Week 4 & 5- Boogie boarding beach bums

Dear C,

We are here in Rockport, where I have spent all my summers since I was small. It is so beautiful and we have so much fun here. It is one of those places that everyone comes back to for generations. Many of the same people I grew up with come with their families too. Each day is a beach day, with picnics, friends and sand castles. The girls have mastered riding in the waves with their boogie boards and despite too much sun, fried clams we are all so happy.

It's the type of place when you start our day with a run that everyone says "good morning" or "great day" as you pass. People are open and friendly and all have a love for this special place.

My days start with an early run-while everyone else is still sleeping. Where I can have the beauty to myself and breathe deeply. I told L that if there is ever a place to become a runner this would be it...maybe I am bias but it just seems that way right now.

Today we had a "brown out" when they turn the electricity off for a while as things supposedly get overwhelmed when it's very hot. Strange really as it wasn't too hot (for Sweden it would be).

The 100 day club is in full swing although I certainly ave not been perfect with the wine and clam part I feel good and am optimistic. I am very sure I will need it more than ever when I return as it may be a bit depressing to hit reality!

Hope u are well and I have not missed little L's b-day.
Lots of xo's
G

Week 4 – Triathlon Training!

Dear G, I’ve been following a running program for more than a week now, and already developed a little habit. After running I change to swimming suite and bathrobe, fetch my bike, go straight to the sea, swim for a while and bike back to the house. Which must be good, as the program suggests/demands, cross training. Preferably swimming and biking, as program makers are into triathlon. But I'm not sure they mean ocean swimming? Or this kind of bike?

Otherwise, the program started out fine. At least the first two runs… Only one was supposed to be fast and furious, while the other should be longer and controlled. And they both ended up to be about as long and fast?
Don't know how that happened – I’m all new to this planned running, also to trying to keep a certain speed. Anyway, both runs were much longer and faster than anything I did so far this year, so I was pleased.Problems came with Run #3, which was supposed to be a seriously long one. All went well until about 9K, when my back started to ache. Every step seemed to make it worse. Finished by 11.2K, and the following 48 hours I had so much ache I could hardy move. Couldn’t sleep because it hurt so much, like a knife stuck between two vertebrae. Even thought about going to the hospital, which would have been stupid, as there is nothing they can do about it.
It made me questioning long running, but I decided not to give in.
Next workout was a shorter one, and I kept thinking about what my London consultant have said: “Always run with strong legs. The minute you realize that you let your hip throw you around instead of using your muscles, you know you’ve run much too far.”
Will try to keep this in mind.

Another nice little habit: after running, biking and bathing we all have dinner at the balcony – cooked and served by my husband. In this case grilled salmon, rocket salad, tomatoes, beans and potatoes. And yes, we have been a little French about the wine … (Don't know if you can see it, but we have such a lovely sea view, quite perfect for chilled you-know-what)

The schedule I’ll try to follow:
Monday: Yoga / back+core stability
Tuesday: Track repeats/intervals
Wednesday: Biking / back+core stability
Thursday: Tempo running
Friday: Swimming / back+core stability
Saturday: rest
Sunday: Long runs

Yes, so good to hear from you, too! Yes, please add photos later! It is so fun to see how you live, what you eat and drink, where you stay, workout, and what the country is like. And most of all: Hurra för L!

Week 3 The Sound of Music

Dear C,

Fantastic that you have your computer back! I was so happy to read your posts. I am writing from my new iPad but I am not an expert at it's gadgets yet...we are in Stowe, Vermont at the Trapp Family Lodge where the family settled after they escaped from Austria and then finished their singing tour. It is a lovely place in the mountains with many outdoorsy things to do. Though there is also the other thing that is part of it all and that is way too much food and drink! I feel bloated and big at the moment.

The fun thing s that little M has taken up ome running with me. She has run 2.2km at a time and she is very determined. That is quite rewarding and I just have to think of that myself when running.

Now as you mentioned running is a time to be by myself, and strive to gain strength,clarity,and breathe. I have signed up for the half marathon and will run the lidingö loppet with the girls. I am going to dedicate my race to my friend Brooke who just last week was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is a fighter and every time I am out struggling I am going to think of her.
Last week pretty much looked like this:

Monday- strength and stretch
Tuesday-3.5 mile run
Weds-2m run or cross
Thursday-3.5 mile run and strength
Friday-rest
Saturday-30 min. cross
Sunday-4 mile run

It seems like a lot but with what I am eating hopefully it just balances out! I am all confused about miles now too good thing the garmin figures it out.

Today is L's birthday. Off to celebrate. Must add pics later as I can't figure this out.


XxG

PS the kids call Stowe the Åre of America

Week 3 – With Inspiration From The US

My dear friend, the 4^th of July was not only celebrated in the US. This from the little Swedish coast village where we've rented a house for five weeks, overlooking our closest neighbour.
You guys seem to be everywhere!

Eventually my husband came back and I started to run again. Very spontaneously, when there seemed to time for it, often just before dinner and with that “sorry-I’m-late-excuse” express on my face. I did run many days in a row, but never more than about half an hour, and without plans nor purpose.
But then I read your post!
Made me feel so inspired, both of the idea of setting realistic goals and about following a program. Happened to have a book with running programs, utterly American, tremendously male, full of figures and tables, all written in miles instead of the kilometres I’m used to. Spent a day studying the book, trying to figure out how fast and far I had to go, and what of the countless number of programs I choose.
All the programs for Half marathons were 18 weeks long, and I’m not in shape to jump in week 11. Or even their week 1, to be honest. And speaking of being realistic, I also have to consider my spine injury, that try to forget about. But I found a 10 K program, and decided to go for it. All thanks to my dear and encouraging friend on the other side of the great Atlantic sea,
Xxx C

ps We mostly have good food, a little wine however, and one day I kind of lost my mind:

Week 2 – The Age Of A Woman

And so it came, the huge leaving-for-vacation-and-8-hours-on-the-road day. I can proudly tell you that NO, we didn’t go to a McDonald’s drive inn for lunch – instead we brought a chicken salad with bulgur, avocado, melon, apple, beans and such.

We made it!

The first actual vacation day was, quite symbolic, the most important Swedish holiday – Midsummer eve. The true start of Summer for all Swedes, and also my birthday. I was almost born in the famous fashion designer Katja of Sweden’s garden, where my parents were invited for a midsummer party.Way back.Which leads me to thinking about ageing. I’ve always said birthdays are more about celebrating being blessed with another year of love&experience, rather than getting older. But still. Age also has to be considered.Though every birthday I experience not getting older, but that the difference between the age I know I have and the age that I feel that I have gets a little bigger.
It’s not even years I’m talking about, but decades!
Just one, tiny example: given the age of my children – what would be my most natural age: 45? 35? Or even 25?
Let me tell you: becoming a mom late in life means that you’ve… GOTTA KEEP IN SHAPE.
To confirm this little theory I was left alone with the children in a quite impractical house right as my husband had to get back to work. No dishing machine, an increasingly sore back, scary indoor stairs and a garden full of places to break a bold boy’s neck… doesn’t leave much time to enjoy the balcony sea view.

We had lots of sports scheduled: tennis every day at 11am and 1pm (when is lunch served?), later changed to 9am and 11am. This, however, didn’t include me, but the two oldest children. In this village, tennis parents enjoy gossip and cappuccino, no workout.

Asked several people to get a little help so that I could run just half an hour, but noone said yes. So I had to do with the running up and down those scary stairs.

Fortunately we had excellent weather, which also meant garden yoga and … the most wonderful, salt and refreshing sea swimming!

Week 1 – Saved By Running

Dear G, I so much wanted to give you a call to discuss this 100 days club before you left for the US.

Wasn’t sure about what we decided about rules, goals, eating, running, stretching… and everything.

But, I tell you, my first week was a full chaos.

Going away for a six week vacation might seem like a luxury, but to be honest, it’s more like what the slaves experienced in ancient Egypt.

No, no, not the actual vacation, but: before leaving.

Had an incredible, enormous amount of work that had to be finished, meetings and appointments, things to pick up at different places in town, the leaving-for-six-weeks laundry and packing – and of course – J was home sick most of the days.

And then the computer broke down. Totally. Again. I swear to God, I’ve had a countless number of Macs since 1991, and never ever had problems like with my new MacBook Air. Not even my computer consultant could help me out – so for the second time it sent back to Apple. Asked him: can’t they just give me a new one, but obviously Apple doesn’t do that. (This is why I write this post three week later…)

As always when I have too much to do, I kept doing to-do-lists. Several of them. Even at night in bed, when I surely needed to sleep.

I don’t think I ever felt stress so physically. Like a fever with a bad scent.

So I didn’t have any time for running.

But as it was the first week of this 100 days club – I ran. Close to the bay, where the picture is from, the most tranquile and calming trail I know.

And G, I swear, running was what made me survive this horrid first week. Always remember: if you have so much work there is no way you could possibly get even half an hour to run: do it anyway. Makes all the difference.

Workout: running, yoga, London exercises.

Week 2 - Putting the cork into it!

Dear C,

Week 2 is over and today is really half-way into week 3 but I need to catch up with my writing. I am longing for your computer to be fixed so you can write too!

The girls and I are having a fantastic vacation so far...can´t believe that 3 weeks has already gone by. L is arriving on Thursday and we can´t wait. It´s basically just bedtime that takes the life out of me.

So far this is my most successful 100 day club to date. Probably because it´s summer, and I started loving running again. As I mentioned before I changed my approach and thought about my goals and it just feels right. I have trained 15 of 17 days and am gaining speed and confidence. I started the 12 week running program to the half-marathon and have included cross-training and strength training, and really stretching as well. The weather is fantastic, hot and I come home dripping but happy.

Mostly, I have eaten well but seem to still take wine out of my nightly routine. I realize this vacation isn´t a one week trip where you overindulge but instead just over 7 weeks! Yikes, time to cut myself off.

Yesterday was America´s birthday celebration and we spent a fantastic day on the beach, had a cookout, took our usual lookout for the special parade that I have gone to since I was a little girl. The girls love it and waved their flags. Kind of funny that the 2 little Swedish girls waved their flags with the most pride. It really is a special day filled with so many friends and family. You just can´t beat the 4th in Rockport.
This weekend we are headed to another little New England town in Vermont with my mom for a little R&R.

Hope all is going well as I eagerly await word from you.

XXG