tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59497482735699131762024-03-13T17:37:16.193+01:00Henri RuulHenri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-71995979141194394192016-04-14T21:34:00.000+02:002016-04-15T19:27:57.475+02:00Morocco: From Ouarzazate to Marrakech1) Ait Benhaddou. Beautiful and historical place where many Hollywood movies have been filmed. I understand why.<br />
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2) Djemaa-el Fna. A must in Marrakech. Hustle and bustle.</div>
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3) El Badi palace. If these walls could talk ...How did the stone get stuck in between two walls???</div>
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4) Marrakech is all about rooftops views over the Medina and Atlas mountains.</div>
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5) Marrakech is also considered as the riads mecca. These beautiful and charming buildings are often well decorated + I really felt the traditional moroccan hospitality there.</div>
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6) The local man's behavior needs a lot improving. When you see him, keep your head high.</div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-25885678522489878262015-12-20T16:25:00.001+01:002015-12-20T16:42:08.490+01:002015 in review I just love this time of year. When days are shorter, weather cool and grey, I feel way more concentrated and focused on a specific task with computer. It is also perfect time to reflect on the past and set new goals for the future.<br />
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Looking back at things that take up most of my time after work- physical exercise, volunteering, travelling etc I cannot say it was a bad year.<br />
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<b>Exercise</b><br />
I have always enjoyed working out. I run, bike, lift weight at a gym etc. Here is a quick sum-up of some numbers so far.<br />
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The data provided is a bit off. I love to analyze numbers. However my watch is not the most important equipment. Neither wear I any activity tracker when lifting.<br />
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For most of the year I would go running two to three times a week. Usually just 20-30 min a run. Yep, its short and I do all my runs by time rather than distance.<br />
Running is actually where I get much of my work done- I think about things I want to accomplish that day, ideas for projects etc. So there are many benefits of going for a run. However, in comparison with the previous years (you can read my 2013 review <a href="http://henriruul.blogspot.com.ee/2014/01/my-2013-recap.html">here</a> ) total running distance has dropped and it seems that I failed here:<br />
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2015: 635 km<br />
2014: 2133 km<br />
2013: 2032 km<br />
2012: 1830 km<br />
2011: 1068 km<br />
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Just a little more than a week left to catch up missed km's. Plenty of time left. Not a big deal :)<br />
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This summer I also started to get into calisthenics. Its fun, yet challenging. Even put together a short video. Link below:<br />
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<b>Travel</b><br />
Travelling is one of my favorite activities. Had a great time meeting up with a bunch of friends living abroad, seeing the world and meeting some of the most interesting people. I have been reminded about the beauty of my country as well.<br />
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Copenhagen, Denmark:<br />
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Piran, Slovenia:<br />
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Lisbon, Portugal. When November feels like summer:<br />
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Chicago, USA:<br />
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Atlanta, USA:</div>
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New York, US:</div>
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Estonia:<br />
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<b>Cycling for transport</b><br />
My memories of Denmark include bike culture and infrastructure. Its not a secret that cycling is the quickest way to get around in downtown Tallinn. Bought a new bike back in March. Since then I have managed to bike to work on a regular basis like back in the good old days. Even though I use my bike mostly for transport, I also see cycling as an excellent form of exercise. If days were 26 hours, I would be spending more time on my road bike that I don't even own yet.<br />
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But what did not turn out as expected?<br />
<b><br /></b><b>Total number of races</b><br />
I took part only in a total of 2 races in 2015, including two half marathons. The good? I finished with a 1:24:24 in Copenhagen and ran 13 second slower in Tallinn. Was my two-race journey fun? Indeed, it was! My focus next year is on enjoying the thrill of competition more often. It is not about winning but challenging myself.<br />
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<b>Skiing</b><br />
Cross country skiing is the coolest sport on planet earth! Unfortunately I cant remember last time I headed out, dove into the snow and spent hours on skis. I barely remember how to put the gear on. Really hope the weather presents an opportunity this winter. Now I sit here waiting for it to snow...<br />
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Wish you all a wonderful holiday season! Thanks for reading!Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-46011504699657148872015-07-02T11:32:00.001+02:002015-07-02T18:13:52.619+02:00Obsession with green lawn and my longest fixie rideSummer is finally in full swing here in Northern hemisphere. Perfect green lawn is probably no 1 obsession of Estonian home owners in the summer. ...And so is mine. Hahahaa.<br />
Made completely last minute decision Tuesday evening to drive up to our summerhouse on Wednesday morning to cut the grass. However, this time we (me and my brother) decided to take our bikes instead of a car. Even though it takes much longer by bike (30min vs 150min), we found that the microadventure on the bike is worth every second. And off we went.<br />
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We biked on small country roads. Spent total of 5 hours on the saddle and covered 110km (first time 100+km for him and first time for me to ride 100+ on my fixed gear bike). In contrast it took me just 15 minutes to mow the lawn. Hahaha :)<br />
Arrived back home in Tallinn afternoon, leaving me plenty of time to work as well. Had a great half day adventure! See you on the road!<br />
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-38480195479451430842015-04-19T22:29:00.003+02:002015-04-19T23:20:43.282+02:00Copenhagen half marathonMade a last minute decision to travel to Copenhagen for a couple of days relaxation and I'm glad that I did. A sort of spring city break. It is not a secret that Copenhagen during spring is beautiful and the weather can be as pleasant as in the summer.<br>
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I also decided to enter the Nike Marathon test, a half marathon running race held on April 19. It has been a strange year for my running training and I have not done any serious run this year (total of 150 km of running). So things were not looking promising for the upcoming race. For whatever reason, I ended up running well and crossed the finish line at 1h 24min and 24sec. Performance like this makes me wonder what I could do if I had proper preparation ...hahahaa. Anyway, time to enjoy last days in sunny Copenhagen before heading back home.<br>
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I also created a short video of my trip to DK, link here <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFLhBjW6StE">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFLhBjW6StE</a><br>
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-26532073002657941732015-04-12T15:50:00.002+02:002015-04-12T19:21:38.139+02:00Disc golfYesterday I played my first disc golf this year and had such a good time. It was my first time playing on Nõmme disc golf course in Tallinn. We were clearly the only ones playing for first time, so there was a short wait for the hole behind us. However, most players were friendly and didnt seem to mind.<br />
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The course was well maintained, however it can be difficult to find the next hole without the map (especially when you are first time ther). Most holes have quite a bit of trees, so you are surrounded by beautiful wilderness. Not too shabby. All in all, it was a great day of fun and I look forward to play again. I will let the video do the talking...</div>
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-73643116206417226772014-10-17T13:11:00.001+02:002014-10-17T13:11:19.328+02:00Rwanda videoRwanda is probably one of those countries that stay with you long after you have left. I spent almost 4 months there and to conclude, it was amazingly spent summer and traveling to some Rwanda's neighbors. I created this little piece just for fun...<br />
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-89882240119581898052014-09-14T19:01:00.001+02:002014-09-14T19:01:45.451+02:00Photos of our Akagera safari Just got back from a beautiful day visiting Akagera National Park with some friends. First time safari for me and even though there are no big cats, it was nice to see some big animals such as giraffes, hippos, elephants, zebras, buffalo etc. It's probably not like a safari park in Kenya, but a great place nonetheless, where you can enjoy drive for a number of hours. Here are some photos that tell the rest of the story.<br />
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-31831432575436895432014-09-08T14:15:00.001+02:002014-09-08T14:41:17.841+02:00BurundiLast Friday I packed my backpack, jumped on a bus and took the 6 hours trip from Kigali to Burundian capital, Bujumbura. I had heard so many people saying that Bujumbura is boring, so I didn't expect much. Arrived Buju in heavy rain on Friday afternoon and even though it was raining, it wasn't that disappointing.<br />
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There are quite a few places where to stay in Bujmbura, however most of them are way too expensive (starting from 60$) despite that Burundi is a third world country. Fortunately I found cheap accommodation in downtown that didn't eat all my budget. No luxury, nice staff, relatively safe, no internet and good location. I didn't go there to spend time in my room, I went there to explore the city. Once there I quickly changed into a try outfit and off to town I went.<br />
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Shortly after, just around the corner, I found a nice and probably the best cafe in Buja- Cafe Gourmand. Despite that I spent just 2 days in town, I went there 4 times. Delicious pastries, cakes and good coffee. No wonder this cafe is popular among expats and locals.<br />
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Next morning I got up early and set out for a morning run. The funny thing is that the government has banned running on the streets of Bujumbura. What an adrenaline rush! Well, that's not completely true, because you are allowed to run, but not in groups. According to the government group jogging leads to uprisings. Much to my surprise, running is very popular among Burundians and I have never seen so many runners on streets just sharing the passion for sport and not competing against each other. Want to popularize running? Ban it!<br />
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No doubt, there are number of nice beaches around Buju. After morning run and late breakfast at Cafe Aroma (another great cafe in Buju), I hoped on a moto-taxi to go to the Bora-Bora Beach, where all the young and beautiful (and rich) meet. I have been recommended by many friends about this beach club. Spent quite a few hours by the pool and at the bar. Nice place? Yes! Nice people? Yes! Great view to the lake Tanganyika? Yes! Good food? There are better places! Budget-friendly? No!<br />
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Even though Burundi is not as developed as Rwanda, I would definitely recommend to visit and experience the natural beauty that exists there.<br />
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Thank you for reading and have a great week ahead!</div>
<br />Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-58864838827173081692014-08-31T19:19:00.001+02:002014-08-31T19:47:13.655+02:00Kigali runaroundIts kinda funny how I have turned more into resistance training over the past months. Basically my time for outdoor sports (running, biking, skiing, hiking etc) has transferred to the gym. It's probably because my office is a gym. Anyway that doesn't mean that I have become a total gym rat ...or I have retired my running shoes. I do believe that long runs and heavy lifting can go together. Lifting heavy can be beneficial for a distance runner, however hours of cardio will never make you bulked up. So basically you need to decide what you want to be- big and strong lifter or slim and fast distance runner. I enjoy both and try to be all over fit. After some very hard lifting sessions this week, I found myself missing my running routine and the joy of running.<br />
It was Sunday morning that I thought will be the best time to run here in Kigali as all streets will be almost empty. I was right! So around 9 am, after GPS signal was recieved, I began my run. Soon I found myself running along quiet and some of the most beautiful streets in town.<br />
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Then there was one of many beautiful roundabouts.</div>
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A short later I passed the Parliament house (on left, top of the hill). The Parliament building is visible from a distance and often helps me to orientate myself while running. </div>
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About 200 meters later I passed the RDB (Rwandan Development Board) and turned left into a small street.</div>
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Shortly I found myself in the neighborhood where all the rich people live and several embassies are located. </div>
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Usually you have to get out of town to make running more fun, however sometimes running around a new neighborhood will be enough to forget that you are running.</div>
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Yep, even in Kigali, the rich people live in large homes. Not surprisingly the only golf course is located in this neighborhood as well.</div>
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Then it was time to leave the golf course behind and continue my way to home. I followed the road until I was back on the main street...</div>
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..and a short bit later the Parliament caught my eye from a distance.<br />
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Along the way back home, I passed some more modern buildings... </div>
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...and soon after I was back home. It will be interesting what Kigali will look like in 10 years if the rich get richer and poor poorer. </div>
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-24649443309478327462014-08-11T16:19:00.000+02:002014-08-11T16:19:03.197+02:00Uganda and white water rafting on the NileTruth is that it has been a few weeks since we last escaped the city of Kigali. So after busy weeks of work we decided to leave our work at work and travel to Uganda. Our trip started on thursday afternoon when we went to Kigali bus station to catch the 6PM bus to Kampala. There have been some 3-4 hours bus rides on my trip here in Rwanda, however this one was a little bit different. First of all, the distance between Kigali and Kampala is around 500 km and estimated driving time ca 9 hours. Furthermore, at the bus station we found out that our ancient bus is over-booked. Fortunately next bus arrived ca 45 min later and we left ca 8PM from Kigali. A further 2 hours later we had to go through the border between Rwanda and Uganda. Exiting Rwanda wasn't simple- it took ca 2 hour to get all passport stamps and then back to the bus. The road was extremely bad in Uganda and no toilet on the bus didn't make the trip easier.<br />
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We got to the sin city of East Africa next morning at 9 AM and shortly set off for one of the biggest shopping mall in Kampala to take a free shuttle to our hostel, located near the lake of Victoria.<br />
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There is nothing better than relaxing in the pool after brutal bus ride.<br />
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Saturday morning we woke up early to do the full day grade 5 rafting on the Nile. The company offered a free transportation from Kampala to Jinja and furthermore a small breakfast was provided on arrival. After short introduction they transported us to river.<br />
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We joined with another group of 3, really nice Americans for our adventure. And then the adventure began!<br />
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After 4 rapids, it was time for lunch.<br />
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Some of the rapids were challenging and we did flip several times, however the experienced staff made us feel safe. We covered total of 27 km on Nile and I had just an amazing time! I'm even considering buying the video with all our rafting highlights (all flips included) if I can negotiate the price down a little bit.<br />
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One night free accommodation was also included in the price ($ 125) and they dropped us off at our hotel after long day of rafting. We really were exhausted and simply didn't have the energy to party. Even snoring in our mixed dorm couldn't keep us awake ...or at least most of us.<br />
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I started my Sunday in our hotel pool.<br />
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...then went for a stroll and grabbed a quick breakfast- rolled omelette (or Rolex).<br />
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Afternoon we took a taxi back to Kampala where we spent an hour or two with our friends before we jumped on boda-bodas (moto-taxies) and headed to downtown. After the brutal bus ride from Kigali to Kampala, we decided to travel back home in the first class. Despite the fact that there were two seats on one side and three seats on the other side, making stretching impossible, the bus was fast, relatively modern and we crossed the border within less than an hour. Another downside was really loud and shit music for almost the entire ride. Fortunately I turned my headphones into earplugs.<br />
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Here are some random photos I took over the weekend. Uganda is truly worth a visit!<br />
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Thanks for reading!<br />
<br />Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-34466615910963115062014-07-20T20:16:00.000+02:002014-07-20T20:18:16.432+02:00Getaway to lake KivuAfter realizing that we have spent our past 4 weekends in Kigali, my fellow interns and myself decided to escape the city for a much needed weekend break. The original plan was a long weekend getaway to Burundi, however our plan to take friday off from work simply didn't work. Instead, on friday we booked up a hotel room by lake Kivu. After leaving home on Saturday morning, we headed to the Nyabugogog bus station to take the bus to Gisenyi.<br />
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Unfortunately it was totally disgusting bus ride. Not because of the fact that the bus was completely full, but rather because of a 15-year old mom who decided to sit between us with her 2 year old baby boy. She didnt only smell bad, but she started breastfeeding immediately. ...and then things got worse. It took 30min or so, until the baby vomited in the bus. Lovely! ...And so did his mom. ...and then the baby. Again and again!<br />
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Anyway, after 3 hours in the bus we arrived in Gisenyi and motos dropped us at our hotel. Time to get our must needed getaway started! We stayed at the Paladise Malahide, an excellent hotel on Lake Kivu. They treated us like kings. Once there, we ate lunch by the water.<br />
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And then spent some time relaxing (and swimming) at the hotel's private beach, located just 15 meters from our Bungalow.<br />
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In the afternoon we took a boat to a tiny island, with nobody on it.</div>
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A quick selfie...</div>
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...and back!</div>
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Next morning, the breakfast was delicious!</div>
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When checked out, we hiked all the way to Gisenyi...</div>
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...and back to Kigali we went.</div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
<br />Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-53610911371208285742014-07-13T18:53:00.001+02:002014-07-13T18:55:13.662+02:00My first floating dance party<pre style="background-color: white; line-height: 16.244800567626953px; white-space: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yesterday I took a part in the global dance party called floating silent disco in Kigali.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is an event, where a group of people gather, then listen the same music and dance together 90 minutes around the city. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">T</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">hey do it it dozens of cities worldwide.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> I heard about the event on friday ...and downloaded the 90min mix immediately that left me no time to change my mind. So yesterday evening I jumped on a moto-taxi to head downtown and tried something completely new...</span></pre>
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</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Around 9PM we put our headphones on, pressed play at the same time and floating began. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We had only 10 of us, however countries such as UK, US, Germany, Kenya, Rwanda and Estonia were represented.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We danced like crazy (no wonder all pics are blurry) and e</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ven though we had several stops along the way, we covered approximately 5 km dancing in 2 hours and ended up in my neighborhood restaurant. Nice people and good music made it fantastic!</span></pre>
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-57826998199084098022014-06-29T12:44:00.000+02:002014-06-29T12:44:10.401+02:00Rwanda blog 3: home, bowling and footballThe past two weeks have gone extremely fast here! Last week we moved from our first home into a new apartment. We found the four room apartment situated in nice neighborhood, just 10min by walk to work. The good things was that landlord promised to supply all furniture and kitchen appliances in good order before we moved in. So, on the day of the move, we realized that that wasn't the case. It took a few extra days for landlord and us to get almost all things done. So nothing so bad. We have been here now for 10 days and almost settled in completely. The house itself is nice:<br />
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And the view from our balcony is not too boring:</div>
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There is even a supermarket on the first floor. Due to the poor sortiment of food there is not much to buy, but at least they have some ice-cream.</div>
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Went bowling yesterday at Mamba Club. The funny thing is that the pins are not automated there, so the pin collection is done by hand. Yes, there is a guy behind every lane who picks all the pins knocked down.</div>
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After the extreme bowling, it was time for some football. We watched the match Brazil-Chile on a big screen at Mamba Club.</div>
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Kigali bars and pubs are actually great places to watch football. We are not huge football fans here, but sometimes its fun.</div>
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Thanks for reading!</div>
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-13580133269557375522014-06-15T15:54:00.003+02:002014-10-26T20:19:59.811+01:00Rwanda blog 2: MusanzeI started the weekend early, so it has been a looooong one. Kicked off the weekend on Thursday by visiting Cercle Sportif, a multipurpose physical activity center that has it all- a pool. I went there for a swim obviously ...to stay cool in warm weather. There you have access to swimming pool, tennis and basketball court (and many more activities) for only nearly 4 EUR. It looks a bit old, but everything is clean though.<br />
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After Doing Nothing Friday, Saturday called for a trip! I did set off early in the morning by bus from Kigali to reach the village of Gakenke. Unfortunately, the weather wasnt on my side.</div>
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After about 90 min or so our buss arrived to Gakenke. My original plan was to climb mt Kabuye, but had to cancel the climb due to poor weather. Instead, I decided to head to Musanze, so I found myself waiting for the bus. I was like a monument in the middle of the village, surrounded by hundreds of local people, all of them looking at me. Needless to say, they all were people with dark skin. Maybe they havent seen a blond guy I thought. Finally I saw my buss coming. Jumped on the bus and about 45 min later I reached the town of Musanze, the closest town to the Volcanoes National Park and mountain gorillas. Neither gorillas nor volcanoe hike were in my plans, but I didnt want to leave Musanze without seeing these famous volcanoes shared by DR of Congo and Rwanda (the border crosses over the peak of volcanoes). Luckily I found a cheap accommodation (for 10 EUR), so I decided to stay overnight, while hoping for better weather next day. It was worth it!</div>
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Had a nice dinner and breakfast at La Paillotte. Would definitely recommend it!</div>
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Streets in Musanze:</div>
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Cheap and old hotel for travelers not seeking luxury</div>
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These busses seat 30 people and dont leave until full.</div>
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Back to Kigali</div>
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-61950801982880780872014-06-08T13:19:00.002+02:002014-06-08T13:19:28.675+02:00Rwanda blog 1: My week in picsWhat a week it has been! I started the week with packing and preparation in Copenhagen, where I caught my flight to africa on monday afternoon. On Tuesday, I landed in Kigali, my new home at least for the next 3 months. Im now on my fifth day of my internship as a dietitian, what can I say it's great, however not yet in full swing. Anyway, I let my pictures tell a story!<br />
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Leaving Copenhagen</div>
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Its not unreasonable expensive here, but costs add up quickly. A good thing is that transport can be cheap. Moto taxi for instance is super convenient way of getting around the city, but they are not very safe. No matter where you are, there are always drivers nearby. Highest price I have paid for my longest ride (ca 8-9 km) was Rwf 800 or 85 euro cents.</div>
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Went to the Kimironko, the largest market in Kigali yesterday. A place worth visiting!<br />
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Our office on the second floor:</div>
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The best way to see Kigali is by running outside- cheap, quick and fun ...but physically demanding.</div>
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Two random muzungus hanging out.</div>
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A downtown office building under construction in Kigali</div>
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People really love carrying stuff on their head</div>
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Climbing Mt Kigali- easy climb, nice view and good company!</div>
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Sunday morning in Nyamirambo</div>
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Locals playing football (Mt Kigali left)</div>
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-72617303167873797722014-05-18T21:34:00.001+02:002014-05-18T21:34:29.891+02:00Copenhagen marathon 2014This year's Copenhagen marathon was held today. Long story short, due to shin splints I have decided to stop running and thus I was here watching my sister run her second marathon. she has spent last 2 days battling with food poisoning ...and stomach distress challenged her all 42km from start to finish. Im super proud of her for not giving up, however severe food poisoning is a good reason to end the event such as a marathon.<br />
Because I arrived to Copenhagen already on tuesday and with no big plans in my schedule, I captured some video material. Here is the final cut:<br />
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Flying home tomorrow for 10 days, before heading to africa. Super stoked, even though I feel like crap at the moment.Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-6492773789263498292014-05-05T20:20:00.001+02:002014-05-08T17:48:43.296+02:00Hamburg Marathon 2014 race reportRaces are funny things- they test how physically and mentally tough you think you are. When you are specified in one particular sport then more focused you become on a specific goal. I was pretty excited when a good friend of mine suggested running a marathon ...and just a few minutes later we were looking at the schedule, figuring out which marathon race would suit us best. So, Hamburg it was! It's not that far away from Aarhus (4-5 hours) and as Germans are known as excellent marathon organizers, it was an easy decision for us.<br />
My preparation for the marathon started back in January. I'm not very good at running big mileages, so I ran between 4 and 7 hours a week, however I'm good at setting my goals high enough, targeting a sub 3 hour marathon that seemed to be a fairly achievable with a little bit of effort and it all went nearly as planned ...until things just leaded to failure. I hadn't been able to run and exercise 2 weeks prior the race due to shin splints. Needless to say, I lost confidence to be successful in this race. However, I decided to give my leg as much rest as possible and make the final decision on whether or not to run just a day before the marathon. But before we get into details, lets start at the very beginning.<br />
Around 9:30 AM on Saturday morning I headed down to Aarhus central railway station to meet up with a friend and catch the train to Rødekro, where we picked out a car to Hamburg.<br />
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Stuck in a traffic jam on the way to Hamburg</div>
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We arrived Hamburg around 5PM, leaving us 2 hours to pick our race packets. As our hotel wasn't nearby the start line, where the packet pickup and expo was held, we took the 20 min bus ride with a short walk at the end to the Henrich-Hertx Turm.<br />
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With no lines, it was a quick packet pickup! After that we started to carbo-load at the Pasta Party and ended up in the supermarket for some extra. Then back to the hotel, quick running shoes pickup and off for a short run we went. I ran these 15 minutes shin splints free and decided to give it a go next day!<br />
The next morning we woke up early- 6:45 AM or so, to eat breakfast, pack our luggage, check out of our hotel and catch the 7:42 AM bus to the start line.<br />
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The bus ended up packed full of marathoners.<br />
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The very smooth operation was all excellent! The bag dropoff went quickly and left me more than 30 minutes to get in my warm-up. Much more than enough!<br />
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Surprisingly I was just a few meters back of the line when the gun went off, even though I wasn't planning it. Anyway, off we went. My pacing strategy was based on shin splints and once she hits me, I either keep on going or prove she was wrong. At this point, I was pain free. Because the runners were grouped by expected finish time, I got a plenty of fast runners around me, pushing me to run further ...and then I just hold ...for awhile. I crossed the half marathon at 1:26:34 and simply tried to keep the pace. But at 25km or so, she hit me first time. The pain was sharp, but tolerable and at this point it was all about crossing the finish line no matter how long it takes. Unfortunately the finish line wasn't near and I had a long battle ahead. Even though it was a painful experience and I had to slow down considerably, I couldn't let her stop me. Seemed like the longest kilometers ever. I crossed the finish line at 2:59:35. </div>
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The Hamburg Marathon is probably one of the best marathon I have ever participated, because I absolutely loved the organization. A great flat course, athmospere and the greatest cheering crowds I have ever seen! The only thing I would change would be getting rid of shin splints before participating in a marathon. </div>
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After a quick recovery meal and shower, I headed back to catch my friend finish, but he was too quick this day. He was running his first marathon and finished at 3:26. A pretty gifted runner! </div>
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Short walk back to the bus stop, ride back to the hotel and after that away we want, back to Aarhus.</div>
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Now that my time here in Aarhus is coming to an end, it's time to prepare for the last exams, start packing and go to Copenhagen, where the marathon takes place at the end of the next week. Will do my best to cheer the runners on from start to finish. After that, Africa, I'm coming.</div>
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Thanks for reading and have a great week ahead!</div>
Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-45545990256849400032014-04-28T19:42:00.001+02:002014-04-28T22:26:53.748+02:00My weekend adventuresYet another weekend of sunny and beautiful weather here in Aarhus. It has been a big weekend of adventure. It all started on a friday afternoon, when I was heading out of the city to visit my friends. They recently moved there, so a house warming party of some kind, however I completely forgot the bread and salt. They moved to the countryside to beautiful surroundings with hilly terrain with some trees around and I simply couldn't the chance to sleep outside slip away. Once we got there,we found a best place to set up a campsite.<br />
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Next morning, I woke up to rooster crow. What a pleasure! Probably not the case when you stay up late. I fell asleep just few minutes after sunset a day before- a good night's sleep in a tent! This shot below was taken early in the morning, just after the wake-up call. Friend of mine preferred to sleep with no tent. Literally under the stars. Taking into account that the temperature dropped to 4-5 degrees Celsius, not too shabby!</div>
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I returned back home on saturday to get ready for the next challenge I faced on sunday morning. A friend of mine suggested I should give kayaking a try. I was definitely up for it! After he fitted me out in my kayak and made sure I was familiar with all the equipment, off we went. Needless to say, I had never been kayaking before. After two minutes in a flat harbour it was time to hit some waves. It took me another 2 minutes to flip the kayak over and fell into the cold water. Huh! The good things is that I got the chance to experience the rescue- friend of mine emptied my kayak within 2 seconds and I was back in. But on the other hand I was completely wet ...and at this moment I didn't like kayaking at all. But as timed passed by, I found myself in a relatively dry wetsuit I borrowed, ready to get back in a wider kayak to give it another go. This time all went well and we paddled almost 1h on open water. It was a blast!</div>
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-2558119331327698322014-04-21T18:42:00.003+02:002014-04-21T20:20:55.220+02:00 Jægersborg DyrehaveAfter a quick trip to Estonia, I was back in Denmark. My plan was to spend whole Sunday in Copenhagen with my sister before heading back to Aarhus. She has been living there more than a year and every time I visit her, we train together. In order to mix things up and not get bored while running same routes all the time, we have been looking for new running routes near Copenhagen. This time, she suggested going to north of the city- Jægersborg Dyrehave. Even though I was worried about my shin splints, I figured that easy training, a combination of walk/run, would fit my marathon program best. Good company and desire to spend time outside on sunny day, I was definitely up for it!<br />
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We started off our trip around 10AM with a short walk to Nørreport, which is just few steps from her place.<br />
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As our goal was to explore some new ground near the city, we took the S-train to Klampenborg.<br />
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And 17 minutes later, we were there, ready to set off.<br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">We had a route in mind- to run/walk around and inside the deer garden. Neither she nor I hadn't been there before and we didnt know exactly where to go. Thus we simply followed others. Few hundred meters away, we entered the park, where a gentlemen was ready to give a lift. Unfortunately, my legs were feeling too fresh at this time.</span></div>
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Anyway, off we went. After 40 min of walking on the right route, we started running 5min followed by 10min walk. Awesome weather just kept us going in the woods for many more kilometers.<br />
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...until it was time for lunch next to the golf course.<br />
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After eating a delicious homemade sandwich, we took a turn to the Hermitage palace. Hundreds of folk were out there.<br />
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Additionally, we had the chance to see some of the deer several times along the way.</div>
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We finished our loop in the deer garden, 22km by then, and decided run back to Copenhagen. It was supposed to be easy 11km run back home, but we ran out of water and I could not get rid of shin splints. We ended up running 10min followed by 5min walk. As my shin splint was getting worse and we both were dehydrated, we slowed down to grab two cold drinks in a supermarket. The best choice I made this day!<br />
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We finished our tour in some 4 hours and 18 minutes (pauses excluded), all in 33.4 km. Even though my average heart rate was below 100, I realized that running with a shin splints is tough and a painful experience. I'm going to take at least 3 or 4 days off.</div>
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Post-run, quick post-workout meal and a 3 hour bus ride to Aarhus. With that, thanks for reading.</div>
Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-59461478769804159912014-04-19T18:29:00.000+02:002014-10-26T17:28:55.651+01:00Happy easter everyone!<span style="font-family: inherit;">Another crazy busy week. Just landed in Copenhagen, before heading to Aarhus tomorrow. Here is what I was up to for the last 4 weeks. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">After short weekend break with my siblings in Copenhagen at the end of March I returned to Aarhus to write the 3 week assignment. Started early, finished late and I tried to kill less time on other activities. I realized that finishing assignment is one of the best thing I have ever done. Handed in my paper and headed back to Copenhagen right away, where I flew to Tallinn 2 days later. Once there, I received a warm welcome home from family and friends. I had a great week ahead (or 5 days to be exact). Who can go there and not go to sauna, eat the best barbecue or spend a day or two in countryside? Not me. I almost forgot that most shopping centers and supermarkets remain open over the Easter weekend and some of them are open even until 22 on Good Friday. Easter means good business, I guess. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Anyway, family breakfast, smooth flight, not too many tourists and nice weather added a great bonus to finish off the Easter break today. Will t</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">ry to get my brain back on track soon to make the last weeks of school count. Happy easter!</span><br />
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-66384452896140408162014-03-09T19:45:00.002+01:002014-03-09T22:06:06.137+01:00Runners understand each other<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This was probably the nicest weekend of the year- sunny day, temperature around 10-15C. The weather was perfect so I did my first run in shorts and t-shirt this year. Tons of folk were out, so it was funny to see how much clothing the Danes wear during strolling- a coat, gloves, scarf, hat etc, meanwhile all runners were in shorts...</span><br />
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-50796027668546960702014-02-21T17:19:00.000+01:002014-02-21T17:28:31.194+01:00Thorax training and a video report<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have you ever found yourself in fitness center wondering what all these people are doing here? Im not a huge gym fan, but every once in a while I hit the gym and join the fun. There is no doubt that we exercise for a variety of reasons. Some bike to lose weight, others lift to build up muscles and to look good. In addition to that there are many other reasons why do people work out.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once a week I'm coaching a bunch of </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">ski fanatics in Aarhus to achieve their objectives. The majority train to improve their physical performance.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> In most cases they are going to participate either in Vasaloppet or Birkebeinerrennet, so I help them to become stronger, faster and better skier in a country where is no snow. </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Frank Shorter said once that you </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">don’t run 26 miles at 5 minutes a mile on good looks and a secret recipe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This wednesday, 3 local journalism students joined our 60 min training session to interview the man behind the Aarhus Skiklub and to make a short report. Stuff they made turned out awesome!</span><br />
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-30196110753626390112014-02-02T18:01:00.001+01:002014-02-02T18:01:41.739+01:00Running with a camera...I usually train alone, so I can do exactly what I need/want to do without compromise (control breathing, pace etc), but two-three times a week I get the chance to run/ski/bike with someone else and then I simply enjoy the company. I usually always have someone to train with on Sunday, but not because I have to drag myself out the front door after Saturday, but rather because its good opportunity to catch up with others and swap stories and training ideas ...or to be honest- to push each other through the tough parts. Huge bonus! But today, Sunday, I decided to take an easy day and did a short run with some pull-ups and leg raises ...with camera. I think that training is fun and taking photos is fun, but these two things rarely go hand in hand. Anyway, I ended up taking some video clips while training today ...and enjoyed every second of it.<br />
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Click photo to open the video link (or click <a href="http://vimeo.com/85655775">here</a>)<br />
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-91521201500791291802014-01-19T18:11:00.001+01:002014-01-19T22:07:24.972+01:00My 2013 recapA few days ago I received an email from a guy I don't know, starting with ''Hi Henri, How's your skiing going?'' before going into deeper conversation. Anyway, this was a good way to start a conversation with me, because I'm interested in people who share that love! Just after that I thought that is skiing something what I'm known for? Probably not, but on the other hand, skiing, in a way, has defined who I am as a person. But the funny thing is that last time I skied was over a year ago, on January 17th in 2013. Much to my surprise, I only did that once in 2013. Henri ...the skier ...for sure:)<br />
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Here are some of the statistics from my year of training in 2013:<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Total time trained: 400 hours</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Running: 184 hours (2032km)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Time on the bike: 101 hours (2413km)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Roller skiing: 36 hours (544km)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Weight training: 64 hours</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Races: 4</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">marathons completed: 1</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 marathons completed: 1</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">hardest week: 13 h 43 min</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">easiest: 2 h 54 min </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">According to my training analyzer (not the most accurate), I burned 278 455 kilocalories (equal to 506 Big Macs). So I know where I should eat dinner tonight ...and how many burgers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The running distance seems to be increasing constantly- </span>2032 km in 2013, 1830 in <span style="font-family: inherit;">2012 and 1068 km in 2011. Not a bad thing. However, there were couple of not so priceless moments, but here they are:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- did not run/ski/bike any personal bests</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- Total time trained 117 hours less than in 2012</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- 61 hours on skies in 2011, 31 h in 2012 and only one hour in 2013. Sad, but true!</span><br />
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BTW! I don't have such thing as a training plan. I only have a plan when prepare for a very important race. I do not train when I just do not want and I do sports I like to do best, but I never say no to something I have never done before.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It was not a busy year, but I enjoyed every second of it. Looking back I didn't race much, so I hope I will race more often this year ...or next. This year my focus will be a full marathon in the spring. Very much looking forward to it! </span><br />
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Thanks for reading and stay tuned!<br />
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5949748273569913176.post-79553350693912407272013-12-17T13:17:00.000+01:002013-12-17T15:56:58.549+01:00Goals are dreams with deadlines<span style="font-family: inherit;">Back in January I wrote my sport resolutions for 2013 (<a href="http://henriruul.blogspot.dk/2013/01/todays-moment-becomes-tomorrows-memory.html">link here</a>). Time to check back how did it go.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">- Half marathon under 1h 20min. Honestly I didnt succeed. I simply didn't stick to it ..and lack of right race preparation-excuses, excuses, excuses! Usually I make a plan before I start preparation for a race, but not this time. No wonder it all failed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- Instead, I returned to Aarhus Night marathon at the last minute and defended my 2010 year victory. It is not a big deal to win a local race like this, especially when serious athletes prefer not to participate. After all, every victory is worth a celebration ...even the little ones along the way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">- Bicycle tour in 2013. Done! 3 days from Tallinn to Pärnu. Roughly 200 km. We had so much more fun than we expected. </span><br />
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I think that new years resolutions are a fantastic idea, that gives people motivation to try and start. Sometimes they can work- if you stay committed and have a plan to accomplish it. But remember that if you want to change something you can change it any time of year!<br />
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Wishing you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year!<br />
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Picture1: Getting ready for a long run with my sister in Copenhagen before heading home for Christmas.<br />
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Picture 2: Post-workout meal- Chili Con Carne</div>
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Picture 3: The Christmas shopping madness</div>
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Henri Ruulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03325106600376613482noreply@blogger.com0