Nice run today, 17 km in 1h30.

This afternoon, I ran around Ulriksdals Slott and then continued running around Brunnsviken. I estimate that the run was about 17 km in length. I ran it in exactly one and one half hours. I was really exhausted at the end. I went shopping for groceries and felt like I might faint in the store. Okay, it wasn't actually that bad; I still don't quite know how I'm going to manage 42 km less than eight weeks from now when I run the Stockholm Marathon.

I had planned to keep runing through the whole winter, but that plan was interrupted when I came down with a bad cold. I haven't done any serious long distance training for two months now. I guess considering that I haven't run in two months, a non-stop run of 17 km isn't too bad. I'm going to try to run all the way around Edsviken next weekend (22 km), and then do two laps around Brunnsviken with a turn around Ulriksdals Slott the weekend after that (30 km). I hope that if I run a few short runs during the week, I'll be able to keep my body accustomed to it. I don't think I'll run much more than 30 km until the marathon itself. I'm also going to run the Kungsholmen Runt half-marathon on 14 May. That will probably be my last run of any considerable length before the marathon on 4 June.

During today's run, I felt really good almost until the end. There are some hilly parts that go over uneven terrain through the woods, and it was hard to keep a solid footing after having run 15 or so kilometers. Next time, I might run the other direction around the lake so that I run over the tough terrain first. Then again, if my next run around Brunsviken involves two laps, I'll have to handle that terrain when tired anyway. There's a way around the tough part; maybe I'll opt for that shortcut on the second lap.

It was about 9-10 C outside when I ran, and I wore just shorts and a t-shirt. The wind chilled my fingers a bit, but otherwise I felt fine. Once I get moving, I don't really notice the cold. When I got around to the South side of the lake, it was really lovely and warm because the sun was out and shining brightly.

I've just finished a great dinner -- one of my favorites: bratwurst, mashed potatoes, and sauerkraut served with a nice cold beer. At my request, the butcher at the local ICA store was kind enough to stock real German bratwurst. It's much better than the Swedish stuff labled "bratwurst." After the run and this meal, I don't think I'll have any difficulty sleeping tonight.