RAASTO - at the heart of distance running

Last couple of days I haven´t updated my blog. I didn´t feel like it. Running felt bad because my left buttocs muscle has been really tight. It comes from tight curves on track combined with tough workouts. I have had an operation in left achilles and the contact to the ground with left foot could be better. This reflects to left SI-joint and sometimes lower back. When joint/ muscle is tight like now it makes this pop sound very often. I have had massage to my ass few times and it has helped. However the problem is still there. Stop running track- no thanks. Work on your muscles- yes. Walking hurdles is good training but when you have problems too much stress to joint is not good.

Wednesday I did 10k morning and evening 12km on treadmill 3.55 pace with Mikko. An ok exercise but legs need to get used to carpet which is being bulled of under your legs. Thurstay 8k and in the evening a speed workout 3¤4¤60m. This actually did good to my allready stiff muscles. After that my coach invited me to his home for a meeting and sauna. Sauna with heat and cold shower actually did good not to mention the good ovensandwiches. I got to see the race of the weekend on tv too. I am not ashamed because I did my best and you could see my teeth =raasto.

Today I was whole day preparing competion venue at hippos. Races start tomorrow at 10am and everything should be ready by that. My club JKU is a proud race organizer. In the evening I did a tough workout which could be characterized with a name -raastoa, tough so that funny faces and teeth can be seen. I wormed up for 15km as training brogram said with Mikko and Mikael (in the picture, silver both 1500 and 3k at indoors nationals this year). At 10k boys went their own way and I continued for 1.15min. It was supposed to be 5km fast with tired body. I started downhill fast but relaxed. I felt good but heartrate was only 155 (supposed to be 175). Soon a upphill and heartrate started to rice. I run through city centre and there was some traffic lighs. Speeding again to full speed felt good and overall feeling was really strong. At 20min of fast run I decided to take fast unit to get heart rice to 175. Ground was really icy but I was just floating. Breathing worked hard but I enjoyed the fiilinki. This is it. You are tired but endorfines makes you high. A sacrifice worth making. It will pay of one day. Tomorrow 25k and sunday 25k both in the morning before going to Hippos. Who wants to join?

Another big event is coming: the Championships for youth of 17/19/22 years indoor championships in Jyväskylä this weekend. There are over 700 athletes coming and Saturday and Sunday will be very busy days. Preparations started long time ago but now it is really hectic at the office. Making timetables, brochure, envelopes containging number bid and so on. There is no place for mistakes during competition and JKU is broud of organizing good competitions. Next June will be busiest of a year. While JKU is celebrating 70th anniversary it will organize two multievents competitions and elite games for youth with tv coverage and also a Nice Run for women. Really busy time coming up...

Today 15k in the morning and in the evening a quick visit to gym with 4+3k warm up. Yesterday 10+18k.

Today I had a privilege to run with Mr. Hass. Doctor Hass is a good friend of mine and the friendship dates back many years. Hass came to Jyväskylä from Germany to do his thesis for wellness technology. Later on he continued at university. Doctor Hass is a real distance runner and he is planning on making marathon debut this spring. I hope all the best for him!

Today I started preparing for my next destination which is Lisbon half marathon. Three weeks is not much but I think that is enough for such a long race. I prepared for indoors only for two weeks so I haven´t lost much of stamina. It´s still there and I think that I am in better shape than last year despite time at 3k was a disappointment. Revenge is topic for next race. Building stamina now is also a good thing since 10000m on track is my main distance next summer. Thirty before thirty as I said earlier.

French connection FCuk

I am back from weekends trip to Joensuu. There was Finnish championships in indoors. We went to venue area yesterday and stayed one night in a local hostel. Three guys in same room but we got along really well. There is plenty of humor in our talk and things doesnt get too serious untill an hour before race.
My race was not something I expected. Feeling was good when doing warm up. As the race started the first kilometre was a bit slow for whole group and I felt really easy. Track was 325,33 meter long and it was not easy to follow kilometre spots. I thought that to be a nice thing- no need to look at watch just follow the group. Second kilometre was also fine but after that the leading group increased pace. I tried to hang on but found it diffucult. Two laps to go and I was full of so called lactate. Same thing as last year when my half way point was crazy 4.08. Only now kilometres were about 2.51, 2.51 and 2.56. I had to realize the fact that once pace starts to slow down and you are alone there is not much you could do. On last lap I was allready far from boys I was running with and Mikko was chasing me from behind. Last 200m to go and I got some speed back and kept Mikko looking at my heels. Still I was not very happy. The point was to run below 8.30 and I did 8.38. Perhaps I should have done one race before so that my body would have been ready to tolerate lactate. The training I did was not just enough. Race prepares you for race! Oh well that race was just a candy on my way to Peking :)

Now it is again back to basics. Easy training with more kilometres. Longer tough 3k repeats and runs with medium tough speed. More training with Vesa and Erik. Kilometres and kilometres. Some gym and perhaps testing my skiis.

Perhaps I was too hars yesterday. Sorry about that. I realized that its up to me if I want to write about things. Web is open for everyone. That is one of the key things.
Today was another easy day as a preparation for next sundays 3k. Yesterday I was in Hippos halli and did once 600m and twice 400m and 200m. Then that was it. Easy and comfortable.
Today I bought an 160gb storage device for my photoes in laptop. You never know the day when ´t you start your computer and it doesn´t start. I have thousands of pictures taken and I dont want to loose them. So a small invesment for my future.

For international readers you can check from here how fast did Jukka Keskisalo run 3000m on sunday at Finnish nationals. Is the time faster than Björnars 8.01 in Globen yesterday? We see that at five o´clock local time. :)

no more joy riders

Really funny thing. I feel like I am running out of things to say. To my calculations there are about 50 people visiting my blog every day. Only about ten of them I know who they are. Some of them my personal friends but those other 40 regular visitors total strangers. So far my blog has been open to everyone to read how am I doing. I have been open and honest. When I have been happy or when I have been down you could have read about that. I don´t know if that is good or not anymore.

I just went to see the settings of blog. It turned out that I should invite each of you personally and that you should type password every time you like to read my news. TOO DIFFICULT I would say. Lets keep things simple and open. You can still surf on my site which is ok for me. Just let me know sometimes how are you doing! OK?

recovery day -normi päivä

Basic stuff

Today was the usual tough track session. It was supposed to be yesterday but hippos hall was closed. In the afternoon we were doing some lactate tests for JKU marathon club. Many times pace started with 9min/km ending 5min/km. A big challenge for these people to run trough a full marathon next summer. Many of them aiming for Finlandia marathon. Really nice work anyway to make people run 5x1km with increasing pace. By analyzing later the blood tests we hope to find out tresholds for each person.
While the tests were still going on I headed for my own test. A little bit anctious wheter the shape would be worse than last week. I feel that that the post altitude effect has gone and breathing feels normal. Also muscles are a bit stiff from running on snow. To my surprice the exercise turned out to be just good. 2x2000m repeats we run like supposed to 6.10 and 6.00. Then 5min recovery and 2¤1000m quite relaxed but fast anyway 2.48 and 2.45. Maintaining the speed I have no problem but last 200m kick with Juha I am allways being left behind. Maybe one day... Tomorrow a massage in morning and back to working business for the whole day. Now tired but happy.

Hei lenkkeilijä!

Tänään havahduin tähän maailmaan: Saavuin kämpille illansuussa melko virkein mielin ja vaihdoin lenkkikamat päälleni. Tänään saan juosta aivan omaa vauhtia- ajattelin mielessäni. Juuri niin hiljaa kuin tuntuu hyvältä. Ei kiirusta mihinkään. Päivä olikin ollut jälleen kerran työntäyteinen ja päättyi Eurooppacupin moniotteluiden palaveriin. Minulle tuli tiedottajan rooli sekä kisakanslia. Vaihdoin jalkaani vanhat vielä Dullstroomin pölystä likaiset Pegasukset. Tänään antaisin jalkojen huilia jo juostuissa tossuissa. Uudet Pegasukset tuntuvat vielä hieman kovilta. Avasin oven ja astuin pimeyteen. Kello päälle ja menoksi. Pakkasta oli vain muutama aste ja keho alkoi tuottaa lämpöä. Kurvasin vanhalle Vaajakosken tielle. Pientä loivaa nousua, mutta minnekään ei tarvitse rykiä. Kuuntelen vain omaa kehoa ja sen antamia merkkejä. Aika hyvältä tuntuu. Maanantaisin on normaalisti kova veto päivä, mutta tänään hallille oli levitetty nurmimatto palloilijoita varten. Treeni oli siirretty tiistaille. Käännyn Viherlandian suuntaan ja pidän kusitauon. Juoksu jatkuu ja saavun aikuisopiston kulmille. "Hei lenkkeilijä!" kuuluu parkissa olevasta autosta. "Missä on rockjazz koulu?" "Ei aavistustakaan vastaan pahoittelevasti." Jatkan juoksua autoilijan mutistessa jotain epämääräistä. Jään miettimään kutsuma nimeäni "hei lenkkeilijä." Sitä minä taidan todellakin olla. Harvemmin tulee asiaa enää ajateltua. Niin opittua ja urautunutta juoksu minulle on. Ehkä haluaisin tulla kutsutuksi mieluummin juoksijaksi kuin lenkkeilijäksi. Loukkaus olisi ollut, jos räkä poskessa olisin vetänyt kovaa lenkkiä ja silti tullut kutsutuksi lenkkeilijäksi! Tai vielä pahempaa hölkkääjäksi. Pieni raja nyt sentään! Elämä kuitenkin jatkui. Autoilija löysi toivottavasti etsimänsä paikan ja minä jatkoin "lenkkeilyäni" uusin ajatuksin.

Yesterday evenings fast 13k was quite good despite my legs were stiff. I started with 4min pace and ended in 3.30min pace. Heart rate was 160 -170. Good thing was that the big roads were dry and I could run partly on those. While running I was listening to local radio -SunFM and that gave an extra kick :) Today I run easy 1.55min which is supposed to be about 23km. Running didn´t feel very light but ok anyway. I did some jumps (loikkia) while running and that was nice for muscles.

The weather in the afternoon was really sunny and it felt nice. I took a ride with my fathers new car around small city of Parkano and bought some milk from local shop. Nice and relaxing to listen to Mikas new ablum. Do I like big girls was the guestion (one of Mikas songs) that the british boys allways asked me in Dullstroom (in the picture Petteri, Scott, Graham, Miika). Next time I should invite Erik for a weekend in Parkland like I have promissed. Last time I spend some time at his parents house in Zwickau and run half marathon at Germans championships in Bad Liebenzell. Erik next time we have to go and visit the factory of Trabants!

Now I am at my hometown called Parkano. This is where I moved in 1995 when I returned back from Tanzania. I went to High school of Parkano and started soon running for my club Parkanon Urheilijat at the age of seventeen. Since those days I have continued running despite one achilles operation at the end of 2005. I still believe that the best results are to come. 30min before I turn 30 is a common plan for me and Martin from Sweden.

Last year I shifted to a new club JKU which is in Jyväskylä. I have lived there for past six years. The athmosphere is really motivating and we have a group for team and relay races. The following races we plan to do coming spring and summer: Karhu viesti- road relay race, Finnish crosscountry championships and track relays. We hope for good succes!

It looks that winter has come for few days. In the morning temperature was -14c and I just did an easy morning run. In the evening I am supposed to run tough 15km, but my muscles are really stiff from cold weather. Tomorrow the usual longrun I probably run by myself since there are not many distance runners left in Parkano. Some ten years ago here used to be many really good runners about my age. Now I am the only crazy guy to run with top effort.

I challenge you my friend to come and run in 12.4.2008 Karhu viesti- relay race for 7 runners with distances between 5km and 11km.

If that one comes too soon why not to head Jyväskylä in 13.9.2008 to run 12km/half marathon/full marathon in Finlandia Marathon. Cource is flat and in 2009 there will be Finnish championships of marathon in that race. I plan to win that one and retire :)

reeni

Ohessa b-maajoukkueen/ skicatsin/ nylkyn tämän päivän reeni: Verryttelyä neljä kilometriä hallille, missä avausvetoina kolme kertaa sata metriä piikkarit jalassa. Edessä kohtuu tiukka reeni: neljä kertaa kuusisataa metriä kolmen minuutin palautuksella. Vauhdit olivat 1.39, 1.38, 1.35 ja 1.31. Hapottihan se, mutta yllättävän rentona kroppa pysyi. Juha veti toista vetoa lukuunottamatta kaikki ja sain vain peesailla. Seuraavaksi oli verryttelyä kymmenen minuuttia, jonka jälkeen viisi kertaa kaksisataa metriä rennon kovaa. Vaihdoin vetotossut jalkaan ja juoksin vedot aika tarkkaan kaikki kolmeenkymmeneen sekuntiin. Reeni meni hyvin perille. Kevyttä päkiä hyppyä vielä päälle ja punttisalin puolelle keskivartaloaa tekemään. Tein lisäksi muutaman terävän penkille nousun ja kevennyshypyn. Treeni oli paketissa hyvissä olosuhteissa tehtynä.

Hallilla näkyi tänään paljon kavereita ja se on myös paikka sosiaaliselle hengailulle. Reenin aikana ehtii läppää heittää aina muutaman sanan, eikä touhu saa olla liian vakavaa. Vaikka kaverit ovat myös kilpakavereita, niin vain kisoissa ollaan huumori pois meiningillä. Hyvää ystävänpäivää kolleegat!

ystävänpäivää!

Happy Valentines day my friend!
How are you doing? Another busy day as usual?

indoor person

Can you believe it? I saw a sun today! I was sitting in bus when this thing strike my face. It was warm and gentle. Was I dreaming? For a while I could think being in a complitely other place. Then it was back to reality. Routine of everyday life continued and it was cloudy again. In the afternoon it suddenly started snowing. Wind was blowing hard as I was trying to make my way on bike. All I could do is wonder things aroung me. Busy days and still so interested about weather.

As I went to my run with Vesa it was getting dark. I was supposed to do 80min fartleg. It went ok but road was rather slippery and my back got stiff in the end of run. We did about 10 times of 15-20 seconds sprints. As Vesa went home my running speed decreased. Motivation was gone. I just tried to make it to my house alive. I did and I am happy about that. No reason to go outside before tomorrow. Am I becoming an indoor person?

nylkkäystä -jogging

Today was a kilometer day. In the morning 10k and in the evening 20k. Evening session I did with Vesa and Erik. The boys really had a stimmunki day/ good day and they went fast. I SA our pace in runs was about 5min/km and morning runs 6min/km. Today we did about 4.20 in deadly wet snow. Ok some parts were fine to run but still far from conditions I was used to. Heart rate was very low which is good but body was tired from yesterday. I also have realized that once you get back Finland the stress of everydeay life hits you. So many things to do combined with some stress and tight schedule. Real life has started. I hate capitalism :=)

jäätävää meininkiä- freezing?

The weather in Jyväskylä is so sh**t. The snow that is left is melting now and it is all over road. Its really hard to run or drive a bike on slippery snow. Not so nice but I just gotta get used to that. After a few days it should get colder and we see how slippery it will be then.
Despite the conditions todays training was good and tough. 2x2000m 6.12 and 6.10. Then 2x1000m 2.47 and 2.47. A short recovery and 2x200m in relaxed 30 seconds. A fast training in a looong time. In fact I cant remember when I last time run below 3min pace. The speed training I have done is 60m sprints and not a single time any 200m or 400m repeats. This and next week there is some as the Finnish championships are coming. When that is over I start consentrating on half marathon in Lisbon in 16th of March. So now is a season for speed training and after two weeks its back to basics again.

Suomi Finland

Everything good ends sometime. So came an end also to my stay in South-Africa. I think I could have stayed longer but on the other hand it was good to come home Finland. Back to basics again. Flight to Nairobi went fine with Jaakko who decided to stay and train in Kenya. Then the next day flight to Helsinki I did with Simo "säippä" Wannas who had been in Eldoret Kenya during the time of troubles and is in good shape now.

My legs were not in so good condition the last weeks due to being sick. I had stomack broblems and fever for about a week so it must have affected that the last week of training I was really stiff. I was going to participate today a 1500m race here in Helsinki but my morning run showed that its wise to take it easy now. Temperature here is about +2 and no snow which is ideal for a runner. The wind feels cold though and I have to be carefull not to get flue. The Finnish nationals and a 3k race is 24th of Feb and that is my aim for now. I should get to some speed workout tomorrow at Hippos hall in Jyväskylä and hope to do some strengt training also. Massage is on tuesday morning and I hope to get my legs back to good shape. Everything is ok and new challenges are waiting. On monday some Swahili interpetation is waiting for me. Let me know if there are some English readers left! Martin?

My brother is a journalist. Here is a link to an article he wrote about photo journalism
ie. what does a photo tell you about.

SA over and out

All the good ends sometimes they say. Now it has come time to finish training camp here in Dullstroom and pack the luggage. Destination Finland. We go for the night in JoBurg because the flight is tomorrow morning.
Running has not been too good since my muscles have been just tired or a bit stiff. Maybe it dates back to time i was sick. Yesterday some sprint workout and evening easy 10k. Did not feel good. Today I was supposed to run 20k but was tired after 40min. So I decided to quit and do another easy run in the evening. Everything else is here fine and I bought last souvenirs. Also I gave some used running shoes to young guy Cristopher who allways asks for them. The rest of the shoes Jaakko will give to friends in Kenya.
So just a quick update here at OP:s office. See you soon friends!

15km aamusta seka hieronta puolen paivan aikaan. Oli jalat jo siihen malliin tukossa, etta
Tapsan apu oli tarpeen. Paivalla palkitsin itseni vanilja pirtelolla. Illalla edessa kevyt lenkki.

Eilen tuli hiukan kiire lähteä netin ääreltä pois. Tästä syystä tekstini loppu osa oli hiukan sekavaa. Toisaalta kirjoitin sen tahallaan. Treenit siis jatkuvat normaaliin malliin. Eilen parin tunnin lenkki kevyellä vauhdilla 22km ja tänään iskettiin jo aamusta reipasta. Ohjelmassa oli 12km 165 sykkeellä mikä täällä on 3.50 vauhtia. Juoksin treenin jaakon kanssa. Paluumatkalla on 40m nousua ennen kuin pääsee takaisin Dullstroomin kylään. Se siis nostaa hiukan sykettä. Paluu aika oli kuitenkin täsmälleen sama (23min+23min), koska kiristelin vauhtia loppua kohti. Meni jo tv-kovan puolelle lopussa, mutta uskon että se ei kokonaisuutta haittaa. Viimeisiä kovia kuitenkin olen tekemässä tällä mantereella. Keskiviikolle olis merkattu tonneja, mutta ei taida saada autoa käyttöön. Teen siis jaakon kanssa kuuskymppisiä.

Muuten elämä on perussettiä. Parasta siinä on että pääsen taas juoksemaan. Jalat on hiukan tukossa vieläkin, mutta parempaan suuntaan menossa. Ensi kesää odotellessa tässä yksi motivaatiokuva.

terve! ?

Jees, taas tien päällä- eka lenkki eilen sitten maanantain. Piti aloittaa heti Euroopan huipulta. Lenkki kaverina oli meinaan Janne Holmen. Lähdimme perjantain aamuna ratareeniä tekemään Jannen, Runen ja Sakariaksen kyydillä. Sakarias esitteli menomatkalla uusinta lego esitettä. Puhelias pikku, kohta viisi vuotias, veitikka. Osallistui reeneihin juosten 50m, kun minä ja Jaakko juostiin 100m. Sakarias voitti erät 4-2.
Ekaan reeniin en nyt piikkareita viitsinyt jalkaan laittaa. Juoksu oli muutenkin aika koikkelehtimista ja sykkeet pilvissä. Juoksin sellaiset 1.10 ja vetelin satasia ehkä vähän liikaakin. Jaakko juoksi 2x2000m ja 2x1000m Runen toimiessa sekunnin tarkkana kellomiehenä kuten valmentajani Antero. Ei uskaltanut Jaakko hiljennellä vauhteja, vaikka eka tonni meni reilusti alle tavoitevauhdin. Taktinen veto toi tonneihin siirtyminen :=) Eipä sen puoleen, ei kursaillut Jannekaan: 15X200m voisi pitää jo spiidwörkkinä maratoonarille. Viimeisiä kun jo vedellään alle puolen minuutin niin kovaa mies menee. Se palautuskin oli alle minuuti.... back to helicopter.... eikun pirtelölle.... terveisiä kurkoltaaaaa. d,far.,gare g.ergr

lettubileet

Viides päivä vatsatautia. Eilen aloitin antibiottikuuriin ja heti tuntui alkavan tehota. Yleensä illalla olo on ollut melko hyvä. Niin myös eilen. Poikien kanssa pistimme pystyyn kunnon illallis fiestan. Aloitimme perunoiden keittämisellä kello kuusi ja lopettelimme syömisen kymmenen maissa. Palvelija hoitaa tänään tiskaamisen :) Pääruokana kilo kunnon pihvilihaa perunamuusilla. Siihen päälle vielä Jaakon paistamia mainioita lettuja jäätelöllä ja kermavaahdolla. Hyvin meni ruoka alas ja mieli oli tyytyväinen. Ensimmäistä kertaa nukuin myös ilman kuumetta. Perinteenä on ollut nukkua tällä viikolla kymmenestä kymmeneen eli kaksitoista tuntia. Pitäisi ainakin palautua. Pojat heräilevät siinä kasin maissa ja tulevat kysymään aamulenkille. Toistaiseksi olen joutunut sanomaan – ei pysty. Huomisesta saattaa olla jo jotain toivoa. Tarjolla olisi autokyyti euroopan mestarin kyydissä Belfastin nurmiradalle. Jos en vetoja vedä niin jotain henkseleitä vois ainakin yrittää ja keskittyä olennaiseen eli valokuvaukseen. Eilen kaveri oli vetänyt 15.45 keskiarvolla viidentonnin vetoja viisi kertaa. Tarkemmin miehen reenejä voi seurata osoitteesta www.yle.fi/svenska.