAkIDIghfT3FRcFs_eOCgE6t3EzEmzaGoDtjgKqmsOhaczfMfnNg5_P-nRrnTDC997B2cB3Wvz44nKE_ym1jw285vt1SC_HDYjXZdEeVs-6XBEm9HS9zdz1sR9O/s1600/20150704_183002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-9qht-5comoCQaGmOurAkIDIghfT3FRcFs_eOCgE6t3EzEmzaGoDtjgKqmsOhaczfMfnNg5_P-nRrnTDC997B2cB3Wvz44nKE_ym1jw285vt1SC_HDYjXZdEeVs-6XBEm9HS9zdz1sR9O/s320/20150704_183002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fred, Orla, Tony, Richard and Karin</td></tr>
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Sunday started with breakfast and the traditional run to the base of the first mountain to test the form and the temperature. This year I ran with Kirsty, Denise and Graeme, who are all wonderful people. It felt great and my pace was fine and unhindered by the temperature. After this, it was time to hit the pool with Jesper, Hanne, Susanne and Vibeke who had arrived from Denmark. The pool was a nice break from thinking about mountains, gear and running .. and once there we meet a lot of the other runners.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAl1PJi8sWtPTB9sIgiaDtL03np98JJWE7OG-XXC8m6PBmGqvHmgfZtSpMCO1Se0Kc7Y_4O7LAZyv_-s3Z6hG097kjNTVEqHBJrCUXjYZAwESgFS7CxCR29vajKXhZfgoo0bQRG1eOU_s/s1600/20150705_152321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAl1PJi8sWtPTB9sIgiaDtL03np98JJWE7OG-XXC8m6PBmGqvHmgfZtSpMCO1Se0Kc7Y_4O7LAZyv_-s3Z6hG097kjNTVEqHBJrCUXjYZAwESgFS7CxCR29vajKXhZfgoo0bQRG1eOU_s/s320/20150705_152321.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pool :)</td></tr>
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In the evening it was time for the pre-race briefing I think all runners was reminded about the ultra running rule number 1: "Be humble".<br />
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<b>Stage 1</b><br />
Traditional Start at 9:45 and straight to the mountain. The climb went fine actually .. much better than 2014 and nearly as good as 2012. Reaching the top and having passed a couple of the old friends I actually felt pretty strong .. then started the downhill. One thing I haven't been able to sort out this year is my shoes. Normally I run in minimalistic shoes that have a natural fit. But I have run in Asics Kayano half a size above normal size all the years and I had decided to do it this year as well.<br />
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In 2012 it ruined my feet (3 nails 8 blisters) but in 2014 it went perfectly (only one tiny tiny blister) so I thought I had it nailed .. but I hadn't. Every day left me with 15-20 km of running before my feet was killing me with hot spots. If I am ever going back it will NOT be in those shoes.<br />
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Running down hill I immediately felt the problem beginning and morale going down.*sigh* On top of that it was *extremely* hot and to be honest the heat became my biggest problem that day. The week would include the highest temperatures on record for the region and means really really hot. There is nothing really you can do about it either you cope or you don't.<br />
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I found it hard to force myself to run and ended up doing more walking than I had hoped due to the heat. On the way to checkpoint 3 I was thinking this is too hot I wanna quit but drinking 7-8 cups of coke and what else they had changed that (as always ;) and I found my way out of the checkpoint again. I teamed up with Benny who's knee was bust and we ended up walking most of the last 9 km but still doing OK timewise. Benny was a great company and we had some great talks but I also learned from this year's race that I should never team up with anyone when I am feeling 'tested' unless they are faster than me, it gets too cozy .. and slow.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FjlDpXDCxH-YdVlVsklQDDRKVEIWWY-Gb5lBx2KB4G1PyCGMfb2o8nPVwsJw_Uou3EuAvTX0i1InfvWFY2_BE2cbM_aCjD-lYE6UkCCtErhKyk7mzeCCa3FEFYPcKR0FVipXW0boiR5P/s1600/11060094_10207124669499652_887458662846482429_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2FjlDpXDCxH-YdVlVsklQDDRKVEIWWY-Gb5lBx2KB4G1PyCGMfb2o8nPVwsJw_Uou3EuAvTX0i1InfvWFY2_BE2cbM_aCjD-lYE6UkCCtErhKyk7mzeCCa3FEFYPcKR0FVipXW0boiR5P/s320/11060094_10207124669499652_887458662846482429_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Temperature in the sun</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxg6vb0mlGWsWxnz9ZJN2Sth3AQfjpiway2pJ0QiLSb1cIGUiBJbFtPvCpzLbbqx8z-f4eGXxbqXAd6ombhN4l7MX_so3Yy-CTC2ACWuGrTDsP4q_37YvRm4ENds4BzLtzH4MweiefmwR/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1004334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxg6vb0mlGWsWxnz9ZJN2Sth3AQfjpiway2pJ0QiLSb1cIGUiBJbFtPvCpzLbbqx8z-f4eGXxbqXAd6ombhN4l7MX_so3Yy-CTC2ACWuGrTDsP4q_37YvRm4ENds4BzLtzH4MweiefmwR/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1004334.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The start</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HEUxdDhwjqiIx7ff4Ki7DV0ZHkN8izcEBSbpacQol2KFof7q42OSwg2Ebl2_4-oO4qFUC2P6ETt2ZHOIpqjAvR1VywOwLTbl4Z9QsXatHulGl5wWx9ARLn_MfAjmD9LQIK38O3jk_PLl/s1600/11705261_10155835172195088_5054416795897032881_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2HEUxdDhwjqiIx7ff4Ki7DV0ZHkN8izcEBSbpacQol2KFof7q42OSwg2Ebl2_4-oO4qFUC2P6ETt2ZHOIpqjAvR1VywOwLTbl4Z9QsXatHulGl5wWx9ARLn_MfAjmD9LQIK38O3jk_PLl/s320/11705261_10155835172195088_5054416795897032881_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Megan and I at the base of the climb</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIOva_UnOfDq5fTVlJv1JW2_K0LBwsUPu3G0cDoQJrwvw-53mlN25qAffyelaF94I61a4quJH1tguxDNRD3vYiYwjkSyH57Pll7EtUf2s7kasr5ht9WtrL66lso6jxAUupINRFBkyzgkl/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1004380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcIOva_UnOfDq5fTVlJv1JW2_K0LBwsUPu3G0cDoQJrwvw-53mlN25qAffyelaF94I61a4quJH1tguxDNRD3vYiYwjkSyH57Pll7EtUf2s7kasr5ht9WtrL66lso6jxAUupINRFBkyzgkl/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1004380.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orla, Denise and I climbing</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_pOPjZVwYS1RwZnKiuHQtEXjlT_6D5bFzSwFWnNdH0GNptK0YadiQzxS0pn0-oWmswFfsOZ-fzw_txN91tU3ZtDFhhyMsDFSRICMgLHq7aJ_6xYJ0kcZ56MYpkIwVfb4XGIau7fIExxB/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1004391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_pOPjZVwYS1RwZnKiuHQtEXjlT_6D5bFzSwFWnNdH0GNptK0YadiQzxS0pn0-oWmswFfsOZ-fzw_txN91tU3ZtDFhhyMsDFSRICMgLHq7aJ_6xYJ0kcZ56MYpkIwVfb4XGIau7fIExxB/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1004391.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nothing can describe the climb</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VNAVHx0zcDMeeXt9QYxl1GV-ThMTmX91KOjjBZDs3gPmnD5y9cOoDQeQrykACR3i74q3njVW_96ej1u5l86rHzZossk8nGLp2MzXnfMELW68GMaW6qCrxl_eOlmChRQ8OK6-ydXojTJt/s1600/11696305_805180509589569_6827677558588003506_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3VNAVHx0zcDMeeXt9QYxl1GV-ThMTmX91KOjjBZDs3gPmnD5y9cOoDQeQrykACR3i74q3njVW_96ej1u5l86rHzZossk8nGLp2MzXnfMELW68GMaW6qCrxl_eOlmChRQ8OK6-ydXojTJt/s320/11696305_805180509589569_6827677558588003506_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 years later, Fred and I met at exactly the same spot</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6uNXoclCiw_zabt6wIPABhezLR7ZiJzIcNuJ_kMtQKHeyaUm0VNmcNqWjkiKU8UEBg6Z5bFtcJ2Q3XW2wfHygmxZJQAMEVDEFCF_4CfCDWjyGqLEBvALABAS07cJcasHNgA4IZwm8PAL/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1004497.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB6uNXoclCiw_zabt6wIPABhezLR7ZiJzIcNuJ_kMtQKHeyaUm0VNmcNqWjkiKU8UEBg6Z5bFtcJ2Q3XW2wfHygmxZJQAMEVDEFCF_4CfCDWjyGqLEBvALABAS07cJcasHNgA4IZwm8PAL/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1004497.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally the finish</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Stage 2</b><br />
As in 2012, I cannonballed it. Full speed ahead until checkpoint 2. This actually put me way more up front than I had expected and came as a surprise to some of my fellow runners when we met out there. To be honest my speed declined a bit after checkpoint 1 but I was still going faster than in 2014.<br />
<br />
I knew that I would be walking all the distance between checkpoint 2 and 3 due to the problems I had had last year during that stretch. I did this in company with Denise but what I didn't realize was how hard it was to get going again. I let Denise go on her own and a few km's later I was caught up by Jesper who I then again left go shortly after checkpoint 3. I simply couldn't get those feet going.<br />
<br />
The heat was getting to me and the feet hurt. It was quite a shame because the downhill section after checkpoint 3 gives you 5 - 6 km where you can go full throttle downhill without loosing control. I just couldn't start the engine. I started thinking about why I was doing there and how much I rather would be at home with my girls instead of redoing a run in this crazy heat.<br />
<br />
I really hit a mental low and I am not sure why. Anyway, I got my arse to checkpoint 4 and got refilled with coke and got my head cooled. Kirsty had left a few moments before me and I soon passed her. She offered that we could team up until the finish but I was mentally preparing myself to get into gear again and didn't want to team up with anyone (nothing personal just couldn't manage anyone besides myself at that point).<br />
<br />
I got my speed up and at the top of the next hill, I could see the next runner, Fernando, how I soon intercepted and then next one, Jesper, who I passed just before a hill. Since Jesper is a friend from Denmark I felt it hard to run past him so close to the finish and I shouted something like: "Sorry, but I am on a roll have to keep running". On the top of the hill I spotted yet another runner, Denise, who I passed while she yelled at me: 'You are NOT doing this to me' (she was joking) and then just before the finish (meters) I sprinted past Norman. A few seconds later without a chair in view, I just threw myself on the ground ... The two doctors started giving me some attention and them being professional ignored me trying to tell them that I was OK. I was better than OK at that point I was soo happy to have gotten the engine started again.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioG-ku7us0P4NtVAbj8jR_PZY1OC5uwmlUZPs6boVr8qLvbOcjcfCqBTz_wjkE6hBq_LPw06LRSamXlLw82rZOOXVC4ACc4wzhivqCapt_Oafy4CrB3gvuKN3BEfRchr9OLKUx65hLNQJh/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1004563.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioG-ku7us0P4NtVAbj8jR_PZY1OC5uwmlUZPs6boVr8qLvbOcjcfCqBTz_wjkE6hBq_LPw06LRSamXlLw82rZOOXVC4ACc4wzhivqCapt_Oafy4CrB3gvuKN3BEfRchr9OLKUx65hLNQJh/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1004563.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Through the gorge</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhceKnPYdrLJNnK82VIOeq7aJ05PL30j7QpAnsovYhX1lGz9nFSUzGrPhKK4UJBWrTQko94EDjZdmf1zTIuVb9-Qo0jSgJvEpVTg9CbihhZtx2I-wZTodYsAXBtjIAdbA5tOfLq2GcrM8JY/s1600/11703234_1090774754267511_9164167810045212122_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhceKnPYdrLJNnK82VIOeq7aJ05PL30j7QpAnsovYhX1lGz9nFSUzGrPhKK4UJBWrTQko94EDjZdmf1zTIuVb9-Qo0jSgJvEpVTg9CbihhZtx2I-wZTodYsAXBtjIAdbA5tOfLq2GcrM8JY/s320/11703234_1090774754267511_9164167810045212122_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Out of the gorge full throttle ahead</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pxDlb8M_wcRM4FRmc-uGE2DgvSoSbIhfBlhTqvTe2nPxFhY27_mc436FQ6SqpIJgCQEMpXwUNnSRyC7_vxzkl5OhnhF0Mgd2_6XpL118NF-q2Q9BNWH6BMpc05QwUgEOyXhV01pAZNF1/s1600/20150707_124936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6pxDlb8M_wcRM4FRmc-uGE2DgvSoSbIhfBlhTqvTe2nPxFhY27_mc436FQ6SqpIJgCQEMpXwUNnSRyC7_vxzkl5OhnhF0Mgd2_6XpL118NF-q2Q9BNWH6BMpc05QwUgEOyXhV01pAZNF1/s320/20150707_124936.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally through the goat track</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYT4VnpIXqBR5LUcUIkO2G8zyqkIUrk7wWAXB1tMRnVPKo1dMqTF8b-7TXuuquAJOAJcMFYqRtdkwoHZ4gzypgu3XoO5xh8zxnK4CKFx-nuW1FV1YQXA5yjB62kNuiruKi_4dOwRE2b40/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1004702.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRYT4VnpIXqBR5LUcUIkO2G8zyqkIUrk7wWAXB1tMRnVPKo1dMqTF8b-7TXuuquAJOAJcMFYqRtdkwoHZ4gzypgu3XoO5xh8zxnK4CKFx-nuW1FV1YQXA5yjB62kNuiruKi_4dOwRE2b40/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1004702.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This screams for downhill running</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVq1fYEvk-rI4AovQwH3TK7nZGOfQzolAGDDMsyPn6CIeIcJRJuM8mhWPGKPEOzE58pcR1KevUmT1wngFnvIkX4PB8oXoD6-rSxHR-FfUEqiXQptVqBKIoF0sXduC9YG2h8DaZVf3Nvov/s1600/20150707_144059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrVq1fYEvk-rI4AovQwH3TK7nZGOfQzolAGDDMsyPn6CIeIcJRJuM8mhWPGKPEOzE58pcR1KevUmT1wngFnvIkX4PB8oXoD6-rSxHR-FfUEqiXQptVqBKIoF0sXduC9YG2h8DaZVf3Nvov/s320/20150707_144059.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just waited for a car to pick me up here .. luckily no car came ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<b>Stage 3</b><br />
Staggered start. I was in the early group and gave it full throttle so did Tom and Norman and we reached checkpoint 1 within seconds/minutes of each other. After that followed the climb checkpoint 2. Earlier years this have been one of the places where I gain on people but not this year. I don't know why but my climbing was slooow and I was caught up by a number of runners going up this hill.. this was a new to me and quite a shock to be honest. When I reached the top I was going into a dark spot again. I passed a few of the runners on the way to checkpoint 2 but I remember feeling shaken and annoyed with myself.<br />
<br />
After checkpoint 2 there was quite a climb which was just steep enough for you not wanting to run it but not much worse than that. Reaching the top I tried to run but within 50 meters I stopped again. This was one thing I hadn't trained enough .. Hardness. I didn't wanna run, why should I. It was hot and I knew I could easy make it home without fearing the cut off time. Not my proudest moment. Runner after runner passed me. Jesper teamed up with me for a few minutes and I shared my dark thoughts with him as I had the day before. He gave me his understanding and did the only thing reasonable .. ran off as fast as he could ;)<br />
<br />
I felt better as I got to the uphill to checkpoint 3 and got the legs running again. The checkpoint was fine and after that, yet another uphill section which included a much needed overtaking the time came to run downhill. I managed to do this in very short bursts only and Fran and Steve came flying by. Argh, why couldn't I get the move on ... oh, what the f*ck. Why was I even there... Then suddenly a runner showed up with more problems than me (from behind). We teamed up for 4-5 km. It was nice and good company but we were both feeling dark and probably shouldn't have spoken a word.<br />
<br />
I took a fall in the forest single track but after the forest I got my legs going and to be honest, they were a bit eager to get moving at that point. Reached the finish line in fine shape and many the runners that came after me looked much much worse. I just sat for myself for a long time after that and cleansed my mind. It was what it was I was going to do what it took to make it through and that was going to be enough without me beating myself with a stick.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijk-JCkZ7cFP3thw2nhzCDF0ehtg31nCFcoqYmP_g35SStzt9i2EXaEos9epPVpN6dD3FBrZ9hIHU7PDLYKfNckwOz3aMk44dWNr-VD2b7ANwrB_YBBGP9Y5uqnPwiyvrAbXAUjstEZvT4/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1004905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijk-JCkZ7cFP3thw2nhzCDF0ehtg31nCFcoqYmP_g35SStzt9i2EXaEos9epPVpN6dD3FBrZ9hIHU7PDLYKfNckwOz3aMk44dWNr-VD2b7ANwrB_YBBGP9Y5uqnPwiyvrAbXAUjstEZvT4/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1004905.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New addition to this stage. Very nice, Paul!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDirl4l48tNvs6_CnEU2krbOdMFqzCHAKUCclSIcy5Gzj414DpXhnAtGo5fp-S7VPo4fKgREWySU8xo93drbZwGzx3ShkfFHMvVo2EJpLg2oAMUXnT0zD_jcG1DTg6w4ZsH-vyM2MkhBC/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1004966.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQDirl4l48tNvs6_CnEU2krbOdMFqzCHAKUCclSIcy5Gzj414DpXhnAtGo5fp-S7VPo4fKgREWySU8xo93drbZwGzx3ShkfFHMvVo2EJpLg2oAMUXnT0zD_jcG1DTg6w4ZsH-vyM2MkhBC/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1004966.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Runners approaching checkpoint 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsJC722qzdpZm_77_uoiyZAEXAfZuxkFufiIg8P3JpLm105SXwbXVdMc9Y3wxpWcCs85COPcNx6nkUhWvVzVUj-luQEu7zm0wXYjwHO6uJ_GwG0_Bg3fHUgCiYF9SfEQXbwVsiNll77Gu/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsJC722qzdpZm_77_uoiyZAEXAfZuxkFufiIg8P3JpLm105SXwbXVdMc9Y3wxpWcCs85COPcNx6nkUhWvVzVUj-luQEu7zm0wXYjwHO6uJ_GwG0_Bg3fHUgCiYF9SfEQXbwVsiNll77Gu/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005066.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Leaving checkpoint 2</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_ygPkVpU3S1yr_nw0Y33kR4wmYeOBWyZN1iyoK2h1kb5vQzOvSaAmBtc8jZQbz-LoD2IJjM2A2SzZwC0Ye06zpYbrSQeF1L7_ibuTBn__5ZlSjlcBn6YiqiW0XdT6z-QH1_6q1wsyvmx/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs_ygPkVpU3S1yr_nw0Y33kR4wmYeOBWyZN1iyoK2h1kb5vQzOvSaAmBtc8jZQbz-LoD2IJjM2A2SzZwC0Ye06zpYbrSQeF1L7_ibuTBn__5ZlSjlcBn6YiqiW0XdT6z-QH1_6q1wsyvmx/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005080.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful scenery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6269ephdkKb_NtSIn0SfMYmiYy-2eL8o7LTO15d5WHHz_RuATENE4hYg-Z8w_2NiBOLLo3CHxla6Aev5LVpqY9rS7mAryTspVJ1FP7pOxDn7MDhhwf4_BMeDcpYDLZphd5lvhQyyahJgD/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6269ephdkKb_NtSIn0SfMYmiYy-2eL8o7LTO15d5WHHz_RuATENE4hYg-Z8w_2NiBOLLo3CHxla6Aev5LVpqY9rS7mAryTspVJ1FP7pOxDn7MDhhwf4_BMeDcpYDLZphd5lvhQyyahJgD/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005088.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No pictures of me .. but I was running there as well :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGqMH0gY-1WpVsSKff1JAAIh3fjFkwrZtSIUvuIMI9fcusBHsl1eIqBtu5HP0-au6i6FqipuHTK7VLeOIiqm1AN7KEdp7Y9K6BelCy-v_eRrjDP1ChHFnQ0L604iNzVnQ1rp63qcuxiar/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005183.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGqMH0gY-1WpVsSKff1JAAIh3fjFkwrZtSIUvuIMI9fcusBHsl1eIqBtu5HP0-au6i6FqipuHTK7VLeOIiqm1AN7KEdp7Y9K6BelCy-v_eRrjDP1ChHFnQ0L604iNzVnQ1rp63qcuxiar/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005183.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Megan, Liz and Sarah. This years super women!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<b>Stage 4</b><br />
Cannonballed the start together with Mario and Steven. Teamed up with Denise after the first climb and that lasted more or less until checkpoint 2. At that time I had developed a hot spot and I needed to take care of it right away since I didn't want a huge blister under my foot like in 2012.<br />
<br />
I had reached the checkpoint in excellent time and took the time I needed to fix the foot. Graeme got a little impatient with me (you can't use to much time sitting here) but nothing could rock my boat I knew what I had to do. A few km after this we had a huge climb that has taken its toll on runners through the years. Long, steep and hot. Even though I once again noticed I wasn't as fast climbing as in 2014 I did well and even sang Norman a little song .. a gesture he still has to return :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMICGp4sZcflzeugNngfWTktSXqH16_By6T4sKFgV6YkfnQaVw9cabTuqwUTn-k-1SsChVyOt4qxErL0Kmvw3tuEXqZoNtyhZSWogOFZGULjTm6m8QFIdvXI9q7TaTHytp26yxz1IMt6x/s1600/11539654_10153345978439333_2324696804452841222_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJMICGp4sZcflzeugNngfWTktSXqH16_By6T4sKFgV6YkfnQaVw9cabTuqwUTn-k-1SsChVyOt4qxErL0Kmvw3tuEXqZoNtyhZSWogOFZGULjTm6m8QFIdvXI9q7TaTHytp26yxz1IMt6x/s320/11539654_10153345978439333_2324696804452841222_n.jpg" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vaseline #1 hot spot killer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Checkpoint 3 was nice and I felt fine both entering it and leaving it. Thereafter follows what best can be described as a looong downhill section which was killing my feet. I did run once in a while but generally, I tried to save them as much as possible. I made a mental note of refixing them once I reached checkpoint 4 but until then just take it easy and run what they allowed me to. Norman caught up with me shortly before checkpoint 4 and even though I ran the last few km's I simply couldn't follow him on those downhill sections.<br />
<br />
Once I did reach the checkpoint everything felt fine except the feet. Richard joined me while I rested for a while. He is a stronger runner than I but he was digging deep that day. I decided not to fix the feet anyway but to wait till after the coming water crossing. I knew there were no downhill sections until that point and hence the feet wouldn't suffer.<br />
<br />
I ran off and for a few km's I managed to keep up with Richard with was unusual and tells a little about how deep he was actually digging. Once I did reach the water crossing I made 2 fatal mistakes. #1. I didn't take off my shoes when I crossed it, thinking they will dry quickly. #2. I didn't stop to fix my feet since they were now wet and hence all the vaseline in the world wouldn't make any difference. Very very stupid.<br />
<br />
Graeme and Orla, who had both exited the race due to medical problems, greeted me and shared some much-appreciated coke (cola!!!) before a long climb to checkpoint 5. Even at checkpoint 5, my feet was feeling very wet and I delayed fixing them once again.<br />
<br />
After a few km's it was too much and I had to give it a shot. I sat down on the rear end of the doctor's car which had conveniently stopped for another runner. I applied vaseline to the hot spot but the feet was very wet still and it didn't work out. After only a few hundred meters I decided to take off the socks and soles and walk with the shoes like that while the mentioned items dried in the wind. It took the remainder of the trip to checkpoint 6 to dry them out. I was very cautious to run like that but once I did it actually felt fine.<br />
<br />
At checkpoint 6 I reassembled the shoes and reapplied the vaseline. As the next runners came into view I ran off. I had noticed at the checkpoint that something was wrong with my left leg near the ankle. It hurt like hell right where the compression tubes ended. I had tried to re-adjust them at the checkpoint but it hadn't helped. I ignored the pain for a few km's then I gave up and started walking still at pain.<br />
<br />
I kept this going for 4-5 km's before I re-investigated the problem. All it took for me to fix it was pulling up the tube a further 3-4 cm on the calves. Instant fix to a very painful problem. I ran what I could after this but I was very used and feeling very empty at this point. Hanne greeted me 1-2 km before the finish waiting for Jesper, but all I could do was crumbling down and giving myself a short break before running downhill to the finish. Last year I ended this stage with a sprint .. this year it felt like a crawl. I felt empty and drained of energy.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfunzrPAo10Rjt7wn24Be3ySTliCeo-rNdGBa2SYv4Zko7dfnuBD3PGox2SbACz7axCdPP295-1L2ZKSafXCwHNMrfjnx0e-P6arhPE2pl96Wz6KySnamLzLqu17PJK_1SAAVKgk71YUm/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicfunzrPAo10Rjt7wn24Be3ySTliCeo-rNdGBa2SYv4Zko7dfnuBD3PGox2SbACz7axCdPP295-1L2ZKSafXCwHNMrfjnx0e-P6arhPE2pl96Wz6KySnamLzLqu17PJK_1SAAVKgk71YUm/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005219.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thinking take it easy ..</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFy7FxgD8nLdU8XXSztuFhhcznINJFxeZFGPM-TXz1DthTbaAuHQ4ZcFB5qDFc83nI2Ct4mD8AAteAFTEIaexKeLLsip8XnzXvuYlW6aXASHFTf3athzj3X9lOcjVD6ErmPHJ5uzMJ5JNE/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="189" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFy7FxgD8nLdU8XXSztuFhhcznINJFxeZFGPM-TXz1DthTbaAuHQ4ZcFB5qDFc83nI2Ct4mD8AAteAFTEIaexKeLLsip8XnzXvuYlW6aXASHFTf3athzj3X9lOcjVD6ErmPHJ5uzMJ5JNE/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005222.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Forgetting everything and going for it :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidUSDDI4tkwa9XRfACdPv2fhESXZhY-zyKrokmzxS20PeXjgNwfze1J74QVF-SdWlEfGbgfx0hhgCHqE3VqJlAeMKBNQxrXhCkjlMm40pQNZRTjG9Z9f0pvIJgnW4ZwqdX3AvoBrsmp7O/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005320.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgidUSDDI4tkwa9XRfACdPv2fhESXZhY-zyKrokmzxS20PeXjgNwfze1J74QVF-SdWlEfGbgfx0hhgCHqE3VqJlAeMKBNQxrXhCkjlMm40pQNZRTjG9Z9f0pvIJgnW4ZwqdX3AvoBrsmp7O/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005320.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wow</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gt4fckpZK5tilP1lzMXccLMBaxY7PIi6eLJYtaKFPNe6RABT4iAuuqKOAGlZrYryIpo0YhZh_nxD8okiNY1KfG74Me8PL_O4BBcgJZOJO7F1Fio8S8dd7ngjQER5FHrwUz-LSCGcrDW9/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005341.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2gt4fckpZK5tilP1lzMXccLMBaxY7PIi6eLJYtaKFPNe6RABT4iAuuqKOAGlZrYryIpo0YhZh_nxD8okiNY1KfG74Me8PL_O4BBcgJZOJO7F1Fio8S8dd7ngjQER5FHrwUz-LSCGcrDW9/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005341.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doing what I love</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_dp3OzY63rTHrFTOYt5wdqRe0pbec3r8zGrnDIErkqB6hXg8SmCzTlo5c92QYJpMJxJwLMTSoiVcno-GPUyZDAxEouHqmg3aD8I9m_0vov1XHuG8ANJnOAL01BUUMkT6OSCRaEGqz1lC/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe_dp3OzY63rTHrFTOYt5wdqRe0pbec3r8zGrnDIErkqB6hXg8SmCzTlo5c92QYJpMJxJwLMTSoiVcno-GPUyZDAxEouHqmg3aD8I9m_0vov1XHuG8ANJnOAL01BUUMkT6OSCRaEGqz1lC/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005355.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Norman and I one the way to Checkpoint 3</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsE18SoweL6ekyL-MO8zhb1QTa2oqkykYNPd88B5W8KyF1wKhQ0v3qJCGXNJBZBxVxe4MYaqemEeC65O4LBfK4_0jaWL58qqwsE7aMteT6gYOyQQ5mhuhSAtffIuv_q2FCjIpQBTeTRLsP/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005407.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsE18SoweL6ekyL-MO8zhb1QTa2oqkykYNPd88B5W8KyF1wKhQ0v3qJCGXNJBZBxVxe4MYaqemEeC65O4LBfK4_0jaWL58qqwsE7aMteT6gYOyQQ5mhuhSAtffIuv_q2FCjIpQBTeTRLsP/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005407.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We saw a lot of this :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlfRzOih2XAgAjhyphenhyphenrPsEX5tv4P1mYatYfrQiA5Q9SypOUPXtMcfddczR-Sr1TV3aoZLUQu-LCzfj9hICWED7oSG9uVg2qhgZBqB9nh3DmE8G5CuBKllm1fwXx9q_N0beFyrR_xGCmUjJI/s1600/20150709_211649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGlfRzOih2XAgAjhyphenhyphenrPsEX5tv4P1mYatYfrQiA5Q9SypOUPXtMcfddczR-Sr1TV3aoZLUQu-LCzfj9hICWED7oSG9uVg2qhgZBqB9nh3DmE8G5CuBKllm1fwXx9q_N0beFyrR_xGCmUjJI/s320/20150709_211649.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorry, but this was NOT the awesome steak from 2014!! :/ :/</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>Stage 5</b><br />
Cannonball start ;) Nothing much to write about. Everything went fine. I walked 'a bit' more than I would have like to but I still made it in OK time and at this point, I didn't really give a sh*t. I was going to make it and nothing could stop me short of a heat stroke! I finished with a long sprint and the legs felt both fine and strong.<br />
<br />
After the race, I went for a shower as the first thing. I didn't really feel like celebrating and I didn't feel that I had done as well as I ought to.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUiTRNPuEERrJHO8rUctf1SJrzgY_pElqoWUnN7SXWTeVfO5J2rYNBg-gNsc88f4_oHEUpf8AQ3Q6pXuHYkVmwlP1aB1v1MuSSg9qyzgy-A6anskH395nyDASkyuF8dOBtTkWxuBodFnh/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005552.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHUiTRNPuEERrJHO8rUctf1SJrzgY_pElqoWUnN7SXWTeVfO5J2rYNBg-gNsc88f4_oHEUpf8AQ3Q6pXuHYkVmwlP1aB1v1MuSSg9qyzgy-A6anskH395nyDASkyuF8dOBtTkWxuBodFnh/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005552.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Off we go. Taking it easy for 3 minutes and then ....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6gFDg2LYbC0FZLSi6qWTyeJxq5eDBTUX4FlyT8u3mkcBwrMsQlG2wB6n4Au4PuyOG83MPPULFJKsAOJNvwKEC3XrGqDWWUQQOzuCcd6-ac5PdPZMhxiekhHjhnTmRQfj4ALNMIL3-ho9/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005585.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6gFDg2LYbC0FZLSi6qWTyeJxq5eDBTUX4FlyT8u3mkcBwrMsQlG2wB6n4Au4PuyOG83MPPULFJKsAOJNvwKEC3XrGqDWWUQQOzuCcd6-ac5PdPZMhxiekhHjhnTmRQfj4ALNMIL3-ho9/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005585.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not in the race ;)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6oklWU_wLlwCk41Osn6Xkj5spDhP-H1lbjEbvxC-gSUe1fUAUJ2xcwe-2F9eCmh5fS6tJ31iMlDRjiPyilyh-8R4q9tm-7bzHPJ9E94ZRxeLfMyq34stW5JYo_fKRmQpTyrA-IX6tkPx/s1600/UNiCOM_GH-1005628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz6oklWU_wLlwCk41Osn6Xkj5spDhP-H1lbjEbvxC-gSUe1fUAUJ2xcwe-2F9eCmh5fS6tJ31iMlDRjiPyilyh-8R4q9tm-7bzHPJ9E94ZRxeLfMyq34stW5JYo_fKRmQpTyrA-IX6tkPx/s320/UNiCOM_GH-1005628.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Awesome scenery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCFRsZrYnWHfGjtQ3TzjRqV6BatSp4u2MnTr1lSpnr2q-j2bu1eCIP1ThZRz2e1fbcWRBfgdGsrR4ibQjrnWsLRzLiQC2-LGtWmMYLjvdn106DowiAvQF1Adcf8MZ9yH4VrXyUC8lIxdR/s1600/11234050_1090752930936360_257027375116173341_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijCFRsZrYnWHfGjtQ3TzjRqV6BatSp4u2MnTr1lSpnr2q-j2bu1eCIP1ThZRz2e1fbcWRBfgdGsrR4ibQjrnWsLRzLiQC2-LGtWmMYLjvdn106DowiAvQF1Adcf8MZ9yH4VrXyUC8lIxdR/s320/11234050_1090752930936360_257027375116173341_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reaching checkpoint 3</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5EoBO1T8dYHGze2NVSFOvuVPPNMVNndp351PoX_oZyED0VeVM-ZDdaWBXM3pYYFn6bacf2vH1mXxuzo2c1n7s-QVJZ2J-7pMV_VyMRqHTPk6smbyhr5hVH8cqfW8BPCgfLHY782WsmZp/s1600/20150710_141321.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb5EoBO1T8dYHGze2NVSFOvuVPPNMVNndp351PoX_oZyED0VeVM-ZDdaWBXM3pYYFn6bacf2vH1mXxuzo2c1n7s-QVJZ2J-7pMV_VyMRqHTPk6smbyhr5hVH8cqfW8BPCgfLHY782WsmZp/s320/20150710_141321.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Made it .. time for a shower</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41GBPW7AtiPtomWrfGX9PNeqGIw1yh7wrhiA7SOrkGuFXTbKIJTh01b4OWYLGDlyzj33-SxWdqMRDbmbbetptdhRrg2htOOeI41D9JHrOGB6_exqyINrvW8C3cyk9AQz9UfRQgJFdxfZn/s1600/20150710_195301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi41GBPW7AtiPtomWrfGX9PNeqGIw1yh7wrhiA7SOrkGuFXTbKIJTh01b4OWYLGDlyzj33-SxWdqMRDbmbbetptdhRrg2htOOeI41D9JHrOGB6_exqyINrvW8C3cyk9AQz9UfRQgJFdxfZn/s320/20150710_195301.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Megan, 3rd woman and 16th overall. Impressive!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ba5_le7a5d5Q5UeDjsAgFEXHWlLBSzPSnyu9Aaroz5t688G7gVg07wmeWhvR-CNjwYtSa8kNkyjVwlZb6DolORQNWL19CKOW8pJRnBRr00bOfIgXrIe_8FkFTAo9KNZkOD7j7aZMA2vD/s1600/20150710_195547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ba5_le7a5d5Q5UeDjsAgFEXHWlLBSzPSnyu9Aaroz5t688G7gVg07wmeWhvR-CNjwYtSa8kNkyjVwlZb6DolORQNWL19CKOW8pJRnBRr00bOfIgXrIe_8FkFTAo9KNZkOD7j7aZMA2vD/s320/20150710_195547.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Charlie, 3rd man and overall. Equally impressive!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIK5VMxsUjMV7Mle3i5-yjLX7ipFqlMiHXPfXrrZTvnvaU9kCJoXOXOYIBcB7LxfqtjoJ3FtG-Op4ALULmUzFzK3GZDB_LiNdIjxLz8yQnphhOxlsmwS1TnBmK7cEcLzfD69flQYjEK4v/s1600/20150710_202650.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyIK5VMxsUjMV7Mle3i5-yjLX7ipFqlMiHXPfXrrZTvnvaU9kCJoXOXOYIBcB7LxfqtjoJ3FtG-Op4ALULmUzFzK3GZDB_LiNdIjxLz8yQnphhOxlsmwS1TnBmK7cEcLzfD69flQYjEK4v/s320/20150710_202650.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanne, Jesper and Kirsty at the Gala dinner. Jesper did awesomely</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYHvhJu889ehUn4PZWUxRtoNYGTOKuzjnnngOoR49_axDinkAr7vqZ_lDvZE30L8f0NrB0VXC0d4wmZq4CWAoVIQzoF9HKm9E8M3IbeCDxtO7o3n61LOOqe6vkn2y6iWveDqeJ0PWHBCb/s1600/20150710_202654.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidYHvhJu889ehUn4PZWUxRtoNYGTOKuzjnnngOoR49_axDinkAr7vqZ_lDvZE30L8f0NrB0VXC0d4wmZq4CWAoVIQzoF9HKm9E8M3IbeCDxtO7o3n61LOOqe6vkn2y6iWveDqeJ0PWHBCb/s320/20150710_202654.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaare :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Susanne and I</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncr7-P5XkjQpjlSwAU_N-9hyphenhyphen2z9eFMle7GtMZnnXKz3fN1n8Eq9-xqDy5FN7rqLfYx4skjJOZJLYuYvXU2SO3I0ll8rR4Fck5yNhpwFAiwkcwqjOlVfclJan-PMIphAbK_Sjl-3aVZEl8/s1600/20150711_110606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncr7-P5XkjQpjlSwAU_N-9hyphenhyphen2z9eFMle7GtMZnnXKz3fN1n8Eq9-xqDy5FN7rqLfYx4skjJOZJLYuYvXU2SO3I0ll8rR4Fck5yNhpwFAiwkcwqjOlVfclJan-PMIphAbK_Sjl-3aVZEl8/s320/20150711_110606.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me .. being just me</td></tr>
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<br />
<b>Post race</b><br />
So every year the same question: 'Are you coming back?'. No, as of right now I am not. Don't get me wrong it is a wonderful race and from what I hear it is better organized than much of what else is out there. But the last couple of years this have been THE race that I did and I have basically been redoing myself. I have none at home that is cheering for me so when I do this I only do this for myself. I know the problems I need to fix and I know that it makes no sense coming back before I feel that they are.<br />
<br />
To be honest .. I think my largest problem this year was the ton of unhandled mental sh*t I brought with me from the past year.<br />
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<b>From this year's race, I take with me a lot of memories about my friends .. old and new. If you were one of these, thank you for sharing those days with me.</b><br />
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I also got some insight into what makes my clock tick and what does not. They say that you find something out there on the long hot trails that you won't find anywhere else. I came to find it <u>once again</u> and I did. Now I need to handle what I found.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-79869600057171888612015-06-04T20:22:00.003+02:002018-03-04T09:54:28.011+01:00Aiming at AAUT 7 editionIt has been a long time but I am still alive and running :)<br />
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To be honest it has been a tough year for me both work wise, the family life, physically and mentally. So many things have happened and there have been so many ups and down that I put running on hold for nearly half a year.<br />
<br />
In February I decided that all other problems aside it was time to focus on me, myself and I again. So I made a new training scheme to get myself up to speed with AAUT 2015. I started with running a mere 30 km a week and my form was terrible. My 10 km time was 1:05'ish and I had to slow to a walk at time doing it. But I was OK with that and didn't cross the limit of was I was able to do. Doing that would likely have meant an injury. Every week I have been adding 10% to the distance and are now running 85 km a week. I will be doing that until the race start in about 4 weeks.<br />
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I have run with a couple of the other Danish runners a few times and I fell that my shape is OK. I certainly haven't been last yet but you never know how you react in the extreme heat of AAUT. All you can do is to prepare as good as possible.<br />
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I have sadly had a cold for the last week and I really feeling the runners low atm. but I hope to be out again tomorrow!<br />
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Btw. have you guys seen the new Garmin Fenix3 yet. Damn, I would love to try it. I have nearly bought it at several occasions but the price tag is a bit steep for me atm. I am looking for someone who would let me test it for a few runs if possible. If you have one that I can borrow let me know!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-74565016514747860822014-07-24T11:36:00.002+02:002017-03-03T19:14:31.558+01:00AAUT 2014 - the spell was broken!** disclaimer: this was all written by memory and not in my native language. **<br />
<br />
So many things have happens since I've updated my blog but to sum it all up: I'm running again.<br />
<br />
Around New Year my achilles problem was finally healed and I could start running again after months of ..non-running. It also meant that I could start thinking about AAUT 2014 for real. As you might know my entry in 2013 didn't go as I had planned (<a href="http://dditlev.blogspot.dk/2013/07/aaut-2013-2014.html">read about it here</a>) and even though I had aimed for a real race in 2014 the archilles break meant that my goal had changed to just f*cking getting through again (already did so in 2012). Getting through can be hard enough as many of the non finishers through the years will tell you. Unforeseen events like falls, heat problems, stomach problems and broken bones have stopped many runners. AAUT is a small race but is regarded to be in the top 50 of the hardest races in the world and even harder than the much more famous Marathon des Sables.<br />
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To be honest I felt much more prepared in 2012 and 2013 than I did this year. Recently I have had a lot late hours at the office and especially my distance training had suffered from it not to mention my hill training. Hill training in Denmark means running up and down the same 20-30-40 meter high hill again and again and again. Nothing like the 1 km high hills (mountains) we seen in Spain. Denmark is a _flat_ country.<br />
<br />
Arriving at the hotel I noticed that nobody was sitting outside drinking beer. This was _very_ unusual and a clear sign that only very few of the usual suspects was racing this year. I arrived by bus with the regulars Graeme and Kirsty (racing since 2012) and the new kid on the block, Charlie. Another familiar face Roxanne was welcoming us in the once we entered the hotel, she like me had not finished it in 2013 and was back for redemption. After checking in and saying hi to all the new faces (Andy, Steve, Gunnar, Mario, Carolien aka Caren, Anna, Mark, Galina, Mick, George, Franck, Brendan, ...) we the oldies quickly went outside and had beer ... the balance in the AAUT universe was once again restored.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graeme, Roxanne, Me and Kirsty</td></tr>
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<br />
Worth mentioning is that should you need something, socks, gels, poles, clothing .. AAUT puts up a small shop in the hotel where you can make the last minute stockpiling.<br />
<br />
Later that night Sonny (my fellow Dane in the race) and soon to be famous in the AAUT world Sonia arrived.<br />
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Sunday some of us went for the non-optional run to the base of the first mountain and back. This year it was a little more eventful than is used to be. One of the runners decided to take a small spontaneous nap on the road. He had traveled for 24+ hours with next to no sleep and his body decided to draw a line in the sand. After some rest, food and a talk with the doctor he was fine and had a great week, but at that point in time, it was a wake-up call for all of us. This is the real shit.<br />
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<b>Day 1 - the wake-up</b><br />
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Monday morning it was time to start the race. A familiar face Angie (2012 supporter and 2013 racer) had come to see us off. I remember that in 2012 at one point on the long day where I was totally spaced out Angie had pulled up beside me in a car offering me cold beverage at that point I couldn't recognize her and started telling her about the race.. spaced out .. that is what the extreme heat will do to you. This morning I was my normal self and a familiar face especially Angie's was a welcomed sight. She and her husband Tony are some of the nicest people I know. But generally, AAUT _do_ bring a very special and very lovely crowd based on my experience.<br />
<br />
.. anyway at 9:45 the race started and off we went. I felt fine until the first climb. It was a impressive ~9km 1000 m accent. I very quickly regretted not having spent more time doing hill training. My heart was beating at the same rhythm as a love struck rabbit having a good time. This was new to me and I didn't like it. In 2012 I was among the first to reach the summit, this year I was among the last. I blamed the missing hill training, the blood pressure medication and not bringing the poles (in 2012 someone (Fred) referred to me as the tac tac man, due to the sound of my poles sneaking up from behind). Using poles gives you an edge on the uphill sections .. if you have the proper technique. Once I reached the top a very smiling man, Adrian, was greeting me. This was his first year as a crew member and I didn't leave his checkpoint without giving him a few pointers howto improve his otherwise impressive hospitality (having spent 2013 doing checkpoints with a master of the trait (Big Phil) so I couldn't help it).<br />
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After that, it goes more or less downhill until checkpoint 2. I did a fine mix of running and walking getting used to the warm weather. Phil, Linda, the doctor (Anja) and Eric greeted me at the checkpoint and after a short stop I went on. The path to checkpoint 3 includes a bit of tar road and at that point, I was feeling strangely sleepy. I must have been bored by my own company. On top of that, I was feeling cramps going up and down my spine possibly due to too much ice in my water bladder. I was also starting to feel a sickness in my stomach. The spirit was high but I really really didn't feel like running and started walking more than I ran.<br />
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1 or 2 km before checkpoint 3 I was overtaken by Mario and Caren. They were all smiles and was clearly having a good day in the sun even though Caren had hurt her foot. At checkpoint 3 I was welcomed by Angie, Holly and Linda. I was a little cooked by now so the coke (cola) they served was niiice. It was my first coke since September 2013 so I enjoyed it a little extra. Now I was second to last but I really didn't feel like running too much and took it fairly easy for the rest of the way to the finish line. When I did run my lower legs erupted in cramps and I knew that it wasn't going to become an easy week for me. When I finally reached the finish all the familiar faces was there smiling and cheering. I shot a video of my leg cramps sitting by my tent .. scary stuff :)<br />
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<br />
Luckily AAUT has a massage option and the very skilled lady who did the massage was extremely efficient to get rid of whatever problem I had during the week. It hurt like hell when she did her magic but it worked and I don't mind even strong pain when I know it helps me in the end.<br />
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Let me give a shout out to Jesper who had come to greet us/me at the finish line but who missed me due to me spending too much time wandering around enjoying the scenery.<br />
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Night 1 is actually spent in a sports hall so even though we slept in our tents we still had a roof over our heads and nice toilets!<br />
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<b>Day 2 - the semi-long one</b><br />
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<br />
It started great. I felt sharp and had brought my poles. In 2012 I was among the leaders until checkpoint 2 so I started out as fast as felt sane. Legs felt awesome. I wasn't among the leaders but I felt I was certainly better placed than I had been the day before. Then a few km later on a dusty road, I was greeted by a pitbull-terrier standing in the middle of the road looking straight at me showing its teeth and making a deep sound letting me know that I wasn't welcome. I turned around and started walking back the way I came waiting for the next runners so we could pass it like a group. It didn't take long for Mario and Caren to arrive and when faced with 3 people the dog vanished. At that point, we could see that the poor thing was limping :(<br />
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Shortly after I ran away from the group and was feeling fast and furious. Then I came to a single track and by a sudden strike of madness, I decided to run up a long hill filled with loose stones. It took me forever and once I reached the top I was pissed that Paul had marked the route so poorly that I couldn't see where to run next. I decided to go left and while running up there I noticed the next runners arriving at the single track. A little later I noticed that none had gone up the hill and had instead continued ahead. I shouted down to Caren and she confirmed my mistake. Doh .. I had to go back down. It took a while and once down the pink markings was clearly _noy_ pointing me up the hill. I was rather pissed with myself and did no longer feel awesome. By my calculations, I was now second to last.<br />
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Once I arrived at checkpoint 2 I was greeted by Mario and Caren who left it as I entered. This checkpoint was run by Phil and Linda. As I left it Gunnar entered it and I was glad to know that he was making good speed but also a little troubled by the fact that it meant that I was very close to being the very last. Not that it really mattered but it was such a big contrast to my run in 2012 that I was a bit scared of how much this blood pressure thing had actually affected my running. All the way to checkpoint 2 was a mixed run with Mario and Caren ahead of me or behind me. I saw Galina 200 meters ahead of me at some point but never caught up with her.<br />
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At checkpoint 2 I was greeted by Holly, the doctor and Eric. Mario left the checkpoint a little ahead of me but Caren had decided to call it a day. At this point, I felt shitty. I felt slow, my stomach was giving me problems again and the heat was kicking in. The path between checkpoint 2 and 3 it as very technical single track known as the goat track. I quickly got lost for the second time and had to reverse my track to find the correct path again. When I did this section in 2012 it was the most technical path I had ever 'run'. This year it gave me far less problems but the heat was immense and the climb was tough. At one point I was really cooking and to my horror, I found out that I had dropped my bottle with pure water. This was the bottle I used to cool down the head and feeling the heat like I did I knew that I couldn't go far without it (I got long thick hair). I had to slow down and sit in the shade every few meters as I went uphill. When I finally reached the top I had come to the conclusion that when I found the checkpoint I would drop out... I was really really cooking inside and running another 18 km in the sun didn't seem reasonable at the time. To my luck, a car approached me and inside it was Eric and the doctor. They had water in the back and I quickly used 1-2 bottles of it to cool down the head and body. Ahhh .. no longer cooking I could focus on running again.<br />
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I quickly meet Kirsty who had gotten a little lost herself and had used far to much time wandered the hills up and down. We entered checkpoint 3 together and was greeted by Adrian and his son. They gave me an empty coke bottle to use instead of my lost one and off I went. The coke bottle was a little big and heavy though so when I ran I had to hold it to keep my west from jumping around. It annoyed me a little but it was far better than the alternative. I kept Kirsty in my view for a few km but little by little she got further and further ahead of me and when we reached the bottom aka the long dusty road she was 'gone'.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2.5 km of really really dry fine dust</td></tr>
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At this point, I was relaxing a little too much. Having nearly called it a day and with nobody to race, I started focusing on conserving what energy I had left. I did run a little but could possibly have run more and walked less. When I say walk I mean a speedy march at around 8-9 min/km. At the end of the road and after a little uphill I was greeted by Paul who took this little picture of me as I crossed a stone fence feeling strong-legged at the time actually.<br />
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2 km later I was greeted by Phil in the middle of nowhere. He had actually gone out looking for me wondering why I hadn't arrived yet. He is awesome so I was a little sad to leave him behind but I wasn't in a mood for a walk at the time and he wasn't really a match for my running. Just before checkpoint 4, there is a little water crossing where you are bound to get your feet wet unless you take off your shoes. I tried for half a sec to take off the shoes but could feel a cramp building up so I just ran through the water instead and sat down at checkpoint 4 where Linda greeted me. Mario had just left it and even though I was tempted to try to catch up with him I felt more like sitting down for a few minutes and having some cooold coke :) Paul arrived and took this picture as I sat there. I found out that Gunnar had called it a day so I was now last (3-4 had called it a day at that point).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was not feeling as bad as it looks ;) I was adjusting the buff.</td></tr>
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From checkpoint 4 to the finish line I felt great. I did a mix of running and marching. Legs felt fine and with a cool head, everything seemed great. I was a little sad by being last but it was what it was. When I finally reached the finish I realized how many had called it a day and that I was only last by a few minutes. The youngsters at the finish line were awesome btw. A young man with glasses made sure I had every I needed. I believe his name was Sam.<br />
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The poor massage woman had to work until 9 PM that evening. I know cause I was her last 'patient'. She once again did her magic and my main problem of the day was a sore knee specifically tractus iliotibialis which she fixed through some _very_ painful but very efficient massage and some shoulder problems. The later was fixed by a mix of again _very_ painful massage and camphor lotion that she applied for the night. She was extreme good at what she did.<br />
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I hadn't been able to eat my gels/food that day so when Sonny and I went into town that night at 9:30 pm the meal at the La Bar (chicken, chips and a large beer) was very tasty and felt great in the stomach.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food!</td></tr>
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<b><br /></b> <b>Day 3 or as they call it ..the easy day</b><br />
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<br />
The day started with a 10 km tar run. My legs felt great but I had started with a nearly empty water bladder so when I started feeling the heat I slowed down a bit. Sonny and I teamed up within a few km from the start. Sonny was having some serious cramp problems that had started the day before and wanted to call it a day at checkpoint 1. I tried to talk him into giving it another go since I know from experience that most of our problems are only phases that have a beginning and an end. Holly and Gunnar were crewing checkpoint 1 as I remember it. Sonny didn't want to go further so I left him there.<br />
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The next section included a long uphill that ended at a landing field and next to it was checkpoint 2, run by Phil and Linda. At checkpoint 2 I found Mario and Caren who was running again. I could feel a hot spot developing on one of my feet so I took the time taking off the 2 socks (liner + compression) and fixing it with some Vaseline. While I was doing that Galine arrived and left and when I was done Sonny had entered the checkpoint as well. He stated _very_ clearly that now he was done and that he called it a day. I tried to convince him to give it a few minutes and think about it. But he had made up his mind. At that time I was ready to go so off I went with Mario, Caren and Galina in the horizon.<br />
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I had remembered the next part as being more or less flat followed by a long downhill but in reality, there was quite a long gentle climb before the downhill section started. I felt awesome but had mixed feelings. Should I go full throttle or should I save the energy to the next day aka the long one. I mostly did the later. When I arrived at checkpoint 3 I was greeted by Adrian and his son. Mario and Caren were still there as well. I think I entered the checkpoint singing and all in all I was feeling great. Mario and Caren went on their way. Once I had filled my water bladder and alike I too went along.<br />
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I passed Mario and Caren on the top of the next climb and never saw them again that day. To be honest I had a hard time not going full throttle so most of way to the finish I ran fairly fast ignoring the fact that it was meant to be a recovery day. 800 meters before the finish I saw Galina 200 meters ahead of me and I simply couldn't help giving it all I had. I ran past her at full throttle and once I crossed the finish line I had to throw myself on the ground completely cooked but very happy about the day and how the legs felt.<br />
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Problems of the day. A tiny blister that the doctor drained. I had hoped she would inject it with something that would completely dry it out but I couldn't remember what the liquid is called and she clearly didn't think it necessary. Didn't really have any specific problems for the massage woman to fix so she just gave me a run through .. which was painful enough but left me feeling great.<br />
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That night we had the best paella of the 3 years I had attended the race. I had 2 large servings and a cup or 2 of beer :)<br />
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Everybody was thinking about the day to come. Day 4 is nearly 70 km long with some serious climbs and extremely hot and unprotected. We were divided into 2 groups for a staggered start. The slowest would start at 8 AM and the fastest at 8:30 AM. So off to bed to get ready for an early start.<br />
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<b>Day 4 - the long one.</b><br />
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<br />
I had made one change in my setup compared to the other days. A change that would make a real difference to me. I had added a flask more around my waist. In this, I used some High5 tabs. Until day 4 I had only used water and gels. The race started and Eric ran with us for the first 3 km showing us the way to the first climb. Ahead of me was Roxanne and Anna. Roxanne was running really fast like a bat out of hell. She was the fastest in the slow group and day 4 was where she had been forced to quit the year before due to a stress fracture in the foot (which she had gotten on day 1 aka 100 miles / 160 km earlier!!). My legs felt great but once again I started thinking about 2012 and how I had been first at both checkpoint 1 and 2 on day 4. I had burned the candle at both ends that year but still, I didn't like being in front. When we reached checkpoint 1 I had been passed by Kirsty and Mario. Holly and Gunnar were running checkpoint 1 and Gunnar was very generous with the ice in my case. Thanks, Gunnar! ;)<br />
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The next stretch took us around a very beautiful lake. My legs felt awesome but my head started to give me problems as people kept passing me from behind. Charlie who was leading the race had passed me after a mere 10 km. In 2012 the leader(s) didn't pass me until ~24 km. I felt under powered again and my mind became my worst enemy. I kept asking myself why aren't I running, I don't know I replied and so I ran for a little only to slow to a walk a few hundred meters later. More people passed me and I got more and more frustrated so I decided to call it a day once I would reach checkpoint 2. With a mere 1 km to the checkpoint I gave it full throttle and ran like a bat out of hell and was greeted by Eric, the doctor, Sonny, Andy, Phil, Linda and Mike (an English ultra runner crewing this year) They were clearly impressed with my running entry but I said to them that I was out.<br />
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To my surprise, no one tried to talk me out of it. Andy said, that he too had called it a day and Mike offered to drive me to the finish. The doctor said is was a shame. All in all, I became a little pissed .. sorry but I did ;) I have always told people not to give up when they entered a checkpoint and only do it on your way out. Why didn't anyone say the same to me? I had also thought that I was the last at that point but I could hear that at least 2 runners was behind me. My problem was in my head I knew that. The sprint to the checkpoint had proved that my legs were more than ready. So I changed my mindset. I was going to continue and by that, I meant to the finish. I told them that I needed 5 minutes and called out to Eric that I was going to continue. He told me that the next part was a very tough 7 km climb. I told him that I knew that and as soon as my gear was ready I went ahead. The last thing I remember I said when I left was to Sonny: "It is all in the head".<br />
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From that point on I felt awesome. The 7 km climb felt like a piece of cake. As I got close to the top I could see Kirsty and Wendy a little ahead of her. I knew then that my legs were indeed great. At checkpoint 3 I was greeted by Adrian and his son. Wendy was there as well as Kirsty. They left before me, though. Looking on my pace climbing the hill I noticed that even going uphill my speed was still faster than the cut off speed of 6 km/h. This gave me the idea that if only I could keep going at that speed for the rest of the day I would safely be able to complete it. And so I did. I ran once in a while when I couldn't help it but most often I simply stuck to my plan.<br />
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I ran the last 2-3 km into checkpoint 4 at 40 km into the race and felt awesome. Mark arrived there a few minutes after me. At checkpoint 4 I was greeted by Eric, the doctor, Caren and possibly one more ;) The doctor (Anja) and I had a little talk about what had gone on at checkpoint 2 .. in German to her delight ;) I left feeling much better that I had in 2012 at the same checkpoint. A few km's later Mark caught up with me. He is a great fellow and I like him as a person but I felt that I had to tell him that I wasn't really a great chatter when I ran trying to keep my focus. He luckily replied no problem nor was he ;)<br />
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We teamed up for a few kilometers until we had to cross a water junction. To be honest hadn't Mark taken off his shoes I would properly have gone through it with shoes and all but seeing Mark taking the extra time to actually taking off his shoes and socks convinced me to do the same. I am glad that I did. The feeling of the cold water on the hot feet was freaking awesome!!! Mark took a picture of me having taken that first step. You can clearly see how much I enjoyed it. <strike>Sadly I don't have that picture to show you .. yet.</strike><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Once crossed I had to take some time to get the feet covered with Vaseline again and putting on the 2 socks (injinji liner and the compression outer sock). I love the combination but it takes some time to get on. Mark was faster and we separated again. After that followed a looong dusty uphill climb to checkpoint 5. By now I had run out of the High5 tab that had kept me going all day (had had no gels) and I was looking forward to the coke at checkpoint 5. When I finally saw the checkpoint I ran to it a little tired but still feeling awesome. I was greeted by Phil, Linda and Sonny! Mark was also there. I was told that Roxanne had just left the checkpoint 14 minutes earlier and I knew then that something was wrong. She is much faster than me and should have been way ahead of me at that point.<br />
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Then it happened ..... My eyes saw what was in front of me and I burst out .. "Who the fuck buys Zero at an Ultra!!!" They were serving Cola Zero. Mark replied dryly ... "I was thinking the same thing". I am very sorry for Linda and Phil who was running the checkpoint for the remark that I made, but I heard a number of other people marking the same remark the next couple of days ;) AAUT has the best crew imaginable let there be no doubt! At that point of the race I just wanted sugar, everybody does. That is why they serve Cola at the late checkpoints. I had some sweets instead :)<br />
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Mark left ahead of me. The way from checkpoint 5 to 6 is fairly easy and fairly uphill until it is not. Then after 11-12 km there you have checkpoint 6. At checkpoint 6 I was greeted by Adrian and his son plus Sonny and Linda who had passed me by car.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checkpoint 6 - Me and Sonny</td></tr>
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I was feeling great and had had a nice run into the checkpoint doing the helicopter (with the poles). Mark was also there but left soon after. I had some great oranges and soon after I went out for the last stretch with only Anna behind me. I don't know how many had dropped out that day.<br />
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From there it is about 9 km to the finish. The first year I did this my feet was covered with blisters and the very steep downhills on the last 9 km was really killing me and I was really pissed. This year I knew what was coming and enjoyed the scenery and not having blisters worth mentioning. When I finally reached the lake I meet Paul a few hundred meters from the finish. Hey cool, I thought when he started running, lets race! My legs were feeling awesome and I overtook him in no time .. but then he shouted that he was the one who should the finish line picture, so I stopped and waited for him to get into the car and waited a little longer for him to arrive at the finish. THEN I hit full throttle and ran like a very happy bat out of hell to the finish line followed by Eric in a car honking his horn. Awesome.<br />
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I only remember one greeting though a lot of people greeted me but I was high on endorphin and adrenalin. The greeting I remember was Mike's: "You are a legend!" I felt really good sitting down after having done what I had dreaded all week and having made the come back after checkpoint 2 .. My time was safely within the allowed time frame and I had done what I set out to do. However looking up I saw Roxanne and she was really battered. She was still sitting in a chair in at the finish wearing her race gear. Her feet was a mess and she was pale as a ghost. I had had a walk in the park compared to what she had been through. She had been developing a cold since Day 1 and combined with other problems .. everybody was impressed that she got through.<br />
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That evening I think most of us thought about Roxanne.<br />
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I didn't have a massage. Didn't needed it.<br />
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One thing I must mention as well. We dined at a place called Restaurante Asador Pato Loco. If you ever go there have a steak! I did and it was the best steak I have ever had!! If yours isn't as good then go for at 67 km run in the hills and try again.<br />
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<b>Day 5 - It is only a marathon.</b><br />
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Again a staggered start. Legs felt awesome. I teamed up with Sonny who was running again. He was faster than me though so he went ahead and I never saw him again until the finish. The rest of the day was spent in the company with Roxanne who I teamed up with right after checkpoint 1 and later Mark who joined the group after checkpoint 3. To me, it was a very easy day. My shape had gotten better and better through the week but sometimes there are things more important than running and day 5 was such a day. Everybody made it through day 5 even the one who had suffered the most. Roxanne went directly into an ambulance after having crossed the finish line. Later that evening when finally back on her feet she got a standing applause when she entered the room. If you wonder why, check this picture.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paul, Roxs and the doctor</td></tr>
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This is how you look when you have given it all you had and then some. Roxanne might be the last to cross the finish line this year but she was still one of those who made the biggest impression on people. Another amazing woman this year was Sonia Furtado as I mentioned in the start. She became the first woman to the win a stage. Not only did she win one stage she won 2 and was only a handful of minutes from winning the race.<br />
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Didn't have a massage, didn't need it. Did have a large beer and a hamburger, though!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">you can't see the beer .. but it was there :)</td></tr>
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That night I felt fulfilled. I had done what I came to do. My time had been shitty but I had made it through once more. I had broken the spell of 2013. But not 24 hours went by before I started thinking that it had been too easy. I hadn't pushed myself nearly hard enough. In 2012 I had raced myself as hard as I could (<a href="http://dditlev.blogspot.dk/2012/07/aaut-2012-wow.html">read about it here</a>) and had lost 3 nails and had 8 blisters to show for it .. in 2014 I had one tiny blister and finished the race in better shape than I started. AAUT 2015 suddenly got a purpose.<br />
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Pictures by Paul, Linda, Graeme, Mark and me (Sorry for not asking, I'm a bandit I know). Thanks to the crew behind AAUT, management to volunteers you all rock!! Thanks to my fellow runners this year for being fucking awesome! Thanks to all the people who supported me and the other runners on Facebook, Skype and more. Thanks to my family for giving me the possibility to do this year after year.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-67029264357379201772013-11-24T15:17:00.002+01:002018-03-04T09:54:27.770+01:00Since last ..It has been a loong time since my last update. Here is what has been up. Right after AAUT I went into a training frenzy I trained 1-2 times a day 5 days a week. I needed to feel like I did something other than taking pills for the blood pressure. I felt like I was in the shape on my life and had nothing to do. I've read about people training for a race that was cancelled in the last moment. I guess this was kinda how they felt like.<br />
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Within a few weeks I could fell the medication making changes to my body. My maximum heart rate was soon lowered by 10-15 beats per minute and I was getting slower and slower. It took a few break downs, one of these after only 2-3 km, before I learnt to run in this new body of mine. I felt really gutted but I learned that keeping my heart rate below 150-160 bpm would allow me to run the same kinda distances that I was used too but going above 160 would burn me out instantly.<br />
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Eventually I started getting fast again and I joined a small group of people running a each Monday night in the dark in some awesome trails. This reboosted me and helped me see that I, even on medication, had a future running.<br />
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Sadly one evening 3 - 4 months ago, before a trial training session I had an stupid garden accident which left me with pain in my right achilles tendon. Stubborn as I can be I ignored it for a month or more still keeping my training regime going. I had gotten my speed back and I wasn't about to take a break. But it grew worse and worse and soon I was limping badly. I decided to run just one more marathon before taking a break. 'Luck' would have it that I also got a cold and a fever but I still insisted on running. I became dead last (5 hours and 11 minutes). The next couple of days was spent sleeping and sweating buckets.<br />
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I didn't run for 3 weeks after that. I had hoped for the pain to go away but instead the achilles tendon grew stiffer and I was limping even more.<br />
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I started running once a week and it gave me a relief for a couple of days afterwards but on the third day it would return worse than before. I kept this going for a few weeks until running simple became a pain from start till end and I knew it was time to stop and seek some help.<br />
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Soo .. I've been treated by a physiotherapist and have been doing a lot of eccentric exercises. They have worked wonders. I've also been scanned. It showed that I had partially ruptured the tendon but due to the rest and exercises it has almost healed up by now.<br />
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Now I'm almost ready to run again but my family have stated that they like having me home so I'm not sure that I'll head for the ultra running distances right away plus trail running has really kicked off in Denmark so it might be time for me to try something else .. less crowdy.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-48289276782242907202013-07-19T19:47:00.002+02:002017-03-03T19:21:23.016+01:00AAUT 2013 -> 2014** disclaimer: this was all written out of memory days after the event ended. I will very likely be wrong about the details. I will include no names but the people involved knows who I am talking about **<br />
<br />
The training for AAUT 2013 started a year ago when I bought my first pair of minimalistic shoes NB MT10 to start embracing the forefoot running style that was my natural gait but I that had tried to avoid thinking 'heal striking' was _the_ optimal way to run. AAUT 2012 had resulted in some nasty blisters for me so I really wanted to reboot my running (style, shoes and all).<br />
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The instant I tried them on I knew that these were the kinda shoes I wanted to run in at AAUT hopefully to avoid the problems from 2012. It took me ~3 weeks to get used to them and being able to run in them on stony tracks without getting my feet all bruised. I even became a certified Pose running instructor during this year of training.<br />
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Every run I have made since then has been with AAUT 2013 in mind even my 100 mile attempt on Bornholm.<br />
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My training for AAUT 2013 was a lot different from my AAUT 2012 training. I had concentrated on a lot more technical trail running and speed work with only the occasional very long distance run. I was a bit nervous about how it would turn out but I had broken every personal record I had tried to in the weeks up to the race including my marathon PR (without even trying).<br />
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So I arrived at the Hotel in Loja with a smile on my face, really happy to be back and looking forward to this year's adventure. My target time this year would be 30 hours which I felt was very realistic. At the hotel, I hooked up with my friends from 2012 and it felt like we had never been apart. Awesome people from around the world!<br />
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I had forgotten to have my medical check made at home so the day before the race I had to go see the doctor. My first check revealed my blood pressure to be a little high and I had to come back for another check later. Hmm .. that wasn't what I wanted to hear at that point. I wanted to relax with my friends and be checking my gear. I still had 16 kilos of stuff that needed to be repacked into 10 kilos to meet the rules of the race. I couldn't relax and when they rechecked my blood pressure it had gone higher. Now I was faced with the sentence: "we can't allow you to race." WTF?!! I tried to explain that I had seen it that high before and it had never been a problem, that is was probably due to stress, the heat, the salt caps I had taken and so on .. I couldn't believe the bad timing of this problem to show itself. We agreed that they would try to get me a self-monitoring device to see if it was lower when I was relaxed. It wouldn't arrive until the next morning but a talk with the race director assured me that I would be allowed to run anyway. I might just have to sign some papers. The only thing that should stop me from running was if the doctor felt it was a matter of life and death. At last some relief. I had dinner and the pre-race briefing with the other runners.<br />
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Then I started getting ready for the race, packing and getting my race gear ready for the next day. I went to see the race director to get the final GO when the doctor caught me in the hallway. He wanted to take my blood pressure one more time... Okay .. I thought we were past that now but .. okay. He measured it and became _very_ serious. To make a long tail short I was rushed to the local hospital and later the university hospital in Granada by ambulance 100 km away. My blood pressure had reached 220/120 which even I knew was very serious and was potentially lethal .. had I gone running.<br />
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I spent the night being checked: EKG's, blood tests and stuff like that. Nothing was out of the ordinary except that my EKG showed that I was an 'ultra athlete'. Once they had found some medication that worked I was released and went back to my hotel in Loja. I arrived just in time for seeing the race start with tears in my eyes. The race director told me that whatever I wanted they would help me with, awesome people! They helped me pick up my medication and after that, I slept until woken by a phone call many hours later. It was the race director. She asked me if I wanted to fly home or if her mom should pick me up and drive me to my friends. I soo wanted to see my friends.<br />
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I was picked up and arrived at the finish line to greet my 'old man' from New Zealand, who had had a bad time with cramps that day. He told me that he had been screaming in pain after having crossed the finish line and I felt lucky that I hadn't been there to hear it. Most of the runners had already left for the campsite and I decided to walk there (1-2 km at the max). The race director had checked me into a small place with a real bed so I could get a nice night rest, thank you! :)<br />
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The walk was nice and even though I was tempted I didn't run. Once I arrived I talked with my friends told them what had gone on with me and asked them how they had been on the first stage of the race. Generally, people had had a nice day with the occasional problem. Most serious would turn out to be a runner who had hurt her foot due to landing hard on a rock running in nothing but my favorite shoe the NB MT10. She had been in second place at the time but had had to slow to a walk due to the pain. I also started hearing that one of the checkpoints really needed some help. The people at the checkpoint had shown no experience with what runners needed it such conditions (which would be much better at day 2 and forth where they had obviously been better instructed).<br />
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Since the doctor had been very clear that I wouldn't be able to run this week .. I decided to volunteer for some checkpoint duty. The next day I would team up with one of the most experienced persons and together we would run checkpoint 3. I looked forward to that. Checkpoint 3, stage 2 is a tough one. You have no radio contact and people will reach you after having run a difficult single track section. Last year I believe 3 bags of I.V. was given at that checkpoint.<br />
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Had a shitty nights sleep but I guess that was only to expect. Next morning I had a small breakfast with the doctor and a good friend from the crew. We arrived at the start to wish the runners a great day in the sun. As the race began I once more had tears behind those sunglasses of mine. These people were doing what I had come to do.<br />
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I and my crew mate set off to our destination and quickly everything was in place and ready for the runners to arrive. Once the runners started coming I felt useful again. Every runner I saw coming got a cheer and if I could recognize them or spot their name it became a personal one. As a runner, I know how nice it is to see a friendly face and know that someone is out there waiting to see _you_ arrive! I asked them right away: 'What can for you?', 'Cold towel?', 'Do you want your cap the the cold water?', 'Wanna sit?', 'Want ice in your bottles?', 'Want me to add electrolytes as well?'. Making sure that only the right amount of electrolytes was added to the water so it would not taste like saltwater and be useless for the runner. Everything was done as quickly as possible to allow them to continue right away if that was what they wanted. Never standing to wait but seeking them and asking what I could do to help them. Also, I made sure that they knew what was coming, not just the distance to the next checkpoint but also the path there. "It will go uphill for a few km, then you have a nice downhill stretch follow by a long straight dusty road ..." I didn't want people to hear any false or vague information they deserved the facts as precisely as possible. Every time I had a person successfully through the checkpoint my mood would rise. Seeing people that I knew already or that I knew had been struggling made me even happier. Happy to see that they were still in the game. This was me and my crew mate's version of 'Cheers' and every one of them should feel like 'Norm'. This was the second best thing I could do in this race and it felt awesome!<br />
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The rest of the week I stayed on checkpoint duty doing my best to help my fellow runners and the feedback they gave me was priceless. I restudied the course videos to give the best info possible I wanted the best possible race experience for these runners. I had hit rock bottom Monday morning but they had helped me just as much as I had helped them. Every evening someone came and told how glad they were to have me at a checkpoint .. priceless!<br />
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I saw many runners in pain, giving all they had to go on. A young man who couldn't bend his knees when he left my checkpoint on day 3 but tried to fight his way up a hill until he had to buckle. A young girl who it turned out had broken a bone in her foot on day one but still fought her way through the race until 30 km into day 4 (which totals 100 miles / 160 km!!). Having reached my checkpoint she was sadly pulled by the doctor after having fought her way up a crazy hill. She was simply risking to do permanent damage to herself which could mean that she wouldn't be able to run ever again. She personally never gave up. Saw a runner nearly purple from running in the sun for more than 8 hours at the time with no or too little sun block on. She roasted out there with her feet in pain but still carried on to the end. Saw a man who had vomited and who had been running on empty for hours but who managed to pick himself up and made it all the way to the finish line getting faster and faster. I saw so many strong runners, so many strong people, so many strong stories that I couldn't help feeling in awe. I felt very proud to be able to help these men and women even if only a little.<br />
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The last day of the race arrived and after doing my checkpoint duty with some of my fellow DNF runners (and dear friends) I spent most of the day waiting at the finish line waiting for people to come in. Remembering how I had felt last year when I had crossed that line. Some of the people I care most about told me some really wonderful things at that line, thank you very much.<br />
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After the race had ended there was the after party and the always returning question: 'Will you be back next year?'. Well, I knew I wanted to. Besides the fact that AAUT is a great race with a great crew I had unfinished business but I also knew that I wasn't coming back again just to let history repeat itself plus there is always the question of $$. I would have to give it some thought.<br />
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Officially I left at 4:00 AM the next morning but part of me was left behind. Now a week later I have signed up for AAUT 2014 and this time I will take on the race not just myself. My blood pressure is 'perfect' and my training has been upped to 2 sessions a day, feeling stronger, faster and more focused than ever. I know I also got some mental training to do as well. I look forward to seeing those of my friends again who has already or who will decide to come back as well.<br />
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This week's favorite running song: <a href="http://www.infinitelooper.com/?v=v2tygV0zDmQ&p=n">Nightcall by Kavinsky & Lovefoxxx</a>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-62320938150755581822013-05-06T23:22:00.002+02:002013-05-21T23:35:01.147+02:00The Hammer!I'm starting this post with noo idea of how to express what I experienced this weekend participating in the Hammer Trail 100 mile race.<br />
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It has been one of the best weekends of my life.</div>
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I traveled by train and as soon as I sat down I was questioned about the Danish flag I wore on my race jacket which lead to a great conversation about ultra running and life in general.</div>
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Later waiting for the next train I met a sweet couple, Jan and Lena, also on their way to Bornholm to take part of the 25 km part of the race. We also had some great talks on the ferry to the island and they later showed up showing their support during my race. Even though around 50-60 years old (Sorry Jan if my guess is totally off) Jan was still a fast runner and could probably give me quite a match should we go head to head on a trail. It would be Lena's first 25 km trail run. Both did excellent, btw!</div>
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I had a room at a place named <a href="http://www.gjestehuz.dk/">Tine's Gjestehûz</a> which is hosted by the sweetest persons that one can imaging. The hospitality and service .. was outstanding. If you are going to Bornholm, please consider staying at their place! I was joined later that day by SLG. We talked a little about nutrition that night. I had b(r)ought a lot and divided it into small bags based on the rule that I wanted to eat about 300 kcals per hour which is more than double what I normally do but I wanted to make sure that lack of energy/kcal's wouldn't be what stopped me. Anything I hadn't bagged was offered to SLG and she grabbed a little and the the next morning grabbed a little more (rather safe than sorry! :)</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots and lots of energy! The Bloks really rocks!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Race setup for the first 35 km</td></tr>
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Next day we met before and after breakfast and talked a little about the last details. Later Tine drove us to the start (<u>did I mention how sweet she is!!</u>) and gave us her number: "If you need anything give us a call!!" .. Outstanding!!</div>
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First thing we went through was the gear check. Everything was in order except that SLG had lost some of her extra batteries. Luckily I had brought extra extras which I gave her. Then a quick look around revealed a bunch of familiar smiling face .. Tomas, Moses, Peder, Dan and later my good friend KÃ¥re. Great company! Everybody was in a great mood. Dunno about other sports but in ultra running strangers helps / talks to / smiles to strangers. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SLG and I doing a silly pose for Dan</td></tr>
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Soon it was time to start the race and Jan and Lena had come to cheer me on (thank you!!). First we set out on a prologue which was about 7 km around Hammer light house. Lots of bedrock and steep hills with the occasional fine sand. I had walked this part the day before and had concluded that I wouldn't bring my poles for the first lap at least (~35 km) Bad mistake ;) After the prologue we set out on the first of six laps on a ~26 km course which included the same path that we had run on the prologue.<br />
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There had been a one hour time limit on the prologue and it came as a chock to me that the clock said 0:52 when we ended it parsing the main aid station / start / finish of the race. I realized that there wouldn't be any time for messing around in this race. I didn't stop a the aid station I just continued out on the first lap just like KÃ¥re who I ran with at the time.</div>
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I constantly ate from my energy stash which consisted of Clif bars and blocks and GU gels. I had to eat whenever it was possible to get all the energy I needed per hour. I constantly was on the verge of vomiting with all the food in my stomach but managed to keep every thing inside and it never became a performance issue. I never had a energy problem during the race at all due to this approach! \o/<br />
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First part of the lap took us the same way as the prologue except a little extra trip around the highest part of the cliffs next to the 'Opal søen'. Next we went South parsed the Hammers Hus ruins and headed up the 700+ stair steps. Awesomeness! Down again, Up again .. bedrock, rocks, green fields with scattered bedrock, beach, stairs .. and a little bit of tar. At some point we came to stretch they have added only this year. A the start it had a dedicated warning sign saying something like 'Be aware dangerous path coming up' (shorter and to the point though!). I didn't like that path at all. It was very narrow and steep. I'm a big tall man that needs room :) If it had been raining it would have been slippery and muddy as hell .. luckily the weather was great :) It was a major slow down point for me though. At this point SLG suddenly parsed me from behind. I think she was a little surprised to see me there, but I had started out faster than she had obviously.</div>
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Once I reached the bottom of the path I noticed a familiar cup laying on the ground. It was SLG's. I knew that meant trouble since the cup was part of our mandatory equipment and it was needed to get any liquid in the aid stations. I quickly picked up the cup and started the hunt. I saw her a number of times through the next km's but never managed to catch up with her. Instead I told the first official I saw about the cup and he made sure that she was informed at the next aid station were I would leave it for her.<br />
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During this hunt the path took us through the largest gravel pit hill I have ever seen (in Denmark). I totally wanted that to be placed in my local gravel pit where I do a lot of my training :) Soon after I reached 'Jons kapel' the seconds after SLG had left. 'Jons kapel' had a long very steep stair that took you down to the sea where you had to ring a bell and then return to the top and the second of the two aid stations in the race. There I dropped the cup for SLG to pick up later and could start running my normal cruise pace again.<br />
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The path back went North to finish the lap at the main aid station where the race had started hours earlier. Constantly changing from one awesome scenery to the next. Technical challenging but _awesome_ to the max.<br />
<br />
I started the race in a pair of New Balance MT110 but due to the very open mesh they filled with sand during the prologue. I had noticed this early on and had planned to replace them when I returned to my drop bag and decided the ignore the discomfort it gave me until then. After 30 km I could feel that the problem shouldn't be ignored anymore. My heel was burning and when I removed the sock I could see a nice blister forming. I quickly covered it with Vaseline and hoped it wouldn't get worse before I get to my drop bag. During the next km's I could feel the burning decrease \o/. The Vaseline had done its magic :)<br />
<br />
Just before I reach the aid station I had a quickly hello with SLG where I told her about the cup. "Ahh that was you!" "Yep, who else would have recognized the cup and hunted you down to get it to you, SLG ;)"<br />
<br />
Once in the aid station I quickly got something to drink and replaced the shoes, socks and shirts. The sand had worn large holes in the socks .. and I wasn't impressed by the design that New Balance had chosen for that shoe. Instead I jumped into a old pair of Asics Kayano 18 with my feet covered in Vaseline :)<br />
<br />
I was told that the next cut off time was 9 hours which I quickly calculated into the fact that I had to run the next lap 20 minutes faster than the one I just had finished. With no time to eat the sandwich I was offered I quickly raced out of the aid station and ran up the hills like a bat out of hell. Oh .. and I brought with me my poles :) Jan had come to greet me and tried to take my picture but I had to run as fast as possible and hadn't any time to pose (Sorry, Jan!).<br />
<br />
I gave it all I had. I hadn't brought with me a GPS so I couldn't keep a precise count on how far I had run and how far I still had to run to make it in time. One of my friends who had run it before had told me that the second aid station was about half way on the lap. So when I arrived there with 2 hours before the cut off time I thought myself safe. Sadly as mentioned they had changed the route this year and which meant that instead of the 12 km I thought I had left ... I had closer to 18 km. As I got closer and closer to the main aid station which I knew I had to run past and complete the part we had used for the prologue I realized the mistake. The sun had already set as I ran past the aid station. The owners from Tine's Gjestehûz was there and greeted me and asked how I felt .. I wasn't feeling to good at the time. I was starting to get cold and I knew that I in no way could make it in time for the cut.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WrsN5SyKurNvPb2NK6HL2hAoYyOIPHJAgJWFh0EngcC5fRFdjw-U9xtpEZAmSmhZ4chpWyRCSyAc7m_DYAvxXHt90hZ-FqM_CFWyU-mlcMJh1HYRFCTP8kswF3g_-R_dfs6DbK3uSxK5/s1600/601660_10151642235058760_79285111_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WrsN5SyKurNvPb2NK6HL2hAoYyOIPHJAgJWFh0EngcC5fRFdjw-U9xtpEZAmSmhZ4chpWyRCSyAc7m_DYAvxXHt90hZ-FqM_CFWyU-mlcMJh1HYRFCTP8kswF3g_-R_dfs6DbK3uSxK5/s1600/601660_10151642235058760_79285111_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo: Tine's Gjestehûs</td></tr>
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<br />
As the night sky went black and I had to turn on my head lamp (which I had tried to avoid to save the time it took to find it in my bag) I was feeling really really cold. I ran when possible but that section was very technical and I had to slow down to a walk many places. As I got closer to the aid station I met the runners going out on their next lap including SLG. She asked how I was and I told her the two things I had in mind "I'm cold and I've passed the cut off time". She looked awesome .. like a amazon warrior queen out on a hunt .. totally focused and with a surplus of energy. I don't think she understood what I was saying between the lines (I'm gonna get cut) or maybe she did.. anyway she gave me a little cheer and then we went opposite directions again. I had been shivering af cold but I got more and more numb and after a while I couldn't really feel the cold anymore .. which was a weird feeling since I knew I was cold. As I got closer to the aid station I met KÃ¥re. He asked me how I was and I told him that I just needed to get some food and some heat and I would take it from there.<br />
<br />
I reached the aid station and that *short* talk I had had with KÃ¥re had given me new hope that I might avoid the cut... but as soon as I had reached my drop bag I was contacted by one of the race directors who said what I already knew. "This is how it goes. In 10 minutes you have to be out of here!" I looked at him and said that that wasn't going to happen, since I really needed to get some heat / dry clothes / and food before going somewhere. "That is your choice!" and so it was. I helped him take the chip of my shoes while I heard someone else saying .. "Kim, I'm also out". I got handed some hot food and got some blankets warped around me .. and then I started freezing again ;) After the first meal I got some really hot soup and I started feeling great again but by now I was out of the race.<br />
<br />
I packed my stuff, picked up my drop bag .. said good bye and walked back to Allinge. I was satified that I had done my best and didn't regretted how it had gone. What a great day it had been!<br />
<br />
Once back at Tine's Gjestehûs I did my best to give SLG's friends a update how she was doing before getting a bath and some sleep.<br />
<br />
Next day I was informed that KÃ¥re had also been cut along with a lot of others. He was in a much better shape than me and was far more experienced. The race this year was truly harder than ever.<br />
<br />
Not even for a single moment have I regretted any thing that went on during or after the race. It was a great experience with some great people. SLG made it all the way to the finish and I am <u>very</u> proud of her.<br />
<br />
If I'm ever gonna have a chance to finish the Hammer Trail .. I have to get faster .. a lot faster! :) I had expected it to be more of a grind than a race.. Maybe next year.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading home with KÃ¥re</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-21221500810950382692013-04-27T01:30:00.002+02:002013-04-27T01:40:32.461+02:00The sufferingSo it has clearly been a while.<br />
<br />
A lot of things have happen both at work and privately. I've found it harder to get the amount of running done that I would like to. Most days I've been the one turning the lights off at the office and my girls growing up needs their dad to be present just as much as I need them.<br />
<br />
I recently ran my third official ultra. 60k from one corner of Bornholm to the opposite. Parts of my performance was great but mentally I wasn't ready .. by far.<br />
<br />
During winter I had lost my team of 5 employees. People I had worked with for years and whom I trusted to solve any task and face any problem with me. But due to a number of different reasons I had found myself suddenly alone. These had been my friends as much a colleagues and the unwanted solitude hit hard. Perhaps harder than I realize even now many months later.<br />
<br />
The ultra was my first official race for half a year and hadn't it been because of a dear friend of mine (SLG) I wouldn't even had joined it. Most of my runs had been short'ish (20-35k) and had been run in solitude and at what ever pace felt good that day. Running an official race and paying for it .. had seemed a waste of time and money. Put on the shoes and run out the front door to return 2 hours later was the type of running that made sense for me.<br />
<br />
I traveled to the race with SLG and her husband SR in their car and we even stayed a the same 'motel' during the race (not the same room!). What a lovely couple! They are clearly nerdy when it comes to running (and life in general) but something about them made me feel at peace.<br />
<br />
It was great being away from home (and work) and being with people of a kindred spirit (not just SLG and SR but all the people we meet).<br />
<br />
So what happened a the race .. well. I fucked up. When I ran I ran and did it great. But I didn't handle the problems I met all that well. I ran in my minimalistic shoes (New Balance Minimus MT10) and 15k in I managed to kick the bedrock. Instantly it left like I had broken a toe and even though I kept running it kept bugging my consciousness for the next 10k .. instead of just ignoring it. After 30k I meet 'the wall' and started feeling the transition from burning sugar to burning fat. I really need to get better filling my body with food/energy during the run. Later I started getting stomach cramps and feeling a painful jolt to the stomach with every step I ran. Instead of just ignoring the pain and make a fight of it I gave into it and tried to ease it away by walking and eating some fruits I had brought with me.<br />
<br />
When I entered the only aid station at 38k my stomach was killing me and I used a shitload of time eating and drinking before hitting the trail again.<br />
<br />
For the next 10-15k I was flying but then .. instead of fighting my way through the last 5-10k I eased them out by slowing to a walk far too often .. especially when I had become lost (which happened a bit too often).<br />
<br />
When I finally made it to the finish line I wasn't really a happy camper. I felt everything sucked and couldn't really remember why but blamed my energy intake and the lack of markings. My Garmin said that out of the more than 8 hours (nearly 9) I had used .. I hadn't been moving for nearly an hour.<br />
<br />
The next day I went on a spontaneous 9k run with some of the others (most of them top 10) and felt great. Something told me that if I could feel this great the day after feeling that bad mentally. I probably hadn't pushed myself hard enough physically.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYk2JqJLwEP0J7DkD83EY21qery8rW1HdlUzaDmlJ8GyyMTF0GPQSNOHUc6RjkBPbkgUC3D0ZAMrlFgODOrunUCCyd2iE_-TyWeP1D4aQcp9Gd6gVGK4FZcTVCHknoOxS3wWFuCvl0-aK/s1600/907080_10200219709988697_794632303_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYk2JqJLwEP0J7DkD83EY21qery8rW1HdlUzaDmlJ8GyyMTF0GPQSNOHUc6RjkBPbkgUC3D0ZAMrlFgODOrunUCCyd2iE_-TyWeP1D4aQcp9Gd6gVGK4FZcTVCHknoOxS3wWFuCvl0-aK/s1600/907080_10200219709988697_794632303_n.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Running 9k in jeans, jacket and 3 layers of shirts. (photo by SR)</td></tr>
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<br />
In the days after I got home doing runs where I really pushed myself physically .. to remind myself that suffering is OK even for km after km.<br />
<br />
I've set a couple of PR's lately.<br />
<br />
None the less I in no way fell ready for my first 100 mile race which is taking place in less than a week. I have however committed myself to run and keep running until being cut. I can't imaging that I'll be able to reach the finish line in time since last year only 4 people did but I'm ready to reset what suffering really is.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-8209069902671886052012-10-05T23:08:00.000+02:002012-10-08T09:23:40.860+02:00Snow of awe and horrorI recently was in Norway to run in the Norwegian mountains with a local colleague who wanted to show me the most beautiful parts of this wonderful country. It would be a trip that took me to the darkest edges of my mind. I had never realized how deep my fear of heights was. Having been both a sailplane pilot and boulder climber I was very surprised to feel it as intense as I was about to feel it in these Norwegian mountains.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBDXZmfTtwi6B2f4n1MEZI64L3o_WPz11npYdGu2TUHI19wyqVvOB3g9wrNsysDVWUBNX0kC38oZkK08jE4WU8gn6KL8-rirBB728CydyuEgoF_DHjGwEKVoB-ue8HE1ySlmh7Xx1s_jp/s1600/L1040242+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBDXZmfTtwi6B2f4n1MEZI64L3o_WPz11npYdGu2TUHI19wyqVvOB3g9wrNsysDVWUBNX0kC38oZkK08jE4WU8gn6KL8-rirBB728CydyuEgoF_DHjGwEKVoB-ue8HE1ySlmh7Xx1s_jp/s320/L1040242+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rondane, Norway. In awe!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3rVXE7t-_NYMuyVVBHquAXD272v_eq4xdUOp8pddtxRurNWLx_58YGg257_QAnHqcavgIKYGnALN1NPlNROfgw4Ysj1VFdJSOowf4pNhNNpqcC5lqnwzYiWXhaUbWSgEuxGERA04HbAJt/s1600/L1040264+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3rVXE7t-_NYMuyVVBHquAXD272v_eq4xdUOp8pddtxRurNWLx_58YGg257_QAnHqcavgIKYGnALN1NPlNROfgw4Ysj1VFdJSOowf4pNhNNpqcC5lqnwzYiWXhaUbWSgEuxGERA04HbAJt/s320/L1040264+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading out for a <u>run</u> expecting single tracks.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt9gSiJgmG6yDscKzj5uga95-Q399GN5FQDL_IDcJ1-FkobA9HKAY5At3_2E1Ai-mrt7TbxLqJVnR1HL-GTRzO5bQVnxzqJD7R7xa62_t5VUR3Qmikmh3WfeoylOgjCVSGgh6qlIAU1eG/s1600/L1040281.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixt9gSiJgmG6yDscKzj5uga95-Q399GN5FQDL_IDcJ1-FkobA9HKAY5At3_2E1Ai-mrt7TbxLqJVnR1HL-GTRzO5bQVnxzqJD7R7xa62_t5VUR3Qmikmh3WfeoylOgjCVSGgh6qlIAU1eG/s320/L1040281.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hitting the first climb. Thinking hmm .. where is the track?</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisp7RUpJLpDhJIoKZRXEGhkGJd8ipEf7s7iyVWJv47cZkPDCk3rdYZ5_OkZ0wDHbbKm67izS1ggXGi4aQbJ8XVEXq-LVNba02cmkxJcdjoHp5lWVGPHONcslQ_7L1zviAV-f8ro_mN2nle/s1600/L1040297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisp7RUpJLpDhJIoKZRXEGhkGJd8ipEf7s7iyVWJv47cZkPDCk3rdYZ5_OkZ0wDHbbKm67izS1ggXGi4aQbJ8XVEXq-LVNba02cmkxJcdjoHp5lWVGPHONcslQ_7L1zviAV-f8ro_mN2nle/s320/L1040297.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White out! My colleague had left me behind thinking 'we are running let me keep up the pace'. <br />
The climb maxes at 60+ degrees. The rocks are slippery with snow.<br />
I have NO idea where to go or what is coming.<br />
My fear of heights kicks in and turns into 'horror'. I could not believe it.<br />
What had I got myself into? I had NO experience climbing in these conditions<br />
and felt my feet slip time and time again.<br />
Going down was not an option .. only way is up! A few steps at a time.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First peak reached. Vinjeronden, 2044 meter above sea level.<br />
Rejoined with my colleague I'm doing my best to ignore my fear of heights.<br />
At the moment of this picture I still hope/thought there is as track down but actually the only<br />
way forward is up. Soon I'll have to move on and face my fear again.<br />
It is impossible to explain how gutting a 'phobia' can be if you have not tried it.<br />
I felt numb to the core of my soul, every step was a mentally challenge.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rondeslottet, 2. highest peak in Norway, 2178 meter above sea level.<br />
I wish that I had been able to enjoy this at the time<br />
but I was totally focused on keeping my fear of heights<br />
under control. I had clung to every rock I passed on my way<br />
up having expected to loose my foothold every second in the snow.<br />
Never having been here before I trusted nothing beneath my feet.<br />
It had been snowing that night and after we had been there<br />
people was advised not to climb this peak due to the snow.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyXCLr5ut33gciTGtdtnTuza_nur7Pl21y8CIR7T2arNQRQ6WoePznwEnypeObPkDv93S5B8sPR1pPO2batGIula4M7S7LnusW-QYkFF78ON9-JyQuAtyjmWV2ZgDAmXTUnhgusAjPI6w/s1600/L1040325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkyXCLr5ut33gciTGtdtnTuza_nur7Pl21y8CIR7T2arNQRQ6WoePznwEnypeObPkDv93S5B8sPR1pPO2batGIula4M7S7LnusW-QYkFF78ON9-JyQuAtyjmWV2ZgDAmXTUnhgusAjPI6w/s320/L1040325.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White out. Wrong turn heading for Styggebotn = trouble.<br />
Feeling relieved heading down thinking the worst is over. The weather<br />
was constantly changing from clear to white out (being inside fog/a cloud).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhER9T6icNzxd202Q1YrnbKOhyphenhyphenTW6p3oUVUw3hvDbyYYw7DIusN5GtLQKXmgfKoPEcaAfX6JbQLy-1SZ0DxysUfF099U1JUXdJOrNS389cqf3KRrrFgUbOEhxu9o2yzZU20flR7zxqwo165/s1600/L1040327+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhER9T6icNzxd202Q1YrnbKOhyphenhyphenTW6p3oUVUw3hvDbyYYw7DIusN5GtLQKXmgfKoPEcaAfX6JbQLy-1SZ0DxysUfF099U1JUXdJOrNS389cqf3KRrrFgUbOEhxu9o2yzZU20flR7zxqwo165/s320/L1040327+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to eat. Chili con Carne! First water of the day,<br />
fresh from the mountains behind me. After we ate we headed west<br />
only to discover that the Styggebotn valley ended in a deadly<br />
2-300 meter vertical drop. The nice thing about this valley was<br />
it gave us a chance to actually run again :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdM4JtMRJS6IJeqsXAcBRQuIMBtAf39vM3VpqB8PDVnNs5d59M3TASlTbgghka1o0E9RRgF-aVQMDZf8FimGIE_-IYeEX6yIwfhl495TO0KrkrnL-TdfwcIEnyDa1pnbEifJm-3ERrkd9q/s1600/L1040328+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdM4JtMRJS6IJeqsXAcBRQuIMBtAf39vM3VpqB8PDVnNs5d59M3TASlTbgghka1o0E9RRgF-aVQMDZf8FimGIE_-IYeEX6yIwfhl495TO0KrkrnL-TdfwcIEnyDa1pnbEifJm-3ERrkd9q/s320/L1040328+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">'Dead end'. With 2 hours left before sunset no flash/head lights<br />
and with yet one peak to cross turning back is NOT an option.<br />
Trying to make it cross a slippery and very steep mountain side<br />
(the one you can see behind me in the next picture) is the only<br />
way out. Fear was immense but it was clearly the only option. </td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMvL9LUgsCMb5QvwjHOuYy3fEAm-osikR2Df77fGPGQQqROds5kPXa_4TEdPp7n1V628U_LZsy-DUgfRdqkfdNIKas1v3uX_GXKeNBvm57fPb17Upgo0-D0rZGWFsTD0S2sBDGpJLw00E/s1600/route.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfMvL9LUgsCMb5QvwjHOuYy3fEAm-osikR2Df77fGPGQQqROds5kPXa_4TEdPp7n1V628U_LZsy-DUgfRdqkfdNIKas1v3uX_GXKeNBvm57fPb17Upgo0-D0rZGWFsTD0S2sBDGpJLw00E/s320/route.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Behind me is the mountain side we crossed. As you see it don't look that nice<br />
but we made it across and down. We quickly ran back south and<br />
started the final climb of the day.<br />
Checking the map to see what is coming.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5APITqxgK7ztyFkIsnEzDMiSlM0ecpHd_pJv7INldbstZaS5_3GP8MUdH3qzZMqy8W5A5OfjfXzw9tJwMrHlF5TUrArPR1C8vhB-kdtcab1wiKwVDU9xCcjO_A0AsK8-NpTYPGyvi5-ho/s1600/L1040345+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="164" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5APITqxgK7ztyFkIsnEzDMiSlM0ecpHd_pJv7INldbstZaS5_3GP8MUdH3qzZMqy8W5A5OfjfXzw9tJwMrHlF5TUrArPR1C8vhB-kdtcab1wiKwVDU9xCcjO_A0AsK8-NpTYPGyvi5-ho/s320/L1040345+2.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It it getting darker and darker as the top gets closer but at<br />
least there is an actual single track = no fear! <b>The trigger</b><br />
<b>of my fear of height is when I loose confidence in what is beneath</b><br />
<b>my feet not the height it self.</b> </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading down. Really tired after 10+ hours on the move.<br />
I thought we were heading for a run on single tracks like I knew<br />
them from my run in Spain. I never had expected what we<br />
ended up doing. My colleague being an experienced 'Fjell' runner<br />
never saw it as a problem ;)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAdWXg8AWyi2yjoDkltymtJURmziJBrNCuSjI9SUxp0yrB1ME1w3BbOhpCyG9hs99SEz3hFsa6EGK6xc522VwacW5Ktyyb_OK787-uENuUv5HgHZ6X0WhDI34hWm2wxp5U4_8gpfAnoEv/s1600/rondane2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikAdWXg8AWyi2yjoDkltymtJURmziJBrNCuSjI9SUxp0yrB1ME1w3BbOhpCyG9hs99SEz3hFsa6EGK6xc522VwacW5Ktyyb_OK787-uENuUv5HgHZ6X0WhDI34hWm2wxp5U4_8gpfAnoEv/s320/rondane2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a trip. 22 km, 2000+ elevation gain. Only thing that<br />
kept me from 'panic' was a constant mental focus on doing<br />
what was needed.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
A fear of heights is as many other phobias irrational and very hard to control. I was constantly doing my very best at keeping panic at a distance. I knew that I had to move on no matter how large my fear was. The height it self was never the issue, the trigger point is not feeling able to trust what was beneath my feet. When I felt stranded alone on a very steep, snow cover, mountain side without know what was coming or where my colleague was and feeling stones slightly move when I stepped on them, I felt a blow to my guts. I had to sit down and gather my thoughts. Panic was never and option, neither was going back. Only way was forward even if it was step by step.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
This trip was hard in every way mentally and physically. But is was more rewarding than anything else I can imagine. I hope to be back someday and I hope that I will have even more control of my fear. At some point I might even be able to feel no fear at all, climbing up a steep mountain side covered with snow, stepping on constantly sliding rocks and looking up to 800 meters straight down.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
I am very grateful to my colleague for showing me this wonderful place and the anger I felt on that very first climb where I was left behind have long gone. He didn't knew my fear (how could he I didn't even myself) and since we had talked of running he gave it all he had climbing as fast as he could. He had put a lot of time, energy and even money into making this a great weekend. Thank you, Frode.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW89NqwBi8QbCpGFTBpDcqadyOpempnr86TvtL4XFY0edBpzvYdORsTBIODKYPVTGnbNpZK_yCxQbVtghtd-0Os8mOFoAhVhLsSPmfNYYtXyKs9dkaNPwxGjh2BIsnI0O9r8WTYi3CWou4/s1600/IMG_5851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW89NqwBi8QbCpGFTBpDcqadyOpempnr86TvtL4XFY0edBpzvYdORsTBIODKYPVTGnbNpZK_yCxQbVtghtd-0Os8mOFoAhVhLsSPmfNYYtXyKs9dkaNPwxGjh2BIsnI0O9r8WTYi3CWou4/s1600/IMG_5851.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Frode and I. His ability to run fast on top of rocks are truly amazing.<br />
I guess that it is partly from being Norwegian and having been<br />
running around the in the 'Fjell' since age 7. Anyway .. he rock!</td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-41066894637213389742012-07-18T21:07:00.001+02:002017-03-03T19:27:43.312+01:00AAUT 2012 .. WOW!<b>Training</b><br />
<br />
First time I heard about this race was in December 2011. My friend Jacob who is an experienced ultra runner let me know that he planned to run the race and looking at its homepage I quickly wished that it was me. I had dreamed of MDS for some time but this race was much more to my liking with only a small number of runners allowed in. I was in no way able to run such a race though but Jacob told me that he would help me getting in shape. I was on!<br />
<br />
I had fallen a few weeks earlier and had broken my arm what I didn't know at the time was the fact that my knee had been injured as well. After the first week of training with Jacob, it became very clear that something was wrong, though. My knee hurt in a strange way and it took 4 months plus a number of visits to doctors and specialists before I was given a clean bill of health and was allowed to train full throttle.<br />
<br />
At that point, I was at 30 km per week and by adding the safe 10% each week I quickly reached my target distance of 75-85 km per week. These were a combination of interval training, tempo runs and long slow distance running. On top of that was a great deal of strength training of my core. <span style="background-color: white;">I felt really great and when I first meet some of the other danish runners I was at least at par with them.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white;">Then came a new injury. I don't know exactly what happened but my right foot started to hurt a lot after running and I decided to give it a 2-week break. Just as I should start running again I was hit by a serious infection which resulted in yet another 14 days without running. Having not run in almost a month I was suddenly put way back in my training. My running partners had been able to train while I was laying still slowly decaying. I could no longer follow them and I was very much in doubt if I could manage to get back into shape in time with only about a month to go. Within two weeks I was back at my target distance but I was clearly much slower than before.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white;">I began to loose my energy and lust for training. I was working late nearly every day and often had to start my training at 9 PM. Strength training was no longer an option. The last 2 weeks before the race Jacob told me to run only a fraction of what I had run so far namely 45 km and 10 km. I trust in Jacob and was happy to have a break from doing nothing but work and running.</span><br />
<br />
I left for Spain early Sunday morning and once I got out of the car at the hotel it became obvious how hard this race was going to be. 1.) The air was extremely hot .. kinda like a hair dryer at medium setting. 2.) The mountain (~1 km) that we should climb during the first 11 km of the first stage was quite viewable from the hotel.<br />
<br />
Did a test run that evening and man .. was it hot!<br />
<br />
Next morning it was time to run.<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><b>Stage 1</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
39km with 1400m ascent and 990m descent. I had bought a set of poles that I hoped would help me on the inclines (some up to 25 degrees). The race started at 9:30 AM which meant it was still fairly cool compared to the 38C from the evening before. I started out with 2 other Danes but when we hit the mountain (you might call it a hill but any Dane would call it a mountain) I could fairly easy run faster than them and we split up. To run uphill for 8 km is hard to grasp when you come from a flat country as Denmark but that was what we did. It became hotter and hotter and I started to slow down. I was unfamiliar with these conditions and didn't wanna burn out on the first day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgtO9Ur46fj3vmOj1zIzQ8X9HfqFgQCAQoKKrf_quzWsWgdaykkYhecL8qwr3IF8VOqkK4hMhd-e8yAiSIBTxqotqzwxHSSDiTMAYp6Ly1ncn5bFsvKcuHFkEjIZBQlLzaYk7yrX6hyphenhypheni-/s1600/395978_282335241874101_1586758989_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTgtO9Ur46fj3vmOj1zIzQ8X9HfqFgQCAQoKKrf_quzWsWgdaykkYhecL8qwr3IF8VOqkK4hMhd-e8yAiSIBTxqotqzwxHSSDiTMAYp6Ly1ncn5bFsvKcuHFkEjIZBQlLzaYk7yrX6hyphenhypheni-/s320/395978_282335241874101_1586758989_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photographer: Fred Coppens</td></tr>
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<br />
Before we reached the top in ~1:45 all the Danes was more or less gathered and had done quite well. Now followed a long downhill section. I'm not good at downhills and the heat started getting to me. I had to start walking at times and got pretty dizzy. Strange but I became afraid that any of the others should notice my condition and replied firmly "yes" when the other asked if I was ok. Every time you passed a runner you'd ask if they were ok. It is important in these conditions to watch out for each other. No staff would pass you on a motorbike or in a car unless you had given them a thumbs up. I was passed a lot during the distance from checkpoint 1 to 2. After having been cooled down at checkpoint 2 and having eaten some electrolytes I started to feel a lot better, though.<br />
<br />
There was about 10 km between all the checkpoints in the race. The shortest was within 7 km and the longest 14 km.<br />
<br />
Shortly after checkpoint 2, I passed an Australian girl and for the rest of the stage, we ran more or less together. At times she was in front at times I was. The last 10 km I was pacing her though since she expressed that she was totally out of energy. When we hit the town in which the finish was located she said that it was ok for me to leave her behind and I ran for the finish line. Paul Bateson who have designed the race likes finishing uphill and this was no exception. On top of a long hill, I was met by clapping, cheering, and music. I had reached the finish line! One of the other Danes had been waiting for me and handed me a nice cool cola :) The finish was located in the town center and there was a small party going on. We snug down and soaked our legs in a fountain. That worked wonders for the tired legs!<br />
<br />
We soon left for the location where we were to sleep. Our tents had been placed indoor in a sports hall. Time to hit the showers, get the clothes washed, get some quick food and a massage. Later that evening we had a real meal in the town .. and a beer (by Jacobs order). All my nights ended with me making my gear ready for the next day's stage. Salt tablets, energy gels .. everything needs to be exactly the right amount and place.<br />
<br />
<b>Stage 2</b><br />
<br />
48km had 1640m ascent and 1500m descent. I had been in doubt about using the poles but decided to bring them. We were leaving through a gorge and my legs felt awesome. The poles meant that I could keep up speed on the hills were the others had to slow down. The first part was filled with hills some were quite steep so I managed to get a really good placement quite fast. When we hit checkpoint 2 I was probably number 15-17. Then started a very long and very technical uphill section. You ran on loose stones close to the edge.<br />
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<br />
You really had to concentrate. I had never run on anything like it. It seemed to go on and on and on. I was passed by 5-7 people on this part who was more technical runners than I. It is very hard to explain the mixed nature of this part but it left you in awe. After having finally reached the top a much simpler downhill started and a few kilometers later I reached checkpoint 3.<br />
<br />
At checkpoint 3 another runner was sitting already and was really pale and mute. I asked him how he was doing and he replied that he was struggling with the hills. When I left he was still sitting there and I later heard that he had gotten worse and had had 3 portions liquid in a drop before he was okay again.<br />
<br />
Having left checkpoint 3 I started a long speed downhill. I managed to overtake a French runner that had left checkpoint 3 before me. When the downhill section finally ended a long dusty road reached for the horizon.<br />
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<br />
I was quite hot and had to walk again. The French runner reached me and we ran like this for the next 4-6 km. Shortly before checkpoint 4, we had to cross water and hence get wet feet/shoes. This was a welcome feeling though one might fear for blisters afterward. The French runner had left me since I had run out of water and had chosen to walk to conserve energy and not to overheat. At checkpoint 4 I had all my containers filled up with water and left the checkpoint with a Czech runner. He was running on empty and a 3km uphill run meant I soon left him behind. I didn't see him again until shortly before the finish. I had taken a wrong turn and when I finally realized this and got back on the track he was in front of me again. Having lots of energy I made a sprint of it and took back my position as number 22 within a few hundred meters and soon after reached the finish.<br />
<br />
We had dinner in a local village that night but the food wasn't all that great and all I could think about was getting home and prepare for the next day before it got dark. My fellow Danes were worried for me and asked if I had gotten all my electrolytes that day, but all that was going on was me focusing on the race and what needed to be done.<br />
<br />
<b style="background-color: white;">Stage 3</b><br />
<br />
39km with 980m ascent and 1035n descent. The stage started with a long stretch of running on a tar road. Everybody was running quite fast and my cannon ball strategy from the day before didn't really give me the edge that I had hoped for. I saw people out running me at full speed on downhill sections where I would have stumbled if I tried to run any faster than I already did. I knew then that I need to train downhill running.<br />
<br />
Once we reached checkpoint 1 the tar running was over and soon after started an uphill section. As with all uphill sections in this race, it was long and steep. I was glad I had decided to bring my poles once again. When we finally reached the top I had overtaken quite a few but not as many as the day before. Checkpoint 2 was waiting for us at the top. I sat down and used my time at the checkpoint. This was a little luxury I had allowed myself after checkpoint 3 on day 2 and a thing I did on nearly all checkpoints for the rest of the race. Once I left the checkpoint quite a few people had passed me but I didn't really care at that point. It was hot and I was feeling more tired than I had hoped for on what was meant to be an easy day before the 'long one'.<br />
<br />
I managed to overtake a few of the runners that had passed me while I was sitting at checkpoint 2 but soon after started a long downhill section. I probably hadn't run more than a few kilometers downhill before my feet started to burn. I didn't want a blister so I sat down and took off my shoe, socks (wearing 2 on each foot) and put some anti hot spot lotion on my foot. While doing this a runner from Saudi Arabia passed me and asked if I was ok, "yes" I replied! The lotion helped for a few hundred meters but after that, I had to walk. I wanted to do everything possible to avoid having blisters. Blisters were my number 1 fear in this race.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YT259Eha0p4yO3HPOBZ-G6-cqqU9ccPj2iAsbWHWip7Opxfe6xkVVR4T_2Ike0KENivNsJ8SoruXSE9mKnnybaeRiVgCSG-9kHAo3TNGKGp-BbQvBr1WVVS5-D2NREf7P9FsRcrWjoyc/s1600/2012-07-11+12.04.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0YT259Eha0p4yO3HPOBZ-G6-cqqU9ccPj2iAsbWHWip7Opxfe6xkVVR4T_2Ike0KENivNsJ8SoruXSE9mKnnybaeRiVgCSG-9kHAo3TNGKGp-BbQvBr1WVVS5-D2NREf7P9FsRcrWjoyc/s320/2012-07-11+12.04.29.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Before the downhill was done I was overtaken by 2 more runners an UK runner and a Spanish runner. I was very angry with my lack of downhill skills so when the next uphill section started a few hundred meters later I ran past them while they were walking. On top of the hill, I reached checkpoint 3. Not sure how many they had seen that day coming running up that hill but I kept that strategy the rest of the race, if I couldn't run downhill I had to run uphill instead (as much as I possibly could).<br />
<br />
Both the UK and the Spanish runner passed me at checkpoint 3 but straight after checkpoint 3 was another uphill section and the UK runner was soon behind me again. It wasn't until the top that I saw the Spanish runner again, though. She was on her way downhill when I saw her. I found out that running on the rocks reduced the burning beneath my feet so I started doing so and every time she ran I ran and when she stopped I stopped. I quickly gained on her and within 1 or 2 km I had passed her. I thought myself flying now but then another Spanish runner came running past me cheering me on to run faster we had only 3 km till the finish. I tried to follow him but had to let him go. I desperately waited for the last uphill to show up letting me possibly pass him again. The last uphill came too late for that though and was a very technical single track where I was close to falling many times.<br />
<br />
When I finally reached the finish I was really really tired and my feet hurt.<br />
<br />
That night some locals came and made paella for us but personally my mind was on the nearly 70km stage coming the next day.<br />
<br />
<b>Stage 4</b><br />
<br />
67km with 2031m <span style="background-color: white;">ascent</span><span style="background-color: white;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white;">2083m </span><span style="background-color: white;">descent</span><span style="background-color: white;">. I used the same cannon ball strategy as stage 2 and 3 and since we had been split up into two groups with the slower half starting first I had the lead for the first two checkpoints. The Czech runner was the one closest to me and it wasn't until a steep downhill at about 25km he passed me. Soon after was a really impressive uphill section where everyone had to walk except perhaps the top 3-4 runners. I had hurt my left foot 2-3 times during the first 20km on rocks and when we reached the top on the hill and checkpoint 3 I had to take off my shoe and numb my foot with ice. Quite a few runners passed me while sitting there. When I left I was close to a UK runner who I followed all the way to checkpoint 4 and 5. This stage had some of the most impressive uphill and downhill sections you can imagine. I'll never forget the feeling of going uphill for checkpoint 5 leaving it and then keep going uphill for checkpoint 6.</span><br />
<br />
I was out nearly 11 hours for this stage and was many times in tears. The pain in my feet was immense and was part caused by blisters blacked nails and me failing to realize that my feet was swollen and therefore need to untie my shoes a little. Some of the late downhills sections had me reduced to a crawl going slower downhill that I could walk uphill.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMF0Ww3FMi5vTGlqlQmfzPipC7AIhNKvr9OgAH0yxXPGEA8aP1ut7SA6Tt8ZTuYNZZY4LADBgWaXwo_62NXB7azTa4RCT07P-kMkGL1x_k6x2bi1jsQLhmbVDvZpz727jbFuX6PeELJMB/s1600/2012-07-12+14.24.05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpMF0Ww3FMi5vTGlqlQmfzPipC7AIhNKvr9OgAH0yxXPGEA8aP1ut7SA6Tt8ZTuYNZZY4LADBgWaXwo_62NXB7azTa4RCT07P-kMkGL1x_k6x2bi1jsQLhmbVDvZpz727jbFuX6PeELJMB/s320/2012-07-12+14.24.05.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Especially the last 2-3 hours was hard. I felt so extremely tired. Km by km went by without me taking notice. Once in a while, there was a checkpoint or a support car with cola that could wake you up a little but most of the time you were a mere zombie putting one leg in front of the other without giving it any thought.<br />
<br />
When I finally reached the finish together with the Saudi Arabian runner I was in tears and completely drained physically and mentally.<br />
<br />
As soon as I got to my senses I had the doctor check out my feet. They were bad. Especially a blister on the big toe was big, bloody and painful. 8 blisters, 3 bloody nails (one of which had been kicked further into the toe) and generally swollen sensitive feet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
<br />
Dinner was short, sparse and chaotic. I don't know what went wrong but for some reason, there wasn't enough food for us at the place where we were going to eat and after running 70km runners need food. Michelle the female staff member #1 reacted quickly and brought us some of the most delicious takeaway food I have ever seen.<br />
<br />
That night I sat in the dark and prepared my gear for the next day. It had become so late so I gave up on washing my stuff. I would run in some of the spare gear instead.<br />
<br />
<b>Stage 5</b><br />
<br />
37km with 1120m<span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: white;">ascent and</span><span style="background-color: white;"> 1500m</span><span style="background-color: white;"> descent</span><span style="background-color: white;">. Woke up and had my feet race prepared by the doctors. Used the same cannon ball strategy as day 2, 3 and 4. I saw no one until 15km in were a US runner passed me, shouting "I can't stop I have to keep running" :) At that point there were some heavy downhill sections going on and I had slowed to a walk. My legs were too heavy to run uphill and my feet hurt too much to run downhill.</span><br />
<br />
Midway between checkpoint 1 and 2 I ran out of water and had to drink the 300ml water I had brought with me for cooling down the head. 300ml for 4km isn't a lot in that heat and I sought shadow where I could find it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JsrFDBEFa_bNICTyI5fOmkPZBxKsaNZMwZ69KPty7pkDNNMpfy61e6DQvA08bER_fuGPhmAyV0e3xAqQ-i-_Y9PZsGrNMiSIShg3LFo7XFKnh7sr2_0qxjfaTzWwKDH8DTH6kY0p7hl2/s1600/2012-07-13+11.12.06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JsrFDBEFa_bNICTyI5fOmkPZBxKsaNZMwZ69KPty7pkDNNMpfy61e6DQvA08bER_fuGPhmAyV0e3xAqQ-i-_Y9PZsGrNMiSIShg3LFo7XFKnh7sr2_0qxjfaTzWwKDH8DTH6kY0p7hl2/s320/2012-07-13+11.12.06.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
My setup had from day one been 1.5liter drinking water in my backpack and a 750ml bottle on my front for cooling down the head and other parts of the body.<br />
<br />
Every time a runner passed me I was confronted with the question "Are you okay" and every time I answered, "yes, it is just my feet that are killing me". Was walking 40-50% of stage 5.<br />
<br />
Checkpoint 2 came and runner upon runner passed me. 10km later came checkpoint 3 and from there on it was to the finish.<br />
<br />
Downhill nearly all the way .. couldn't run had to walk. About 3-4 km before the finish I reached a small town. Jacob had told me to always bring some money to be able to buy some cold cola. I passed a bar that was open and thought it was now or never. So I went in and said "Cola!". The bar owner was surprised and talked to me in Spanish not sure what I meant. But when I managed to find the money he was all with me. He ran to the back and brought out a cola with glass, lemon, ice and all. It went down in 10 secs and I thanked him and gave him 5 euro to keep. He was very happy and when I tried to leave he came running with yet another cola which I drank straight from the bottle even though he tried to serve me up with a fresh glass of ice and lemon.<br />
<br />
That was just what I needed and I ran the next 2 km feeling refreshed. Then came an uphill section and I had to slow to a walk. That day was hotter than the rest. 42C in the shadow, sadly there was no shadow and with me having had to walk a lot I was out there far longer than I should have been. The water I had in my backpack was now too hot to drink and my cooling water was all gone. I tried to cool down in whatever shadow I could find but there was very little. Luckily the runner who had had a bad time on stage 2 passed me and asked if I need anything. I told him that if he had any fairly cold water it would be great. He had a spare bottle which he poured into mine. Now I was able to get out of the shadow and head for the finish.<br />
<br />
My fellow runner from Saudi Arabia ran/walked with me until I left him about 1 km from the finishing line. The heat was immense but the sight of the finish line and the sound of the people around it was even greater. Just a few meters before the finish line I looked at our photographer counted to 3 and jumped. This was something we had done all week and there are more picture of me flying than running from this race :)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-PbUUf-gMrcscvjrdtiGWq2q13lJ9XO4s8ZBBmrM9DYIDbCIHdUCDFvhtqCJDmJwqchMkyrSt5Xi3hTwPmIDc0xSaBXLAtOSscjrR3BUnVJ4R0ddmrO32c7htU2J1iUtwL-q1L2BLw9_/s1600/aaut_2012_finish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-PbUUf-gMrcscvjrdtiGWq2q13lJ9XO4s8ZBBmrM9DYIDbCIHdUCDFvhtqCJDmJwqchMkyrSt5Xi3hTwPmIDc0xSaBXLAtOSscjrR3BUnVJ4R0ddmrO32c7htU2J1iUtwL-q1L2BLw9_/s320/aaut_2012_finish.jpg" width="273" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photographer: James Goldsmith</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<b>After the finish line</b><br />
<br />
During this race, I meet some of the most inspiring people I've ever meet. I have left out the names of all unofficials but you know who you are. We didn't talk a lot but we shared an extreme adventure and most of the time we only need to look at each other to know what was going through the head of the other. We watched out for each other. We helped each other. We cared! What we did was so out of this world that if I had stopped to think about it I would have said I couldn't do it. If Jacob hadn't trusted in me it would have taken years before I would have tried on my own.<br />
<br />
<b>*disclaimer* </b>This was all written from memory!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-89723746382567804732012-07-06T22:52:00.001+02:002018-03-04T09:54:28.194+01:00Leaving tomorrowTomorrow I continues a journey that started last year in December. AAUT 2012. It has been 7 months of disbelief, training and injuries. I'm in awe. <br />
<br />
Tomorrow I leave my house and will not return as the same man. Stronger, in pieces or not at all.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-23509676215401836892012-02-26T22:05:00.002+01:002018-03-04T09:54:26.982+01:00AAUT 2012It has been a while I know. But I've felt more like training/running than writing about it.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>I'm training harder and harder. I'm more fit than I've been for years and just yesterday I made a 19 km PR running on a very hilly trail.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I can still feel my knee but the specialist that I go to says that my symptoms are to small for me to get a free MR scanning. I've come to the conclusion that I'll ignore it. Instead I'll continue to strengthening the joint with exercises.</div><div><br />
</div><div>3 years ago I wasn't running. 2 years ago I ran a lot of half marathons. Last year I ran a lot of marathons. This year my only focus is AAUT. 230 km in 5 days. Very hilly, very hot and very hard.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/kyDMogzpFsI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">AAUT 2012 - Stage 1 - 37km - Elevation Gain : 1,182m / Elevation Loss : 830m</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/JP6_zUcn2BQ/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/JP6_zUcn2BQ?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/JP6_zUcn2BQ?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;">AAUT 2012 - Stage 2 - 48km - Elevation Gain : 1,208m / Elevation Loss : 1,069m</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-0RBOQ8y1sE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">AAUT 2012 - Stage 3 - 39km - Elevation Gain : 798m / Elevation Loss : 1,107m</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/jkQm2bBrtHQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;">AAUT 2012 - Stage 4 - 68km - Elevation Gain : 1,257m / Elevation Loss : 1,296m</div><div><span style="color: white;"><br />
</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XPmJnXbj_tM/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XPmJnXbj_tM?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XPmJnXbj_tM?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>AAUT 2012 - Stage 5 - 37km - Elevation Gain : 805m / Elevation Loss : 1,044m</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Solitude.</div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-58226029816901071392012-02-05T16:43:00.000+01:002016-12-29T15:20:18.787+01:0019 km @ -15 degreesDid a 19 km run today together with a friend of mine. It was freezing 15 degrees Celsius when we started at 08:00 AM this morning but we had both dressed up (don't you just long for summer where you can run in shorts a optional t-shirt and nothing more).<div><br />
</div><div>The cold air made me short of breath at first but after a few kilometers everything felt fine. The route was part tar part trail. We saw quite a lot of deer, eagles and alike through out the run.</div><div><br />
</div><div>My friend is normally a much faster runner than me but had to slow down even more since I didn't wanted to stress my knee :) Our average pace was 5:46 which is more like my normal 30 km speed.</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjaUVVb7wdh9CpCJgXaKD1HcIgL5_9yQTbmu6gzgAdflNRYfZH0atYhPbwFfxjhnJjZPG5-FYj4UeNoCqD8OIoADax30DNMi-q36gSHNLCJPlqBDQz5mNtvB4OTqAYilC060GUxrSoZ_0/s1600/Photo+05-02-12+09.41.53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxjaUVVb7wdh9CpCJgXaKD1HcIgL5_9yQTbmu6gzgAdflNRYfZH0atYhPbwFfxjhnJjZPG5-FYj4UeNoCqD8OIoADax30DNMi-q36gSHNLCJPlqBDQz5mNtvB4OTqAYilC060GUxrSoZ_0/s400/Photo+05-02-12+09.41.53.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small; text-align: -webkit-auto;">After the run I took the picture which should give you an idea of how cold it was.</span> </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div><br />
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-52561577571439341832012-01-29T16:14:00.002+01:002018-03-04T09:54:27.463+01:00Snow is here :)When I saw that the earth was covered with snow I got eager like a little child to get out there 'playing' in the snow (running). I recently bought a pair of Salomon Speedcross 3 but have not had a chance to really try them out due to my knee.<br />
<br />
Since the doctor at the sports clinic told me that it was okay to start running again I've run twice on a treadmill, short and slow, today was my first outdoor run in a little more than 2 weeks.<br />
<br />
I ran about 8 km at a fairly slow pace (6:08) both on and off trail. It was really really great and I would have run for at least 20-25 km had it not been for the knee. I don't want to take any chances. I hope that I'll be up to my normal speed and distance in a week or two at the latest.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-70775640453141022462012-01-25T21:48:00.000+01:002018-03-04T09:54:27.891+01:00Running again .. and eating!Had my knee scanned yesterday and everything was fine so the doctor said that it was time I started running again. I still went to have a final treatment at the acupuncturist though.<br />
<br />
Today I've had a short slow run just to get started. The muscles was still a little sore from the needles but the knee was/is fine.<br />
<br />
I hope to be up to my old speed in a couple of weeks and distance soon after. Then the real training will commence.<br />
<br />
I don't know exactly why but while I haven't been running I have gained 5-6 kilo in weight and is now 3 digit (~100 kg). This is probably from the strength training and the accompanying large appetite I've seen but was somewhat unexpected.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-48925701981748389242012-01-17T22:39:00.001+01:002018-03-04T09:54:27.341+01:00Short updateI'm currently taking a break from running.. It seems my doctor was a bit optimistic when he said that running wouldn't affect my knee. Last week it started hurting after a run (normally it has just been sore) so I decided to stop running until it is totally ready again. I got checked by another doctor and luckily she agreed with the first one that nothing serious is wrong it is 'just' an inflammation.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>I'm currently being treated by an acupuncturist and I hope that it will fix the problem soon. Until then I'm training with weights to prepare the upper body for the back pack that I need to carry during the 230 km race.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Taking a break is hard. Even though it is less than a week ago I ran lastly it feels like a eternity. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-85598576872040444942012-01-03T22:18:00.002+01:002018-03-04T09:54:28.133+01:00Training again :)After nearly two weeks of resting (=not running) I finally had a chance to get an appointment at the doctor. He gave me a pretty thorough examination and which took a fair bit longer that the designated time slot too bad for the next person waiting ;) He was able to rule out all the knee injuries that I had been reading about and fearing like injuries to the meniscus, cartilage or cruciate ligament.<br />
<br />
Luckily it was nothing more that a inflammation in a small tendon to the left of the knee cap. He even said that I couldn't make it worse by running which really really really made my day. He suggested a few things that I could do to speed up healing but stop running wasn't on the list :)<br />
<br />
Afterwards I of course contacted my mentor and he gave me a new training schedule right a way. I don't do anything with out his approval. He has the experience and I respect that and I only hope to learn as much as possible from him.<br />
<br />
This evening I've had my first training session and it was great :)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-9031789365295577392011-12-26T21:13:00.003+01:002018-03-04T09:54:28.254+01:00My next Ultra Trail<a href="http://www.alandalus-ut.com/">http://www.alandalus-ut.com</a> (230 km, 5 days, 35-45 degrees, lots of climbs and no shadow)<br />
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I'm currently training under the guidance of one of the best ultra trail runners in the world. Mentally we are very similar and I'm a little sad that I didn't start running earlier but that is life ;) It is not often that I meet someone who I trust without any hesitation.<br />
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The training so far has been hard but great and I'm sure it will become even harder. Running full throttle in the dark with a dim head light on a slippery wet forest trail by a lake is a very revitalizing feeling.<br />
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This is my only target. For now all other races have been cancelled for the next 6 months.<br />
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I've had a set back though. My right knee is constantly sore. I've hurt it 3 times (1 running, 1 sleeping and 1 at work) the last 1.5 month and now it tells me that it needs a break. Sadly this comes at a time where I'm totally hype about running but as my mentor said "If it hurts STOP and call me right a way!"<br />
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I'll do what ever it takes .. even taking a break.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-75347407272270412422011-12-11T22:22:00.005+01:002016-12-29T15:20:18.794+01:00Interval training - Just lost my virginityI've never really tried interval training. Speed has never been a priority for me other than I've constantly improved it little by little simply by running 'normally'. Another thing is that I've found it extremely complex actually I still do but yesterday I decided to read up on the subject and give it a go.<br />
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SO many variables and people saying different things. I'm the binary type that likes stuff that are black or white, I'm not really fund of fuzzy gray stuff. These are the steps as I've understood them (<a href="http://www.loebesiden.dk/">loebesiden.dk</a>):<br />
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<b>Step 1 (option 1)</b> - Find the zones in your heart rate reserve. My resting heart rate is 37 bpm and my max is 185 bpm. Which converts into these zones:<br />
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<b>Step 1 (option 2)</b> - Find your VDOT value and let that be your guide finding the correct pace for the training you want to do. For this I've used my 5 k @ 23:22 as a source for the VDOT:<br />
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<b>Step 2</b> - Decide what you want to do with your training. Do you want to go for VO2max training or AT training.<br />
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<b>Step 3</b> - How far do you want to run / how many repetitions do you want to make. Here you also need to take into consideration that you shouldn't be running more that 8% of your weekly distance as part of VO2max training.<br />
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<b>Step 4</b> - Estimate how long your resting repetitions should be. It needs to be long enough for your heart rate to drop to 60% of your heart rate reserve. As a guideline the length of your resting repetitions should be between 50-90% of your working repetitions.<br />
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<b>Step 5 (optional)</b> - Program your GPS watch to aid you with the training. My Garmin 310XT didn't have the heart rate zone based interval training option that I had hoped for but instead let me choose between distance or time based repetitions.<br />
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A little confused? I know I was.<br />
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Anyway, I decided to aim for 4 repetitions of 4 minutes running at a pace of 4:33 with 3 minutes resting between each repetition. <br />
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So today I dressed up and went for a fairly flat path around a local lake. First some warming up and then hitting the 'lap' button to start the repetitions. The path was more crowded that I'd thought it would be and I had to evade both other runners but also 'normal' people out for a Sunday walk. I quickly realized though that the 4:33 pace wasn't fast enough for the zone 5 training I had hopped for so I ignored the pace limit and focused on keeping a pace that keep to borderline to zone 5 instead. The Garmin 310XT have a display field specifically for this so it was easy to monitor. I welcomed the first resting repetition but realized that I wasn't sure if I was meant to stop, walk or just slow down. I decided for some slow running and just reached the 60% limit when it was time to start running fast again. A few repetitions later I was done.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The result for my first interval training</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Next time I'll add one more repetition and aim for a slightly higher heart rate but overall it went smoothly and I had no problems of any kind with the arm, knee or anything else for that matter.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-957690232578197667.post-13094737924595320562011-12-08T21:12:00.002+01:002018-03-04T09:54:26.740+01:00I LOVE running! :DIt's been three weeks since <a href="http://dditlev.blogspot.com/2011/11/fracture.html">the accident</a> and today was my first chance to REALLY run again! The sling is history and the arm is nearly back to normal! Today's track was the same 7 km track as last which is a city course involving some traffic and a lot of pavements. I was eager as a little child the night before Christmas to get back in the running game! Plus I really wanted some redemption ;)<br />
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</div><div>Just as last I ran with a colleague of mine who is a fair bit slower than me so the first 6.5 km wasn't that speedy but the joy of using the arm again and being able to focus on technique and feeling that you really ran was great! The real climax though was the final 500 meter sprint! The last 500 meters are run on a badly lit, narrow and very bumpy pavement with large trees on one side and houses on the other. It was there I tripped 3 weeks ago and fractured the elbow joint but I really really really felt that I had to redo the sprint and prove that I could do it <u>without</u> falling \o/ :)</div><div><br />
</div><div>With 500 meters to go I went all in and running even faster than last time keeping my focus on the pavement in front of me. I had to evade a bike cycle at one point but I kept the pace well below 4:00. Man what a feeling! Being in 'the zone' feeling like a hawk diving on a prey cutting through the dark as a beam of light feeling that no energy is going to waist but feeling nothing but perfection reaching the finish without being even close to falling .. man I LOVE running! I'm back :)<br />
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