Tor on Marathon

Helsinki City Marathon 2012

By Tor Rønnow on Saturday, August 25, 2012

I have had my eyes on Helsinki City Marathon for quite some years, in fact, so I was excited to finally go there. I must say that I am a little mixed in my evaluation of the race, I feel a bit cheated on “City” and the fact that HCM is supposed to be a Capital Marathon – after all, Helsinki is the Capital of Finland !

On the other hand, reviewing the pictures I took it looks rather diverse in the stuff you pass by and for sure it was a warm and lovely day with blue sky and lots of sun.

The full picture report is here: Helsinki City Marathon 2012 in pictures

Marathon

Challenge Copenhagen ECCO BIOM Marathon 2012

By Tor Rønnow on Friday, August 17, 2012

So, after 255 marathons you may ask if running marathons is still funny and still possible to experience something new ?

YES !

Actually, every race exists in it’s own right and no two days are the same. But still, some events stand more out than others. Obviously. And let me tell you about a marathon that I will remember for quite a while, namely the marathon within the Challenge Copenhagen Ironman event, the ECCO BIOM Marathon. I participated on a relay team and had, surprise, the marathon “task”. Hey, WHAT a fun thing to tun a marathon in a completely different context than usual. I started day the by watching the Ironmen cycling nearby my home…

…. and only several hours later I found myself in action.

The event was extremely well organized and the day was very warm and sunny and despite a rather severe stomachache I managed to prevail and thus cross the finish line together with my team mates Bettina Honoré and Anders Adrian. Thanks for a wonderful experience and well done (swmming, bicycling) !

I really recommend the Challenge Copenhagen event, see you next year !

See all the pictures here: Challenge Copenhagen ECCO BIOM Marathon 2012

PS: Gotta share this picture from the race 😉

Copyright Martin Paldan.

Spirituality

The Flux of Life and Matter

By Tor Rønnow on Saturday, August 11, 2012

Watch the video above in full screen and 720 dpi resolution. You may think WTF, nothing is going one here and this is seemingly the case. Yet, this video contains everything you would ever want to know about our existence. Let me share my thoughts.

I remember at age 6 sitting by this very spot in the Norwegian mountains, it was an unusually sunny and warm day and I was together with my granddad on my mothers side. I remember thinking exactly what I will write in the following. I was thinking that sitting by this peaceful and soothing “river” was a unique moment never to come back. I was filled with love to Nature and to experience the calmness that only mountains can give you. I was thinking that this water would keep on running for years and centuries in complete disregard of mine nor my grandfathers nor anybodies existence (indeed, he, and my father, died the following year), in complete neglect of our feelings, dreams, hopes, lives. I found this to be a great comfort ! That the flux of Life and Matter continues long after the short visit we Humans pay on Earth. People may be born and raised and die, wars may be fought, Kingdoms may be destroyed, the water keeps on running, the Flux of Matter continues. Uncaringly.

So, “what matters ?” did I think. “Does anything ?”. The answer was all around me. The warmth of the sun, the love of my grandfather, the sounds and the mountain we had to concur that day. Our little goals in life, insignificant to the vaster landscapes but important to us. The belonging to time and place. The thought that we just exist, that we cannot fail. That the water will keep on running anyhow. That you need to love the stuff you are doing, that you have to caretake and collect the unique moments of Life, not beceause they matter much but because they matter to you.

I have visited this little river many times since in my Life and revisited these thoughts. And even though the old Indian saying goes that “you cannot swim in the same river twice” (the river has changed and so have you) I still find myself back at age 6 and in the same comfort that Nature is at fix and that everything worth knowing always have been and always will be, that I have been fortunate enough to understand, that the mountains will outlive me, that one sunny day may represent an eon and make up for insights and feelings to remain for a lifetime.

So please understand: The Flux of the elements is eternal – we are not. Use your Time with Love and Wisdom.

Marathon

Marathon #250 – Nykredit Copenhagen Marathon 2012

By Tor Rønnow on Saturday, May 26, 2012

Woo, I turned 25 – again !

This past sunday I had the privilege to enjoy my most memorable marathon of all time, the truly outstanding Nykredit Copenhagen Marathon 2012. The weather was beatifully sunny and a bit on the warm side, but the route was spectacular and the crowds absolutely amazing !

I was, as last year, tracked in real time and had different kinds of media attention as well, cf. the picture story: Nykredit Copenhagen Marathon 2012 – pictures

Thus, my list of 25’s look like this:

25 27.08.2006 Landskrona (Sweden) Pictures
50 30.06.2007 Kristianopel (Sweden) Pictures
75 20.04.2008 Zürich (Switerzerland) Pictures
100 02.11.2008 Skovmaren (Denmark) Pictures
125 26.04.2009 London (England) Pictures
150 19.09.2009 Vänersborg (Sweden) Pictures
175 21.03.2010 Rome (Italy) Pictures
200 22.08.2010 Blokhus (Denmark) Pictures
225 24.07.2011 Skinnermarathon (Denmark) Pictures
250 20.05.2012 Copenhagen Marathon (Denmark) Pictures

Prague Marathon 2012

Actually, I had a busy running week up to my jubileum in Copenhagen. First, I ran the also spectacular BMW Prague Marathon Sunday 13th May 2012, the route was quite tough for a large city marathon, I think, and with cobblestones and tram tracks as obstacles. But hey, what a beautiful city to visit !

Prague Marathon 2012 – pictures

Kalkmine Marathon 2012

Then Thursday (!) came a very special event, the infamous Limestone Marathon (Kalkmine Marathon) in Jutland, Denmark, one of the toughest marathons in Denmark for sure, technically difficult to say the least and heaps of fun too, visiting two limestone mines in toto 8 times along the route !!!

Kalkmine Marathon 2012 – pictures

What a week !

Marathon

Hamburg and Vienna City Marathon

By Tor Rønnow on Sunday, May 6, 2012

The spring months April and May generally feature great European city marathons such as in Paris, Rotterdam, London, Vienna and Hamburg. This year I have been fortunate enough to participate in and complete the latter two. Indeed, great running events and indeed great experiences for the soul.

Firstly, I had a great trip to Vienna, Austria, with three of my best running mates, all of them very strong and experienced runners and together we actually passed a total number of 1002 marathons on race day ! I had hoped to compete a little but I was put aside by both cramps and, well, simply better performances than my own. Especially memorable from the race was the impressive pasta party at the City Hall in Vienna (Rathaus)…

… and the scenic finish. The course is generally flat and the race has exploded in number of participants clearly making it one of the larger city marathon events in Europe.

Vienna City Marathon 2012 – pictures

Two weeks later came Hamburg Marathon and here I had really hoped to secure a new personal best time. I was, once again, sadly disappointed to that end, the clock said 3.51.57, just about 6 minuttes worse than in Vienna. But ok, out of 247 marathon times April 2012 recorded my 3, 4, 5 and 6’rd best times overall.

Hamburg Marathon is one of the faster ones and is renowed for the fantastic crowds along the route. The passing of the harbor area is the ultimate peak of the trip…

… and as a Dane it is impossible not to become quite energized by the many danish spectators cheering the +1500 countrymen though the 42 K.

Hamburg Marathon 2012 – pictures