With a little less than a month to go until Istra Green trail run, I sure hope there will be no wintry surprises. Long runs are definitely easier if you are not freezing.

Currently I’m figuring out how to carry around all the things required:

Quite a lot of stuff for a small backpack, but better safe than sorry

Some pictures from Gorjanci (Gabrje > Trdinov vrh > Miklavž > Gabrje)

I believe this picture sums up my last week quite good. As you can see, clearly, I’m actively training for the Istra Green trail (April 2017). Well, perhaps not so actively, but it’s said that rest is half of the training. And I’ve been doing that rest thing real good. It’s actually not that easy to rest all day. I felt more tired than after some serious training. But on the positive side, for a couple of days I was (scientifically) hotter than general population.

Anyhow, the fever is now gone, but I still sound a bit like Batman. So no running this week, I’m afraid.

On the other hand, there could be a lot of running in spring:

• http://www.paklenicatrail.com/
• http://www.outdoor.hr/velebit-ultra-trail-eng
• http://gm4o.si/

I (we) just have to decide where to go. And the decision is half the work done. So, technically, to be a good runner all you have to do is rest and make decisions. Or is it?

My mind is still not ready for that kind of debate, so here are some pictures that happened sometime between this and previous post:

Here it finally is – first batch of snow, winter 16/17 edition. As usual, I went field testing on Kandel. After all that road training for Berlin Marathon, it’s good to be back on trail. I like road running, but it usually lacks on the fun part. And after all, that is one of the more important aspects of why I/we run at all. Narrow trail, mud, hills, wind, rain, steep descents, sometimes snow – they all contribute to make running a bit more than just training. I think running – especially in nature – is like meditation. Until you trip over that particularly well hidden root in the middle of your path, that is. Then, just for a moment, follows the comic insert – when you calculate your options while flying trough the air. Most of them are usually muddy, so you try to choose the least painful one. Who cares about the mud at that point. And then back to reality. Gravity takes over. After gravity, philosophy*. “Is it still embarrassing if no one saw me fall?”.

Anyhow, it was a rock under the snow that almost got me this time. So when I reached the summit, I made a snowman to protect me on the way down. It did the job well (good? – it was kind of cool like Superman) so I guess it’s worth taking time for that practice 

It’s all about that vertical speed.

Going down.

* /fɪˈlɒsəfi/ the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline.

Apparently it’s been over a month since my last post here. Quite a lot happened – days are finally longer, it’s not so cold anymore, mud is the new snow… I also managed to sign myself up for a mountain marathon. Later I discovered that it has a lovely amount of climbs, of which the longest one stretches from kilometer no. 20 to around km no. 30. Fun fun   Obviously I’ll have to start with long runs. Or long hills. Preferably both.

@ Landeck – wiki

Anyway, I’m currently in Germany (again). This time, in hope of good weather, with my bike. So far I managed to go on two (2) bike rides. Statistics would say we didn’t have much of that good weather after all. Well it wasn’t that bad, but with all the sun and rain and everything in between in one afternoon I rather went running. Rain doesn’t bother me so much when I’m running but on the bike I prefer to avoid it.

As usual, I did a couple of runs to Eichberg and Landeck and some exploring of the nearby trails. Managed to find a hill with a 17% incline on the bike. Also managed to climb that hill (on the bike) – it was short, but nobody needs to know that.

Naturally, I took some photos.

It’s hard not to smile when you hear that lovely “crunch” sound under your shoes. No wonder there are so many different Eskimo words for snow.

Semi-cold days are the worst. I’m talking about the ones when there should be snow, but it’s raining instead. So, cold, where are you? We are ready.