World Run II / Reports

The map shows the position of which the pictures for the day are taken (if any). The start and finish markers are placed at the first and last valid registered position. This is not nessesary the actual start and finish position, if GSM or GPS signals was not available.

Goto: 2011-12-06 2011-12-08 Colombia

2011-12-07:

16
Distance today: 42.0 km (Accumulated: 31076.0 km)
Elapsed time: 03:54:27
Country: Colombia

Start 09:50am., 25c, rain & no wind, at km-stone "119/45-10" on hwy. 45 North. Finish 14:59pm., 35c, very humid, cloudy & no wind, at km-stone 26/45-11" on hwy. 45 North.

... Thourghts !

Todays marathon distance ofcourse was in my grandmothers honour (Im sure, had she used her 95years as a runner - she would have surpassed my 1½lap around the world long ago :-)

Many many thourghs, memories, experienses and imporant skills learned during the years I was fortunate to know her !

There is no doubt in my mind, that the world run's would not had happened, had I not had an upbringing w. an oppotunity to see and learn from an individual with such determination and strength in the small but crucial 'art' of getting from "dreaming it" to "making it happen", absolutely no matter what it includes of obstacles on the way from "A" to "B". Without that skill in abundance, world running is simply not possible.

I have now, during this year, lost my father - who was the one I started running together with some 28 years ago and shared much of my training and races/records/goals/win's and setbacks with during the years; and my grandmother who gave me the non-running part of my luggage' to be a "world runner".
If there is one thing I have learned from her it is: "Dont let that stop you. Dont let anything imaginable, whatever it is, break your determination". It was taught to me in a kind way, not as a 'harsh lesson', but rauther through a series of travels together when I was a young kid. Travels which in a sense was more strange, difficult, challengeing, exotic and perhaps even, more rewarding, than the world runs. This is not the place to give examples, though they are colorfull stories ;-), since it would also be very long stories indeed. But maybe an occation will turn up later on !

Christmas calendar, day 7:
Today's injury-prevention advice is very much in line with the spirit of my grandmother, mentioned above. When doing ultrarunning or normal longdistance running you may come across runners who use painkillers in relation to the sport. Maybe to surpress injury-symphtoms, perhaps to fight off the feeling of tiredness or even outright to block the feeling of pain when the body is over-used in one way or another. In my oppinion there is no place, at all, for painkillers in running. Not only is it a way to in reality 'cheat' ones way towards the finish line - as the body itself is saying "stop" or "slow down"; but even wose than beeing a bad sportsman, is the long term effects on the body: There is a reason to why you feel pain; though evolution the body has refined its ability to tell you when to ease off a little bit, adjust your effort, or change the way you are using your body - so it can last and doesnt get worn down or broken down. It doesnt take a world run or two to get long term injuries; enough painkillers and you can override your body's 'alarm systems' in a way that will put an end to running permanently in a few years. It may be a little strongly put, but please - use the encredible strength your body has, when you give it Patience and proper Training, instead of painkillers :-)