Not quite there yet - Blåmanen race 2

Things take time...

Blåmanen race number 2 was yesterday. As fun as always; I just love these races! But it is time to realize that I am far behind in my running form compared to last year at this time. OK, so it should perhaps not come as such a big surprise. I have, after all, just started running again, and the longest I have run since January is about 12 km. Last year at this time I had completed three half marathons within the last six months... Well, at least I have been able to keep my uphill form; I cannot describe how happy I am for this year's record at Stoltzekleiven. That is in fact my only registered accomplishment of 2015, so it saves the year. Although I participated in a lot of uphill races this fall, they all involved (for me) fast walking and not running. And that is the clue. I have lost a lot of speed when it comes to running, and it is taking me time to get it back.

Last year I completed the Blåmanen race 2 i 56 minutes, and I did not even push it. This year; 58 minutes... I probably did not push it as much as I should this time, either. I had a good feeling throughout the race, and was not that exhausted at the end. I also saw afterwards that my heart rate did not go as much up this time as the first race last week. So I could, and probably should, have pushed a bit harder. Or perhaps not. Who knows?  I am still in recovery, and perhaps I am avoiding to reverse the healing of my injury this way. By pushing not too hard. I don't know. What I do know is that I should focus on the positive.

I am extremely happy for:

1. I can run again!!!! I can run almost as much as I want. And I know that my form will come back; I just need to work hard and give it time. The most important thing is that my injury seems to be getting better and better all the time. Just a couple of months ago, I was not at all sure that I could ever run as I wanted again. I now start believing that I can. And I am extremely grateful for that.
2.  I am participating and having incredible fun at various races. And I get so much compassion and encouragement from my friends. One of yesterday's heroes is Ove. At the beginning of the uphills I was having a hard time, and he kept talking to me all the way; gave encouragement exactly where I needed it. It felt easier and easier as I got used to the pace. And Bjarne with his camera in the middle of the course, taking pictures, cheering, giving advice... I was actually looking forward to seeing him and wondering where he would pop up, and that thought helped keep me going. And then Patricia and Solveig handing out drinks and cheering just before the last hill, and Christian and Åshild at the finish. Thanks so much guys! And Roger when he came to finish; always a caring clap on the shoulder. I feel the luckiest in the world to be surrounded with these people.
3.  There are so many fun things going on throughout the winter. On Wednesday I participated in a test run of yesterday's race with Fjellgeitene. These guys are amazing. I now finally dare calling myself a fjellgeit (mountain goat), too. When registering for races it will be now my standard to write "Varegg/Melkesyre/Fjellgeitene". There will be a test run of the last Blåmanen race the coming week, and then the race itself, and then more races, and training for them. Looking forward to all of that! I also have some long term goals, which I will tell you about in due time. In the meanwhile, I tell myself: