This Week on the Run: v20 2013

This week started in Berlin. I was a bit worried over fatigue as the week before felt stiff and uncomfortable almost the entire week. But no, with only one days rest, all of a sudden the legs popped again! By damn, that was nice!

14/5 – 6.8km: Back in Tiergarten, but a shorter trip. And also, the legs were popping so I found myself going faster than usual. In fact, the 2nd kilometer clocked in on 4 min/km. Not bad! OK, so it was fairly hard work, but at least I’ve had my hands on it now.

16/5 – 5km: Rest day. Keeping it short but clipping the tempo. Felt alright.

18/5 – 6.6km: This was supposed to be a long run to be followed up on the Sunday by a very short recovery run. However, I started too fast, it was too hot (and I had no water), and my legs were just shot. So I cut it after 6.6 and decided to try for a medium long the day after instead.

19/5 – 7.8km: The mission: easy, smooth and slow. And it worked! Lovely run with surprisingly cooperating legs. Lovely weather with spring coming on in the woods. This is what it is all about!

In total 26km then. That was according to plan, I went up fairly fast to 30km, so I felt it safe to back off a week. And 4 runs in total. Good! I’ll really need back-to-back in order to get the mileage up.

Our imagination is stretched to the outmost, not as in fiction, to imagine things which are not really there, but just to comprehend those things that are there.Richard Feynman

This Week on the Run: v19 2013

Stiff legs through most of the week. Which didn’t feel encouraging. I was on the verge of skipping one more run but pressed through despite soreness and stiffness.

7/5 – 6km: Not fast. Felt like running on tree-stumps. Lovely weather though and it feels like my ability to do climbs is slowly getting better. Actually, I get bored if it is too flat… Although I probably going to regret having said that.

10/5 – 15km: Since I was about to go to Berlin in the weekend, and my legs were stiff I changed plans and rested one more day to hit a long run on the Friday. It felt rather good, the legs stayed with me for approx. 10km after which they were well and truly stiff. Not surprising since I haven’t hit this length for a while. I walked two session of about 300m each. Still not bad and clocking in under 6 m/km.

12/5 – 8.5km: First ever run in Berlin! I hit Tiergarten via the river. Cold rain to start and fairly windy made the first 4km painful. But I kept up and the return was nice with the wind in my back. Still stiff though. Still holding back on the pace.

So a 29.5km week. More than I had planned while on fewer runs than I had planned. I was a bit worried over the stiffness: It felt like I didn’t recover enough between the runs. As I write this that has changed, but you’ll hear about that next week.

This Week on the Run: v18 2013

After a long pause it’s time to start again. Since I’m now lining up for Lidingöloppet come autumn it’s high time to get some longer runs under the belt.

1/5 – 8km: A double tap in Årsta woods. With 225m climb it showed exactly how bad my leg muscles are at the moment. But still rather nice. Although, my new Merrel Trail Gloves are to tight on a spot right under the arch. We’ll see if they get settled in a few miles, otherwise I’ll have to shift shoes.

4/5 – 12km – Walking: I got myself a pair of Merrel Mix Master Tuff to try in the mountains come summer and trekking. So a quick walk at Hellasgården served up the initial impression: neat, I think I’ll like them. Also this walk was a preparation for…

5/5 – 5km: … back to back training. I need this in order to get the mileage up. I probably also need to start running in the morning in order to find the time I need. Legs a bit stiff, so I kept it a 6 mins/km and capped to 5 km. Lovely weather!

So in total a 25km week. Not bad. Legs are a bit stiff, and I really, really should spend some time in the gym – the left leg/knee is feeling a bit wobbly again. But it is hard to substitute a real run for a boring gym session. Ah, well… Next week we’ll see if I can hit 4 runs.

Think Easy, Light, Smooth, and Fast. You start with easy, because if that’s all you get, that’s not so bad.Caballo Blanco

You can write it off as “political correctness” if you wish, but the truth is that privilege always lies with the majority. They’re so used to being catered to that they see the lack of catering as an imbalance. David Gaider

St Jacobs Chamber Choir: Motets

Last year we released a recording of Bach’s Motets with St Jacobs Chamber Choir. And to say that the reviews have been… favorable is putting it mildly.  Swedens biggetst morning newpaper DN gave it 5/5 in a splendid review. Its been well compared to Gardiner and picked as one of the 4 best records of the year by Sweden’s largest classical music magazine Opus. And now, it’s time for just another one. MusicWeb: Bach Motets:

The magnificent divided choirs of something like Komm, Jesu, komm are the clincher for me in this recording, turning Bach’s motets into something more like a guilty pleasure than a hair-shirt religious duty. If you give this box as a present make sure you double wrap it with an inner lining of silver foil, such are the deliciously rich and chocolaty rewards inside.

How about that eh? And yes, you can find it on Spotify as well, Bach: Motets. My god, I think I’m blushing…

Do not make unnecessary comparisons, never judge without reflection, and accept the limits of your own understanding.Lars J. Nilsson