Summer?

The weather in the past week was so bad that I actually checked the calendar several times to make sure that it was indeed mid July… My evening runs were almost all wet and windy and we made no outdoor plans for the weekend as the forecast was not promising either.

But then I read 12Honza’s blog note and after I placed a comment on how other people’s action kick starts me, it seemed weird not to go out. So here is another evidence of what Honza calls the chain reaction: Saturday: 10.3 km in rain and wind; Sunday: 8 km in similar conditions plus 34 km on mountain bike on top of it.

To illustrate my words, this is a Sunday morning picture of a popular lake beach near Leiden. During regular summer weekend it would be packed:

To be completely honest with you, at times it actually stopped raining. I took this picture as we were starting the car after our run :-).

So wherever you are and whatever you do, do not complaint (it is enough that I do it!), keep running and never, never give up. The sunny days will come!

Juneathon Day 9: Barefoot!

After a windy night we woke up into a stormy morning. Hmm – I wonder if the wind calms down at all and if the sand dunes will shield us at all as we run against it. Those were my morning thoughts before we headed to a new running adventure in the dunes between Katwijk and Wassenaar. The area is beautiful, we knew that already – but the wind, the wind was killing. We decided to run through the dunes SW, to Wassenaarse slag, to have a coffee there, check our legs and plan where to go from there. It was cold.  Running against wind this strong, it felt like inside some kind of outdoor treadmill: my legs were clearly pushing but I was not moving forward at all. The initial 5 km took us about 35 minutes and we ended up rather exhausted. Coffee and hot chocolate at the beach saved us. Again, the feeling of Christmas holiday and skiing trip was setting in: apart from us, there were only dog walkers around and German hardcore holiday guests.

The wind was so strong we could hardly open the door of the beach pub as we were leaving and it was blowing sand and dirt into our eyes, ears and… well, just about everywhere. At that point, as we wanted to run back on the beach, I decided to take off my shoes. My first barefoot run was just about to begin.  Feeling the cold wet sand under my feet (in combination with running) was an entirely new sensation. I was so scared everything would start hurting immediately and I would have to stop quickly but nothing bad happened. Luckily I did not step on one of those:
V was running next to me checking all the time if I was okay and according to her, I looked very happy. And that is exactly how I felt.

We ran about 4.5 km back to Katwijk and it was with great regret that I had to put on my shoes again. I have no idea how my calves, shins and hamstring will feel tomorrow but I cannot wait to return to the beach for more.

P.S. Written with my gratitude to the Royal Netherlands Meteorology Institute: If they didn’t predict a sunny day we would have missed this incredible 11.1 km adventure!

P.P.S. Off to Oranje soccer game (now that Czech rep has lost so badly I might like to switch teams…).

Four reasons for Runner’s High tonight

1. It seems like the winter is slowly getting over and the outside air starts smelling like spring.

2. It is the end of my working week as tomorrow we head for holiday :-).

3. We have a week with friends ahead of us. I am thinking fresh powder snow, skiing, wooden mountain lodge, fire place, Napa Valley wine, good stories, good books, ….

4. I ran 8.5 km tonight practically without noticing. Must be Janis Joplin on my iPod.

Janathon Day 22

Woke up at 6.45 am, alone. V. was downstairs watching Kim Clijsters at Australian Open. Dressed up and departed. It was dark and quiet outside. The peaceful sphere disappeared behind the first corner where the blizzardish wind caught me. I have decided to attempt for a 8-10 km run, just to see how far I would feel like running and whether this is a start of a Sunday-early-morning-long-run tradition? Except for the wind, everything went surprisingly well. I did not even think about the time (the best evidence being my watch forgotten at the dinner table). It was just me and the road. I felt like singing along with the Dixie Chicks in my earphones so I did – sorry people for waking you up.

Back at home I quickly changed and went to the gym for a biking hour – just to allow my legs some different sensation. Of course V. could not resist asking me if I was going for a swim later on as well? Ehm, no. I am not a tri-person. Attended a tri race twice before and don’t have the ambition to it the third time. But then again, I never had an ambition to start running either.

Walked with April and then collapsed on the sofa. Am done for today – feeling tired and great.

So – what’s the plan for February? Any Febathon thoughts out there?

Janathon Day 4

Turns out darkness is not the biggest problem when running at night. Even rain is not that bad. What really disturbs my pace is the wind North Sea storm.

We had F. visiting for dinner this evening and as she was leaving only after the closing hour of our gym, I had no other choice but to run outside. The weather looked so scary that I did not even bother looking for my iPod because who needs music for a quick wet walk around the block.

But then again, it is Janathon time. So 5.3 km and 40 minutes later I returned home, tired and happy.