Category: News

did a long weightsession before another long run. Total of 6 hours of continous training….puh…..

The tracksession was a surprise. I floated well, and Henrik and I changed the pacemaking. I did the first lap and he the other. I have a little bit pacejudgement, so that is our usual routine. He was looking strong the whole way and had no problem following me. The lactic acid tests showed the same – we had almost the exact same values. This 14.09 5000 meter runner is finally getting tuned into the program. Which is great for him and great for me. Finally I have a good training partner here in Norway in the winter.

I will attend on a press confrence tomorrow concerning the Bislett Stadium where they host the Bislett Games Golden League. The track where they have set more then 50 world records, and I have my personal 5000 meter best from. They were suppose to build a new stadium at the price of some 80 million US$ but now things are going back and forth. The old stadium is close to falling apart….Very sad if they cannot go through with it. It would be a major setback for Norwegian athletics if these plans are changed……so I feel obligated to support things the best I can.

All from Norway,

Marius

change from running flats to spikes has been no problem at all. It seems like I get stronger every year and I can handle those adjustments better and better.

The first snow came a little bit earlier then I like, but in a way I like the seasons we have here. When I was studying and running in the US at the University of Indiana, we had no snow and short “winters”. It was comfortable, but I sort of lost the natural increase and decrease of speed and training stress over the year. I am a much better athlete in the summer, because I use the Norwegian winters (plus some Kenya trips) to build a strong base.

Not much new,

Marius

to get some general physical and mental rest from it. But now it is time to start again, before the first snow hits Norway. I am not looking forward to that kind of weather…

I will also try to do some more sessions with my training partner, Henrik Sandstad. Up to now, we have been just a little bit to far apart fitness/ability wise. It took him a year of this kind of training to really get adjusted, but now he is doing really well and tests show that he can actually run most sessions with me without any problem at all. That is encouraging for us both – it means harder and better workouts and it is always easier to be two when you do those. Then, when spring comes we will probably start more seperate workouts as I will run track work faster.

Thats all,
Marius

you wished you had the whole year around 🙂

I will now run really hard for the next days. It is just to float on everything. Then when I start feeling heavy again, I will just adjust the training down again. But the altitude stay in Bolivia sure has been effective !

All well,
Marius

(with several Olympians in speed skating and now also one of the top 20 female Junior Cyclists in the world Helene Tveter) So some good genetics there 🙂

We had a good talk, but I think he underestimates my ability in the 1500 meter :))) With an even race when I did 3.40 this summer, I think I could have done 3.38s. My splits were 2.00.9 at the 800 meter, then 1.54.8 on the last 800 meter (if you calculate). And no real pacemaking – front running. So Lars Martin – beware. Your record is old, but breakable. No worries though – it will stay in the family.

Training is going well. But I am in the really demanding period after altitude. I am now just hanging in there until next week when I will feel light and ready.

All well,
Marius

camps and the hard work there. It is definately worth it.

We (Frank and I) are heavy into planning for next year now. It looks like I will go once to Kenya in January, but have Bolivia as my base for the rest of the year. From March and on, Kenya has the rainseason but in Bolivia it is dry. Plus, you have a really nice tartan track in La Paz, but in Kenya only cinder up in Eldoret. So when the season comes closer, and in the season, Kenya is not a good alternative. Plus you get kind of tired of the same training routes when you go there every year. It is good with some change once in a while. Also, I found Bolivia much more relaxing. The Kenyans are really friendly, but the atmosphere can be sort of loud. In Bolivia, you get all the mental and physical rest you need in between training sessions. When you train sometimes three times a day, the only other thing you do that day is to sleep and eat. We had a few of those. Where we slept 11 hours at night and 4-5 during the day. Then it is nice to be such a quiet place like Bolivia.

Next week is a full training week again. I feel ready for it and my breathing is perfect (very light during hard exercise) after my body has adapted to the thin altitude air.

So all well,
Marius

that looking down at small Oslo from above the Sogsvann lake (where I live) was not quite the same 🙂 With the kind of terrain that you have in the highlands of Bolivia, you understand the great power of nature. The one day we had bad weather down there, the mountains and winds showed its power.

I will run easy the next days also. These altitude stay are tests to the whole system, and my experience is that the test is not complete until you have rested for the first days at sea level. THEN you can start benefitting from it – not before.

Just a brief update from me. In great shape and looking forward to feeling it in training !

Marius

one in his family travelled to Bolivia things did not go so well. His great-great-grandfathers brother Ole Sandstad was the last Sandstad to visit Bolivia about 100 years ago. The traditional love story. Man from the far north falls in love with exotic women from the south. Man travels south for his love…..and never comes back. Henrik is looking more into the story, but it was investigated all the way until the 1960s as murder. Quite creepy, but thankfully not exactly illustrative for Bolivia today 🙂 Yes, they have beautiful women here, but the closest we have been to danger so far is walking across the street in La Paz with about 4 microbuses and taxis wide in the narrow streets on full speed and bad brakes. Luckily, we know how to run…

We spent the whole morning today sitting outside on the Prado (main area/street of La Paz) on a bench looking at people going to work and students going to school. 8 am, sun, 20 degrees and fresh mountain air. After so much hard training, such small things – to actually sit down and watch people around feels quite nice. I really like Bolivia, the relaxed atmosphere here, great weather and nice people.
Definately a place to come back to !

We have also done some shopping lately, and have found out that I am size XXXL down here 🙂 And I thought I was built like a distance runner. Down here, I am about the tallest you can find (1.82 tall/6″).

As for training, we are REALLY tired now, but in great condition. We are tired in a healthy way, not overuse tired. Which is a perfect way to end an altitude stay (and the way I like to end it) Now I will take some easy days after arrival to Norway and feel fresh for the next month.

Last update from Bolivia –

Marius

Ps : Two photoes out on the web under “Pictures” and “Bolivia 01”. More later after I come back home. These photoes show the mountain area Cordillera Real in the background and myself running on the cinder paths. All mountains you see are above 5000 meters with the tallest one over 6400 (to the far left)

ended up right by the largest Indian market in town and it was the most confusing feeling……I mean, arriving Kenya as a mzungo (white) was strange, but arriving the Indian quarters of La Paz was like being thrown into a Hollywood movie setting where you are absolutely clueless about what was going on…..

Speaking of movie settings…..arriving the airport of El Ato above the city of La Paz gave one of the most spectacular views I have ever experienced. There, below us : La Paz – 1 million inhabistants packed into a valley with mountain peaks well over 6000 meters altitude (Bolivia has 1000 peaks over 6000 meters) all surrounding the city.

Life here is very relaxing. To illustrate this, I just realized todays (and Frank as well) that we have been one hour off the time here for a week without noticing (!) Imagine working one hour off everyone else back in Norway……would bring some confusion when your watch says 5 and all other 4……

But now that we have gotten used to our own little time, we decided to stick with it. So we go to bed at around 10…..which is actually 9……etc. Quite convinient 🙂

Training is going like planned. An easy start and slowly building up. The aim of this training camp is mostly to look at Bolivia as an altitude alternative for Kenya (and it definately is !!), get an early training camp in for acclimatization and find some peaceful paths to train on for a nice start of the season. So I am not pushing or anything. Just comfortable. The altitute feels fine – no problem at all – you can run hard and fast as long as your are a good athlete and used to altitude training. Fantastic training possibilities and great views everywhere.

About all from here. From now on I will update more often…..I had to work hard to find a place with a fast enough connection for updates…..

All well,
Marius

Ps : Event of the day : Some teenage girls in the “rich area” of La PAz got Frank mixed up with Emilio Estevez and started screaming. Definately made his day
🙂

small group of Frank, Henrik and myself had a quick meeting today, and went through all the details. All seems good now. Now it is just to go down there, train hard and see Bolivia.

I will try and update this page from there, but I am not sure about the internet services. If not, I will get someone from home to do the job for me. Either way, it will be updated. And if I can get any pictures home also, I will try that as well.

Wish me good luck. I will need it 🙂

Marius