I couldn’t fall asleep for two nights, and the hotel breakfast on Saturday morning suddenly seemed unappealing. Friday afternoon, I drove 4 hours to a place called Ulricehamn in the southern part of Sweden. I was at the seemingly unappealing breakfast buffet because I had signed up for the Danish/Greenlandic national Championship in cross-country skiing. More precisely, the long-distance freestyle competition which took place Sunday morning. And I’m a total beginner.
Flow is maybe not the right word, think flow as in a state of mind, not flow as flowing well on the snow. Technique is quite something in this sport, and I haven’t mastered it - yet. So, my strong cycling muscles carried me through to 4th place overall and 2nd in my age group. I also didn’t know how to fuel while being stuck to two sticks, so I just ran 1 hour 51 minutes without any fuel at all. As a reference, I take one gel every 20 minutes in a MTB race + carbs in my bottle. I crossed the line empty. I hadn’t been able to use my full physical capacity because every time I tried to go faster I lost my balance on the thin skies, but I had tried so hard for almost two hours. I learned two things: “It feels scary because it’s unfamiliar, not because I’m incapable.” (Michell C Clark), and that “yet” is a word I need to use more. I haven’t *** yet. I don’t know *** yet.
So many opportunities, so many adventures ahead. January has treated me well, and in 2025 I wanted to challenge myself and try new things. We’re off to a good start. /Malene
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