That is an awesome experience. Enjoy your time there! Are you in Oslo proper? Have you gone to the park that is called life or something like that? Lots of body statues. I can post a picture after I get out of the doctor.

 The park sounds cool...but sadly, we're in Oulu, up in Northern Finland. Oslo is over in Norway. Don't feel bad, though, you aren't the first to confuse them--mostly because few people have ever heard of Oulu! I know I hadn't until about two years ago, when we first met the folks who talked my husband into coming over. 

Some pretty running here--I have a couple of albums set to public on Facebook, if you (or anyone) wants to see pictures.

With snow

Without

Someone must have shortened my trail today cause my times were crazy fast.

1.2 mile loop, 3 laps after warm-up:

8am 37deg windy, overcast

15:47   141   max: 149,  56 sec  over 144

16:15   142  max: 147, 20sec over 144

16:25   142 max: 150, 1m28s over 144

compare to 12/07 where I was taking over 18 minutes to complete a lap and spending 5-7 minutes over MAF.

Kinda crazy.

It was much colder today. I had final exams last week (though I didn't feel like I was particularly stressed out about them, and I still don't know the results). I did a much better job today of maintaining an even effort. My heart rate graph looks more like a kiddie roller coaster than the fun kind. I think there is a definite skill component to this, but still, surprising results. Not that I am complaining! Just fascinated by the sudden drastic change.

Hi, guys.  How's everybody?  I did 6 miles yesterday and the last 5 were my Maff test for December.  I see some progress there.  Last month, my first mile was 11:18 and this month was 11:14.  Pretty good, no?

Damaris--lovely picture! We all got down to Helsinki for a weekend, but didn't see that. Flew down--it's 380 miles south of us, and we don't have a car here. 

And congrats on the improvement!

Waiting for the sun to rise before I head out for a run. Length of day today: 3 hours 48 minutes.

Waiting for the sun to rise before I head out for a run. Length of day today: 3 hours 48 minutes.

You guys must be north of us, then, at 62 deg. N. lat., we've still got 5 1/2 hrs.  I'm running tomorrow. Can't stand it anymore.

2:22:00

9.12 miles

Felt good today.

I don't miss snow. Spent 48 years with snow in Rhode Island. It was fun when I was a kid. The peak being the Blizzard of 78. When I reached my late 30's and into my 40's, it became annoying. So many times I slipped on hidden ice and managed to survive (just one KO when I was 5----wait, maybe I didn't survive and all this has been a post-death hallucination).

Here in Dixie, it's rare.

--Jimmy

Still in the 80s and still humid in the 70s dewpoints down here.  That's 90%+ humidity.  Ugh.

Last night's run was weird.  HR was above 147 for the last 5 miles.  Still made it 9 miles at 11:15mm and 145 HR which is my close enough HR.  I think it was the bra I was wearing.  Today, I did 5 @ 140 HR.  Very humid (100% humidity actually) and half asleep so the pace today was 11:45mm.  More miles tonight.

That is one thing I love about running by HR. People kill themselves by running on X pace every day notwithstanding weather, humidity, illness, etc., but if you just look at your HR that day, you'll adjust for weather fine enough.

Got the stomach bug and didn't get any running in on Monday or Tuesday.

 

Got in 3.23 miles last night at a 10:04 pace and 134 avg HR. 

 

Still not feeling great, but good enough to get in a nice short MAF run.

Feel better.