Making Plans For A New Decade

Dear G, the year is almost over and it's time for a summery.

Small picture: I didn't quite make my goal for 2009: 100 runs and 600 k. Aspecially not since it became so cold and slippery. Today I fell even walking to the close fishshop buying lobster and other new years stuff.

Big picture: I became a runner. We both became runners and yes, we changed our lives in 100 days. Unbelievebly much so.

And even bigger: this decade gave me three wonderful babies and what more could I ever ask for? I got a new profession and published another two books. Next decade there will be many more. Books, not kids.

And I'm making new plans. This is me, photographed by my 4-yearold son, comparing running programs for the half marathon.

My ambitions are high, but I'm also trying to stay realistic.

Which is so much more difficult…

Not quite knowing if I succeded or not my new goals can be seen under my mini.

I wish you all the best and a happy new decade!

Are you starting it skiing?

Running for Paris Marathon?

Keep me posted…

Love,

C

Freezing X-mas

Dear G (how are you?), I have a long story to tell you about something I heard just before X-mas. Will add it later. For now: it's been cold. And beautiful. At times, very cold.

- 13° even at 10? That is too cold for running, isn't it? Anyway, this particular day I had to hurry in to town to buy X-mas gifts.
I did run at X-mas Day in brand new pants, jacket and gloves and the snow made it so heavy, but my Mini is pissed off. Hope that you'll are having the most wonderful, relaxed, warm, stylish and tender Chrismas. We are! Love, C

Best Run Ever?

– 6 ° C, no wind, blue sky – and sunshine!

The Nike+ says I ran 6.33 on 34:34, (average pace 5.27), but I say:

Naah…

Running on snow is slippery and sometimes heavy, and it means taking small steps.

Nike+ apperantly knows nothing about running on snow …

But it's good training and quite heavy, so maybe it's fair to call todays run at least worth 6.33…

Or it will make up for the unfortune calibration I had in July and August.

Anyway: thought the fingers were a bit cold and I need a hat, but the rest of my clothes worked fine. And my new sweater is the best ever!

Didn't have time to run, but it sure made me a better mother, person, wife…

And yes, I think it was one of the best runs, ever!

Couch Potato & Gravad Lax

Dear reader, as you can see my Mini is complaining. It's been 12 days since my last run, and in two days it won't even move. Looks like I won't succed with my goal of 100 k before X-mas eve either …

Today L is back in preschool, so I do have an opportunity to run, but…

This is no running weather, is it? The newspapers that have sense for drama says "keep of the streets, don't go out walking" and that the "the cold keeps on craving casualties".

So I'll just use my time for the work that was supposed to be finished last week. Or was it a month ago…?

I'm also behind with all sorts of x-mas-fixing: buying gifts, baking and cooking. But yesterday I did marinate the salmon. I use the Swedish Marine Core's recipe (my brother made his service as a Marine Core chef) for Gravad Lax: 2 kg fresh salmon, 1.2 dl sugar, 0.8 dl salt, plenty of dill and white pepper. Mix sugar and salt. Gently dry the salmon with some paper. Put the salt/sugar on top, then dill and white pepper. Cut it in two. Put the thick side against the thin.

Put it a plastic bag (or two) and marinate it for 3 days (first 24 h in room temperature, next 2 days in fridge). Then you put it the freezer for 3 days (not according to the Marine, but to the Health Authorities) and take it out at least 24 h before serving. The whole thing takes 7 days, but it's so easy…

And as soon as the weather calms down…

Now What?

Dear G, I was supposed to finally have time to run!

E was supposed to start a new challenge!

My new sweater is waiting!

And now what?

The Nike+ site has gone mad. It won't let E start a new challenge and registred her last run year 2099. L is home sick. And there is so much snow! It just keeps coming!

Yeah, I know that I said I would run this winter no matter the weather, but does the snow have to come this sudden? Does it have to be so much of it? I'm not prepared! And anyway, I can't run with a sick little 2-yearsold in my arms.

Hoping for more runner's luck,

C

Christmas Craziness

Dear G, when I was a kid we used to celebrate Christmas at Christmas. Around December 24 – 27, that is. Nowadays Christmas is celebrated whenever in December. The sooner the better, they all seem to think. Though December still is the month when all work has to be finished (I need time to work!) and when so much has to be bought. No wonder people seem to think that buying is an occupation.

Thursday there was a little party at L's preschool with lussebullar (saffron buns), gingerbread and homemade apple must.

Friday morning: Luciaparty at A's school – more lussebullar and gingerbread.

Saturday: After J's gymnastic and A's tennis my parents-in-law came to celebrate Christmas, as they will be in another part of the country the actual days.

Sunday: big Christmas party at this fancy social club where my uncle is member (see pic). My mother, my aunts, uncles, sibling, cousins and cousin's and sibling's children plus the relatives of my cousins husbands – we had the traditional Swedish smörgåsbord served at Christmas – the eat all oldstyle dishes you wouldn't dream of having at home UNTIL YOU DIE or at least fall of your chair.

Monday morning: big Luciaparty at J's & L's preschool. More gingerbread and even more lussebullar.

No time for running whatsoever. So I didn't get to try the new runners shirt, I lost Emi's competition and my goal is down the drain. Why are goals so much easier to set than to keep?

Ps. This is little Santa Claus lamb is what J got in his goodie bag at the club. Isn't that a great idea for the kids' parties? No sweets in their bags, just ONE big toy? A bit expensive, but wouldn't it be nice to NOT give them more sugar after the cakes, buns, cookies and lemonade?

Rewards For Running

Dear G, instead of running I went to town today. Shoped some clothes, and not for the kids! (No, that is not me in the pic, but I did buy the skirt).

I've always loved clothes shoping, but with my new size it's a real treat. I've lost weight for one size this 100 days club year, but most of all, clothing is not about hiding anymore. It's not "what can I find to hide my belly" it's: "this I like" or "this I don't like". Like buying clothes before babies, husband and marriage. Only with them I'm so much happier.

Afterwards I was hungry, and passed a restaurant that my dad had told me about. I did hear that their sushi was really good, but I had imagined something small and the opposite of glamorous. Instead I found something that made me close to religious.

They don't have any ovens, no permission to sell wine, you can't reservate a table and they only serve lunch. But the food!

I had to ask people "what are you having?" because everything looked so delicious.

This is my sushi. I might be the best I ever had in Stockholm. Not as good as Nobu, London and Nobu, New York, but really good, and so much cheaper! Cheaper than East, but much more interesting. My wallet had just been emptied, and I had to go back to work, but otherwise I could have ordered the whole menue…

Anyway: this is why I run. To be honest, I don't need races.

I run to be able to enjoy fashion and food.

Isn't that a good enough?

December Darkness

Dear G, I don't when you spent your first December in Sweden, but I guess you must have been chocked by darkness.

Even me, who lived every December of my life in our just outside Stockholm – I still can't get it. It's so dark!

I leave my eldest at school at 8 am – still dark – and get home after picking up the kids from preschool and school at 4 pm – and it's night. Without the outdoor lights I wouldn't find the keys – or even the door!

Swedes try to cope with the lack of sun by lighting every candle we find (and call it Christmas), but you know what? Candles are not the sun. They are just not enough to keep the depression away.

So this is what you need to do: you have to get out at least 30 min every day at fullbright sunny noon. Because then it looks like… Like this.

Like today: instead of having a social lunch I put on my sneakers for a quick 6 k run at 11.30 am. Took this pic at 12.15, had lots of work to finish and a meating to go to, so I had to hurry back home.

The Ipod said: "This is Tiger Woods speaking. Congratulations. You've just made a new personal record for the mile."

A bit surprising, that too. He could have said: Good running, but it doesn't look like this in Florida. But they say he has bigger problems on his mind?

Without any sort of comparing with Mr Woods and his wife, I would like to say that friends are an utterly good Darkness Fatigue Fighter. Our dear reader in Lausanne came by, was so nice to the kids, and also gave me a new runner's sweater that I can't wait to try. And then my husband made us grilled salmon with yoghurt sauce, couscous, lime and broccoli, full of all sorts of vitamines. Fighting December Darkness!

ps: maybe Mr Woods should try a new hobby – cooking for his wife… ds

100 Days Winter Club & What's On

Dear G, it has been cold, but I've kept on running. This particular day we had –4 C°, and I did 7.5 k. Was actually quite warm, because I put far too much clothes on.

This could be the first time in my life I run in this cold weather, maybe even the first time I run outdoors in December. Better get used to it, because I've decided to run during the whole winter. No matter snow, ice, wind, darkness – or rain.

I need to get outdoors and get some sun to stay strong during the dark months. And to run enough to be able to enjoy Christmas treats – and life!

As always I will combine running + yoga (the best of marriages). Goals: a record for the 10 k and to improve my handstand. Will explain why another day.

As I couldn't run for two weeks in November, I've restarted with what I call the Murakami method. I run nearly every day – but never very long. You should stop when you still could go on running, says Murakami. Which in my shape means between 6 and 8 k (as opposed to Murakami's 6 – 8 miles). The method made wonders end of June and still does.

Friday, the five of us had our shots against the New Flu, and I didn't really feel fit to run. Instead we baked

gingerbreads, and guess what? The dough tastes even better than the cookies, and yes, the kids do know that …

On 100 Days Autumn Club & What Happened

Dear Readers (if I have any), as you've probably guessed, my dear friend G and I split up. G is currently training for 30 k cross country skiing Feb 27 and Paris Marathon (Wow!) while I have a little too many and small kids for such brave and extravagant plans.

My 100 Days Autumn Club was about running further and faster. Half a year after I started running I decided to make a personal record on the 15 k.

It was a good plan and October was a great month for running, so I kept on going longer and longer.

But then life changed, again, as it sometimes does either you like it or not. My husband and I had a sick parent each to worry about. We also had sick kids, too much work, too little sleep and too little time for ourselves. All of a sudden two weeks without running had passed, and it was end of November. And much muddier. Didn't make the 15 k, but almost.

During this private mess we had a little (or not so little) garden project, me and my husband. I ordered 28 big ligustrum for hedge planting, got the wrong type, had to buy new ones and to sell the old ones – while my husband spent the weekends mud digging. I wanted to help him, but it was too heavy. Eventually, I had to ask a man with a steam shovel to come. Life should contain many more steam shovels.

If you think I complain, I'll say that we had some of our best meals this Autumn. Here is Coq au Riesling with potatoes, one of the best courses after running in dark, rainy Swedish November. And yes, a glass of wine. As life is meant to be a pleasure!