Run with a smile
Going into 2019 I had one goal. The last couple years I have been going from one nagging tendon to the next and wasn’t able to compete with my body in balance. Standing at the start line aware I was not in the shape I wanted to be was not fun. This year I wanted to be able to run without pain. That goal has been fulfilled.
My recipe to running pain free for me has been:
1) Not get carried away with running too much. I’ve done the high mileage months back in the days – now running 200km/week would be risking injury
2) 90% of runs on unpaved surfaces and the majority in the forest
3) one runfree day each week
4) getting plenty of body service (chiropractor, sports massage, neural therapy) even before I get symptoms
As an athlete your hunger for success increases as you get results. The World Orienteering Champs became a clear focus for the season. My early season performance at the Swedish League Nacka Middle distance World Ranking Event (5th) and FinnSpring World Ranking Event (8th) gave reason to believe I had what was needed to get onto the Finnish WOC team. There were days my body was feeling like that of a 22 year olds, where all my muscles were propelling me forward. The WOC selection race weekend last week was not one of those, so despite good technical focus I’m not racing WOC in Norway. I will need to come up with a new goal that will keep me motivated enough to keep working on keeping my body in tune.
Picture: Seppo Väli-Klemelä
There will be a WOC with only sprint races next year, which is nice. But before that I want to have something else to keep my legs busy. At home we have quite a bit of excitement already now around the corner – we are having a little boy next week!
Whatever you’re aiming at, keep running towards it with a smile!
Mårten
Picture: Lauri Kalima
