My first half marathon

Always try something new. Never understood those crazy running people? Me neither.

There I was, among hundreds of people, ready to start running 21 kilometres. Load music coming from the speakers, inspiring runners to get ready and going. People stretching and starting to move towards the starting line. My first half marathon was about to begin. Ready or not, now it was showtime. Some weeks ago I had doubted my ability to run such a long distance for many times. And for a good reason. Well, you know how some people practice like crazy for certain events (which I also should have done) and usually get good results too. I had been able to run 9,43 kilometres once, which was the longest distance I had been running ever. Meanwhile others were running 15-18 kilometres, just like that. Touché. I had done what I could. You can't practice while having flu, or when kids are keeping you busy.

Running has never been something I enjoy. If someone had told me two years ago, that I would be running a halfmarathon, I wouldn't have believed it. When I started practicing, even five kilometres felt like a long distance.

This morning I had taken the train to Helsinki. It seems like everyone was coming to the Stadium with some friends, or they were a part of a team. I realized, that I was going to go there alone. Not a good idea, should have thought of this before. It's much more fun to go with a friend. Well, couldn't do anything about it now. My husband had already started his run one hour before mine. I went to take my stuff to storage and it started raining. Great. At that moment I wished this not fun experience would be over as soon as possible.

Ready, steady, go! Here I was running around Helsinki with lots of people. Wow. I would never have thought, that time went so fast. The painful part started at 15 kilometres. If my legs would have agreed, now it could have been the right time to add speed. I guess the hardest thing is to know what speed you should run. I knew, that if I would tun too fast my energy would be used long before the finish line. If I would ever get there.

There across this run I actually started to understand life deeper. I ran past some people, who ran past me after a while again. There was a limping man, who kept up his speed persistently and finished his run just a bit after me. Some little girls where encouraging runners on the way, wishing energy and power. That was sweet. Sweet were also the power gels I ate during the run, wouldn't have survived without them. And finally the finish line was there, I had done it.

And what did I learn? Running is not only about your legs working, it's between your ears. It's a decision to keep running, no matter how you feel. It's about going outside your comfort zone and not giving up until you pass the finish line. Some people who encourage you on the way will be helpful.

After the run my legs started to hurt so much, that I had big challenges to get home. Every step was painful, so I was limping to the train station very slowly. When I made it home, I felt like a real winner.

Next morning the pain wasn't totally gone. It had just turned into sweet and bearable. Almost nice. I have to be crazy. Who enjoys aching feet really?

Pregnancy hormones and ice cream

Oh, the joys of pregnancy. Being pregnant the first time was unique. I remember how I was lifting and carrying heavy things, renovating house feeling energetic and things like that. All the time on my feet. There was no backache, running to the toilet, baby kicking in belly at night-time...No wait. I'm sure I have forgotten a part of it. The last two months were not that fun. Anyhow I enjoyed it mostly.

Now I'm over halfway through my pregnancy. And wondering why was it easier the first time? I guess everything was so new. There was time to sleep long nights and lazy mornings. Time to take naps (did I?), think about how to eat healthy, write a diary, feel how the baby was moving in belly and what stuff to buy.

And now? No time to rest, early mornings and late evenings. Energy coming and going (mostly going). And those stupid forms to fill in about this and that. Playing with 3-year-old. Crawling into a Pippi Longstocking tent (because it's my home), finding differences from two pictures, shopping food in snowstorm, travelling to work. Feeling snappy. The pregnancy hormones! There has to be more of them now.

Those beautiful kicks in the belly have changed to someone training for the Olympics inside you. Turning and rolling. Can you stop that now? And healthy eating, yeah right.

I've been looking forward to this and am happy about it, yes. But it's different this time. It's not about expecting less the baby. There is just not that much time to concentrate on being pregnant.

Maybe closer to the due date I will wonder is it going to happen now for real?

Everyone has a story

While studying scriptwriting, one teacher gave feedback about my texts. She said: "You are trying to teach people (what to do), they should find out theirselves." There was a good point in that. So, there are no ready answers. Let me tell you a story.

One day I was walking home from work. There was lying a man on the pavement, unconcious. I saw him from a distance. A lot of people were just walking past him, no one did stop or even pay any attention to him. Maybe he had just passed out because of drinking too much. Or used drugs. Who knows. But there he was. Someone's son, father, husband, boyfriend or ex.

I was walking closer. A man on a bike had stopped. He had his phone in his hand, still hesitating. Another man turned around with his bike and stopped too. They started to discuss with each other, who of them shoud call 911. The other said " I have to go to the lecture, can you handle this?" Silence. Luckily (for the man lying on the ground) some passenger stopped to feel his pulse. And a women stopped with her car and asked: "Has somebody called?". This all happened while I was approaching the place. If someone else hadn't called, I would have done it.

How much time did pass before someone stopped, or someone called? To act in situations like this is not easy, unless you have the training for it. Of course, anyone knows how to call 911. Just the thought, that you would be lying there on the ground and not getting help fast enough is scary.

And the thought, that everyone has a story, a past and a future.

Bragging about Finland

Now I will do something unusual. In other countries this would be called normal. I'm going to tell you why Finland is the best country in the world (and I'm feeling a bit ashamed about it already).
You see, Business Insider thinks, that Finland has a shyness problem. And is so right about that.

Why not brag a little bit? Here we go. Everything works here. The appartments are warm (also in wintertime) and public transport is working. The length of maternity leave is 105 days, and for 75 years, Finland's expectant mothers have been given a box by the state (the maternity package). The baby can sleep in the box in the beginning. How cool is that?

There is a lot of availabe space here. You can go hiking in Lapland and may not meet anyone on your hike. The education system is great. Finnish students are frequently ranked amongst the top three in the world. We have an advanced technology infrastructure.

How about this? Finland is the most wired nation in the world with sophisticated digital and fiber optic voice and data processing networks. Finland and Denmark have the least corruption in the world. We have a lot of capable people here, free education and school lunch.

These are just a few great things about Finland. I love the nature here, it's easy to find woods to walk in or go to the lake for ice skating or skiing. There are plenty of places to pick berries and mushrooms. And in summertime there are so many beautiful places to visit and lakes to swim in.

I could continue. The point is here: Finland has done a very bad job in marketing itself. When I visited Australia someone was always telling how Australia is the best country in the world. Well, in Finland it just doesn't happen. More often someone complains about the lousy weather and the train that's late again.

Of course there are unsatisfactory things in every country. If one of them is that the train is late, we're lucky.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/finland-has-a-shyness-problem-2014-2#ixzz2tZfsA95m

photo from: http://gloholiday.com/category/finland/

If you´re bored, take a walk

It's popular to walk for something important. Don't you think someone is walking around this globe for some cause all the time? Let's do a quick search. It's interesting to find out what things people are walking for. Here we go. Walking for the suicided veterans, Guinness Book World Record, cancer and global issues awareness, looking for happiness and so on.

Alright. I think it's good for the health to walk. Some distances at least. One man walked for 11 years around the globe. Jean Béliveau did the probably world's longest uninterrupted circumnavigation on foot.

There are many other people, who are continuing their walks for years and years. As long as their legs move forward, I guess.

Don't you think that there would be other ways of finding happiness than walking for years and decades? Some people collect money for charity and try to achieve something good with their walking. There are several good causes worth walking for. And of course, you don't have to spend whole your life walking.

Come on. People do these walking things only because they are bored and don't want to go to their regular work. They do it for selfish reasons. Most of the walks might have started on Mondays. Ugh, I have spoken.

 

Playground fixing

We fixed our playground a little bit (or my husband did). Now there is a rope ladder going up to the top, "the ship". The wheel and periscope are waiting there for the captain.

Downstairs is a kiosk, with chairs and a place to play inside.

Last weekend we had a lot of kids here playing at Marie's birthday party. They enjoyed it a lot.

 

 

 This pirate flag is new, we added it in September.

Finnish summer

Here the summer is again. The time of the year when you don't want to waste any time sleeping. And people usually spend a lot of time outside. Always when it's possible.

That's why you might find more pictures than text this time. Do you think that I will spend too much time on the computer when it's finally possible to enjoy good weather? No way. All the winter we keep waiting for those five warm days of summer. During the winter we almost forget what summer is. What is it? Is there something else than snow, snow and cold? Yes, there is. At least for a few months.

In May people start planting flowers in their gardens and also barbeque the first time outside. In the beginning of June some people also start thinking about winter. It goes like this. "Soon it's winter again". Other popular thoughts are also: "Oh no, I don't want the winter to come again" and "Only six months until Christmas". And in the moments when it's "too hot": "I miss winter".

In May the media usually starts warning people about the summer weather. "It might be dangerously hot this summer". Or the worst scenario: "This summer it will rain everyday" (forget about having holidays, and book a trip to a warm country instead).

Enjoying summer.