In the light of darkness

Been home from Kenya for a while. When arriving in a snowy Gothenburg my mind was set on freezing. Ten below zero after five weeks spent around the equator in shorts and tee. The crisp air and the beauty of the snowy white landscape made me forget freezing. The Swedish winter was actually quite nice.

The mileage dropped from 100+ kilometers to around 40. Increased the pace from slow jogging to ultra pace. When having a full-time job it is hard to fit in 10-12 hours of nightly sleep as I could do having time off in Iten. Decided to do some weeks of low mileage before trying serious training.

Last year, late summer. I finished more or less all my key sessions according to plan. I did slightly cut the mileage some weeks but I finished my schedule almost as planned. I was tired but kept on running. My head was grumpy and I did not feel for running but kept on running. I was struggling hard to finish sessions but I kept on running. My sleeping got bad but I kept on running. When I woke up after a night sleep I was still tired but I kept on running. I got a cold and I stopped running. For a day. Got another cold and another. I was training hard and I was supposed to get tired. Nothing strange with that. Three days before race I ran a session after recovering from a cold and felt alright. Hope on my mind.

The body has a limit of what it can take. I passed mine while preparing. On race day, I took my body even further. Down into a deep, dark hole. Even though I did not see the darkness right after the race, it was there. Beating weakness into my body. Two weeks later I was enlightened. I could jog for barely three k  and got sore muscles. This was September. Even the easiest of sessions made me tired for days. Four month later. January in Kenya, managed to jog 22k without getting sore muscles. Progress.

I now know that I can go beyond my limits and I also know it is very stupid to do it training. Next time I go too far, I will do it on some race day and on race days only.

Time for vacation. Rest and music, cruising the waters of the Caribbean. Monsters of Rock cruise, a music festival on a boat. As described by Faster Pussycat - on a boat motherfucker. That is where I spend my next few days. On my way to embark, in a country where you order coffee and get something that looks like tea but slightly tastes like coffee. Where you get fried marshmallows on top of your plate with salmon and broccoli.

I hope you've got, a safety net

Cause I'm gonna push you over the edge

The strangest thing, deliberate

Done with intent without repent