Serious absence of hills

Spent last week in Högbo together with our Haglöfs Family. Helpt out to present Haglöfs ambitous work about Sustainability, enjoyed the company from the big group of Haglöfs employees and distributors from all over the world and also some of the Haglöfs sponsored friends. Not to forget the big 100 years anniversery party for Haglöfs on saturday evening (and night…) and an interview with a big chinese outdoor tv-program.

 

 

 

 

Also had some good training sessions in the terrain around Högbo. Great tecnical mtb-trails, though even flater than around Umeå, and nice lake for kayaking. On friday we went to Kungsberget  for some hill training. 3 hours and 10 laps later, we had reached our goal of 2000 m vertical and our legs were pretty sore…

In a week we will be on the startline of Expedition Africa. We expect a pretty hilly course and there is a serious absence of hills at home. Due to that, it is important for me to take every oportunity to kill my legs!

This week, I had to catch up loads of work. Started 6 AM on tuesday for a full day of sampling and driving. Stopped by at the Kåbdalis skiarea around 8.30 PM, gained my 1000 m verticals and checked in at the hotel in Jokkmokk around 10.30 PM. Early morning wednesday, more sampling and driving. Vitberget Skiarea at 8.30 PM for five hard laps under the ski lift. Home around 11 PM.

For me, walking up a steep hill is almost the only way to get decent training after a 16 h working day! After some years of travelling for work in the northern part of Sweden, I’ve taken the oportunity to walk under some different ski lifts found in the vicinity of road E45, E4 and some of the roads in between… My top 5:

1. Dundret, Gällivare. 350 m vertical, superclose to the road and city and a great swamp with cloud berries on the top!!

2. Kåbdalis, Jokkmokk. 190 m vertical (south ski lift), nice trail under ski slift and a small lake to clean up afterwards (not in may…)

3. Storklinta, Boden. 200 m vertical. Nice and steep!

4. Vittjokk, Arvidsjaur. 206 m vertical and amazing views. Would have reached a higher position if it would have been steeper.

5. Måttsund, Luleå. 120 m vertical, steep hill and close to the baltic sea. Probably the best hill along the coastline north of Örnsköldsvik.

Now, some last minute preparations for Expedition Africa and hopefully another calm evening kayaking at home.

Good luck with your spring time training!

Björn