Stockholm Marathon 2026

It´s been a very long time since I wrote here in the blog. It´s due to many different factors such as work, illness, etc. I simply haven´t had the time and motivation to write.

But now I´m retired (!) which feels incredibly good so I started up my running a little again but almost all my fitness had disappeard.. But with a little patients I will be back.

My plan was to take it so easy that muscels, tendons and ligaments keep up without getting injured.

My goal was to be able to stand up (for the 16th time) in Stockholm Marathon again and run but unfortunately a tendon in my left foot was injured, peroneustendinitis / fibularis tendinitis, so I could not run... myself.

Me in Elgon Running Club´s dress!

Like a flash from a blue sky I heard from Edwin, the Elgon Running Club´s great coach, that one of his runner should go to Stockholm and run the marathon!

His name is Moses Kibet with a personal best of 2:05:20 in Amsterdam Marathon. He was the highest ranked runner in Stockholm this year.

Moses Kibet (#404 in worldrank)
when he ran Amsterdam marathon in 2:05:20

Well, I had already booked a train ticket and thought it might be fun to follow and see the best runners from start to finish line. It can actually be as fun as running yourself.

Moses Kibet and me meet at the hotel in Sollentuna, Stockholm.

I arrived in Stockholm on Thursday, May 28th, and on Friday at 5pm I had scheduled a meeting with Moses Kibet at the Scandic Hotel in Sollentuna (north of Stockholm).

I showed up at the hotel about 10 minutes before 5pm to be on time. I asked the doorman if he could let Moses know I was there. Depending on security he couldn´t...

Then I became a little nervous that I should miss him but instead I called Moses once more and thought perhaps the coverage was a bit poor so I went out from the hotel to try another call.

Then I saw 5-6 runners coming back from their run and I asked: "Is there possibly one of you runners called Moses Kibet?" and one of them answered: "Yes, that´s me".

We had a really nice chat and I also handed over a gift to his coach Edwin Kibet Maluche.

The start of  Stockholm Marathon 2026.

Race day!

The day of the competiton was here and I, one of my daughters and my newest grandchild were there early to get good seats in the stands at Stockholm Stadium. The arena build for the 1912 Olympics.

The Stockholm Marathon is often marketed as "the world´s most beautiful marathon" and in 1998 the race was ranked as "the world´s best" and in January 2002 issue of Runner´s World the race was highlighted as one of the top 10 marathons.

Moses Kibet finishing in the olympic arena from 1912.

I followed Moses with an app and via the big screen in the arena so it was easy to keep up throughout the race.

Moses did very well on the rather demanding course as it is not completely flat but slightly hilly the whole time so Moses' time of 2:16:55 was really good!

Moses Kibet on his way to 6th place!

Great run of Moses Kibet in the quite hard race.

I have known Edwin Kibet Maluche, The GREAT Coach, for many years now and tried to help with the sponsorship of the runners in the Elgon Running Club as best I could.

For a while I had social media and managed to raise funds for Rogers and Alpha to go to the Frankfurt Marathon to qualify for the Paralympics.

Nowadays I have distanced myself from all social media but have chosen to keep my blog "Flexirun".

The coach of Elgon Running Team
Edwin

When I used social media I became known for always ending with some thought-provoking words:

- SMILE

- DARE TO SAY HELLO!

- DARE TO LOOK AROUND THE CORNER!

- DARE TO DARE!

/Claes :-)

Running again... (almost).

 Hello everyone out there!

It was quite a long time since the last writing and there are a lot of reasons why.

Since my run around the Big Lake 2013 I have been sick three times. First time was January 2016 when I got sepsis depending on a little sharp kidney stone. Urine ut from the kidney and blood into the kidney which took about 3 years before I was 100% ok again. I did 13 days at hospital with great docs and nurses!

Second time was spring 2020 when Covid-19 spread across the world. This time I could not eat for 8 days so day 9 I had to contact the emergency. Well, I did survive but of course I could not run. At this time, my running was under criticism and my fitness, which is a perishable commodity, plummeted.

The third time I got shingles, wich was not fun. Luckily I spoke to a doctor within the 72 hours it takes for medicine to help. From December 26th (2024) until end of Mars (2025) I could not run.

So now my goal/project is to easy, light and smooth rebuild my body. I definitely don´t want to get any injuries like inflammation in tendon, joints or muscles. When you´re a little older, your calves tend to take a beating (muscle tears) so it´s important to "hurry up slowly"!

Well, I have to tell you that Moises Kibet (Elgon running Club) ran the Barcelona Marathon in just over 2:05:20 and came in place 6. CONGRATULATIONS on a great performance!

I also will raise Edwin, the trainer, to the skies!!

Always smile and say hello the everyone you meet out there!

/Claes

Elgon Running Club, Kenya.

 Nairobi City Marathon 24.07.07

Hello again!

Yes, as many of you may know, I have been a runner since 1969 and have always loved challenges.

Pretty early I realized that the longer the distances were the more I liked it and the better it went.

Challenges can be of various kinds and by chance I came into contact with Edwin Kibet Maluche from Elgon in Kenya. For a number of years now I have tried to help him with his running club, Elgon Running Club, and the runners he trains.

The very special thing about this club is that apart from the fact that it consists of very competent runners, Edwin also invests in ladies and para-runners (runners with certain disabilities). EVERYONE can join!

Part of Elgon Running Club.

Mt. Elgon

On the sports field.

Well, you probably already saw in the title of this post something about a marathon race in Nairobi on July 7, 2024.

Yes, Edwin will go there with some runners and I helped a little so that another 5 runners will get to go and test their ability. I know they will do their best, which is actually what is important. Do your best!

Okay, I guess that might be all for this time!

Try a little SMILE!

Try a HELLO!

Try to check AROUND CORNERS!

/Flexirun (back again)

Ascension Day in Sweden usually means a day off.. or two.

 

May 1st and a 4 day long holiday waiting.

It is always remarkable to come up in the mountains springtime. So quiet and peaceful but also some noice from all kind of birds coming.

"Here comes the sun"

About 25-30 reindeers visiting.

Me and Malte on our daily walk.

Unfortunateley my right calf has had a bit of trouble with muscle tear so I have decided not to run Stockholm Marathon 2024 as planned. It´s sad but as they say: "With age comes wisdom!".

However, my son did run for the 5th time, without "hare", and did very well in the heat (about 28-30°C).

I just spoken with my friend Edwin, the running-coach from Kenya, and he told med members from Elgon Running Club will compete in the Nairobi City Marathon on July 7th 2024.

Remember Rodgers? One of the very BEST blind runners in the world. You may please follow them at Nairobi City Marathon 2024.

I also will start writing my blog again but this time the focus is not all on me but at least as much on the runners from Elgon Running Club.

Well, as always friends. Take care, smile and dare to say Hello! :-)

Easy, Light and Smooth!
/Flexirun

One week off! Or rather... a LOT of weeks!

Hello everyone!

How are You? Alright I hope.

For those 

I haven't used any social media since 2022-03-07.  Or matter in fact for over two years now...

Yes, people ask "Why?" and I got quite a few responses to that. But those answers are mine and no one else's. I do apologize to those who perhaps wonder what have happened to that smiling runner up north in the middle of Sweden.

But what I can say is that the feeling without social media is exactly like the feeling when I was training in front of the "Storsjön" (Big Lake Run) around. Pretty much no one in my immediate environment knew anything about the plans except you who read my diary/blog. The feeling is absolutely priceless and I do think I reached a new level.

Autumn or fall here as the American says.
The colors are beautiful!

Doing things only for yourself without having to perform and think about what others will think is actually incredibly nice. I actually have the main role in my own life plan. Not as an extra or supporting actor, but the main role.

Some people asked me about my running after my illness and I only can say: "I still run!".  Not as much as before but more and more every week.

It's not only the miles You're running it's the views and meetings out there. It could be humans, animals or what ever You may meet out there.

It's about me and my meetings not about a picture with likes.

Me and my lovely dog Malte.

I'm signed up to Stockholm marathon once again but unfortunately I have a muscle tear in my right calf and it will not heal.. Well, I only have one right calf but more marathons will be coming.

Keep SMILING!

Keep saying HELLO to strangers!

Keep LOOKING AROUND CORNERS!

Keep going!

Reflection is not a bad thing

 

Brothers in Arms

 

 

 

 

These mist covered

mountains

Are a home now for me

But my home is the lowlands

And always will be

Some day you´ll return to

Your valleys and farms

And you`ll no longer burn to

be brothers in arms.

 

Through these fields of

destruction

Baptism of fire

I´ve witnessed your suffering

As the battle raged higher

And though they did hurt me

so bad

In my fear and alarm

You did not desert me my

brothers in arms

 

There´s so many different

worlds

So many different suns

And we have just one world

But we live in different ones

 

Now the sun´s go to hell

 

And the moon´s riding high

Let me bid you farewell

Every man has to die

But it´s written in the starlight

And every line in your palm

We´re fools to make war on

Our brothers in arms

/Dire Straits

Gregorians - Brother in Arms

From 0 to 42195 once again..

Well, it has been a very long time since I was out there running as usual. More particularly 6 years!

When you suffer a physical injury, it can in some cases over time turn into a mental crash. Some things you can not control but it is just to crash, cry and talk about what happened.

However, it has been shown that it is not bad to possess a good physical status with good condition and some strength or endurance. Mental crashes are something of an "everyday thing" which always happens during the race when you are an ultra runner.

It is really nice to be back, with a lot of help from good friends, and start to exercise again. My ambition is to run Stockholm marathon with my son once again. Not to run in a specific time but to have a good feeling and reach the goal.

Me and Malte (my dog) in my cabin up in the mountains  where I  build me up physically and mentally before my run around the lake here (221 km) 

Me out on a nice run again!

My ambition from now on is to run, feel good and enjoy Life and the nature. Time and distance is not an option anymore. Or at least not when I'm planning my workouts! Anything can happen when it feels alright!

Just so peaceful!
This is the key to my kind of Life.

Please listen to Your mind and Body!

Always smile!

Always say Hello to strangers!

Always check around the corners because it's where the Life is hiding!