Wednesday 31 July 2013

Day Of The Run!

It has been a lot of rest this last week! I've got a lot of inspiration but not enough strength to write this very last page in my blog. What? Will there be no more blogging from Flexirun? Is the project at end? People perhaps might say. Well, just take it... #ELS! Sure there will be more projects in the future. Be assured of that friends!
This last year perhaps have been one of my best year ever as runner! There have been such great runnings, great people, great nature and... Well, just GREAT! A lot of people have inspired me and some say I have inspired them. Talk about a "win-win"-project! I can't mention all the names been involved in this project but my family has supported me all the way and I really appreciate that.
Thank's my beloved family!
Flexirun on The Run.
Alone but not... :-)
Well, ok! There's one that must be mentioned by name and that's - Elton - He's been following me on a lot of runs this last year. When feeling a little down and perhaps it would be much more nice sitting by the fire instead of running. He always looked at me with his happy eyes and wanted to run. Cold, dark, rainy didn't matter. Elton always pushed me out there on the roads and X-trails. Thank's Elton and I LOVE YOU!

Thursday, July 18, 2013
Well, the night before D-Day I slept very good and was not nervous, what I remember. All was fixed for tomorrow and it felt good to hit the bed. The bed I won't sleep in for the next 44 hours! ;-)

The Run

Friday, July 19, 2013
When Adam and Elton woke me up at 5:30 am to eat breakfast, fix a little with the dogs, pack the last things in the car it hit me like a thunderbolt from a clear sky! What am I going to do!?
I began to feel something in my body say: Hey! Claes, this aren't right! It's wrong and no good at all! At the same time something else told me: GREAT CLAES! Here we go! Finally it's time!

I now realized there wasn't no way back! My son soon would be awake to drive the car and my mental coach also will be on and follow my run all the way. The press have been writing about it. Also radio so all I really could do was to put my shoes on and start my run at 7 am :-)
Well, when sitting in the car on the way to the starting line I was not nervous at all. Only focused on the run and I just wanted to take of!

07:00 and I send on of just a couple of Tweets and FB-posts. I decided to focus on my running instead. Anders, my mental coach was doing all that stuff instead. After just a couple of miles I saw a dog and two people ahead me. Couldn't see who but it turned out to be some friends from my running-club :-) So nice of them to be up so early to support me. Almost fell a tear there :-)

I continued my run and people in cars on their way to work, waved, hooted and blinked with their lights. Touching! I could never in my wildest dreams guess people where so involved in my run!

Everything I've been writing about in this blog about "Say hello and smile to the one you meet!" and "Remember to run Easy, Light and Smooth!" just... come true! I'm so happy!

Well, yes I was running a little to fast but I had some very personal goals to, of which I can write now. I was thinking of how far I could run and not walk in a about 1 hour per 6,21miles (10k) and I also was thinking of how far I will com in 24 hours. Those where my personal goals and now after The Run I can say I've got a lot of experience about my body and how to drink and eat. This knowledge I perhaps would have missed if running more slow.

At about 31 miles (50K) and so happy!

The first 2,5 marathons I actually did run all the time. Could have run faster but I must remember The Run was about 5,5 marathons... After 31 mile I was having a break for 45 min to eat and drink.

Continued the run and it felt great! Lot of people was out following me and even more followed me live on the app Endomondo that was going all the time :-) Thank's people! Even the press was out and I've heard that people was up at night just to see where I was at the moment. Can't believe it!!
Me, The Run and some followers... :-)
After 24 hours of running and powerwalking (was faster than jogging cause I didn't need that long rests... Experience!) I've done 88 miles!

Saturday, July 20, 2013
After about 72 miles it was midnight. The night between Friday and Saturday. I now had 13 hours left to fix it to the start and there still was about 66 miles left to move. During the night I was powerwalking but the weather between midnight and 02:30 am was really bad. Windy and raining so I decided to take a nap for one hour (02:30-03:30). This was one of about 2,5-3 h sleep. The last 24 hours I sometimes did 10 min naps which was absolutely great. I felt very strong after those naps and could struggle for some more miles. Crazy!

Well, there was no chance to come to start at the half marathon but it didn't matter for me anyway at this point. I came to the finish in Ostersund, the town where The Run will end. Well, after 34:15 hours of movement and about 113 miles, I was standing at the goal. Hey, wait a minute! Yes, I was at the goal, but still a bay to go around, and 24,88 more miles! Well, there's nothing else to do than: Run!

I started the last movement and struggled on forward. Left, right, left, right, left, right... Even if tired I was very happy. People still where out cheering me up! When passing by my home there was a lot of people out to meet me. They had a party going on and I guess they have been drinking some beers to. No, I choose not to taste any ;-) Not until the finish-line!

Only about 9-10 miles left and midnight between Saturday and Sunday now arrived! When coming closer to the town Ostersund still people and cars was cheering me up and the last 5 miles I powerwalked like crazy all alone cause Anders got ill. Don't ask me where the power came from... somewhere. All I had in mind now was:

GO CLAES! GO! YOU SOON CAN REST AND SLEEP AS LONG AS YOU WANT!  GO #ELS!!

It's absolutely crazy how one can struggle on even when tired. Physically and mentally!
The Run took 43h 57min 4 sec

What have I learned from all this then?
Well, now I know I can run at least 2,5 marathons in about 9-9:30 min/mile. I know I might move about 88 miles in 24 hours (probably more if I  only will run in 24 h). I know there are a lot of nice people out there full of humanity... and many more nice things.
After 137,88 miles in 43h 57min 4 sec

The run would never have been possible if it were not for my amazing family.

My wife, Barbro, and my son, Magnus, who drove the delivery vehicle.

My daughters, Ingrid and Julia,  who followed me on Endomondo and constantly stoked at me not to give up!

Anders Stävhag, my very dear friend and mentally coach. 

All others who apparently followed me through both computer and physically present when it happened.


ICA Supermarket for drinks and food!

Gå och Löp butiken i Östersund!

ÖP - the local newspaper

100% Östersund

Always say Hello and Smile when out running!

Some people have asked me if I will stop running after The Run.
Well, no! There's always new adventures just around the corner and I already have a new project on...

Well, my friends! I've said it before and I'll say it again: Please say Hello and Smile to the ones You meet out there!

Easy, Light and Smooth!
Dare to follow Your dreams! No one can ever take them away from You!

/Flexirun

Thursday 18 July 2013

1 day left (9.5h)...

... and I have been packing the car, fixed with food, water, clothes etc. I feel great and it's going to be so nice to start The Run. The 140 miles I've been longing for almost a whole year now! If you want you can follow me live at Endomondo. Just click the little green man running the 19th July. Good luck and hope it works!

Well, the journey has been absolutely tremendous! I've got so many new friends all over the world and I hope they have been as inspired as I have!

This will be the last blog at this part of my journey. Well, I will write again, when reached the goal, but after that this journey has come to it's end...

But don't worry about that now! I already have projects in mind ;-)

Take care out there and promise to say Hello and Smile to all you met on your journey! Life will be so much Easy, Light and Smooth then! :-)

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun
With Love from Sweden and Flexirun!



Wednesday 17 July 2013

2 days left...

... and just about 3 miles with Elton today. Well, this last week I haven't been running that much. Instead there has been more mental training. I also have had some other logistic things to take care of. Not much of a logistician, I'm a runner, but I must say it was much more fun than I first thought.

Today the press was here visiting me. They had some nice little questions about my run. What really happened that day almost a year ago when I decided to implement that run around The Great Lake. The 140-mile run! They really was nice and professional and we talked about the run, took some pictures and one short film for a web-tv I think. I will give you the link when the story comes out at the local newspaper ÖP.
The local press on visit :-)
Well, when out running I got a phone-call from my mental coach, Anders Stävhag, and he had some nice news too. As there are a big festival in town there also will be a radio-link to my run. They will call my coach on his cellphone and check where I am. A cool thing that electronics... :-)

One other great thing this day was that the local store,  ICA Supermarket in Brunflo, is going to sponsor me with all the food and drinks I need.

I also must thank Gå och Löp butiken i Östersund who helped me with shirts and soles of my feet,
sometimes a bit tricky, and to be a good sounding board!

Flexirun

Thank You so much all sponsors!

ICA Supermarket in Brunflo (Food and drink)

Gå och Löp butiken i Östersund (Shirts, soles and sounding board)

Anders Stävhag (Mental coaching and FRIEND)

the local newspaper ÖP (Helping to spread #ELS)



Today there was a lot of Hellos and Smiles! A great day! Never forget...

Easy,Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun

Tuesday 16 July 2013

3 days left...

... and just a short 2 miler today. No need to do any quality running at all this last week. Better to load with some starchy foods and just relax. Today me, my wife and her brother and wife had a real nice day and traveled by car up to the mountains to see some views and eat really good food.

They say there's a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow...

A place up in the mountains called Tännforsen.

I below the waterfall.
All relaxed and both mentally and physically loaded :-)
Well, today I also have been talking to the press about The Run and it was more inspiring than I first thought. Press is good and a great way to spread the #ELS through :-)

Tomorrow I will talk to the local store for a little sponsorship of food and drink and then write down all the stops by the way where I will eat that little more food than just flapjacks. Going to be fun!

Remember to say Hello and Smile to the one you meet when out there running and everyone will have a great run!

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun

Monday 15 July 2013

5 and 4 days left...

... and The Run isn't very far away now! I'm thinking a lot but I'm not at all that nervous I thought I would be. Well, it's just to say thank's and keep on being positive I think.

I have been up in the mountains again and working a little with the house, doing and thinking of another things than The Run. Eating some starchy foods, taking it easy. I have been running but not so much this last week so my body really wants to go out there on the road... :-)

5 days left:
Resting and working with the house. The veranda needed to be fixed and it took the whole day! Hard work but nice when done! Me and a neighbor was working together the whole day. Slept like a baby!

4 days left:
Fixed with the floor of the veranda. Not that much work but I was so satisfied when it was done. It started to rain when loading the car so I hurried and moved back home to "civilization". Som friends came and visit and will stay a couple of days. Nice! Well, as you see there is not so much running this last week. Instead I have been thinking of other things and loding mostly mentally. Well, my coach and I had a small chat over the phone today. Perhaps he might run the last half marathon with me! :-)

I promised to la out some pics for you from my X-trail run a couple of days ago. Those great X-trails I'm doing sometimes gives me not only a physical power but also a mental power!

Well, here they are and enjoy!

Was a great weather so shirt wasn't needed!






On those runs I don't need water to bring with me.
I f thirsty I just stop and drink :-)





Stopped to drink some cold and fresh water!



At evenings I just took it easy ;-)


Did meet a little people these days but they all said Hello and Smiled. Just like me! :-)

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun

Saturday 13 July 2013

8, 7 and 6 days left...

... and I'm up in the mountain again. Unfortunately I did my run so late there was no time to write "8 days left..." so I'll have to do it now, when 7 days left. Sorry for that!
I have not been able to fix with pics yet but soon I hope.

8 days left:
Me and Elton was out running an evening-run. Feels good! We didn't meet any but cars so there was none to say Hello and Smile to. Pretty good weather though.

7 days left:
Today I did some X-trail! Sunny and warm weather. I even took of my T-shirt when running ;-) Writing in my mobile so I have to out in pics later. It was a bit hilly but it felt great in my legs though.

6 days left:
Today I will rest. I have said it before and will say it again. Weather really changes fast up here. Very fast! Sometimes in minutes or a quarter... Yesterday it was nice and cosy! Today it's rainy and windy. Not so cold though! :-)

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun

Wednesday 10 July 2013

9 days left...

... and I have been "resting" for two days now so this evening I took Elton out for a short evening-run. It felt very good in my body and legs so the rest really was good I think. Dare to rest sometimes! On todays run I wore a so called buff. It was a bit windy so it felt nice I think. Well, this buff has a great text on...
This text sais it all... :-)
We met one runner and 4-5 bikers down at the trail. We said Hello and Smiled! :-)
Well, I still feel great and now, one day after the reconnaissance of The Run, I must say that was a good thing to do. Go thru the whole race and know about the roads and what I can expect etc. Kind of a mental thing!
I will probably not run to long (about 25-35 miles) runs when only 9 days left. Instead I will run a lot very regularly runs (6-20). Think that's better and also start to eat more starchy foods. Even more than I already do ;-)

Well, as mentioned, me and Elton met one runner and 4-5 bikers down the trail today. We all said Hello and Smiled to each other. Nice! :-)

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun

Tuesday 9 July 2013

10 days left...

... and the big countdown has started!

Today me and my mental coach went on our MC:s all the way around The Great Lake to do some check-ups and see where all the bigger meal will be served etc.

I've got 5 bigger meals on the way and then I also will have smaller meals (bananas, flapjacks etc), water and energy drinks every 3 mile. Well, that's how my little longer runs have been so I will not change anything. I will also have the app Endomondo on all the way. What I have heard one can follow me when running! :-)

I must say I was a little nervous to "go and met The Run" today but when started I only got more ande more trigged to start my run! Positive feelings though!
Here are som nice picts from the todays reconnaissance! Enjoy!
My mental coach, Anders, and me before take-off  around The Great Lake to reconnaissance.
One of all nice views thru the way.
On the other side I will run. About one marathon away and here we are after just 25K...
We did a stop at an old church from 14th century!
The tower is from 1752.
Well, Anders is a Tempel Knight, really!
He showed both reverence and respect.

Inside the old church...

The old fresks was just great!

Amazing!
It was a great stop and we also find the grave of an old, very good XC-skier.
The grave of the athlete Haldo Hansson...
Another great view, after 3 marathon!
You'll see the great mountains in the back :-)

Another old church!
Well, we met another biker today so I could say Hello and Smile to a human even today! :-)

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun

Monday 8 July 2013

11 days left..

... and no run or other training at all. Well, a little work in the garden and fence-building. I also walked the dogs a couple of times :-) Feels really good in my body and I must say I'm longing to run now... :-)

The biking yesterday was good for my legs I must say! One use other muscles and it's hard in another way than when running. Well, all is fine and now it's a lot about stay healthy! I will take a spoon honey every morning ;-)
My new cap!
Will use it when running I think :-)
Todays work!
Fixing with a fence is more job than one can think of... But fun!
Today me and my son was invited to a Father & Son gathering the 20th July. It's my sons high school buddies and all the fathers who's going to meet and just have fun. Wonder how fun it will be as I'm out running 19-20th July. Well, I've got something to look forward to when running then... ;-)

Today when walk the dogs some people said Hello and Smiled. So fun and inspiring with happy people!

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun

Sunday 7 July 2013

12 days left...

... and today both ran and I biked. When feeling a little unmotivated or worn in my body I use to take the bike instead. It's something else and a kind of active rest. Well, the day was good at half the cycling workouts, then came the rain. It was not so chilly so it was ok.

Todays run:
I went up at 6 o'clock in the morning and gave the dogs food, ate breakfast and then run. Today I ran 15,13 miles and the weather was just great! First 3 miles my legs felt like jelly and I was a little unmotivated, but after that it felt good. So good that it really was that Easy, Light and Smooth to run again. I felt happiness!

There where some other runners out today and we said Hello and Smiled to each other :-) It was a little hilly (see it here) but I had an average speed of 8:48 min/mile which is to fas for my 140 miler but as long as I know about it I can control it the  very day ;-)
What to do between the runnings? Well... :-)

Todays biking:
Really, I would run once more today but choose the bike instead. When unmotivated or just a little tired I use to take the bike instead. It's fun and a good alternative to running. When I had biked half the way it start to rain. It was quite warm so there was no big deal about it. The little trip went around a bay to the lake I will run around. It's almost 24 miles and it took 1:38 h. Average speed of 14,6 mph and not so fast. I even stopped for som picture-taking :-)
Me on the bridge with my bike :-)
Nice view from the bridge ahead the mountains.
Well, the rain is soon coming in so you can't see the mountains.
 View ahead the town, Ostersund.
Still nice weather... ;-)
Met some nice people when out on todays run and 100 % said Hello and Smiled :-)

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun

Saturday 6 July 2013

13 days left...

... and today I had an ambition to do a run in the morning. Felt a bit tired after the dog-walk in the morning. Choose the bed for two more hours instead :-) Well, no big problem cause the body probably needed some sleep I guess.
13 days! Well, I'm not superstitious but sometimes I do things in particular ways. Like how I tie my shoes for example. Shoelaces must be the same length... :-D

It was a bit chilly and cloudy weather, but perfect for taking care of the tree I felled yesterday :-) So the day was filled with garden job and once again I must say that's really good active resting. You move and use your muscles, but in a very smooth way.
On my way out on todays run.
Little late but in a very nice weather though.
Using my Stockholm Marathon shirt :-)
In the evening, about 7:15 am, it really was  nice weather again! No clouds, no wind and a big warm sun up in the sky. I couldn't resist so I took Elton for a great #ELS run. Not fast but still... running! It felt nice and was perfect after yesterdays 19,9 miles.
Mowing has begun and farmers are working hard!
Down there is the lake, today lika a mirror,  waiting for me... or is it me waiting...
Me and Elton was passing by some nice spots on our way :-)
Me and Elton met both humans and dogs on the run today. Everyone said Hello and Smiled. Right Elton?! :-)

Easy, Light and Smooth!
Flexirun