By Magnus Thorud, Ambassador for the BMW Oslo Marathon.

We are halfway into April and spring has taken a good grip on the capital. This means snow-free roads, brighter days and a running-temperate climate that tempts many spring runners to pull out their running shoes and embark on the first run of the year.

For our upcoming marathon runner, the first kilometers of the year have long been logged, and Camilla is a few weeks closer to this year's big goal of running the marathon distance during the BMW Oslo marathon on 15 September.

During the Easter holidays, Camilla chose to put her running shoes on charge in favor of skiing, poodles and Easter marzipan. Such a break can be a smart choice to let the body recover before a new period with a lot of exercise. It becomes a form of periodization, where Camilla trains regularly and a lot for two weeks, also allows the body to recover and build profits. Then she repeats the process and increases the quantity and quality according to the given progression.  

It is still important for Camilla not to let the breaks be too long. If it takes too long before she starts again, the benefits of the basic training will be lost and Camilla will have to start again.

As most people know, Rome was not built one day. It was definitely not the marathon runner either.

Camilla says:

«Look at a marathon runner from lying on the side of laziness! I have understood that, and have stopped blaming the dog, menstruation, full moon and headaches. The last two weeks I have stepped up. I have driven two 16 km, a 15 km, a 12 and a couple of 10 km in addition to my regular PT hours. When the body says no, the headache thunders and the sofa with the poodle in my lap shouts at me, the pride has won.
A little Paracet and great running friends, who are ten years younger and ten kilos lighter, do the trick. Then I pretend to be fitter than I am, and imagine that I am not tired. It works. Thanks to the heart rate monitor, which I bought as part of the forty-year crisis, I am able to follow that I am in the right heart rate zone. And last week I finally got to procrastinate at Löplabbet to get new running shoes. It should help with motivation, but has really only given me water blisters…. But I think I will run both faster and longer with the shoes - the shape will be even better… Watch out! »

We're still there, are you?

Regards Camilla and Magnus.