Nuuksio Classic Trail Marathon 2015

The running season of 2015 is definitely not the one i’d remember for good even though i had pretty good moments as well. I probably did every possible mistake getting myself constantly injured or maybe it’s just pure bad luck …or maybe it’s just both.

After HCM, i realized my recovery hasn’t been going as well as usual. Typically, after 2-3 days i’m able to run at comfortable pace , but this time it felt as if all my muscles are so cramped and i suffered from a pain at the back of my hip. I thought it was not a big deal but after i raced the Helsinki City Triathlon (HCT) the weekend after the pain got worse even though i ran only 3km that weekend. The pain allowed me to run only at slow pace but once i started to speed even a little bit i just had a shooting pain which didn't stop. I was anyway going through such a frustrating and painful period with all my previous feet injuries that i just couldn’t comprehend the fact i had to take another break from running. I decided to minimize my running to minimum of only 1-2 slow runs per week and hills workout. However, in the following weekend, after i tried to run peacefully flat 10km, the pain again got worse. That didn’t stop me from participating in Tour de Helsinki, 140km bike race. I think it was a mixture of frustration and my stubbornness that lead me to start line. Even though i had pain during the ride, by the time it was done i could walk normally, so i was thankful for that. Ironically, despite the rain, it was the only race during 2015 in which i had a PB :)

Anyway, the week before Nuuksio, i decided not to run at all , just participate in my group fitness exercises. Even though i was tapering badly.. (too many exercises..) that was the least of my problems. On the morning of the race i could still feel the pain at the side and back of my hip so i knew of course it wouldn’t do me well to run 42km in the rain in the forests of Nuuksio but my thought was just to finish this race and rest for a long time afterwards. The day before i collected my bib number and got myself a new hydration pack ( The Salomon skin set 5L which BTW is probably one of my best purchases this year ) and at 10am i was standing completely nervous on the start-line. My only thought was : ‘pain- can only hurt, right?’. I can’t even express in words my how much i wish to just stand at the start line thinking about a new PB or any other thing other than my injuries. On the other hand, i knew very well that skipping this race would hurt even more…i’m messed up. Why does the only thing that brings me so much happiness can hurt as well so much at the same time ??!!

This time i had to bear in mind to start slowly so i’d have enough energy for the latter part. Even though i opened in a quite slow pace my legs felt very heavy from the start. The pain in my hip prevents me from having an efficient stride in my right leg. So basically, not only every step hurts it takes much more energy from me than it should . The first 7km were quiet easy, not big climbs or anything but i felt i was out of breath quite soon. I started to think whether i should quit soon because of the pain but decided to continue to the first drinking station at 11km. Just before the station, we had to reach the highest climb of Solvalla Swinghill. This time the difficulty to climb was due to the mud but not to climb itself . After Swissalpine and my workouts in Malminkartano hill i actually started to enjoy so much the climbing sections. The view is always rewarding and you get to let your feet rest and you breath is coming to normal again.

I refilled my flasks with water, took energy gel and decided to continue. At that point, it was heavily raining so i was all wet. Luckily, after running 7 hours in Karhunkierros with a sprained ankle in the rain nothing really seemed scary anymore. So running with wet feet was something i just got used to and i wasn’t feeing bad anymore. I was surprised though how weak i felt only after 10km. It was not only physical weakness but also emotional. I knew i couldn’t be at my best, runners were overtaking me constantly , my right hip was painful..so altogether, it was hard to continue knowing there are still 30km till the end. Surprisingly, since i couldn’t run fast i enjoyed much more the technical, rocky, slow parts of the trail! All the time in my head i was thinking what were the runners of last week’s UTMB going through, so what are ‘only’ 42km in the forest trails compared with that. In fact, i was so inspired by the performance of Stephanie Howe in UTMB . She really had a rough race, but unlike other pro-runners who quit early once they feel they’re not going for the lead group, she continued to struggle for 30 hours until she reached the finish line. That thought alone was enough to keep me going. Luckily, i bumped into a small group of runners and i tried to stick with their pace so that they could push me forward. I managed to keep up with them for about 4-5km but then i had to stop to drink and re-energize. The next drinking point would be around 26km so i decided to just continue at my own pace as fast as i could and not try to go too fast. I didn’t want another sprained ankle and since anyway, i knew i was not running at my best it didn’t really matter. Yet, i did not want to finish last as well, so i tried to push as much as i could. Despite the pain, i do admit that for several moments i felt good, the scenery, the trails, they make me happy, despite everything. I didn’t care about the rain, mud and all…it felt great just to feel free for those rare moments there among the trees, lakes and those narrow trails. I reached the second drinking station breathless but yet more hopeful. Only about 14km till the end, i can do it!!

FC: Juhani Keski-Rahkonen

I refilled my water supply, another gel to go, and i was on my way. Unfortunately, few km later, i fell completely into a swamp for the second time , but this time i was alone and by the time i managed to grab a branch and get out of it i was completely covered in mud. Ironically, i didn’t care much about it…trail running is a dirty business sometimes…and one must accept it if he wants to be a trail runner. It was actually funny, because i became a kind of attraction for the day walkers and the volunteers at the water station :) .

FC: Juha Saastamoinen

Anyhow, after more muddy , rocky trails i finally reached the last water station which was 9km from the finish line. Once again, i was breathless but happy actually. To think i was about to have DNF after only 6km and now being only 9km from the finish line felt good no matter how you look at it. From that point now on i just tried to go as fast i could. The guy at the station told me that the trails should not be too demanding at that part and he was right. They were muddy , narrow and hard to run on at some points but nothing really demanding. So i tried to give my best effort. I met a group of 4 guys and we all tried to push each other to the finish line. The trail was really well marked and i was really happy not to get lost even once. Moreover, the organisers put post-signs marking the distance so it was easy to track the distance till the finish line. When i reached 40km i was completely alone and then a group of about 4 girls reached me. That act of course made me run faster (you always need someone to push you harder) and i was so happy when i reached the final 1km…When i saw the finish line i was filled with joy i started to sprint as i always do. Unfortunately, this time, perhaps due to my hip pain i strained my right hamstring so bad 100m before the finish line i could not run and had to limp to the finish line. It was so sad….however, the organisers were so kind to me. One of them gave me sports drink and a banana. They let me sit and put a blanket on me so i wouldn’t get cold. In addition, they gave me zero-point compression socks as a gift. It was so nice of them , i truly appreciate this! I must say , in overall the race was really organized so well that it really made the whole adventure easier and nicer. My only wish would be to have some snacks or energy food at the water stations. At least for once on the course it would be nice to have some food but otherwise, the whole organization was perfect.

I was really afraid i wouldn't be able to even walk back to the Siikaranta hotel to change my clothes but luckily i managed to reach there slowly but steady. I know i now should go through a really long running rehab. That means at least one month without running in the best case. I don't even know if i manage to run my next marathon in one month (Vaarojen marathon in Koli, Finland) from now. Yet, i know it seems insane to many people me running this race (and unfortunately many other races) while still not recovered from my injury…but perhaps ‘sometimes you just do things’ is the only answer i can give. However, i do agree that running with an injury is not something anyone should go through unless it happens within a race. Therefore, i really do not plan to run anymore race unless i’m totally pain free. As hard as it is, i’m not regretting for running Nuuksio marathon because i know it would hurt more if i didn’t. I don’t really know how i’m gonna face another long period without running but i know this time i have no choice.

On the bright side, i’m learning to enjoy more and more the technical trails and not the fast and easy ones. I’m facing constantly the fear of twisting ankles so i know i’m slower that i should be but i also know that with more practice and training i hope to beat this fear and to improve my technical skills…but for now my only wish is simply to run pain-free again.