Another day in Paradise..

..and eyes peaked opened once again. I will write about the week just before Christmas this time.

Yes, I promised yesterday that there would come a little inspiration report because the impressions were so numerous and overwhelming that I could not quite sort them with the right feeling. The question is if I can do just that right now? Let´s find out!
In Friday night I packed for a little adventure in the northern part of Jamtland for an additional run in my life. I was actually a bit nervous, I should admit. Not so much how it would go. Runing is not the problem! It´s my inside which is not 100% yet.  I have talked to the doctors and they all say: "If no fever or pain. Run Claes, run!" :-)

The X-mas rice pudding is very good.
Food for runners and Santa!

I picked up Märta 7:20 Saturday morning and on the way there I saw two deer that ran across the road in the fog. You have to be on their guard.
We set off towards Strömsund and were in place just before 09. Thought we were the first for no runners were there? Märta found a list and, of course, so had both and Staffan and Mats already signed and gone out ;-)

Well, we got the brilliant idea to not run up with them without meeting them instead. To begin with, we met Eva and Michael was putting out all kilometers statements. However, they put them out the wrong way so we had to turn our necks around to read them ;-)

Then we saw a flock of ravens, which of course in itself is quite unusual. The strange thing was that they were circulating like vultures over us. Seemed like hungry.. Märta and I felt great in our legs so they did not bother us . Began to suspect that Staffan and Mats was exhausted somewhere... ;-)
But, oh no! We met both of them safe and sound after a while battling well against their targets precisely. You are amazing and inspired us tremendously!

After 7 km, it was time for me to drink water and eat half a banana. Had promised myself to drink plenty of water because of my kidneys sake. Felt great to run. Almost like "before"! Continued alone two laps with light legs, but I felt it was not quite a hundred. Oh, well soon water and sweets as well as a completely incomparable sunrise was coming up.
The Ravens were retained and circulated even this lap but now significantly lower. It almost got eye contact with them. "Are you sure you have the energy?" they seemed to ask. Just bite the bullet and run as easily as I could. Anything to not appear weak.. which of course in itself is not wrong. Does it not eel ok, it is brave to choose a different path!

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Now it started to come runner on "conveyor belt" (jokes from Gothenburg we say in Sweden) and I had a tough job to run, smile, say hello! (Even if it was not for strangers this time) and additionally photographing best of my ability at the same time."Multitasking" is called for certain, I think.

I chose to run two laps and then nearly a half-turn and follow Staffan back to the start/finish. Admittedly, I drank some water but it was not quite enough so I chose to.. not run anymore. It was apparently 18-20 km anything and I felt nothing in  my legs the day after. I'm just so pleased that I can run even if it was not around a lake this time.

Everyone I met smiled and waved giving me so much inspiration and joy that you probably do not really understand. No sooner I do it myself. I select some photos but think of course that all of you were fantastic. An album is also on Vattudalens LDK.

With some friends up in Grytan. :-)

Lovely evening in the woods surrounding the transfer accommodation stew. All struggled to laugh and smile to dispel the darkness. Yes, we succeeded after one / some lap running with the energy we generated :-)

It was so nice to meet you all and run a little together. Running with those friends almost every Wednesday are just so great! It´s the feeling I think! One must experience it.
Dare to smile, dare cheer the strangers, dare to celebrate a Merry Christmas, dare fall asleep and wake up happy! :-)

Always that smile. Always!

In such a moderately cold, lagoon-blue sky and a sun that shone so brightly so I just had to look a little on the Östersund municipality's Christmas gift to their employees.

There was plenty to choose from and it was hard to decide. But... what do I see there?! "Great Lake around"! It was like...
I have promised not to run around a lake again (but between A and B is fine), but when the employer is so kind that I just can not say no! You understand that! Right? ;-)

Said and done. After a couple of weeks with little internal movements of the "gravel pit" so it felt brilliant today, even if it was 4% of the trip around the Great Lake.

The most amazing just today was that the body gave me the best workout in almost a year :-)

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Well, I met some other "boneheads" out there and had a nice conversation during the time with a friend from Örebro. :-)
The views were certainly not of the picks I must say. It is truly a paradise I live in!

Make sure to look around a bit. Who istand closest to You today? That is the one you should smile and say something warm about. Make someone's day!

Continue on this path and smile, daring to say Hello! to strangers and go to sleep happy becomes even tomorrow as nice as this day.

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun

Another day in Paradise and eyes peaked opened once again.

Yes, I promised yesterday that there would come a little inspiration report because the impressions were so numerous and overwhelming that I could not quite sort them with the right feeling. The question is if I can be there now? We shall see.

The road to Paradise? No the road IN Paradise!

In Friday night I packed my face a little adventure in the northern part of Jamtland (the county where I come from) for an additional small löptur in my life. It was actually a bit nervous, I admit. Not so much how it would go. As for the run is no problem, but inside it's not really a hundred yet. Have talked to the doctors and I have no fever or pain, I can be relatively calm.

I picked up Martha 7:20 Saturday morning and on the way there I saw two deer that ran across the road in the fog. You have to be on their guard. We set off towards Strömsund and were in place just before 09. Thought we were the first for no runners were there? Martha found a list and, of course, so had both and Staffan Mats already signed and gone out ;-)

09:30 in the morning and the sun is about to wake :-)

Well, we got the brilliant idea to not run up with them without meeting them instead. To begin with, we met Eva and Michael was putting out all kilometers statements. However, facing the wrong way! ;-)

Then we saw a flock of ravens, which of course in itself is quite unusual. The strange thing was that they were circulating like vultures over us. Seemed like hungry .. Martha and I were the risers in the legs so us they did not bother about. Began to suspect that Staffan and Mats was exhausted somewhere ... ;-)

But, oh no! We met both of them safe and sound after a while battling well against their targets precisely. You are amazing and inspired us tremendously!
After 7 km, it was time for me to drink water and eat half a banana. Had promised myself to drink plenty of water to kidney sake. Felt great to run. Almost like "before" in time. Continued alone two laps with light bones, but I felt it was not quite a hundred. Oh well soon water and sweets as well as a completely incomparable sunrise on G.

The Ravens were retained and circulated even this lap but now significantly lower. It almost got eye contact with them. "Are you sure you have the energy?" they seemed to ask. Just bite the bullet and run as easily as they could. Anything to not appear weak ... which of course in itself is something wrong. Does not it feel good, it is brave to choose a different path.

Just so beautiful!

Now it started to come runner on "conveyor belt" (Gothenburg) and I had a tough job to run, smile, say hello! (Even if it was not for strangers this time) and moreover shoot best of our ability at the same time. "Multitasking" is called for certain, I think.

I chose to run two laps and then nearly a half-turn and follow Staffan back to the start / finish. Admittedly, I drank some water but it was not quite enough so I chose to ... not run more. It was apparently 18-20 km anything and I have not even had sore today. I'm just so pleased that I can run even if it was not around a lake this time.

Everyone I met smiled and waved giving me so much inspiration and joy that you probably do not really understand. No sooner I do it myself. I select some photos but think of course that all of you were fantastic.
An album is also on Vattudalens LDK: https://www.facebook.com/groups/178161392288192/?fref=ts

That said, I am satisfied, have patience and hope that one day I can run even longer ... :-)

About 20 km and I feel free!

Dare to smile, say hello stranger! and try to do the unexpected.
Or why not just run the other way for a little while ... sometimes!

Easy, Light and Smooth #ELS
/Flexirun

Another week in history...

...You can say, I think. It's actually true!

A film about "Heroes"...

It shows some of my volunteer work I do every Wednesday with refugees :-)

Since I work as a teacher it has been a lot of work during the week because of correcting sample and adding scores. Well, it's almost Christmas holiday and I soon can take bit easy.

From one of my runnings.
Quite uphill but the view is great and I can see my village down there.

I've been a little under the weather in the body for a few weeks and could not run as planned but it does not matter. The body in general becomes more and more restored after kidney stones and blood infection that I got almost exactly a year ago.

I´m not fully restored but I think it goes in the right direction one day at a time. At tougher effort, like hill training, or easy, light and smooth running for an hour the urine may be red. However, doctors say that if there is no pain and I do not have a fever I can practice on.

Easy, Light and Smooth!

What I do know is that I can not run as much as the last 47 years... However, it is quite ok. I will never stop running, but it can happen that I have to cut down on the number of km/week. I may not be able to run for several days again but sometimes I still feel that light feeling when I run.

It does not mean that there is anything negative about it. No, it just means that I'm running in another dimension, one can say.

Down there You can see the light from Brunflo hockey arena where the legends
Vladimir Krutov and Igor Larionov has played a couple of times :-)

I can still spreading joy, inspire, and perhaps make others feel unique just because of my running. Can I have that, I'm happy!

Allways run Easy, Light and Smooth!

/Flexirun

It goes up...

...and it goes down! But a couple of weeks ago it has been going quite well now and slowly my running has turned positive again.

Ok, It has been going better and better since I came home from the hospital end of January 2016. Small kidney-stones are nothing to play around with. All my friends around me, here in Sweden but also around the world, really has pepped me.

About 100 km done and 120 km to go.
Big Lake Run 2013.

Yes, physically I´m pretty alright now. When running I run very Easy, Light  and Smooth. It really goes well now but but there is one thing that saddens me a bit.
When I exert myself so changed my urine ... too dark (red). Already after 40 min type. Well, I´m not the kind of man who worries to much but still I do wonder why?! I´ll promise to check it out though!
Last week I speak to a doctor about the red urine. No problem! I was told. Just small and sharp stones on their way out. Nothing that hurts or gives me fever is a problem they say. So, just to keep on running then! :-)

On my own..

Well, have been a little sick for a week but much better now though. Took it easy this weekend and just did some walks with Elton and watched TV :-)

Skiing, biathlon, alpine skiing, social-running and WC in 100 km running was the offer this weekend and in many of these "happenings" it is time to decide if you achieved..

It has actually achieved something even if it is not the fastest and come first. What about the number of smiles and Hello! one can accumulate during a run. Does that count?

Would it be just to reach the finish when everything is not quite as it should in the body? All credit to all those who try and do their best using just their individual circumstances of the moment.

No, I do not belittle the fastest in any way. On the contrary! Often, they are just fantastic people and inspires me, and surely many others, very much.

It's just that the wheel of life has started to spin so fast that the time for reflection and admiration of the "small" will completely overshadowed. Too bad, I think...

Dig in, take and hold! Fight on the right way to fulfill your dreams. They are waiting for you! Just like mine!

Happy first Advent!

Never forget to smile and dare to say Hello! to strangers out there!

Always go Easy, Light and Smooth.
/Flexirun

Autumn break...

...for me and my pupils now. Much needed for all. Students as teachers.

From one of my runs.
A beautiful place where I can load both muscles and thoughts.

I just packed clothes, workout clothes and ski equipment to be used together with asylum seeker refugees in Vålådalen located in the mountains. Swedish cross-country team usually train there sometimes :-)

Will be funny as hell because some possibly never seen snow, let alone skied some time. Many laughter there will be!

The running and strength training are moving forward and I just declared that I probably should run a nice race organized by my löparklubb (VLDK) in Strömsund together with my friends.

Elton up in the mountains :-)

Last Thursday, I was at Vålådalen, up in the mountains, and helped "Hej främling" (please open link) of allowing refugees to try cross-contry skiing (click link).

It´s so great to see how nature can be a tool help those who have it harder than others to smile, laugh and grow as people

Emma and Pippi.
Emma is a girl with a great heart and also founder of Hej främling.

Refreshments by the fire after skiing.

I'm not a guitarist but I like the music. Playing is a bit like yoga for me and now so are all things on the Internet, which makes it a little easier to learn the chords that belong to a particular song. I listen to almost all music, but reggae and blues is perhaps the one I listen the most to.

Sometimes I play the guitars.
Only guitars left when my son moved to Uppsala for studies ;-)

It is so unbelievably wonderful to be able to run again. Not as before ... yet. But just to be able to plan for future projects is unbelievable.
Seize the day and live every moment! Smiling and dare to say hello! to a stranger. Fall asleep HAPPY!

Run Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun

A hard week...

is done! Yes, I know it´s a new week today but I had no time to write last week. To much work and to much running perhaps ;-)

Me waving Hello!
(The Shadow)

Me and the road... and some horses :-)

 Well, it really feels good in my body now but sometimes I can be a little tired and it feels a bit strange. The most important is to drink a little bit more water than usual so my kidneys don´t have to work harder than needed.

Well, X-trail!

I did two quite hard hill-runnings  and then two #ELS-runnings (Easy, Light and Smooth) last week (w.44). Felt good but I must drink a lot of water though.

"All Along the Watchtower" ;-)

Wednesday evening I did run with my asylum friends from Syria, Afghanistan etc once again. SO FUN! they really do progress and we did great hills together.

Clear water after half the run.
Check out the yellow cup!

I also met som friends who inspired me to do a great run up in the forrest. No bear, moose or deers this time but a great weather!

View

Take care and smile. Say Hello! to the one You meet out there. Be happy when go to sleep!

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun :-)

The past week...

 ...was full of events.
Run by myself, running with asylum seekers and consider the nature of change due to the fall.
It´s really a great season I think. So high, clear air and incredible nice colors.

Wednesday I did run with my asylum friends from Syria, Afghanistan etc.

On Wednesday evening (2016-10-19) it was running with my refugee friends up on the shuttle accommodation stew. Is always fun and and rewarding. A while ago, a journalist from Runners World came and ran with us. Fun!

So, once a week I run with refugees which is very inspiring and really helps me to focus on my goal summer 2017. A +100 miles on asphalt, dirt roads, trails and trackless terrain over two mountain is waiting. Still, I can not say exactly where the goal is but the start is where I live! ;-)

From one of my runs this week.

Wrote a little about a condition called "Runners High" on Facebook . Interesting that with emotions.
Emotions are what usually guide us in various ways. Others can see how your emotions control you. And yet it is not really okay to show emotion in today's world ... Or?

Well, last Saturday I ran a trip on the so-so 80 minutes. I ran myself, as I often do, but met some friendly souls on the road cheering happily. Although the goshawk who came rushing along the "All Along The Powerline" (power line up in the forest) waved cheerfully her wings. Saw it clearly! ;-)

Passed some cool things. Big and small. It's actually not how big something is to determine if there is.. BIG. Take the little leaf with frost crystals eg.

See, some crystals called snow.

Well the fall is here but kind of beautiful anyway.

Return to "Runners High", or the defense tower as it is popularly called, so I passed it, as usual, on the way home. Arises not running feeling you can pass there instead.
The feeling, starts by the way, come back and it just feels so good :-)

The Castella or in swedish Kastalen.
The tower from 1172 they say.

Soon it is time for other shoes! As with car tires this time of year it is good with studs. Slipping not but take it easy, light and soft (#ELS) during the construction period that lies ahead. Perhaps the best time of the season as runners. Build-up time!

Now, take it a little cool and smile a little bit to save energy. Then you have the energy to say hello! when it's needed! Unless you are affected by a smile and / or a hello! so be aware that there is at least one more at the moment..

Try to peek around the next corner and see what's the fun there!

Easy, Light and Smooth! #ELS
/Flexirun

A little coldness..

.. this going week but that will not stop me. Not after the experience I had the last 9 months! I run again even if it does not quite go as easy as it used to.

After travel to town for som shopping my wife took the car home and I ran.
So wonderful and it went so Easy, Light and Smooth #ELS

No words.. Just so beautiful!

 I have started to run fairly regularly now. More on weekends and sometimes double passes. Also, I do 5x25 push-ups, sit-ups and my back.

This is to get a better posture while running, and have the stamina to run a really long time without getting hurt in my back.

Slowly but surely I will increase the length of sessions and I run the hill once a week to train the heart and lungs a little more.
I do not care about how fast I run, but just how easy it is. I'm banging on a little longer each week and the aim is that it should go easy. Then, after some time, I can increase the speed, if I want.

Running again

I try to run where there are beautiful views so you can let your body work and brain get rest. I kind of fooling myself when having my runs. ;-)

Just beautiful!

I have no doubt about coming back to my usual runnings again! I have a goal of +100 miles again and I just know it will be done summer of 2017.

I don´t know exactly when but I know I will do it my way!

No money, no medal and no nothing!

Elton and me out for a walk in the fog one lunch this week.
The "light in the tunnel"? No, did not find no tunnel...
Perhaps the "road  to heaven" or maybe te "road of truth" :-)

A moose-scull! Almost look lik a crocodile ;-)

 Ok, as usual I´d like to tell You all to smile more and say Hello! to strangers You meet out there.
Take care and dare to LIVE!

Easy, Light and Smooth, #ELS
/Flexirun

Week 39, 2016 - Slowly but forward!

I have no great intentions to write in the blog every day yet. Suffice it so far with every Sunday I think. Later, however, it may well be a little more often.

It becomes a little more to write about instead which of course can be fun. In addition, I have time to digest what I have been through, how races gone and how it feels.

So let's start writing about the week 39th!

Outside the gym this Saturday.

 As said before I feel pretty alright again. I do not run my usual 60 km (37 miles) every week but I do run about 30 km though. I also do a lot of strength and stretching which makes my body feel good!

Every Saturday I try to run from a gym where I live. Sometimes we are a couple running together which is so fun. Kind of social-running for 1-1,5 hour.

The Bulls in Ede :-)

Usually I pass these bulls and they always look like they want to follow me on my run. I also see a lot of sheep and horses by the way.
To see things when out running gives me strength to just keep on running. I do not feel fatigue when the brain will be able to be fed with different types of impressions

Heritage Conservation.
An old pine which I´m passing by sometimes

The great pine!

This Sunday I did run some X-trail. I often run on asphalt and gravel roads and some forest roads. Well, sometimes i do run without any kind of tracks. It´s good for the ankles. It´s also very good for the muscles and your heart.

A broken fir could emblematize how I felt 8 month ago...
Now I´m on again friends!

An old scull from a moose. Sometimes one see different kind of things in the forrest.
Probably a meeting with a bear...

Normally there is water here but this time it was almost empty.
There use to be fishes like bass here. Implanted once.

From todays run up in the forrest. Almost no tracks at all here.
It´s a good thing knowing where to run ;-)

One of my favorite places when out running.
So beautiful! 

The road to heaven...perhaps.
At least for me!

Today it really was har to run! It did not go Easy, Light and Smooth those 11,7 km I ran. I had to fight for every step and I tried not to walk. Even if it was a tough run I know some day it will go Easy, Light and Smooth again.

Never give up when it´s hard. Just struggle on until You feel good again.

Take care, never give up, smile and dare to say Hello! to other passengers on this planet!

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun :-)