12 Things In 2012

My 2012 has been a good one. Here’s 12 highlights of the year with personal photos taken by my husband and I throughout the year:

1. Traveled in Asia with my C

Because of my husband and I being from different countries we had a hard time settling down in one of the countries and decided to spend last winter “living” in Asia. I guess some people would call it traveling or backpacking but we really just decided to go a few places and really relax and to be honest, stay cheap. We did splurge some though… Through staying (in cheap bungalows) on/close to beautiful beaches and make a trip to Sumatra.. See what we did there right below(and above)!

2. Saw wild Orangutans!

During the Asia trip we had the chance to go on a three day hike in The Gunung Leuser National Park. During this wonderful time we saw no less than 6 wild orangutans (plus a lot of other amazing wildlife and BEAUTIFUL sights). This was an adventure of a lifetime and I’m so happy I got to do it.

3. Spent time in Sweden/Norway

After the 4 month trip in Asia we went to stay with my family in Sweden for a while. It was so wonderful to get to live with them and spend some quality time with all my loved ones. We went to see my family in Norway, went skiing and just had a great time. I CAN NOT wait to March when I get to spend time in the mountain cabin again, go skiing, drinking hot chocolate and playing games with my brothers and parents. OH!

4. Started running

In May 2012 I went out on my first run since… Umm.. Yeah, my first run! Inspired by staying at my parents and seeing dad leaving to do his long runs on Sunday mornings (preparation for Stockholm Marathon) I suddenly just did it. And even though it felt like I was dying for some reason I got out again.. And again, and again. And I grew to freaking love pounding the pavement and getting time to myself, to my body, to.. live. Running have made my life so much better (not that it was bad before!) and I believe in myself and my body, feel way more confident in all fields of life. AND I love my body for letting me RUN. Love it. Yes, you can tell huh?!

5. Traveled to the US

After spending a few months with my family in Sweden/Norway I returned to the US in late May (after being away since October 2011). I got to see Crater Lake in Oregon, Rouge River and fall in love with the wonderful Rainer. I also got to spend most of June in Seattle, hanging out with husband and friends, running parts of Burke Gilman trail a bunch of times. And then, suddenly the decision was made. Hawaii, here we come!

6. Moved to Hawaii

In the end of June my husband and I moved to Hawaii. It was a big change for us and a very happy moment, finally getting to settle down a little bit in something that we would be able to call a “home”. Of course, at this point I didn’t have a green card and we weren’t sure I’d actually be able to stay in the country more than a few months. But anyways, we moven into a little house and started to get to know this beautiful island and a lot of nice people along the way. We’re home here now. But in my heart I always carry my other homes, my Norwegian and Swedish roots and my lovely family over there. Miss them so much, and actually can’t wait for the new year to start so that I get to see them soon. Soon, soon!

7. Turned 30!

That’s right. I actually turned 30 during 2012. It’s unbelievable how fast time is flying by and I can honestly say that it doesn’t bother me at all being above the golden 30. I’m excited about the future and I’m happy with myself. More so than I’ve ever been before in my adult life. I say bring it on 30’s, let’s do this!

8. Got married

Yes. On the lava cliffs, with the ocean crashing in. Couldn’t be happier to be sharing my life with this man.

9. Ran my first race

Aug 18th I ran my first race! It was a wonderful day and I still get butterflies in my belly thinking about it. Race jitter nearly stopped my from running the race, but during the race I felt amazing and I had so much FUN. Couldn’t believe I actually finished and did better that I’d ever thought I could in that first race. You can read more about my Rainforest Run 10k here.

10. Got my green card

In December I took my husband and went to Honolulu to go through the last process of my immigration journey. And everything went well, so for Christmas I got my actual GREEN CARD in the mail. It looks great, it feels great and now I can’t wait to move on with life in the US with my man. Big, important happening during 2012!

11. Spent Christmas with my husband and our cat – in a HOME

After spending the last two Christmases “on the road” (traveling in Thailand) and not really getting a feel for the Christmas it felt so good to finally being able to decorate and have Christmas dinner and just be… Home, together for Christmas!

12. PR’d

To be honest, starting running in May I didn’t even think I’d be able to finish a 5k training run. And here I am a while later thinking that maybe, maybe I could actually work my way down to a 5k in 25 minutes in the near future. How crazy is that?!

Well, the two last races of the year, Dec 22nd and 30th, ended up being good ones for me. Ok, all races I’ve done so far have been good ones – it’s just so much fun to race (even though I get nervous like hell before)! 10k and 5k. During the first part of 2013 I don’t have time to work on PR’s in these distances because… I’m focusing on finishing my first Half. But after that… I’m going for faster shorter runs again! And I’m ready to train hard. Believe me :)

And the summary of all this:

I’m ending the year and starting the new year with belly butterflies and a feeling of hope for the future!

HAPPY NEW YEAR

to you, my dear

irl/blog/twitter

friends out

there!

Thank you all for support, motivation and inspiration. You are all amazing and I’m happy to have you.

<3

A Great Start Of The New Year – ENERGYbits

While most of us have been giving gifts to our left and right for Christmas I feel like it’s important to remember ourselves that we actually don’t need a special day or a special reason to give a gift to someone we care about (like family, friends or.. ourselves!). I’m going to give you a great idea for a gift to start out the new year with. I know I’m going to stay #poweredbybits this coming year and I am happy I am!

Why?

ENERGYbits® are the hottest high performance protein to hit the athletic community and have won a coveted spot as the most preferred fuel for athletes and weekend warriors. But before you turn up your nose at the thought of buying food as a gift for your favorite athlete, you should know that ENERGYbits® are not your average protein snack. They are made from 100% organic spirulina algae, which, according to NASA boasts a thousand times more vitamins and the highest concentration of protein in the world. No wonder algae has been used by NASA astronauts and Olympic athletes for decades. These nuggets of nutrition are in a class all their own. And it’s definitely first class.

ENERGYbits® are easy to take and since they are packaged so elegantly, they make your gift giving a breeze. At just one calorie per tab, they also make a perfect low calorie, high-energy snack for anyone on the go, not just athletes. When swallowed (or chewed) by the handful, ENERGYbits® are instantly absorbed so they satisfy hunger, stop fatigue and provide a steady supply of energy for hours, all for just a few calories.  With more protein than steak, more beta carotene than carrots, more iron than spinach, more chlorophyll than wheatgrass and 40 vitamins, it’s no wonder ENERGYbits® are considered more than a super food but a “perfect food.”

As Catharine Arnston , Founder and CEO of Bits of Health explains, “algae’s nutritional pedigree is so impressive that The World Bank, The United Nations, NASA and Olympic athletes have declared it “the most nutritious food in the entire world.” With this kind of endorsement, you have to ask yourself, who wouldn’t want a bag of ENERGYbits® this year?”

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1x9Hz)

That should be answer enough? If not I can tell you that since I’ve been starting to use these green bits I’ve noticed a big difference not just in my energy levels but in endurance and performance in general. I take 30-40 of the bits with water about 15-20 minutes before I hit the road for my runs and I no longer have to deal with a “down” around the 2-3rd kilometre of the run. I cruise on by and feel strong in both body and mind for a longer period of time. Because of the bits being full of minerals and vitamins too I’ve stopped taking my normal muli vitamin pill and have stopped franticly looking for an electrolyte product that will work with my stomach. The bits are giving me electrolytes on top of that nice extra energy (without a “crash”)! AND, me being one of those with a sensitive stomach I’m happy to say that they aren’t messing with my poor little belly AT ALL!

Great stuff! And as you can tell when visiting their website, there are two other kinds of bits too. RECOVERYbits, which consists of 100% chlorella algae, SKINNYbits which consists of 100% spirulina algae, and VITALITYbits which consists of 50% spirulina and 50% chlorella algae.

So if you feel like trying the bits out or give them to someone who are worth a great start of the new year – head on over to ENERGYbits, choose your bag of bits and use the promotion code EVELINRUNS to get 15% off your order. I’d say go ahead, take the leap and give the wonderful green little bits a go!

“Big Dog’s New Year’s Resolution 5k Run” – Race Recap

This, the last Sunday of 2012 was a race day for me. I’ve decided to get as many races in as possible to get used to dealing with my nerves and just running a race and today I got to run a fund raising 5k for the food bank in Hilo, HI (the registration fee was ($5 or a canned good”). Big Dog is the nick name of Wayne Joseph who is a big name here on the Big Island when it comes to the running (and sports in general).

This was a cute little race with a lot of (ok, maybe not more than 100) happy runners/walkers joining in on a grey and rainy Sunday morning. My husband and I got up and driving around 5.30am and got to the start/finish meet up place on Coconut Island in Hilo approximately 45 minutes before the start. As we all got ready to start running/walking the rain wasn’t too bad but let me tell you it got worse after the race started. I got SOAKED through all clothes and had to “squeeze” water out of my shirt three times during the five k’s. Even running in Seattle rain seems like nothing when compared to today’s rain..

As always before a race I got nervous and I did my best to keep thinking “this is not a serious race, just run your 5k’s and be happy you’re doing it” and “forget about finishing time, just get through the course” and as I lined up for the start I realized I was surrounded by people way more serious than I – and that became even more apparent as the start signal went off – people around me took off SO fast and I got caught up in it for about 500m before I managed to slow myself down and “do my own race”. And after that I did. I enjoyed running in my new Brooks PureConnect – they feel great! So light and easy to run fast in!

The rain kept falling on us out on the course, harder and harder, and at the end I started to get a little bit ennoyed with my shirt for sticking to my body like glue.. But whatever, I enjoyed being out there meeting (passing/getting passed by) a bunch of happy runners. There were a lot of cheering from runner to runner out there and that is always nice! In general, I think we should take the time and energy to smile with and cheer on each other – even when it comes to racing.

My dear husband was a trooper standing in the rain (trying to get away from it under a tree) waiting for me to finish. He might not be a master with the camera but he managed to capture some of my moves going toward the finish line. With all the blur going on you might actually be fooled to think that I’m faster than I am?! My finishing time for the 5K was 25.46 and that is… A PR!

Soaked but very content with my race I got into the car (REALLY happy I had brought a dress and a pair of dry undies, which I quickly changed into right there on the parking lot on Coconut Island) and got going to Starbucks for the usual post-race coffee.

My last words for today (and I’m not going to be ashamed of it): I’m so freaking proud of myself! When I started running in May I could barely run more than 1 mile and here I am running 5k in 25.46 and 10k in 58.23?! I rock!

Half Marathon Training is ON!

Since I ran my first race back in August I’ve been thinking of doing a Half Marathon. The longer I’ve been thinking of it the more I’m craving it. I want to finish a Half. I am going to finish a Half!

Because of a trip to Sweden already being planned for March 18th I’m having a hard time deciding and registering for my Half. You see, I have my mind set on doing my Half in March/April and because of that trip over to Sweden I feel like the way to go is to “get it done” before the trip. Can’t even imagine how hard it would be to finish up training for the Half by not only traveling half way around the world, but also from a tropical climate to a very cold Sweden. No, I don’t even have the right running gear to be running (and preparing for a Half) in temperatures down to -20F and tons of snow in Sweden.

Anyways, knowing that I’m going to leave for Sweden approximately March 18-19 I have two options for running a Half here in Hawaii:

The Hapalua in Honolulu, March 10th

Hilo International Marathon (But the Half of course), March 17th

I’d really LOVE to be able to do The Hapalua, but because of my husband and I having to deal with a move and finding jobs (and not to mention the giant task ahead of me: getting a Drivers Licence!) we’re not sure we can afford to go to Honolulu for the race. Even though this would be a great layover on our way to Seattle and connecting flights to Europe (plus an opportunity to spend some time with friends in Seattle before we take off to my family) I can’t really seem to convince C that it’s a great plan (you see, this is why I’m wishing my husband was as into running as I am). I’m stressing about it because if we booked everything here soon we’d get tickets/hotel stay a little bit cheaper.

The other way for me to get my Half in is to drive across the Island and do the Hilo Half. This is fine with me, but it will be VERY stressful (if even possible) to catch connecting Sweden flights in Seattle March 18th or 19th. I’m afraid that if this will be my first Half, I’ll spend most of my trip back home slowly recovering from my 13.1 miles instead of being able to actually enjoy the fact that I’ve finished (well, hopefully) my Half.

Whatever happens I’m already on top of my shit. I started on a 12 (with one added week making it a 13 week) training program for the Half. I was feeling kind of rushed while picking one and so far I feel like I might have been better off using a little “tougher” training plan then the one I chose. After asking on Twitter a lot of people recommended following one of Hal Hidgon’s training programs and as I looked into them I started on the “Novice 1” not knowing that there was a “Novice 2” to chose from too for beginner Half programs.. I know the Novice 1 is going to pick up here soon but these first two weeks I’ve felt lazy and kind of bored because of the short runs I’ve had scheduled.

I might mix the program up a little in a few weeks, maybe changing to the Novice 2. I have to see how I feel when I actually get somewhere with this.. Another thing I spend a lot of time thinking of and worrying about a little is how I’ll get the training program timed for one or another of the Half Marathons, thinking of the fact that they’re one week apart.

If any of you out there has any recommendations or advices for me going towards my first Half – bring it on! I’m more than happy to take help from fellow runners. Always.

Tell me about your 2012

As we’re going towards the end of the year I’ve been spending a lot of times thinking of what a great year this has been. A lot of good things have happened but one of the best things was that I actually started running. Since I started in May I’ve been gaining confidence, strength and better health. Running have made me a better person.

Through Meg over at Run.Fit.Kin I found this blogpost where Miss Zippy is asking six questions about running in 2012. So here you go, my answers:

 

• Best race experience? I’ve done three races so far. Two 10k’s and one 5k. They’ve all been great experiences and as a new runner I’ve learned so much from each and every one of them. But to be honest, even though I did very good in my last race the first one I ran is the one that’s really sticking out. The Volcano Rain Forest Runs 10k, August 18th, was a great start of my journey when it comes to races. I finished (even though I thought my nerves would stop me on the way there), I got a better finishing time that I could’ve dreamt of being the first race and I had so much fun! As I walked back to the car I called my dad back in Sweden and cried. My emotions were everywhere – I was happy, exhausted, proud, homesick and amazed by myself. Dad has been my motivation and inspiration since day one of my running journey and it felt sooo good being able to call him and tell him all about my first race!

• Best run? I had a glorious run one sunny fall day in Seattle. To change my running routes up a little bit I took the bus to the famous walking/running spot Green Lake. The air was crisp, the sun felt great and I was flying during that run. Definitely a “run happy” moment! After the run I felt so great I actually decided to run the 5k back to my friends house instead of getting on the bus as planned.

• Best new piece of gear? Since all my running gear is new this is a tough one. I’d say what I’ve been getting the most usage on is my Under Armour shorts which are my go-to bottoms for the warm climate here in Hawaii. I’ve also used the shit out of my grey top that I got on sale at Target. And of course, I can’t NOT mention the Garmin Forerunner 405cx and the Asics Gel-Neo33 that I’ve been running in since late July. Even though it might not really be considered “gear” I want to mention ENERGYbits too. I lost a lot of weight when I started running and it left me having problems fueling good enough for my workouts/runs. Since I started using these algae bits I’ve been doing great! I no longer have to worry about fueling enough, they really carry me through my runs (so far at least, I have yet to start running longer distances where fueling mid-run will be necessary. The bits will definitely come with me though, so I’m sure I’ll be fine!).

 

• Best piece of running advice you received? Through Twitter I’ve been getting so many great tips from fellow runners. It’s amazing to have so many people out there sharing their experiences and helping me out whenever I have a question. So thank you all!  What I’ve really been thinking of, both while doing training runs and races, is to try to keep my pace down. I have a tendency to speed a little bit too much leaving me fatigued faster than necessary. During my last race I managed to really save my energy for the last stretch which saved me and helped me PR due to the hilly course (that I wasn’t prepared for).

 

• Most inspirational runner? As mentioned earlier my dad is my main inspiration when it comes to running. Without watching him finishing x amount of marathons, cheering for him mid course on his marathons and following his preparations for his races I probably would never have started running. He’s so supportive and gives me great advice whenever I’m in need of help with my running. I just wish we will be able to do a race together soon (even though he’d be faaar ahead of me)!

 

• If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be? FUN. Challenging. Inspired.

 

 

 

Q: Do you want to tell us about your 2012? Yes, do it! Grab the questions and blog away!

It sure was a Merry Christmas!

In my adult life Christmas haven’t been one of my favorite times of the year. But the last 5 years or so it’s been coming back to me slowly. This was the first Christmas my C and I spent together in somewhat a home (yes, we’re renting a tiny little house but it’s still a home). We’ve been decorating and preparing food and desserts and we’ve also been trying to figure out a way for us to make our own traditions – a mix between Swedish, Norwegian and American traditions. I’m guessing it will take a few years until we really have our own way of doing all those together. But for now we had Christmas dinner (including American style ham, stuffing, candied jams, Swedish meatballs, pickled herring and pea salad) and gift opening on Christmas Eve and then stockings plus brunch on Christmas Day. I totally forgot to use the camera so these photos from my phone is all I have:

Christmas Cat

Christmas gift from C

No snow covered pine trees, but weird looking trees and a grey rainy day.

Just before heading to sleep at Christmas Day (sooo tired) I laced these shoes on and suddenly I just wanted to go for a run instead of sleeping. LOVE them!

Very tired after two long days of celebrations. But happy.

Today I got to run in the bright shoes. Felt very different compared to my Asics but still very good.

Finally got my Oiselle shorts out running. Thanks to Meg!

RayBand Wayfarer’s! My first REAL pair of sunglasses. Thank you C!

Post run carrot/tangerine juice. Made in my very own juicer which was hiding under the tree for Christmas Eve.

It’s been a wonderful Christmas. I enjoyed all the food, the Christmas movies and the smiles and laughter I got to share with my husband and our friend and neighbor Kathy. We all got great gifts too! My stack of gifts makes me smile, just to mention a few gifts: running shoes (the wonderfully bright and happy Brooks PureConnect), running socks, sport bras, an awesome juicer and weights to make my home workouts a little more challenging. I also got my favorite board game Scrabble so from now on my husband is going to start hating me because I’ll be wanting to beat him in this fun game EVERYDAY!

Another highlight of the Christmas was to get to Skype with my whole family back home. Sharing Christmas with them is something I’m wishing for the next Christmas. We’ll see if we can make that happen.

 

As Christmas is over and the New Years is coming up I feel excited to keep planning my coming running adventures. And to continue to eat healthy and work towards being the best me I can possible be.

 

 

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you move on to the next year with even more happy memories in your backpacks!

 

“Survive The End Of The World 10K” Race Recap and BondiBand Giveaway Winners

Today was the day of my third race ever. I’ll tell you all (I can remember) about it. Here goes:

The “End of the World 10K” race started in Kona at 7am. We do not live in Kona, so we had approximitaly 1 1/2 hour of driving to get there. Therefore, alarm set for 3.45am Let me tell you neither my husband or I was stoked about getting up that early to get in the car and get going. It was dark, cold and I was grumpy. OK, we both were. But off we went and the drive was dark and felt long..

A lot of music and not too much talking took us into Kona. After a stop at Starbucks (coffee for C, restroom visit for me) we headed down to Ali’i Drive and the spot where I thought the race would start. Getting there we realized that I was wrong and we started driving around looking for the start… We finally found it at about 6.15 and as we parked and I suddenly realized that the course for the 10K would be COMPLETELY different than what I had in mind I had a meltdown in the car. With thoughts like “I can’t run hills”, “There’s only a few people running the race, I’m going to finish LAST (if I even finish)” spinning in my head I decided not to do the race.. Then I remembered all the awesome runner tweeps on Twitter who are doing their races, beating their nerves and getting out there racing and also cheering ME on as I go further on my running journey and realized that I had to do this race. Husband agreed and reminded me of how disappointed I would be with myself if I backed out of doing the race last minute. So, I laced my shoes on and walked down to the start and registered.

After registering and getting my race number I was so nervous and had to run to the restrooms a couple of times and try to focus on.. Whatever else than running, really. During these 45 minutes waiting for the start I actually let my husband get a photo of me. Amazing! Can’t say that I was stoked, I pretty much just wanted to run away (hide in the water or just run back into Kona downtown to hide from the whole race thing. I can’t be the only one starting to compare myself to other runners gathering up to do a race? I see all these super fit and totally calm people around me and I can’t help but feeling like I’m not a “real runner” (what IS a “real runner”, really?!)..

Suddenly all that time had passed and it was time to line up for the start. During my meltdown in the car I had come to realize that I forgot my armband for the iPhone at home (of course I found this a reason to back out and head back home without doing the race during the meltdown) so I tried to set my iPhone up for a ride in my bra (no, it didn’t work very well..) and I started listening to music before the start to space everything else out. Obviously I look totally lost while doing so:

And I was off. Totally planned to go slow (about a 6-6.30 min/k pace) for the first 3k and thought I’d manage to do so when I found a spot behind two ladies just after the start. But… As the first hill arose they slowed down and I had to pass. I still kept my pace down pretty good I’d say, and when the first downhill came I was relieved. I thought that I’d get some flat or at least semi flat running after that downhill.. But NO, it ended up being a dead end, so back up the hill we went. And than some more incline and some more, and than a decline (which I right away realized would be another turnaround again meeting other runners as I enjoyed speeding down the hill). And this was the course. UP, DOWN, UP, DOWN etc. Pretty much the whole way!

After about 3k my phone would not stay in my bra anymore and started sliding down my back. I decided to rearrange and tied my shorts on tighter and thought the phone would stay put in the lining but… After a little bit I had the phone jumping around inside my shorts… Not great as you might understand. I tried putting it back in the front of my bra, not working. At last I decided to just hold it in my hand (I don’t like having my hands occupied while running, but I made it work) for the rest of the race.

[Anyways, I hung in there and had fun running. Felt strong and confident and with 2,8k left I realized that I had one downhill left and I had a shot at a PR (sub 1:02:00) and I went for it. As always, looking back I think I could’ve pushed it a little bit longer and faster but I did finish with a PR. 58:23 was the official time and could not be happier!

Photo from Waverider Triathlon Club

After the race I enjoyed some fruit and sports drink and then I got my Starbucks coffee (I’d been looking forward to that cup of coffee from the moment I woke up..) and breakfast on the way back home. I had a great day and I’m so happy my meltdown didn’t have me back down and chicken out!

And now something completely different..

I had a giveaway with two BondiBands earlier. After the giveaway finished I used random.org to pick the winners and here they are:

Alex

Stacie (skippinginseattle.wordpress.com)

Email me your address (email: evelinruns at gmail.com) and I’ll get the hairbands in the mail ASAP. Hope you’ll enjoy them and keep on running happy!

Thank you for entering the giveaway. Please come back for more, I have a few giveaways to host in the near future.

I’m Surviving the End of the World tomorrow

So I’m running my third race tomorrow. Before the break of dawn my husband and I are getting up, into the car and driving the 1 1/2 hour to Kona. At 7am I’ll be at the start line for my second 10K race. I am nervous, but I’ve decided to just do this. I’m not aiming at a PR (but let’s be honest, don’t we all kind of want to do as good as freaking possible in all races), I’m going to have fun. And finish!

The race I’m doing is called “End of the World” and is arranged by Waverider Triathlon Club which is an organisation with the purpose of “encourage students of Kealakehe High School to live a healthy and active lifestyle”. Pretty cool and very suitable thinking of the location. Big Island and Kona is, as we all know, one of the greatest spots when it comes to triathlon competitions (IRONMAN).

I’m looking forward to run down Ali’i Drive and being able to look at the ocean as I run (my normal view is… lava.. and ocean in a distance).

But anyways. I AM nervous and this is what I did to calm my nerves this afternoon:

I’ve also been drinking tons of water and indulging in a LOT of chocolate (because… I’m worth it). Great preparations for tomorrow’s run.

 

Q: Anyone else out there doing a race this weekend? If so, good luck and HAVE FUN!