Inaugural Fyr til Fyr 60k

This is what the ultramarathon is about: using your legs to get from one place to another in the stunning majesty of nature.

None of this rat in a cage 2km asphalt loop or treadmill nonsense.

Thank you Moses Løvstad, Jesper Halvorsen, the artists previously known as Team Suunto, and your wonderful family and friend volunteers, for an unforgettable 60k. This was the Danish ultra event of the year (I'm willing to bet). Dare I say you guys are onto something big?

Since October, I have had too much pain in my right leg to even attempt a marathon (though of course I did attempt the Bandera 100k and dropped after that right leg locked up). Luckily, shorter distances have been okay. Finally, about a month ago, I was diagnosed by my physicial therapist (and fellow ultra runner),  Jakob Nordholt Hansen, with a protruding disc, which had been causing the radiating pain down my right leg. Right before Griseløbet, he did something to my back by pressing hard that took the pain in my leg away - after some intense, continuous yoga and stretching, I can run long again - and what perfect timing for Fyr til Fyr

I have a lot  to say about this race (including the return of CCU and the eating of a ton of snow (not in that order)), but would rather let the pictures do the talking for now.

Check-in. Photo:Stine Sophie Winckel

Start at the Dueodde lighthouse with one hand on the wall. Photo: Moses Løvstad.

leaving the lighthouse at Dueodde- the southern tip of Bornholm. Photo:Stine Sophie Winckel

Beach running with Stefan and Stefan. Photo: Stefan Stougaard.

Photo: Stefan Stougaard

.

From Dueodde Lighthouse overlooking the course. Photo:Stine Sophie Winckel

Photo: Stefan Stougaard

SR and Dorte Dahl. Yeah, she really is that good (previous age group world champion in Mountain Running, according to SR). Photo: Stine Sophie Winckel.

Photo: Stine Sophie Winckel.

Basically this photo is about showing off my nice, er, back....pack.
Photo: Stefan Stougaard.

Birgitte Munch Nielsen tackling the ever- changing coastal terrain.
Photo:Stine Sophie Winckel

Whoohoo! This is a fun gate!
Photo: Stine Sophie Winckel.

Pia Joan Sørensen rejoicing at the one aid station, despite just learning I was right behind her.
Photo:Stine Sophie Winckel

Ehhoew. Is it over already?
Photo: Moses Løvstad.

What is going on here?
Photo: Stine Sophie Winckel.






A run the next morning with Daniel Ditlev, Dan, Greg & SR.

And then awards!

First 3 Ladies: Dorte Dahl, Pia Joan Sørensen and, well, me. We all won Innov-8 trail shoes and the Bonholm brew "den dødelige hest" - The Deadly Horse (the latter for all running faster than the previous "fastest known time" on the course: 6:16).

Results: https://lap.io/event/2013-fyr-til-fyr-60-km-ultra/results

Race video (in English) featuring our new BFF, Greg "Team USA" Friedman.

Påske, Colorado & Fyr til Fyr

There must be a connection between the extreme amount of holiday time that Danes get and their reported high level of happiness. Denmark is historically a Protestant country, but today there are actually very few practicing Christians here; this was a surprise to me coming from such a strongly Christian country.

Nonetheless Easter is celebrated here with 5 days off for just about everyone. This has meant time for playing with the family, planning our move to Colorado and training. In terms of training, I am already tapering for Fyr til Fyr (Lighthouse to Lighthouse) 60km along the coast of Bornholm next weekend. So the focus of the past week has been on some speed and not on distance (glad I have a coach who can make this decision for me). I should also point out that I am no longer cycling as that now seems to have been the source of the problems in my right leg and hip. I guess cycling so much on a bike that was slightly too big for me had its consequences.

 Here was the past week:
 Sun: 10k (Griseløbet) in 41.15 + Bikram Yoga
Mon: Mave, baller, lår + 30min elliptical + my own Crossfit

Trying out all of my equipment for Fyr til Fyr 60k, which is self-supported except one aid station at 30k.

Tues: about 21km icy trails in Fruens Plantage (Lady's Plantation) and Fårbakkerne (The Sheep Hills) in 1:50 something??
Wed: 4km easy, Bikram Yoga
Thurs: 10.2 km on snowy trails (42:09) (Skærtorsdagsløb) (SR ran, too, in 37:09)

What's this? Have I seriously learnt pose running form? btw "learnt" is just as correct as learned, I have learned :o).

chicken

we won paper towels at Skærtorsdagsløb

 Fri: Strength & core + 8km easy with SR
 Sat:  15km in 1:12 on trails
Sun: CX worx, pulse, Bikram Yoga (next to Michelle Vesterby-- the proefssional triathlete!! whoah)
Mon: Strenth & core, warm-up, 4 x 1000 on the track with SR in 3:45, 3:51, 3:45, 3:46 (this earned me a "good job" from SR at the end :o)). My fastest ever 1000 meter intervals. Btw (according to my Garmin 1km in 3:33 - but I KNOW it doesn't count. Just saying...).

after intrevals today on our home track

I hope I never take my runs with SR for granted. 

Moving to Colorado

Here is where I need the help of you readers. SR and I are planning on a temporary move to Colorado while we apply for future residency/fellowship spots and I finish writing for my PhD. We are looking for a short term rental- and right now we're deciding between Fort Collins, Boulder, Loveland, Woodland Park and Crystal Lakes. The latter is a secluded community in the mountains with very reasonably priced cabins and hundreds of miles of running and cycling trails. (I just learned about). Do any of you have thoughts on where we should make our temporary home?

It wouldn't be too terrible to live here in Crystal Lakes (from imgur.com)

It should be noted that we are still looking to buy a place (let's call it the Hard Rock Chalet) with  Alicia and Divesh where we can rent out to friends wanting an adventurous mountain vacation. We'll have guided trail runs, bike rides, etc. This is going to take a while to get up and running, though - so be patient!


Running with Sunglasses

Doing the Ultra-Eye Study had an unexpected benefit for me. After reading so many peoples' experiences, I started doing all of my running with sunglasses. I had previously had this perpetual rash around my eyes and irritated conjunctiva. My patients and colleagues (in the Ophthalmology Dept, of course) nearly daily asked me "What's wrong with your eyes?" Anyway, it is now very clear it was environmental irritation while running that was causing it. If you suffer from similar problems, you might want to give sunglasses or non-tinted glasses a try.

Easter in Næstved

pre-teens

Thanks again for the hat, Olga

The spring experience

Griseløbet 10k. The race of pain.

But first, seeing Kenneth Munk in this outfit was not the painful part. Doesn't look the like woman handing out the awards was in pain either.

So dang it all. I arrived this morning feeling I had golden legs. What could go wrong? Nice weather - right around freezing (32F), light wind. It was a PR kind of day. PR kind of course.

The first 3km went exactly as planned despite the headwind - a 3:50min/km pace. Just rolling along, feeling good. Then a bike pulled out in front of me and the guy pushed me over and said "I'm gonna get you Sea Legs Girl".

Alright, I'm just kidding. What really happened is a pacing bike pulled out beside me after a guy said to him "here's the first female". All fine and and well. Rolling along.

Then I had a stabbing pain in my stomach on the right side. If you have ever played soccer as a child and went out really hard running right after drinking a huge cup of orange drink- THIS is what it felt like. I kept praying it would go away but it didn't. In fact it spread to my entire stomach. I had tears in my eyes and was making noises like a horse giving birth. The guy on the bike kept looking at me. Despite my pain I had to laugh on the inside. Was he looking at me because of my neighing and winniing or because I was slowing down. Anyway, I was so embarrassed. Tons of men kept passing me. Where were the women?

I was 1 micrometer from dropping when I told myself to get behind a guy and take some deep breaths and calm down. The pain didn't go away, but I was able to run and felt at least I could finish.

Finish I did in 41:15. First female but probably THE most disappointed runner there today. The conditions were perfect and something still went wrong. My time was similar to what I have been running on 10k tempos just in training. This just isn't right.

Wondering what I ate for breakfast? A Clif Builders Bar like always - over 3 hours before the race. I just don't get it. It wasn't like I downed water right before the start. Why on earth did this happen?

Anyway, I won the following loot. Technical long sleeved shirt, techincal tank, running pants, 2 pairs of running socks, a water bottle, 50kr. and a1½ hour spa treatment/facial/massage right here in Næstved. I'll take a picture of my winnings when I'm not feeling so lazy.

This race is one of the best organized races I have had the pleasure or participating in. And the route is so fast and fun. Griseløbet is THE race for a fast time - for most.

Because my mom is in town, I even got to go to Bikram Yoga right after the race. It was AWESOME. I don't even feel sore or tight now. I also learned what I was doing wrong that keeps injuring my right foot - hint - don't sit Japanese style if your ankle isn't flexible enough.

I love this song- it makes me happy under any circumstance (so far). For some reason I keep thinking this song is so good that it should be made illegal. Especially the parts in harmony.

From the Eastern Kingdom

This week was different. Christian is growing up. He can ski with us now. And he is darn good. Parents- start your kids early. We started him at 3 years old and I am so glad we did. As a mom, kids can be really draining on you- but when you suddenly can ski with them, yes, well, now I feel we have truly arriven at a happy place in life.

 St. Johann in Tirol. I love Tyrol, however you choose to spell it. They have technically belonged to many countries and empires- but when push comes to shove, no one can fight the Tyrolean mountain people. They kill their enemies with avalanches.

the dramatic ascents of the Austrian Alps

And Tyrol will always make me think of WWI and the deadly fighting that happened here. But what a peaceful place now.

 And what a beautiful young girl, Natali has turned out to be. And she is always taking everything in stride. Christian's constant "Natty fell, but I didn't" never even got to her. She just laughed.

My mom, much to our surprise, celebrated her 62nd birthday on skiis. 13 years after breaking her leg in a skiing accident, she decided to forget her fear and, as she said, "If I die skiing with my grandson, at least I will die happy".

There were of course fights here and there over beautiful women.

But age old rivalries between the Montagues and Capulets were resolved. 

And why is it that Mr. and Mrs. Capulet

look younger than Romeo and Juliet?

 Did it ever occur to you what a strange name Juliet Capulet is?

Terrible moments

turned into good moments very suddenly and for no apparent reason

And I got a break from it all when I was allowed to try randonée skiing. I made it nearly to the top of Kitzbüler Horn with the skins on my skiis keeping me from sliding backwards. I removed the skins and (should have) skied down like normal. The guy at the rental shop had not adjusted the bindings to fit my boots, so I had to telemark ski down (I had always wanted to try that, too) without the back clicked in.

view from our window

looking down on St. Johann

Beating the girl in purple and 800's

He spotted her at the start line. Along with her two brothers: the main competition for the 3.3km race. And for winning "the gold". The entire race Christian worried she was catching up and "put on the jets" whenever she got close. But when we reached the track and the finish line neared, the girl was getting dangerously close.

The girl in purple.

And Christian started screaming. And holding his belly. There was no way on God's green earth this girl was going to beat him.

100 meters to the finish.

There was almost a photo finish, but he edged her out and took 2 minutes off of his PR - 30:23. I don't think either SR or I had ever witnessed such an exciting (or humorous) race. The best part was the girl in purple didn't seem to know anyone was racing her.

Contrast this with Natty who coolly crossed the finish line in just over 20 minutes.

Putting on the jets.

It is safe to say I also have some g i r l s in purple.  And maybe that's why I do something as painful as running 800's so fast that I lose feeling in my arms and suffer from a headache the rest of the day. (and take a day off the day before just to be able to really, really do it). Let's just say the crowd of Herlufsholm maintenance men standing by the track watching me at the end was alone enough to justify my efforts.

And today was perfect for running. Cool, sunny, light wind.

Oh, you would like to know the times? 800m x 6 (3 min. rest)

2.47
2.47
2.52
2.51
2.56
2.53

Those were the times after my Garmin said I had run 800 meters, though.

Apparently I take really wide turns (or something), because by the time I actually crossed the 800 meter line on the track (same track pictured above), the times were as follows:

	2.52
	2.55
	2.56
	2.57
	3.02
	2.59

I recorded both times so that I can compare the first to 800 meters on the road measured by Mr. Garmin and the second times to 800 meters run on the track. And all of this can be found under my profile on Endomondo.

I am pleased. Not that my intervals ever predict my race times with any reliability. But I am over 10 seconds per 800 faster than I was this past fall.  I am just wondering if I should admit that right now my main girl in purple is a guy - in my house. When are we going to run a marathon together, honey?

(Pretentious) book question: I have been reading exclusively historical fiction from southern Europe from the early 20th century and I'm looking for a new good book in this genre. Any recommendations? (best ones so far were Embers by Sándor Márai and A Farewell to Arms by Ernest (Ernie) Hemingway. (Haha. SR just said if he didn't know me and read this paragraph, he would hate me). 

Cultural quiz (about two great running songs): Which one is in Swedish and which in Danish? And how do you know? (sorry Danes and Swedes not allowed).