Kormu Run 1.18.58

Picture: Matti Koljonen

Opened laptop yesterday morning around 9:45am. It was a sunny morning and I thought to check it out if there would be any running event my son could participate in. Found out there is something called Kormu Run. Took a look at the course map … what?! My old training course on the fields somewhere between Riihimäki and Loppi. When is this event going to happen? About an hour from now. Let’s focus. I can still make it. I must do this! Tried to talk my son to come as well but had to get out on my own. Threw sneakers in the trunk and off I went 10:02.

Tesla says I would be there 10:58. It’s really nice sunshine, dry road, 105.7 KOZZ-FM … I can make it bit sooner than that. After some high energy highway driving and shortcut through Herajoentie arrive at 10:41. That was pretty good. Ask if I can park near the start and it is okay. Get my number, change to racing shoes and I have still like 8 minutes to warm up. I feel pretty good about it all.

The race itself starts out nice. Legs feel good. I can still remember all the scenery, all the dirt roads, every curve. It all looks the same except for maybe a few new houses. I ran with Finnish 24h ultrarunner #2 from about 3km to half way when he finishes. There was one more guy maybe 1 minutes ahead of us but he finishes half distance too. It feels pretty easy until say 15-16km mark from where my leg muscles start to signal poor training background. Still manage to keep the pace even and cross the finish line in 1.18.58 which I think is a pretty decent effort.

Talk with some local guys who were helping to put the event together. Back home around 13:35. Compact trip. Good, uplifting feeling.

Camp Laanitupa

Came back from a five day family vacation to Lapland. Third year in a row the same thing we could call an adventure in the not-so-distant past: getting a very basic fifty-years-old cottage into gear. First thing is to dig it up from one meter of snow in -30 degrees celsius. Then to dig a path to get wood. Cut the wood. A path to a nearby stream. Break the ice. Carry water inside. First night we got the temperature inside into maybe +13, second night +16, and the third night we broke 20. After coming back basically all clothes have a smokey smell. We all appreciate and cherish the modern home automation again.

Hitting the HK Trail

When air quality indexes hit well below 50 and went green this Sunday morning I took the chance to find out what HK Trail looks like. First time I run outside in Greater China and it was well worth it. Started out from Wan Chai, went up Kennedy Road — Bowen Road — Wan Chai Gap — Coombe Road — Barker Road (turned back at some point) — Peak Road — then down on Aberdeen Reservoir Road — back up HK Trail — and down Wan Chai Gap Road. Took like 1.5 hours total. Distance maybe 15K due to very hard uphill and downhill, including stairs where running was really tough. Great scenery and visions to both sides, HK Bay & Pacific. Gave the idea there is so much to see just in HK. You only need to win the perfect day and hit it out running. I didn’t see too many other runners, especially on hills and unpaved trail there was nobody in running gear. People do go out though, but mostly with kids and dogs.

— In other running related new the other day managed a full 1K at 3.00/km pace on Humble House treadmill in Taipei. Felt like I’m on the way to getting back in shape.

From Korea with Gangnam Style

I learned a few days ago in Gangnam, Korea about a new hit everybody was doing in the local Karaoke joints. I thought this is something I have to share with my kids and friends, nobody should know about it. Little did I know my kids has already been playing for weeks. Last week it was at 160M views, and today it has passed well over 200M. Huge for a K-Pop song, and another lesson in how such things can go globally viral.