This site is about my experiences running, trail running, rogaining, orienteering, hiking, and exploring in Finland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbGGDkwXoPI&t= March 1, 2020 - Introducing my new website and YouTube channel. More content coming soon... I’m launching this website/blog to promote all forms of exploring Finland on foot: Running, Trail Running, Rogaining, and Orienteering. I’m also using this to chronicle and share my own adventures here. During my four years in Finland I have spent... Continue Reading →
Planning before a 24 hr Rogaining with Matti V. My experience is certainly limited, but I have participated in more than 20 Rogaining events of different lengths, ranging from 2 to 24 hours. If you are unfamiliar with Rogaining, please read my previous entry here. This post discusses the physical and mental skills needed in... Continue Reading →
Photo: Jen Ray . That's me with Jouni N. and Esa L. Rogaining is a team sport (2-5 people) involving running and navigation that was invented by some guys in Australia and has now become popular in a few parts of the world. It should be much more popular because it is so fun (and... Continue Reading →
This is what 5,000 meters of vertical gain looks like in Turku, Finland I like to challenge myself in December. In a previous year I did a pushup challenge. This December I signed up for a running challenge organized by Aravaipa Running (Jamil Khoury of the Barkleys Marathons) in Arizona, USA to see who could... Continue Reading →
Bridget drove me and my loads of stuff to the event in Espoo. Photo: Bridget On October 17, 2020 I participated in Big's Backyard satellite race. This post will provide a bit of background of the event followed by some notes and comments. This is more of a post-mission/operation debriefing than a race report. But... Continue Reading →
Photo: ERC Writing on August 26, 2020. I participated this past weekend in the 16th European 24-hour Rogaining Championships with Matti V. in Latvia. The competition was moved from June to August because of COVID-19. Interestingly, the Covid statistics in Latvia are actually better (meaning lower) than in Finland. Suzanne's excellent mask handiwork in a... Continue Reading →
Image: portent.com Note: Edited a few hours later to include comments on tapering. On July 10, I had my first opportunity to run 160 kilometers (100 miles) in 2020. Unfortunately, I dropped at 90km in a depressed state of self-pity and some physical anguish. My route is available here at Strava. This post discusses what... Continue Reading →
Screen shot (video below) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGpVfw_rgFg&t=1s Video at YouTube After reading John Vonhof's book Fixing Your Feet (6th edition), I began to implement his advice and collect products to help my feet stay as happy as possible during and after long running events. I live in Finland and my sister, in the USA, asked to see... Continue Reading →
Running in the heat and humidity through majestic and challenging terrain with map in hand... Let me tell you about the Markkasen Maraton hosted by the Blister Brothers. Race report below. Photo: Jaakko Lehto On Saturday morning, June 13, 2020 I traveled from Turku to a village called Röykkä in Nurmijärvi, a region north east... Continue Reading →
On March 28, 2020 I hiked up and ran down (tunkkaus) Hirvensalo about 60 times resulting in 3,000 meters of vertical gain and a distance of 30 kilometers. This video is a bit silly, but maybe it will inspire someone else to do some hill repeats? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDLCfNkUTeo
Photo: Tobias Jern On Saturday, March 7, 2020 I woke up early, packed my bags, and walked to Prisma, the local grocery store, to meet my friends, Jaakko, Esa, and Teemu. We all piled into Esa's station wagon just after 7.00 am to travel to Nuuksio Talvipäivä 6 hour Rogaining contest in Nuuksio National Park,... Continue Reading →
