OTTSJÖ 12K
Last night, I woke up with a wave of anxiety about the upcoming race. I started running for the health, the adventure, and the love of nature, but now I was suddenly expected to deliver a performance and see my name on a results list.
As soon as the race started, I got swept up by the energy of the runners around me, and my heart rate spiked quickly. The first 5 km of the course is basically one long uphill climb, but surprisingly, I was keeping up well. I even passed a few guys in the hills who looked like they were in peak condition. My heart rate was high, but it still felt manageable. Whenever it got too intense, I just slowed down and walked for a bit.
Once I reached the top of the course, I found myself in a small group. That's when a girl passed us, picking up the pace. I could feel I had more to give, so I decided to stick with her. For the next four kilometers, I stayed right on her heels, pushing myself to keep up.
As we descended towards Ottsjö village once again, I gave everything I had left in my legs, racing down the hills as fast as I could. The rush of adrenaline made it feel like I could push through anything, but there was still a hesitation in me. Despite the speed, I held back just a little, unsure if I should fully risk it in case my legs gave out or I lost control. Even so, the feeling of flying downhill was exhilarating, and I pushed myself as much as I dared.
In the final two kilometers, the girl ahead of me pulled ahead a bit. I probably could have kept up with her, but I realized I had been running a lot faster than I had planned, so I was okay with letting her go. The last 500 meters were a real struggle, but I dug deep and gave everything I had left, pushing through the pain to cross the finish line.
What an absolute blast! I ended up 37th out of 80 men and 3rd out of 20 in the 50+ category—couldn’t be more satisfied with my result! After the race, we were treated to a tasty vegetarian wrap and some drinks. A massive thank you to Fjällmaraton and all the volunteers for putting together such an amazing event. I’ll be back for sure!
