I freaking did it

I freaking did it
From 0k to 44k mountain marathon in a year
By Line Kolbe


Damn it was a tough run. Don't even know where to start. I'm still so overwhelmed by it and it's all still sinking in.

It was 3 mountains. 16 km, 12 km and then 16 km again. The crossing of the first mountain went great. No pain anywhere and I had plenty of energy. The weather was nice. It took longer than I expected because there were so many on the trail that we had to wait on each other to get ahead. When I got down to the valley on the other side Thomas, my husband, was waiting there for me with my shake and there was a water and food station.

The second mountain was a lot tougher than expected. It was very steep and slippery because of deep mud on the trail. On the way up here my legs, especially hips, started to hurt. But nothing I couldn't handle. At the other side of this mountain there would be a time limit. I had to get there and leave the next water and food station before a specific time and that started to stress me a bit. Because it was so steep to get up on the top I lost time there so I needed to run down to the valley even though my knees started hurting when I ran down. But that time limit was more important. I needed to get there in time. Because if my legs could hold up and get me through I wouldn't want to be thrown out there because of the time.

When I got there I had 45 mins to that time and Thomas was there also waiting for me. Now there was "only" one mountain left and 16 km to go. My hips and knees hurt but still bearable. The trail up this mountain was not as steep but it was even more muddy, and it all got so much tougher now.

When I got up above the tree line the wind got stronger and stronger evolving into a real storm and then it also started raining. Damn it was cold and demanding. I took on all the clothes I had with me in my little bag but I froze. The only thing I could think of was to get down to the valley again. Down where it wasn't so cold. Then my left knee started really hurting. I was unable to use it. If I bent my leg it would hurt so much it was too painful. I found a way to jump sideways down the mountain side and managed to keep an ok tempo. When I finally was at the finish line I actually ran across it and then I started crying. I just couldn't help it. It was so overwhelming. Tears of happiness.

Now two days later I'm feeling surprisingly well. Of course I'm sore, as in extremely sore, but my knee is actually quite good again. I think I will recover pretty fast.
 
35 years old. Married, no kids but a big dog. Joined this site when I just got my first fivefingers. I've been running on and off for 20 years (in running shoes), lifting weights for 17 years (I've competed in amateur natural bodybuilding...
View all 6 featured items
You absolutely freaking did it! Great job Line!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Line Kolbe
It's now 1 1/2 week after and I'm happy to say that I do not have any problems with any joints whatsoever. I've been out running a 10K yesterday and also today. Nothing. Only good legs and a great feeling overall. I'm glad I was so careful on my way down that last mountain jumping sideways.. :D
 
I knew you could, CONGRATS!!!!
 
Dama's back!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Barefoot TJ
Dama's back!

Board, I thought about you the other day. My husband and I were in Galena Illinois and there was a store with gazillions of hot sauces and they had the one you brought to the Michigan meet up, what was the name? Jolokia?
I didn't buy it because it isn't hot enought BUT, I tested one that I wish I remember the name and boy oh boy that baby was hot as hell, I sprinted out of the store with smoke coming out of my ears and my eyes almost coming out of the eye sockets. It was soooooo hot that my tongue, ears and eyes were burnning for hrs to no end. It was a very hot and painful experience. :bawling: And no I didn't buy it either.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Barefoot TJ
I got ripped off on that bottle of Naga/Bhut Jolokia. It is the Ghost Pepper, which at the time WAS the hottest chili, but all that means on the label is that the sauce contains some of the pepper. In that case it contained very little of it mixed with several more common varieties. Then there are sauces with some pretty cheap weak peppers as the only ingredients, but they add pure capsacin to it making it REALLY hot.
Now there are chilis stronger than Jolokia, (1,041,427 Scoville units) like the Trinidad Scorpian (2,009,231 Scoville units) and the hottest yet discovered the Carolina Reaper at a whopping 2, 200,000 Scoville Heat Units!
At the time we met the Ghost pepper was the hottest, but now is ranked seventh. For comparison, Jalapeno is a mere 1,000 to 4,000 Scoville units.
One day we'll have some of the good stuff together! Be sure your husband has his good camera to capture the smoke!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Barefoot TJ
Sorry to hijack this thread, Line, but I must add to Dama and Board's discussion. My 12-year-old son and his friend each ate a habanero pepper when we were at La Parilla, and they both couldn't handle it. I video taped the whole thing. It was hysterical. They first started drinking all the water and sodas they could but learned that was a bad idea, so the waiter brought out some honey to cool them down. Their eyes were watering and rolling into the backs of the heads! They were running to the bathroom, and when we got home, his friend wouldn't come out of the bathroom for half an hour. I wish I could upload the video here, but it's pretty long. So funny, I almost fell off my chair! :yuck: