A big thank you

Hello and happy Monday to you all. We are officially into the last walking week before Summer holidays and loving the sunshine.

But what I am extremely grateful for is what I experienced over the weekend with an outpouring of lovely and kind messages before and after my trail marathon (Nordmarka Skogsmaraton) on Saturday.

Any of you who have previously run a marathon will understand that it is not always easy and pleasant. The last time I ran a marathon I was the ripe age of 29.

Roll on 12 more years and it shouldn’t be any easier.

And yet for the most part Saturday went extremely well and above expectations. It was clearly helped by the gorgeous running weather forecast of light rain and grey skies.

I was super lucky to be running alongside my good friend Axel and therefore we had a great catch up throughout the race. Nothing quite like two old friends chatting away to distract from the tiredness.

We did however have an amusing moment just after 26 kilometres. We were running down a hill when I spotted a discarded Kvikk Lunsj wrapper in my path.

Not wanting to slip on it in the wet conditions I decided to take a jump over it. Upon landing I immediately felt the stabbing pain of cramp in not one, but both hamstrings simultaneously.

Knowing that if I came to a stop it would only seize up even more, I was hobbling down hill for about 400 meters looking as if I had been shot in the bottom whilst desperately trying to take on an electrolyte energy gel.

The next three to four kilometers were certainly not pleasant but I managed to jog and run through it.

Despite always saying that my goal was just to complete the marathon…of course I had a rough target time in my head. I am happy to say that the combination of a great running partner and good conversation allowed me to smash that goal by 36 minutes.

Fast forward 48 hours and I am very happy to say that apart from one slightly tender toenail, my body and legs are feeling in remarkably good shape even after two hilly walks today in the sun.

A big thank you to so so many of our dogs who have joined me on my training runs over the last year.

The good news for them is that marathons are addictive and I can already see myself signing up for next year’s edition.. keep on running!