In my top ten of Things that annoy me when I go for a run, men making 'funny' remarks, and dogs, feature prominently.  But a well deserved third place is reserved for big groups of cyclists. They look like a swarm of evil insects, as they race towards me. Swarms of cyclists And there must have been some sort of race today, because I ran into several swarms of cyclists! Dressed in speedy looking helmets, and fluorescent shirts sporting as many company logos as possible. They made the bike path I was running along decidedly scary. Gesture But then I saw something: the cyclist in the fron ..read more

Reading about running motivates me! So I made a list of my 6 favorite books about running. My top 5 running books The Courage to Start, John Bingham. I love the fact that before he discovered the joy of running he was mowing his lawn on one of those lawn mowers you can sít on. That's how lazy he was. The Complete book about running, Jim Fixx. My my favorite part is where he tells about his first run. He just put on some old boots and off he went. The Complete book of Running for Women, Claire Kowalchik. This is the book that got me started as a runner! The training programme inside t ..read more

I often feel a bit like a fraud when I tell people I run. Even though I do. I've been a runner for twelve years, and I run at least 4 times a week. I still feel like someone is suddenly going to jump out, point his finger and shout: 'She's a fake!' Luckily I have my running shoes to assure me I really ám a runner. Hole in the heel of my Saucony Progrid running shoes. Again! I had worn a hole in the heel of my Saucony Progrid running shoes. Again. Whenever I wore them, I got a blister. So I alternated between my Merrell and Progrid Mirage running shoes, to give my poor feet a break. But sin ..read more

Now there's yet another thing mom's can be blamed for! Brace yourself, here it comes:  Moms may be a contributing factor to the country's rampant growth of obesity. How come you ask? Let me tell you. Moms move their bodies about 11 hours less per week A certain professor Archer studied 50.000 activity logs. These activity logs were collected by the American Heritage Time Use Study over an impressive period of 45 years. Activity logs were then compared.  And it turns out moms with children aged between 5 and 18 move about on average 20,9 hours per week. That doesn't sound ..read more

One of the things I like about running is the cheap thrills it offers me!I boldly go where many have gone before. But so what?! In the gym that is the world, I regularly find new and exciting new routes, which give me that great feeling of boldly going where no one has gone before. Right now my gym is decorated for winter. The trees show me their barren branches. And the houses are decorated for Christmas. My Granny's run I named my newest route after Granny's in honor of this coffee place called Granny's where I grab my cup of coffee after 5 kilometers. Seeing the sights There are lots of ..read more

As a runner, dogs and their owners are the bane of my life.  Especially dog owners who have their dogs on one of those extendable leashes, which they only use to extend.  Dog owners Nót to pull their sex crazed dog back when it starts humping my poor innocent legs. But apparently things can get worse, because today a dog tried to get a whiff of my crotch, and its male owner said:  'Don't do that boy! It's probably real nice, but it's not allowed.'  I was stunned by such ungentlemanly behavior.  With such an owner, you almost can't blame the dog.  Almost ..read more

I was both moved, and motivated when I watched Ben Davis' 'My 120 pound journey'. Motivational video  First I was all 'Awwww, how cute' when I saw a little Ben, and then I got choked up when I saw how little Ben turned into Big Ben. As the video continued I was impressed by how Ben took his life into his hands, and made it work. I've been suffering from Winter Blues, but this video really helps to get me motivated again. It shows everything that is great about running, and how running can help you lead a better life. So if you'll excuse me:  I simply must go for a run. Rig ..read more

The kids are home from school. Again. And I'm busier than ever. Again. Who am I? This morning when I woke up, I thought to myself: 'Who ám I?!' And I wasn't sure what the answer was. When this happens I know just what to do: I go out for a run. And not just any kind of run, but a Mindful Run. Time to go for a mindful run and find myself! So I scrolled through my music list, ignoring my beloved Country and Western songs, and chose the 'Mindful Running Podcast'. This podcast consists of a pyramid run: you start by running 1 minute, then walking 1 minute, building up to a grand total of 3 mi ..read more

I found myself trying out a new route, covering 12 miles.  I had never run away from home 12 miles before. So I took my mobile with me, to call my husband when I'd arrived, so he could come and get me. Running where I had not gone before   Covering 12 miles, going where I had not gone before, made me feel nervous. And that was kind of funny, because I run 12 miles all the time, only I usually do it in 2 stages. I run 6 miles from home, have a cup of coffee, and then run home 6 miles. I know I can do 12 miles, and yet this was making me nervous. It brought home to me the power of ..read more

With a heartbeat of 175, caused by a mixture of effort and fear, I galloped along that 'cute little trail' I couldn't resist. But it kept winding further and further away from the nearest road. My mind already began thinking up the headlines:  'Female runner found murdered on cute little trail' and experts shaking their heads saying: 'Curiosity killed this female runner dead.' Just when I thought I really should just turn around, the path suddenly became wider and I found myself once again in the world of the living. What sweet relief! Especially since I absolutely hate 'turning bac ..read more