Woke up this morning and the rain was streaming down. 15k running was in my mind…It was just to go for it. When I conclude this week it has been 10 workouts within 6 days. Perfect, all follows the planning.

I have been thinking of all trends with measuring the training into absurdum. It is good to secure that the result improves, but I feel that it sometimes has gone to far. The training must be fun, and not so much scientific. Have control of your heart beat, that’s important. Its like always, simplify to get what you want. Clean out the un important disturbance

The training also must be fun…

I always read a lot of outdoor magazine, and surprisingly often the readers complains over the content and articles. I must confess, I have thought in the same way. But the magazines purpose sometimes is to provoke. As a reader I have a responsible to understand that. For example don’t bring and drink wine when your are in a dangerous situation. I thin we all can understand that, if we think. We will all be experts in the  the area (the same in all area, dog owners, horse owner, fishermen’s etc.) So lets be more humbled all of us:-). So go with the flow, and enjoy life instead…you know what is right…

Mentally preparation, here comes some good advice for being prepared for upcoming adventures:

Start early, visualize the challenge you are going to do, keep your mind ease and have control over your emotions, keep the focus, talk to encouraging positive people , think about what can go wrong and what you can do if it happens, relax and have fun…

Prepared for all options…(Mattias Jansson)

A bad attitude or unsettled mind will destroy focus, guaranteeing failure regardless of training and preparation. so work with your attitude..

You must want(or need) to be where you are. Doing one thing with the body and another with the mind is self-defeating..

This weeks music…

See ya, and train like hell…

The last trip to Jämtland was real nice. Early Friday morning I started from Ramundberget. The part goal was to the mountain cabin Fältjägarstugan. 15km and almost uphill’s. After 3 hours I was there. I took a short rest, and continued to the target for the day Helags mountain station.  It took me another two hours to get the 14km to the station.

Helags mountain Station…

After breakfast the day after I went up to the Helags Peak 1897m. This ascend took me one our and forty minutes. At the top there was almost no wind. The view over the whole mountain environment was unbeatable.

A nice view over Jämtland…

I went down with fast speed and continued the tour to Fältjägaren which was my selected place to spend the night. After an hour and thirty minutes I was there.

Fäljagarstugan mountain cabin..

I started a fire in the stove, and enjoyed the scene when the sun went down,. What a good life….

Early next morning I took my skis and started my way home. It was still dark, but the sunlight quickly started paint  the sky in orange.

Skardörrsfjällen in morning light, nice….

And now over to acclimatisation. As I wrote earlier it is connected to the spleen (sv. mjälten). Free divers for example have larger spleen, this connected to the ability to hold the breath. So theoretical it is possible to train your ability to adept to thinner air…More information will follow in this area…

And at last , some good music….See ya

We have now started to cooperate with our friends at the Swiss Mountaineering School. Which will help us to provide even more activities in the alp area. You can follow this at the homeside from now on.

To the right: Hermann Berie responsible for the Swiss Mountaineering School.

The 15th of April (Gothenburg)and 16th of April (Stockholm)the Elexir action sport movie festival is here. Great time for being inspired…

The training this week has been great, 9 workouts and 10 hours training totally. Up in the morning yesterday and lugging the wheel, this morning it was daylight the entire workout, great:-). It will be more endurance training the upcoming period. I will also start a new type of training, this for become better to adapt to thin air, but I will come back more detailed in that.

About the approach to life..When I was doing one of my daily meditation pass, the  focus was  on; how to choose the being of the day, when I open my eye there was a graffiti on the wall saying: ”A good life” a coincidence or synchronicity:-) So you, take the chance this week and try it out ,to choose your type of day…

And about the test in Helags, The gaiter from Peak Performance was real good, The Gore-Tex worked out fine, and the ventilation was good. The condensation was minimal, and I am very satisfied. The durability was very good as well, so a real good gaiter which I can recomend.

Peak Performance gaiter worked out well…

Primus Light + a one/two man stove, here in Helags environment.

The Primus Light + is a good stove in good conditions. The cook time is fast, and it is light and take almost no space. For the light and fast it is perfect. It is very easy to use, so a real good stove..

And at the end, this weeks training music; a oldie Goldie..

Wednesday there will be a update from the Helags trip and about preparation for acclimatisation. See ya…

The best way to survival will be to be prepared, that is what we was learned in the Army. Mårten Johansson one of the, or the one with best knowledge of avalanche in Sweden questing this in the latest Outside magazine. If you look into the statistic, there were seven Swedes that died in avalanches the last year.  It is three times more then normally. Mårten means that one of the reason can be; Skilled skiers expose them selves in more risky areas. He also means that our brain works like this; if we are skilled and got the right equipment, we are prone to take more risks. A agree with Mårten in that, and as well it is good to take in consideration in others area as well…

Be prepared, but don’t take bigger risks…

This weekend I went up to Jämtland and Helags area. I ski up from Ramundberget via Fältjägaren to Helags mountain lodge. 28km and it took me 5 hours. Saturday I went up to the top of Helags 1796m. After the summiting I skied to Fältjägarstugan, and this morning I went down to Ramundberget. It was a marvellous morning, crisp and icy with a sun rising over the mountains…

Predikstolen from the top of Helags yesterday morning…

The Fältjägarstugan is located at a height, and the view is fantastic. This movie is from yesterday and you can se Skardörrsfjällen, Sylarna, Helags, Dunsjöfjället och Mittåkläppen. Enjoy:-)

A nice and crisp morning in Jämtland.

I also tested parts from Peak Performance Black Light series. And it was real good, but I will come back to the result next blog. see ya soon.

I really would like to live like I learn and vice versa. But is not always that simple. But now I have change my strength training. So instead of doing 3 set with 2-5 reps. I do 4 set with 12 reps. Tough but really good to challenge my body and brain. This week it has been 9 workouts within 6 days, quite all right.  And as a mate at the gym said: -you must have a very understanding wife:-). Yesterday I started at 05.10 with lugging the wheel. After the workout I did see the small one I used before. So there is another change of the training.

I have now started to got the smell of freedom and mountains in my nose. Soon  I will be there. I will test some gear for Peak Performance and for Primus as well. A travel and test report will be upcoming.

Soon I will be in the mountain environment again…(photo Mattias Jansson)

A test of Primus ETA Light will be coming up…

As a guide the communication between me and the clients will be very important. I small misunderstanding can lead to a disaster, so communication between people is very important. And it will also be in private as well as in professionals situations and environments. Communication is all about to understand and in the next step to get understood. Understanding will be the key-word here. And honest how good are we in communication from that point of view? So here follows some thoughts about communication:

Keep the eye contact. Today it is easy to look into the  cellar phone etc.

Don’t interrupt. Listen with interest and have fully focus.

Be conscious about your body language. About 50% of all message we communicate, is delivered by our body language.

Rush to conclusion. Often we think about what will be said, instead of really listen.

Avoid focus for your self. A one way communication will not be especially fruitfully.

Never commit your faults and shortcomings…The reason of communication is not a ”winning game” The quote: The best way of winning an argue is to avoid it..that would be a way to approach in a communication situation..

Communication is important. (Photographer: Rolf Wiklund)

A new banknote will appear in Sweden in September with a photograph of Claes Grundsten, with a view over Lappland in Sweden:-) Now it will be fun to invest..

Secure you all got a perfect week..See ya soon.

This week it has been 8 workouts within 5 days, a good result for a rest week. For the first 59 days this year I have done 75 workouts(9 rest days). So I stick to the plan. But for now it looks like the winter will be ended here, and that the spring is on its way.

No more cross-country skiing for now…

Today I have been listening to one of Goteborg’s-Postens columnist, Tomas Sjödin. He talked about the life and all decisions taking. He meant that if we instead of being so eager to make plans, take the life more for what it is. The life it takes and it gives. If we all used more curiosity, listening and flexibility life would be much easier and considerably more fun…A good thought….

Started the day with coffee, and a bit of curiosity looking at the map for upcoming adventure..A good start for a good day..

Planning for visiting this mountain cabin…more info will come:-)

I also got the opportunity to test some parts from Peak Performance new series Black Light, so you will got the report when I am done..

Black Light products from Peak Performance..

This weeks music will be a one man band, and also some good stuff from First Aid Kit ..

Sven Hedin, one of the most famous explorer in Sweden. Hedin was born in 1865. This year it is 150 years since he was born(19th of February ) When Selma Lagerlof wrote a school book about the geography of Sweden. (Nils Holgerssons underbara resa) Hedin got a assignment to write a book of the rest of the world(from Pole to Pole). At the Ethnographic museum in Stockholm you can see photographs from Hedin, and as well from Lars Larsson. Fantastic opportunity to compare new photographs with the one from Hedin. Mr Hedin also climbed the Mt Damavand, which also I have climbed:-)

S6000389

A movie from Mt Damavand with my mate Mattias Jansson.

Importance of the rest, while training.

This week is a rest week, well that means that I will have two rest days instead of one. It will be on the rest you build up your body. When you train hard you need at least eight hours sleep. During the sleep, growth hormone will be released, as well as testosterone. This will develop your performance and strength. And If you train different muscle groups each workout, then you can train even harder than if you don’t,

See ya at Sunday;-)

This week the training has been good. A week ago I tested yoga for 1,5 hours and totally 10 workouts. This week it will be 9 workouts. This including two HIIT (high intensive interval training) workouts. Yesterday I went up early, an lugging the wheel as usual:-).

It has started to become spring, but when I woke up this morning the snow was back..

Acclimatization in one interesting topic. At the Mid University they have been study this for a time. Focus in there study is the spleen(sv. Mjälten) The spleen is a dynamic reservoir of blood with a high concentration of red blood cells. This reservoir can be used when its needed. The scientist was doing a pilot study at Louboche Peak (Nepal) when the test persons hold their breath, they could recognize a increasing of the HB level in the blood. But they also could see that, as the result decreased at higher altitude. Another study was they followed 11 trekkers of their tour at Rolwaling (Nepal). The trekkers went up to 4200m, the volume of the spleen was measured at 1370m, 3700m and 4200m. In rest at all of the altitudes the volume of the spleen has decreased with a higher level of HB was measured. The test persons also tested with a ”step test” at the same altitudes. There is knowledge that also physical training  will decrease the volume of the spleen. What the scientist could see was that even if the spleen already has decrease its volume, it still decrease with physical activity. The knowledge of that, told the scientist that  the spleen has a very central function of the adaption to high altitude, before a real acclimatization is done. So the conclusion of the research so far, will therefor be; The spleen looks to have a important function, in the acute situation when you end up in a fatigue oxygen environment. The function of the spleen will be to compensate the lack of oxygen with a higher level of HB. Of a longer time (3 weeks) you can se a result of that the spleen will increase its volume. But after 2 month there is no difference since before. The research is still on going, and I will report more as soon as I got the information..And thank you Angelica Lodin Sundström for the information.

Ulf Bergman with AMS (acute mountain sickness) at Mt Damavand Iran. (just vomiting three times:-). (photo Mattias Jansson)  

I am also planning for upcoming tours. It might be a tour to Härjedalen, but nothing is set,yet.

And here a inspiring film of Scotland and cycling:

And this week inspiring music video look and listening:-)

And now I am going out for a workout, see ya soon. Wednesday…

Sorry for a week without update, I ran out of time..

The training has followed the plan. Last Thursday-Sunday I was in Åre freeheel skiing the whole weekend. Early Friday morning, we went up and meet up with the ski-guide at 0800. As the only four in the ski area it was amazing. The weather during the weekend was a bit stormy, but otherwise the condition was perfect. This week it will be 9 workouts, within 9 hours..

Free heel skiing in Åre area.

Standing in the cable cabin this days, is much more cosily then for just a couple of years ago (the photo is the cable car for Åre skutan in old times)

Yesterday I read a interesting chronicle in Svenska Dagbladet from Jenny Damberg. She wrote about ultra-running and all extreme variants of training. I think she got a point. Today everyone need to be more unique, to standing out from the crowd.  we have those who train everyday, and then we got those who doesn’t train at all. And it is a bit of the same feeling about mountains. the extreme ones will always be there, but it is the others that need to stop the clock and feel the humility to the nature…Every new one, for the mountains is a victory:-).

Is it all about weight? Most of the magazine do test of mountaineering equipment. The thing is on lately they always write abut lightweight stuff.  It is of course good most of the time, but dont forget that the quality. I tested the La Sportiva Storm Fighter GTX pant in Åre. It is a light shell trouser for  ski-mountaineering. Quite light, but not I will use in high altitude environment..

A light pant, but be causes were the use of it..

Here come this weeks training music, the Swedish band Hives with Blood red moon..enjoy:-)

This year will be the year of testing different type of training. So today I will try a new thing. I will tell you next Sunday what is all abut. But challenge yourself with new types of training and you will develop your mind as well as your body:-).

Time for a thoughtfulness in Åre..

My spirit is longing for mountains, but I will be there soon. I know:-)

Sunday evening, and here I sit and do my bloging:-) To be honest, I  have longed for it. A cup of coffee and here we go. This week has been a good, but challenging training week. With totally 9 hours and 33 minutes I am satisfied. Running, cross-country skiing, EFIT, lugging the car Wheel, and also workouts in the gym. 9 workouts in 6 Days, that nice.

The snow was tough, and builded up a wall in the front of the Wheel, even more training;-)

There have been some avalange accidents during the weekend. One here in Sweden, with a happy ending as it seems out right now. And one in Switzerland and that one does not look so good:-(. Before all this happend there was a disussion ongoing about guides and there education about avalange security and knowledge. The mountain safety organ here in Sweden (Fjällsäkerhetsrådet) has decided to do some requirement set for the education.

http://www.svtplay.se/klipp/2623408/offpistguider-behover-inga-lavinkunskaper

Sorry for the Swedish, but it is all abut the requirement for guides working in off-pist areas.

And now over to ice-climbing, the latest here is that the Niagara falls has been climbed, look to this movie and enjoy…

The upcoming week contains some free heel skiing, and I look forward to it. I will test a new back-pack. A ski pack from Salewa, build for randonee skiing. Lots of good details from a first view. But now it will be hard core tested…details will be brought up next blog..

Other new products to keep an eye on will be the new ”Black Light collection”. (from Peak Performance)This one will be interesting, a new mountaineering series of clothes…let me guess, that this one will be mentioned at the outdoor cloth fair in Germany.

The new collection from Peak Performance…

Keep up the training, and here some good quotes to rely on…

On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow

(Nietzsche)

“Mountains are not stadiums where I satisfy my ambition to achieve, they are the cathedrals where I practice my religion.”

(Anatoli Boukreev)

Cuz you’re one sexy mother fucker when you train, and you know it (why training…)

Only he who can see the invisible can do the impossible.
(- Frank L. Gaines..)

See ya next week..