I'm back! Here we go! From scratch!

I've been battling runner's kneee most of this year and it's pretty much ruined my training.

Now it seems it's on the mend and I'm back on track!

Now I'm starting from scratch as if I've never been to the gym/done any running before. 

Carefully. Slowly. Easy Does It.

Training goal: Seattle Marathon 5,5 hours on November 27th.

Doing things differently

Vaarojen Maraton 15k was a lot of fun! I couldn't run on the trails, they were too demanding so I powerwalked, and jogged along the roads.
Loads of uphill!!!
The last uphill is 2,1K to the finishing line and it took me 33 minutes!!! OMG I've never experienced anything like it before!!!
Next year I'm conquering that uphill in less than 25 minutes, in one go, no pausing along the way up.
I've given myself an elevator ban going up. At home. At work. Everywhere. I'm taking the stairs. I really do want to conquer the last uphill at Koli in one go, in less than 25 minutes!
Next year I'm participating in Retki. A 43K hike. And I''ve recruited some workmates to join me. Training has already started!

So now I'm starting training for 2016: Salzburg half marathon in early May and Edinburgh marathon in late May.
I will do things differently than I have before: focus more on running/cardio, less on strength.
Full-body workouts a few times a week but the focus is on running/cardio.
I've been stuck at the gym doing strength workouts. No wonder my running hasn't improved!

Oslo

I managed to waddle 10 km in Oslo . I made a basic mistake and enjoyed a too rich breakfast at the hotel . I really liked the hotel breakfast! It was splendid. Scrambled eggs from real eggs. Kefir.  Flaxseeds. Fresh fruit. #,5% milk to pour in my coffee. I felt like a princess! Revenge of the breakfast started at 5 km, I managed to 10 km but there I had to give up and walk to the hotel where I let the organizers know through FB that I would not be finishing the race. Just in case they'd start wondering whatever happened to me.
I spent Saturday night walking in Slottsparken  hugging trees.

Next year I will cross the finishing line in Oslo!!!

Yesterday I was back at the gym for a full-body Hurrikaani workout.
Excatly what I needed!
Tonight I'm off to work again. I've packed my workout clothes, including a thicker jacket. In case it's cold on deck. I'm going to try to work out as long as possible outdoors at work!
No stupid risks like deck workouts when the deck is slippery.

Ready for Oslo

Today I did my last workout before the half marathon in Oslo on Saturday.

Full body kettlebell workout.

Woke up my body perfectly after the worl week.

Now I've packed my bags and am ready to go!

And oh I wrote down my goal on The Goal Wall at the gym: -10 kg on December 31st  2015.

I'm hooked!

Hurricane at TFW was FUN! Very tough, but fun!
Fun crowd, tough workout. Circuit training style.
I'm so glad I joined this gym.
Now I can't wait for Monday 21st when I've got my next classes booked! Can't wait for the classes in early October to open up for booking!!!
Woo hoo!
I'm hooked.

First class/es today!

Today is the day..
I'm taking my first class/es at TFW Turku . I have a spot for the Hurricane class at 5.30 pm and am currently 4th or 5th in queue for the strength class at 4.30 pm. We'll see what happens.
I've already signed up for Strength and Hurricane classes on Monday two weeks from now, there were available spots.
On Thursday September 17th I'm off to Oslo for Oslo Marathon . I'm running the half marathon.
I've never been to Oslo before.
I'm in a hotel in central Oslo. Kon-Tiki, the viking ships, Skriet.. Oslo will be fun!

New beginnings!

New beginnings!
I've joined a new, crossfit-oriented gym, TFW Turku .
I have a feeling this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship :)

Their afternoon classes are fully booked most of the time but I'm in queue for a place for Monday's strength and Hurricane-classes. Maybe I get a spot, maybe not. If I don't then I'll go there and do a workout by myself. Burpees and kettlebells!!!

New beginnings: new gym + blog updates more often!

August: BURPEE CHALLENGE!

August is burpee month!

I've committed to a burpee challenge.

On August 31st we do 100 burpees 😍

I've done burpees on the helicopter deck at work.

Does wonders for the whole body!!

Everybody burpee!!

Burpee Challenge

Motivire Burpee Challenge starts Aug 1st. ('Lepo' = 'Rest')
I'm going to participate best to my ability.  My work weeks might make it a bit challenging as I might not be able to follow their training plan. I'll burpee to the best of my abilities!!

Planning 2016

I'm one of those people who live one day at a time.
I concentrate on TODAY.
That doesn't mean I don't look ahead and make plans for the future.
I'm already looking at and making plans for 2016.
I have no idea if the plans will come true.
Planning and signing up for running events in the future keeps me out of mischief :)

Like I've told you before I've signed up for the Edinburgh Marathon at the end of May 2016.
Warm up for that event will be an action-packed holiday in April-May in Salzburg, Austria:
The Sound of Music, Mozart, hiking, bicycling, half marathon at Salzburg Marathon .

Booking (registration for the event + hotel. Maybe even flights?) for Disneyland Paris Half Marathon in September 2016 opens in early October 2015.
I'm booking. I want to run a half marathon in a Princess Elsa tutu in Paris a few months before I turn 45.

Today it's raining.
I'll try to get outdoors for a run if the rain would calm down just a little bit, it's pouring down as I'm typing. I don't mind a light summer rain. It's just not fun to run outdoors when it's pouring down.
We'll see how today turns out.

Uphills!!

Saturday was one of the sunniest and warmest days of this summer.

So I went uphill training to the Hirvensalo skiing center.

It's on a nice jogging distance from where I live.

I managed up the steepest part of the hill twice. On my second time uphill I encountered a snake. The poisonous kind. He was just lying there enjoying the sun and there came I, red-faced hugfing and puffing up the hill. We both got scared of each other I think. The snake went somewhere else to sunbathe. I continued up the rest of the hill fast as h*ll, I took a road down, and went home.

I'm not uphill training at Hirvensalo ski center anymore. Brilliant place for uphill workouts, don't get me wrong. I just don't want to encounter poisonous snakes. And I had left the allergy meds at home. I was alone. I would have been in a lot of trouble had something gone wrong.

I learned an important lesson yesterday.

I won't leave the house without my allergy meds and I'll avoid places/areas where there might be snakes especially when I'm working out by myself.

Safety first.

Stairs!!

Summer is here, finally!

Today I did a stair workout in the Samppalinna Park.

Up the stairs, run through the park, walk along the riverside, up the stairs, run through the park x 3. 

One of my favourite workouts!!

Rain, rain, go away

Today's run didn't work out quite as I haf planned as the sky opened up all of a sudden. Blaaahhh. 

So I ran to the grocery store, did my shopping and walked home.

Tomorrow is supposed to be nice and sunny. 

Slight change of plans

I've had to cancel my participation in Athens Authentic Marathon because of the financial situation in Greece.

Instead I've signed up for Edinburgh Marathon in May 2016.
The route is flat & fast so I will waddle it in 5 hours and 15 minutes.

2015 is still the summer of running; training for  Oslo half marathon and 15 K at Koli will keep me busy.

2015: Summer of Running

2015, The Summer Of Running, has officially begun.

30 mins speed intervals at work in splendid sunshine. Very hard wind though, messed with my feet a few times. 

I'm hitting the deck every time my schedule and the weather allows this summer. No excuses.

Saturday Night Fever

Saturday Night Fever @ m/s Viking Grace.

30 minutes running on helicopter deck. Got my heart rate UP! Fresh air and the world's most beautiful archipelago. 

This is the life.

Trail!!

Today I spent two hours jogging and walking in the forest, getting aquainted with trail running/waddling as I have registered for the Marathon of Dangers/Vaarojen Maraton at the beginning of October.

I'm taking the 15K this year, maybe 43K next year??!!

Today's jog went surprisingly well as I can still feel Friday's full body (focus on legs though) workout.

Still no reply from Athens

Thursday was 'PT theme night' at the gym.

I participated in core, flexibility, interval running and 'explosiveness' classes.

Today is Saturday, rest day, and my ans still hurt!!! Ha ha ha!!

Yesterday, Friday, I just did an easy recovery jog.

I've emailed Athens Authentic Marathon regarding my payment and registration but have still not received any reply..

I'm waiting...

Athens Authentic Marathon

Registration for Athens Authentic Marathon has opened, I have registered, paid 100€ through bank wire but so far received no confirmation.. ??? Hmm???
Very interesting...

I have skied 11,5 km crosscountry!!! Two weeks ago Ahmovaara-Kopravaara. Nearly 30 years since my previous skiing escapade.
I survived :)

At work I've been jogging on deck 12, lots of warm clothes required since it's quite windy.

I will waddle Marathon-Athens in 5,5 hours on November 8th!

Athens, Greece, here I come!

I did not get a place in the 2015 NYC Marathon on November 1st.

Such is life.

I'm going to participate in the Marathon-Athens marathon instead, on November 8th! 

Registration opens March 15th. There's no draw for places, you just register.

It feels so good to have a real plan, to know the exact date for when I'm going to run 42,2 km.

The weather should be quite nice in Greece in November.

I started 2015 deck jog season in late February!! Woo hoo! The deck is still quite slippery, I'm very careful and go at 'penguin pace'. 

Four times jogging during the work week! Not bad!

Felt great to get some fresh air!!

Now I'm home again and today my PT made spaghetti out of me during our workout.

Tomorrow I go to visit my second oldest brother for the weekend.

We're going cross-country skiing on Friday. I haven't been on skis for nearly 30 years!! What have I gotten myself into??!!!