Wow, what a morning

Posted on March 8, 2023•By John Kraijenbrink•Column

The world is white again. It’s the first week of March, but I’m running in the snow. Not in Austria, or Switzerland, but in the Netherlands, in Bergeijk. How cool is that? What a morning!

I’ve told you before, snow has something magical. When the whole world turns white, it looks so peaceful. All that snow on the branches in the forest makes me feel like running through a painting. No wonder I’m always happy to go for a run, when it’s snowing.

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I am crazy

Okay, I admit. That’s probably my thing. When I asked Sara this morning if she wanted to come for a run, she looked at me like I had gone crazy. After my run, I opened Instagram to post a new story, and I saw more people complaining about the horrible weather. I thought it was beautiful.

Yes, I am looking forward to spring as well. We had too many grey days in the Netherlands in these last couple of months. They get me down. I hadn’t missed Spain – where Sara and I lived for 5 years – so far, but last winter I wished a few times we were in Spain again. Longer days, more light, more sun. I don’t like grey, but I do like white. That’s why I thought this morning: ‘Wow, what a morning.’

Last long run

I had to go for a longer run, 15 kilometers, so I could enjoy the snow for a long time. It was hard, sloughing through the fresh snow. Maybe a little harder than planned, but that’s okay. I’ve got 10 more days before my first ultra in Sussex, and this was my last long run. From now on I won’t run further than 10 kilometers. That way my legs can rest.

I told you last Sunday that I’m not going to change anything in my routine before Sussex. That’s not totally true. There is one thing I like to change, and that is my energy gels. I use Maurten. I like those gels. However, I can’t have too many of them. I am not a fan of too many sweets. So on these last runs I’m going to experiment with the Holyfat gels and bars. They are supposed to be salty. Let’s see if my stomach agrees with them. If so, I’ll take a couple of them, and a couple of Maurten with me to Sussex.

John Kraijenbrink

I run for fun. I run to be in the mountains, in the forest. I run, because running fascinates me. That’s why I study all the science about running. What I discover, I share with you. To help you to be a better runner, but above all to help you having fun running.