Day 93- Indian Summer

Dear C, I love that you dine with "the" gourmet chef. L goes to those restaurants when his colleagues from the US are in town. You and CJ obviously are in another food class than me, as your meals look delicious. I think I am a terrible cook and L is a total meat and potato man.
Friday night, I went to a girls 40 party at Vassa Eggen. It was a total scene! Obviously, I don´t go over the bridge very often (or to the Stureplan scene). My American friends and I went overboard, and I did drink too much. When my friends went to the bar at 2:00AM I snuck out and took a cab home. Fun, yes but crazy and I felt yucky in the morning. Felt guilty about what I had done to my body and ran just over 9k. This is the part of the 10k that I think gets hard. It goes up and up then down down then up! September has been a fantastic month for running! The days have been so clear and crisp it makes running so enjoyable. Got out for another just under 10 day today. Am trying to reach the 400 mark by race day! Though will really take it easy this week. Especially as you can see below as there is a cold brewing in my head. I have not written as I feel there isn´t so much to say when working, kids, working, and kids everyday. Oh, one thing C has her first loose tooth and is very excited at the idea of it coming out. Really it makes me a bit sqeemish.
1 week left. XOXG PS: Fantastic showing at the track. You kick butt!

Day 91 – 92 Life As It Happens

Dear G, Friday I was invited to lunch by Melker Andersson, gourmet chef and owner of restaurants like Fredsgatan 12, Kungsholmen, Grill and Smak. By the way, he also has a silver medal of Bocuse d'Or and at least one Michelin Star.

Here is Melker himself, holding a little speach about his life, his wife, the tv-show he had been to the same morning and of course, his latest cookbook. It's a homestyle cookbook, kind of odd, he said, as he's never at home. His wife pulling the wagon of their 7-months baby back and forth, laughed politely.

The lunch was held at his private home just outside Stockholm. I was transported there in a big cab, suddenly stopped by a great man standing in the road. It was one of Sweden's most famous radio hosts, asking for Melker Andersson's house. So he got in the cab…

Arriving at Mr Andersson's we had cava (Spanish Champagne), some amuses and then grilled Porchetta(meat) served with all sorts of side dishes.

Afterwards we had Clafoutis with cherries, cherry sauce and whipped cream. We also got to see his house, obviously styled by an interior decorator, very un-Swedish in every aspect of the word.

Leaving I received a copy of the cookbook, with a dedication from the chef to my maiden name.

The whole experience was somehow surreal. Was I travelling in time? Was it a strange coincidence, perhaps even a mistake, that I was invited? Or was this afternoon the beginning of my new life?

Perhaps not. Saturday our family was four double booked. There was the obligatory fixing day at the preschool (if you don't come you get to rinse the toilets, or similar), the big track and field athletics day at A's school (a great chance to get to know the new friends), A's tennis (with her best friend) and J's gymnastics (with his best friend) – all for children and all at the same hour.

So we packed some sandwiches, coffee and the three children in the car, started early at the preschool and worked efficiently. Then, an hour late, arrived to the sports field. Yes, the very same sports field were I, in my schooldays, learned to hate track and field athletics so deeply.

There are pros and cons with being a homie.

Something has changed, however. At 15, I realised I'm a runner – not a short distance runner, but a middle or long distance runner. And as adults, we all get the opportunity to be judged for other things than our ability to do athletics. Which, in my opinion and position, is a move in the right direction.

So in a very good mood I did the long jump, the 60 m race and a 400 m relay. Thanked our club that I'm in a much better shape than most of the mothers and have a lot less to sit on.

Running the 400 m relay I was even so fast the photographer couldn't get me. The photographer taking care of three kids, that is… I'm first in the far right, and then in the middle, just about to hand over the stick.

Life is changing, life has changed. And of course there is gold at the end of the rainbow!

Day 90 – Crossing The Bridge, From One Country To Another

What about this goal, running from Denmark to Sweden on June 12, the anniversery of Øresundsbron?

The race is a half marathon with a significant view over the sea. The bridge will be closed for cars that day, just like when it opened ten years ago.

They will serve brunch in Denmark, the race starts at 4 pm and ends up in Malmö, where my sister lives.

Shall I sign us up?

ps Yeah, June 12 is our wedding day. I hope my crowd will celebrate us after the race. There will be many reasons to drink Champagne.

Day 89 Babble

Dear C,
Not sure if this makes any sense. My brain is mush, tomorrow I must work, bring the kids to swimming and go back to work for "meet the teachers" evening.

In running there are hills you must climb, places you must stop and see, water breaks, time outs, seasons, lows, highs...
This is what the past 86 days has done. It has really reminded me of me. The things that I can do and have done. Is it perfect? Absolutely not. Though its better and FUN. Me, I like the challenge, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow-you see progress. The 30k ski-perfect mid-winter goal. The Dalarna house is 1hr from the start. For me goals should often be a bit out of reach-otherwise what would one strive for?? I like to be an overacheiver, to have a plan, to see the light at the end of the tunnel. One word overdrive.

Please if you want write in Swedish do. There is a google application that translates whole pages as well. I quite by accident turned our whole blog Swedish the other day with this-then had to turn it back. If you can´t race, don´t, if you eat a bun-who cares. Life goes on, for every step back you will take two steps forward. You are a runner!

I´ll end this babble with some interesting facts that you may not know about my previous life:


I have lived and hiked for 6 months on the applachaian trail.
I had a reporter boyfriend who sought out trouble and got us into plenty now contributes to the New York times regularly.
My parents never let me watch TV as a kids or teenager.
I love sports, American football, baseball- all of them watching, playing, cheering. A true Boston fan!
When I arrived in Sweden I weighed 122lbs.

Funny, crazy, figuring it out.

Me.

PS to spent to download pics.

Day 81 – 88 On Old Life – And New

Dear G, I've been so incredibly exhausted that I don't have words for it. Especially not in English.

Especially not late at nights, when I plan to blog but just need to go to bed. Or to take care of the laundry, the

schoolbags, the

excursion-meals or whatever it is…

A short resumé: L also had Tamiflu, but some days later the test said it wasn't the new flu. Thank God? Or should it have been better if it was done and over? I don't know.

But after the doc called it was as if all my worries turned into a great fatigue. A mother is taking responsibility and staying calm in whatever situation, but sometimes another feeling hits her: "I'm too small for this and where is MY MOM?"

Answer: In her greatest carreer… Abroad … Very occupied…

And doesn't want to get sick.

I could do with any grandma or granddad, but as you know we don't have anyone to help us.

Even more exhausting is L's sleeping habits.

When sick, all kids wake up their parents, but L does it for hours. And even when healthy she wakes me up every night. I have a choice: either I go back with her to her bed and lay there for an hour or two until she falls asleep again.

Or I let her sleep in our bed, which means that neither CJ or I sleep well for the rest of the night. People tell me that I should teach her to sleep all night in her own bed. And I say, yes, what a great idea. Welcome! I know I need to be firm and tell her what the rules are, but to do that you have to be strong and not too tired.

And I am too tired. Far too tired…

Speaking of sleep, please read Good Night And Tough Luck from where I've stolen the illustration.

What else: CJ went to an overnight conference in west coast Gothenburg. Afterwards we were treated with lovely shellfish. Unfortunately, both J and L are crazy about it. And they don't peel themselves.

And more: I've been low. Sunday I was so tired I couldn't even run 4.6 without constantly stopping. I have stress marks in my face. And I do have problems that I need to solve and things in my head that have higher priority than the blog and the club.

There are times when I need to take short breaks from it, otherwise it is more of a burden than a help. And even though great plans are kind of fun to dream about, I think I have to stay realistic. There are so many musts and bad consciences anyway.

You are so enthuastic and such a great support, but sometimes when I look at the blog and see that you've run the double (again) it gets me. And I'm wondering about my English. Am I making a fool of myself? I should do spelling check, but as my blogger is in Swedish I have to copy the text and do spelling check in Word, and then correct it again in blogger. Then every entry would take hours, and I don't have that time.

On the good side: Those last days lack of sleep takes me back to old times, when I needed coffee and some chocolate just to be able to stand up.

This is how tired I've been last week. But there is one big difference. I took a break from the blog, but not the club.

I did run.

Even though I was

so tired I had to stop the sensor and rest.

Twice the 10 k of Lidingöloppet. First time I had to rest a lot, second time I only rested twice, and even ran an extra 1.4 (because of E's challenge).

This is just before Abborrbacken, when everything seems calm and under control.

Then comes the horrifying sign. Looks as nothing to worry about, but here the Torture K of uphills starts.

48 m over the sea, it's over. Or that is: just another hilly five remains.

WORKOUT: All togehter 34.31 k. I even won E's latest race. That was a good thing, because right now I need some treats for my self esteem.

Missed you at the yoga. After 10 k Monday and 11.48 k Tuesday it was just the best. Though I almost fell asleep.

Hope to hear from you soon,

your friend

C

Day 86 - Keep your eye on the Prize!

Dear C,

Everyone has "low" days. Nobody expects superwoman-except you. You have gotten me through 86 days + hundreds of others. Together we have become, stronger, faster, thinner and yes at times even a bit happier! Tomorrow is a new day and remember that I am cheering you on in every aspect of life no matter what.

"In running, it doesn't matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, 'I have finished.' There is a lot of satisfaction in that." -Fred Lebow, New York City Marathon

"Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it's all about." -PattiSue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

"No pain, no gain." - Athletic proverb

"Run hard, be strong, think big!" - Percy Cerutty


"Workouts are like brushing my teeth; I don't think about them, I just do them. The decision has already been made." - Patti Sue Plumer, U.S. Olympian

“If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don’t spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it.” Priscilla Welch

Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks you, ‘Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?’” Peter Maher

"Running is my church." Joan Van Ark


Yesterday got my hair done by Juan. I think its well done. He was a bit cocky and commented on my last hair cut and color. Part of the charm I guess.
Got out some this week of Indian summer weather. Ran 9.5 today (didn´t really want to tell you that on the phone). Parts of me ache not sure if its from yoga? Have eaten some things that I shouldn´t have...especially while home with M.

Stay with me,
G

Day 82 - Tick Tock

Dear C,

Today as you know I was home from work with a sick M. Wouldn´t it be nice if we could sleep like this? I´d say I did not accomplish anything at all on this day even when she slept. Mostly, I checked out training for x-country skiing and surfed things that are totally irrelevant. For example vacation homes, great white shark sightings on Cape Cod (where my sister is on vacation), read about the US Open, and the little firecracker Melanie Oudin, a 17 year old American who is now in the quarter final.
L came home really late and it was already almost dark. I rushed out the door and ran also looking for the green signs so I could tell you the closest from your house. I lost them at kämpavägen, but I definately saw two or three greens from the church to kämpavägen but couldn´t figure out if it continued up the hill past the soccer field all the way across toward stockby or not?
Will be home tomorrow too. L conveniently left his computer at the office and he must have it...
Made spinach soup (which was not that nice) today, that is the only healthy thing I ate. A lot of really heavy cheese and crackers, and a popsicle from the ice cream truck. Being home is not good for my eating habits!
About the yoga: I actually wish she would correct me a bit more. That way I would feel better about the position, and also it would likely be better for my shoulders. Legs were a bit jelly like while running. I felt every step!
Hoping you get some alone time tomorrow.
XXG