Day 12 – 15 Green Tea – And Black

Green tea is healthier. It goes better with sushi and most other Asian food. A cup of green tea can be very refreshing.

But then again, who could live without a morning Earl Grey or Sir William? Who could survive without a afternoon Darjeeling, or a cup of Lapsang, the Chinese tea that goes so well with certain books?

My heart is with the black tea. And so are my legs – all of a sudden running in miles… Yes, black team brought home the victory.

Apart from the Tea Challenge I've been working on my ability to run 15 k. Monday I ran 13.3 k on the northern side of the bay, all the Lidingöloppet trail, from the church to the goal. I'm trying to find the right pace for 15 k, and quite by mistake did a new personal record for the 10 k. Wednesday another 10 k, no record.

I like the long runs. Moving on, no stoping, the legs do what they have to do and the path just goes on and on. Who would have thought there could be so much tranquility in running?

Like having a cup of green tea.

Or black.

Day 14- Challenge Break

Dear C,

I am taking a challenge break. I´m still running, still reaching for the stars...
Still thanking the 100 day club every day.

G

Day 8 – 11 On Hold With A Cold, But:

Dear G, I so much wanted you to rest to get well, and as I didn't see you run I kind of thought that our club was on hold. Also my dad is sick and it's confusing to be a parent to one's parent. And time consuming …

Have also had a cold (like the rest of the family), but I just ran 5 k in the rain and it felt great. See you at Tuesday,

your brunette friend

C

Day 11 - Week in Review

Dear C,
Today is Sunday, and tomorrow it will all begin again. I am trying to remember when I worked out, and what I have done based on my pictures.
Been in the park a few times. I know where you were running and depending on which direction you were coming from I think that was the green trail? Not really sure where the 15k run intersects. But I need to look at the map or maybe my gps one time when out. As you can see by lovely foot picture I have been fighting this old blister. Lobbing on vaseline before I run so the underlayer can grow. Yuck, I know.
Thursday evening I took the train to Uppsala for dinner so I could help entertain L´s American colleagues. First, I missed the bus, then I missed the train by 10 seconds. I ended up on this train filled with commuters who were very busy on their computers, phones or reading so it was completely quiet the entire trip-sort of nice. My lovely dinner of seafood was much more exciting than the company. Understandably Americans can get a bad rap and I have to say they were so narrow-minded and boring. I guess to come from a sunny 85 degrees to Sweden isn´t the dream trip but come on! Got home too late and had dessert of very rich chocolate cake.
Back to Saturday skating with the kids. They love it, my legs thank me until next Saturday. C and I went to a girl dinner which was fun. I drove so no wine-fairly healthy and fun but once again no time to breathe.
Picked apples from neighbors yard and then make 5 liters of apple sauce. Tastes fairly good and only a tiny pinch of sugar.
Needless to say, I still have a cold and am thinking of whether or not I may take a sick day to totally veg??
About planning the workouts I go into the week with a rough idea of what I want to do. Then, the unforseen changes may take some reworking of the original idea. Generally it would be great to say that I run 2 days and do 2 days of strength training-spinning or army bootcamp, and the yoga but it seems better to just do the best I can at the time.
I´d say I am working much harder now than before because I need more strength in my legs, and will definately need that for the ski.
Have the funny feeling that you may be in the south of Sweden? Hope all is ok.
XXOG

Day 7 – The Importance of Getting Lost

Dear G, speaking to one of the fathers on preschool I realized that I didn't run the 15 k trail yesterday.

Started right, but at Långängen I took the wrong path and after a while ran I the 30 k trail instead. At this point, Killingebacken, I'm far from the 15 k.

It's a pity, because this was my favourite part of what I thought was the 15 k trail.

But now I've found a new favourite 10 k trail.

As an American you of course know that the men (no women) that discovered new parts of our planet nearly always were lost. Looking for India, finding America…

It's very important to get lost every now and then.

In every aspect of the word.

Day 5 – 6 Planning For Blossom

Dearest G, do you remember how we, when we did our first 100 days club almost four years ago, planned our exercise for the coming week on Sundays? And e-mailed the plan to each other?

At that point we had my old friend Sven as our PT and consultant, and he and I made up the rules together (mostly he, to be honest). The planning was certainly his idea, and I never really liked it. I like to live life as it comes, and as a mother of a baby and a toddler following plans was very difficult. And therefore depressing.

But now that we don't have any babies, perhaps planning could be to our advantage?

This week I actually have a plan. It is to explore the 15 k trail of Lidingöloppet. Today I ran its first third, and getting there and back made about nine. So to reach magic 10 I did some pace training on our street. Later this week I plan to explore the remaining 10.

And I must say it is a beautiful trail. Like this place, south of the bay, where you can see over the water, the woods and the northern part of the island.

I remember that Sven said that we should go for the 15 k competition instead of the murder 10, and for next year I certainly agree.

I also have a plan for you: why don't you just concentrate on getting well? And on work? It's not the end of the world if you don't run for a week. Remember this April when I couldn't run for a whole month? What is a week compared to that?

You know that in the end of those seven week you will have run farther than I anyway.

Another plan: to make a beautiful spring garden and to get those tulip bulbs in the soil.

But when? The days, as you say, get shorter and shorter and between work and sleep and picking up kids there is so much laundry to keep up with. Where does it all come from?

I haven't been to the yoga for three weeks now, and I miss it so much. It's exactly what I need – training strength, flexibility and balance, together with some letting go of responsibility. I agree that it is a lot of stress to go there, and Tuesday afternoons I always feel that I need to be home with my lovely kids+husband.

But all the amazing knowledge that our teacher has and learning the poses gives me inspiration for the rest of the week. And relaxation, concentration and mindfullness, even if it seems like she hasn't time for that during the class. The hard work pays off, even if it doesn't happen right there and then.

It's like with the tulip bulbs.

You plant.

And then, much later, it blossoms.

WORKOUT 10 k, homestyle yoga, for once without kids.

Ps. CJ thinks I bought ugly tulips. He only appreciates the white ones.

But I'm not planning for the expected.

I'm planning for the extraordinary.

And I do worry about you.

Day 6- Best Intentions

Dear C,

I met these 3 babies this morning. You have to look closely at the picture to see them but they seemed very happy at the ungodly hour of 6.

As we have spoken about trying the run before work- it just never seemed like a good idea until this week. When I realized that I do not have enough time or light to get out. Especially on a yoga night.

After having my ears ache and a cold since Lidingö loppet I thought I felt better...but now I can hardly hear and my head is full! UGH.

Yoga has been a bit of a flop. It is much more of a struggle than I thought it would be. Leif getting home on time, mtgs, and sickness. I hate to think of wasting the money, stretching and peace of mind.

What is up with the TV tax? That is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard of. They call my mobile all the time and I tell them that I don´t believe in TV. It´s a conspiracy that I will not be part of. What is the argument for it-please enlighten me.

Impossible to be sick this week. Have staff in London are covering for each other...

XXG