sipoonkorpi – My Journey to Kili and Back

Finding high places – Högberget, Sipoonkorpi National Park

Went hiking with kids to my local National park Sipoonkorpi today. Weather was perfect sunny, not too hot.

This national park is where I do most of my long runs as it’s fairly close and there are plenty of routes/trails to choose from. I hardly ever do the same trail during the summer, but at winter time as snow is packing up higher by the month, I tend to do the trails where others have been as it is really hard to run in piled up snow.

I will show you what I mean during winter time!

Route to ”laavu” from Flatberget parking lot

The route to ”laavu” a lean-to shelter where you can spent the night with a fire place to bbq and few sets of wooden tables and chairs is a winding up and down path with some stairs. The route is perfect for some uphill running training in addition to just hiking with family.

There are three ascents and descents so if you do that 1.5k back and forth you get pretty good uphill/downhill exercise and good readings for both ascent and HR!

From the parking lot at Flatberget to Kalkkiruukki Laavu and back it’s about 6k hike, so not too bad even for smaller kids. There is quite a lot of ascent so my 6 year old was pretty exhausted in the end (thanks to running and playing hide-and-seek in addition to just walking).

I can warmly recommend this for a nice day out in the forest with the kids as the route takes you through versatile landscape from high cliffs to the mystery forest and back <3

Training W27 – Trying to keep up with the good start

Week was OK, but clearly office move + pre-holiday hassle at work has taken its toll and I was pretty exhausted the whole week even without exercise. Managed to get something done though.

First run was a 10 k trail run at Sipoonkorpi National forest on Sunday. Terrain was very versatile from rugged cliff to proper trails and forest road.

There is weird satisfaction in running in the middle of nowhere with no people in sight. I am a fairly social person but admit that the forest is where I go to recharge my batteries and there I prefer not to see any humans if possible.

There was nobody at one rent cabin so I quickly took a dip in the lake around 6k mark from the pier. It was a pretty hot day so it was nice and refreshing.

Such beautiful waterlilies in the lake! Had to take a shot <3

Second run on Tuesday was 4.6 k’s. Was planning on a longer run but it just didn’t feel like it. It has been just too hectic all the time and I am clearly in the need of a holiday!

Wednesday there was no training due to company event to celebrate our new office in the evening and a dinner after that.

Third run was again shorter run 3,45 k and again no interest whatsoever to even run, but did it. Intention was to do HIITraining but it was not the day for it.

My holiday started on Friday so had loads of energy and my fourth run was 3,7 k usual round with so far my best time on it. Max HR hit 194 so pretty proud I can still get that high. My max is 198 that I have been able to measure with normal HR monitor. Still no HIIT but anyway pretty proud of myself.

Hardly any trail running apart from the first run this week, but like I said this week was a bit daunting and busy, but hoping to pick up on the speed, distance and ascent on the holiday!

Weekly total

One long run. Three shorter ones and one gym session. Ascent 265 meters and distance 21,6 k’s of which 10 trail and rest normal ”sand road/asphalt”.

Not the best week, but at least I was active. Looking forward to holiday and especially our Lapland/North Norway trip amongst the fells, fjords and mountains. Plenty to climb there!