Check this out...

So cool...

First race of the year

Last Saturday I had my first race of the year. Who has followed this blog

knows that I wanted to run in the Aletsch Half Marathon, but the weather forecast was so bad

that me and my wife (she also ran with me) decided to go to a different race.

We ran in the Graubunden Half Marathon (part of the Graubunden Marathon): http://www.graubuenden-marathon.ch/.

The course was of course 21.1 Km long and with 755 m height gain  (all in the first 8 Km). The course is very fast (I needed 2:17 to finish it) due to a couple of pieces that are downhill. There is a bit too asphalt for my taste but the few trail pieces were a lot of fun!

In one you are going downhill, pretty fast, and you end up in a wood where you have to jump

from one side to the other in the mud for a few minutes (scaring walkers on the way)... A LOT OF FUN! The fog added a certain atmosphere to the race too!

 

All in all a very successful race. A lot of fun altough the weather was not sunny. But maybe it was better in this way. A lot of sun would have meant a more difficult and slower race I am sure!

 

Now to the next goal: glacier 3000 run (26 Km and 2000 m height gain).

 

I will post some pictures soon.

Real life

Man... Real life always interferes with training, does it not? Or is just me? This week I will probably be able to put only 3 units of training... Birthday of my daugther, visit of my parents, my wife´s parents, friend from Germany, training at work... damn. I really need to start training early in the morning. I really don't see any other way of keeping to my training plan.

I usually go at lunch running, but sometime work come in the way. I cannot miss some business lunch, so I better start running in the morning damn! In one week I will be off to the Aletsch Half-marathon (nothing for you ultra runners out there :-) ). 21.1 Km with ca. 1000 m of height gain!! It will be fun, I am sure. I hope weather will play along. To reach 3000m of height with snow and wind is not gonna be fun, so let's hope for the best! I will check the weather reports regularly from Monday on. And I will post a race report after the race.

Actually I am thinking about tapering: yes or no? Well since I am training for a marathon I should not. This should be a training run, so no special tapering required, since Friday and Saturday I will not be running anyway. Friday I will travel and Saturday I will be resting for the race. So probably I will try to put at least 4 units of training next week, or 3, have to see. Monday and Tuesday for sure. Thursday too and I have yet to decide for Wednesday.

Will see...

Long run again

Ok,
after a bit of recovery time I did some cross-training and had my first long run again this weekend. I felt the left knee after 8Km but I had an elastic band that has brought me to the end. No big problems today. I am happy, altough I would prefer a stronger knee, but I will do a lot more of cross training and will take care of my shoes from now on. This is the map of my long run



18.2 Km around a beatiful lake with a friend. Wonderful time, and after that: pizza! Yummy...

Too long, too fast, too often...

I mention in a previous post that I like to run with the heart. Well that is true but I really need to stick to a training plan. My left quadriceps and knee are slightly hurting now :-( Nothing big but I will stop for 2 or 3 days to let the leg recover. I need to pay attention and do things correctly. I increased my mileage steadily and in the last weeks I was running a half-marathon each week almost, and that comes not for free... At least not for me :-)

 

I need to do shorter and more aimed runs and planned longer runs with lighter weeks otherwise I will hurt myself! Oh well the weather in the weekend is anyway crap around here ;-)

 

I will prepare a concrete training plan and will use it as much as my heart permits ;-)

Run with the heart?

How do you run? With the heart or you adhere strictly to a training program? I mean the other day I was running my planned 10 Km flat, slow. Then I saw a trail going uphill and there it goes my plan. I did 11 Km with ca. 200 m of height gain. I always run like this. I always end up going to trail I don't know anything about (and very often I get lost). But I cannot resiste really...

I started running from home to work and from work to home. I end up always lost in the woods ;-) And I need to ask for directions. Because if I see a beautiful trail I cannot resist...

How do _you_ run? Let me know. I am very interested in knowing!!

Ways of donating

I have inserted on the top right part of the blog a button that allow you to donate using paypal. In this way
you can use any creditcart (or EC).

Please use it ;-)

In case you are interested or prefer a direct bank transfer just contact me and I will be more than happy to give you the bank coordianates.