Scramble fun in Snowdonia

stats of the week: run 10km, cycled 131km, gym 6h
stats of the week before: run 16km, cycled 124km

Wales offered another week of glorious weather and we could do all the planned tours. Cycling around Llyn Peninsula included some 20% obstacles while the lap around the Snowdon massif turned out to be easy.

Scrambling was the most of fun. Tryfan North Ridge was a first pleasure and the photo shows me on the top of Lliwedd, final summit of the Snowdon horseshoe, after Crib Goch, Crib y Ddysgl and Snowdon itself which all can be seen in the background. It was my 6th ascent of Snowdon (1085m), highest mountain of Wales, and I still dream of taking part in the Snowdon hill race some day.

Unfortunately I strained a muscle on this mountain tour what effected the following week of training. The year's calendar shows 2000 cycled kilometers so far and I am curious about next weekend's start at the Maratona dles Dolomites. I'd love to complete the long lap of 138km and 4,000 altitude meters but I am not sure if it will be within my capabilities.

3 hours of fun

stats of the week: run 59km, cycled 146km
stats of the week before: run run 36km, cycled 130km, gym 2h

The Man versus Horse turned out to be much tougher than I remembered. I did it once 12 years ago. The distance had be extended from 22m to 24m. And the bog was in top condition this time. May be there were even more ups and downs included. Anyway, 2002 I finished after 3:27h, this time it took me 4:28! It was great pleasure for the first 3 hours but the final 3rd of the route was a torture.

However, after a first disappointment by my performance I learned that I finshed 4th of 17 men 60+ what did actually please me. Even more, I beat 10 horses!

Northern Beauty

stats of the week: run 56km, gym 2h

I spent the weekend watching one of my most favourite marathons - Stockholm. Luckily I was able to do three nice training runs along the town's waterside.

Stockholm is not an easy marathon with a high bridge to cross twice and a good number of ups and downs that sum up to 400m of altitude difference. There is a friendly and enthusiastic crowd, one of the world's most beautiful cities, perfect organisation and the atmospheric finish at the old Olympic stadion of 1912.

The Photo shows the female winner, Isabellah Andersson of Sweden, obviously of African origin. She refused to take the offered green crown before the finish line and saved some more seconds.