Back on track: Skåla Opp 2015

Finally racing again!

Exactly one year ago, a long time dream came true when I got to experience the famous Skåla mountain in Loen by participating in the Skåla Opp 2014 race. It was a great experience in many different ways, and most importantly, it was at the top of Skåla I met some of my Melkesyre friends for the first time ever. Little did I know at that point how big a part of my life they would become and how much they would come to mean to me during the year that has passed since.

This year's Skåla Opp race, which took place on Saturday, was if possible even a greater experience. Not having raced since March this year, and not having had any endurance training since January, I was completely uncertain about what to aim for or what to expect during this year's race. My Stoltzekleiven form is better, but my endurance is much worse, on the other hand my legs are considerably stronger, however my resting heart rate is higher.... Some pros, some cons. What to expect???  I decided that anything better than 2:30 would make me very happy.

I started out with a good pace from the start but I made sure to keep my heart rate well below my lactate threshold, not touching 160, for the first 4-5 km. By then the first 1000 meters of the total 1800 meters elevation gain is done. After that my plan was to allow my heart rate to get close to 170, however this turned out to be pretty impossible. Although the climb gets tougher around the sixth kilometer, and I went as fast as I could, my heart rate went actually down. The advice from my physiotherapist Ane was "push it real hard, but don't race". I interpreted this as "race, but not at the expense of worsening your injury, so slow down if something becomes painful". Fortunately my hamstrings tendon behaved better than in a long time. It actually gave much less discomfort than during the slower and easier hikes in Jotunheimen just a couple of weeks ago.

I finished the race in 2:15, just two minutes worse than last year, which is a wonderfully encouraging surprise. Skåla seems to be telling me that everything will be OK. I even had a better feeling throughout and after the race this year compared to last year. I was less exhausted during and after, and my legs recovered much more quickly. Mentally it helped a lot that I had company, as I walked with my friends Hans Erik and Solveig from the start.  It gives energy and strength to have the comforting presence of friends close by. In fact Solveig and I kept together almost all the way to the finish, upon which we were interviewed by the national broadcast channel. The best news for me, though, is that my injury has behaved incredibly well also after the race. Normally, after a tough training I would feel some ache in the injured area, but this time I felt nothing at all!

An even more motivating achievement was that of my friend Jeanette at this year's race. You might remember that she won her class at last year's race, whereas this year it wasn't certain at all whether she would be able to participate. She injured her knee in April and had a surgery in May, and consequently has not been running for the past four months. But she did participate, and she was only a few minutes behind her personal best from last year, becoming number three in her class this year! What about that??! I think it is such an incredible performance, in fact a hundred times more impressive than if she had improved her PB with a few minutes without an injury. I was even happier about her result than mine; it gives such an amazing boost of energy, hope, inspiration and motivation, and it proves once and for all: nothing is impossible! We celebrated our victories in the Skåla lake...

It is such an indescribably nice feeling to be racing again. The mental and the physical push, the calculations in the head all the time, the pain, the incredible rush of adrenaline before the start, and the flush of endorphins and the intense feeling of happiness at the finish. Oh how I had missed that, and how I got reminded why I love racing. Of course the best part this year was the endless celebrations with my Melkesyre, Varegg and Fjellgeitene friends at the top and later in the evening. It is simply wonderful to be a part of such a group of positive, inspiring, kind and fun people. I cannot believe my luck...

Just to make the whole experience complete, an added bonus this year was Frank's participation in the race for the first time. He finished in 1:55. As soon as the registration opens for next year's race we will both sign up!

Coming up this weekend is Storehesten Opp 2015...