...Yes we can

Two overly ambitious Brits: One vision

[inspiredbylyngen]

"sånn er livet"

Marathon running has been put on hold for the time being.

The last time I excitedly went into a rant about the race, 78° North in Spitsbergen and how incredible it’s going to be (whilst on crutches) a mountain guide replied “you can forget about it”. Something I was refusing to even consider, never mind accept. Well that was it.

I thought that choosing a sport to fall in love with was a pretty safe option. I wasn’t expecting to have to ‘put it on hold’ so quickly and I definitely wasn’t expecting to get my heart crushed in the process.

As I’m sat by the window staring out into a snowstorm in this magical place, all the memories from the past few months came swirling back to me. This experience has made me into a person that I am proud to be! I can’t help but remain smiling even though my life has been put on hold - so to speak.  

I guess now you’re all curious to know how I got myself in to this predicament. Inevitable really, with my recurring string of injuries. Luckily for me I’m one of these people with the belief that everything happens for a reason and good things are sure to come. This is nothing but a minor set back in an otherwise long and adventurous life.

So here we go. The story of how I went from ‘The girl who runs 28 miles a week, to the girl who’s been hopping about on one leg for the past 2’.

It was a Sunday, following Nordic tradition I wanted so badly to take a hike. Here in Norway, Sunday is family day. Everything closes. They grab their boots or their cross country skis and head out for a day of thrilling adventure in this magnificent Arctic land. It was the most glorious day of the season, the sun was so epically lighting up the fjord and I was in work, bursting with energy ready for 3pm to hit so that I could dart up the mountain Storhaugen and sit on the snow covered rocks just in time for the sun to set behind the mountains. Pretty soon the sun won’t set in the Arctic, I just wanted to take it all in while I had the chance. It’s pretty overwhelming. Everything is overwhelming here, I can’t take a trip into the closest city without getting all teary eyed, it’s just unexplainable what this place does to me.

Getting up the mountain was all too easy that day, even with the large amounts of new snowfall. I’m fitter than I thought. I don’t know why it came as such a surprise to me. Mountain Storhaugen is noted the safest. Well on one side, many people have died up there simply due to misjudgement. (falling over the edge…whoops).

The mildest winter in over 150 years has forced avalanches to be at peak danger level the past weeks, and the number of deaths are fastly taking count. But the chances of an avalanche occurring, this side of Storhaugen is so low risk that it’s almost not possible. The concept of avalanches terrify me. Now, I’m not about to tell you all about this epic story of how I survived a slide, because very few people live to tell that tale. I just thought I’d fill you with some local knowledge as to how dangerous it actually is around here. It’s not for the faint hearted.

I remember sitting there in the mist of it all, the sun was setting, I was this insignificant, tiny human sitting in amongst the silence of this mountain, a mountain full of personality and danger, me alone, with a full view of one of the world’s most spectacular landscapes, all thought evaporated from my mind as the sun disappeared behind the Lyngen Alps. It was an unforgettable moment. A moment that I was extremely lucky to experience.

The next few hours is still a bit of a blur to me, in actual fact it still feels like I’m stuck in this horribly realistic dream. This could have been so much worse.

Feeling rejuvenated and high on life itself I strapped my snow shoes back on and attempted the climb back down. It’s hard to judge which way is safest, or simplest. It’s steep. I was bracing myself for quite a few falls but I hadn’t considered there’d be one fall that may corrupt the next few weeks of my life.

I started following ski tracks, all tracks will lead me home, to the lodge. I got back to the tree line fairly prompt and thought, at least I was half way down. But this is where the difficulty started, I could no longer see the lodge. Snow was getting deeper, I had to venture off the tracks as they were becoming too steep to follow. I fell. I pulled myself back up. I fell again. I was starting to get a little frantic and frustrated about this on-going situation but I continued on, completely unaware that the worst was yet to come.

I remember thinking, it’s going to be so good to come home, to put my feet up, relax. Beside a roaring fire. Not far to go. Doing my best attempt at remaining calm.

It came to be so steep that I had no option than to try and shuffle down on my bum! I pulled myself back onto my feet, holding on to a tree, trying carefully to plan my route. The next few steps were crucial. The snow caved beneath my feet and all before I had a chance to control it, I was stuck, up to my chest in snow. I couldn’t pull myself out, my arms were also collapsing into the snow, there was this moment where I was just.. swimming. I took one of my snow shoes off and put it behind my head in order to pull myself out properly, it was a struggle but I managed, I had to. Without realising that I’d wriggled so much that my foot came out of my shoe and there was me, foot covered in ice. it was -10° down on the coast that day, I don’t even want to know how much colder it was up in the mountain. My sock had froze solid in a matter of seconds. I took my ski gloves off and tried frantically to search for my missing boot down this 5ft hole. It was well and truly buried. I managed to dig, with numb hands until I found it but it was so frozen and stuck that getting it out wasn’t an option. At least not with frozen fingers. 

I wrapped my foot up in a cardigan and tied it inside the bottom of my celopets, I put one snow shoe under my arm, threw my backpack around me, grabbed my poles and attempted to move forward. Highly concerned for my left foot as I dragged it on through the snow. It was froze solid. It felt like dragging a brick.

I didn’t want to call for help. I put it off for quite a while before noticing the darkness approaching all too quickly and I simply couldn’t get down without the help of somebody. I still hadn’t realised the severity of it all. I thought it was just a case of getting someone to run up and give me a new boot so that I could walk home! I called Charlotte, she answered immediately even though she was mid shift, I could tell by her tone of voice that she was worried, they’d expected me to be home hours ago. Anyway I told her that I needed help. My battery was dying, I couldn’t see the lodge, I had lost all sense of direction, I was freezing cold, I couldn’t feel my foot, or my hands, I was beginning to feel faint, I was covered in blood after unknowingly ripping my stitches from a nasty bread knife cut a few days previously. Basically, I was in the shit.

Trying to sound calm and fine on the phone was hard, my voice was beginning to shake and I was trying so hard not to cry as I announced “This might sound silly…. but I think I need help…”

Before I knew it, Graham (my boss/experienced mountain guide) was straight on the case. He took over and asked me where I was, my surroundings were literally just trees and snow, I could be anywhere! He told me that he couldn't come looking for me in the hope that I would keep moving. Very smart of him to do so, because… I did keep moving. I have no idea how I kept moving, but I did.

Then he called back, he told me to look out for his head torch through the trees, and to listen out for whistles. I was panicking a lot at this stage because I couldn’t hear or see anything for the next 10-20minutes. The longest minutes of my life.  

Apparently there was this proud moment back at the lodge where Charlotte and Martin were stood outside watching Graham and Florian (other experienced mountain guide) strap on their skis and set off, up the mountain in search of the lost team member.

Finally! The moment that my heart almost stopped just from sheer and honest relief. I saw the head torch, and I saw these strong men come to my rescue. Graham grabbed a hold of me and sat me down, wrapped me up in layers of coats, Florian wrapped my bloody hand up and took hold of my frozen foot. I was shivering like mad, feeling like I was about to loose consciousness. No part of this felt in any way real to me, it felt like I was apart of a movie. Graham got on the radio to Pernilla who was following close behind with a spare boot and hot drinks. He gave her our exact location and a heads up on the situation.…. By this time I was passed out, I was slightly confused as to why there was an extra person approaching in the distance.

They tested my consciousness and got me back down to safe ground. To where the guys were waiting for my return. The sight of them was enough to make me cry, after being brave and withholding the floods all this time.

They got me sat down and out of my clothes, Flo then inspected my foot to see quite obviously that it was frostbitten. They then immediately started the defrosting process. It was all very incredible to watch. My initial thought was, 'Oh God, I’m going to lose my foot'. It was bad, I was a little terrified even though everyone was trying to make me believe that it wasn't as bad as it seemed.

When my foot was taken out of the pot of water, it was the darkest purple. It hurt like hell, the next 48 hours of my life were excruciating. I’ve never even imagined pain like that never mind experienced it.

Days passed, it’s a waiting game. Even still. 2 weeks on and I'm still no further forward to knowing how long this is going to take to heal. I’m on friend - banter basis with the doctor, my visits are becoming that regular.

So that’s the story of how my dream was shattered in an instant. How one simple decision can effect your life massively. How I came to realise how fortunate I really am. Even though I can’t walk and I can’t work. I’m just glad that I WILL be able to walk again, I am alive. Never again will I take anything in my life for granted and I have learned the true importance of friendship.

I have a lot to be thankful for.

It may be a while before I take on Storhaugen again. Despite the fact I could have lost my life to it, this mountain will always have a strong place in my heart.

Charlotte’s taking one for the team and doing our race solo. She’s going to do so well. I’ll be sat at the finishing line waiting to cheer her on! Svalbard will be a massive adventure in itself, I’m still as excited as I was 5 months ago, just for different reasons. Bring it on.

For me in the meantime though, it’s time to relax, it's time to seek greater knowledge and to make the most of the rest of the season. With or without the use of my left foot.

"sånn er livet" in norwegian is the expression of acceptance of misfortune. A phrase we've become all too aware of this stirring winter. And to most of us "that's life."

[inspiredbylyngen]

Nordic dream

Somehow, my wonderful friend/all time motivator and I have committed ourselves to running our first ever half marathon which will mark the completion of a memorable season here in Northern Norway. It started off as your typical New year’s ‘keep fit’ resolution. Yet, In five short months we will be contending in the world’s most northerly marathon, under the midnight sun in Spitsbergen, SVALBARD. The land where there are more polar bears than people!

Nothing to be alarmed about though - Stationed throughout the course  will be armed polar bear guards on the lookout for unwanted spectators. The sheer thought will be great motivation for us to keep moving.

Our flights get us in to Longyearbyen a few days before the race, our plan is to set up camp and do some peril exploring of this magnificent island!

The first week consisted of a lot of much needed planning and preparation with a lot of healthy ‘ease-in-to-it’ workouts whilst waiting for our shoes to arrive. (Yes we’ve accepted the running challenge of a lifetime without actually having a pair of running shoes!… Great start.) Now with our fridge full of frozen berries and spinach we are ready for our strict training program to commence and I intend on documenting our failure, progression and success every step of the way, right up until the finish line.

Luckily for us, we live in such a place where really anything is possible. Inside the Arctic Circle and framed by the Lyngen Alps and Norwegian Sea, our tiny little village of Spåkenes showcases all the elements of a Scandinavian winter scene: crisp temperatures, a cinematic sun (we’re patiently awaiting!), and, for sure, snow. All of this, plus a broken TV gives us the perfect opportunity to get out there and do the unimaginable, pushing all of our inner strengths to the limit.

Through all of our hard work and determination, we hope that one day (preferably next year) our journey inspires the future winter staff of Lyngen and we become those girls who created this wild yet aspiring tradition. - That’s our aim anyway, we might be pushing it a bit!

Training is hard work. Due to being on complete opposite shifts, it’s very seldom that we can train together, the majority of the week we’re on it solo! The days we do train together are the days we really push each other, but we do add in a lot of laughter! Ending these sessions with a delicious treat at the Bios! (well deserved if you ask me!)

Week 1: I’ve got my eye on the celebratory post race dinner!

I’d hoped to conquer 8k at a decent running/walking pace but with the temperature at -12° here on the coast and -19° on the inner part of the route, it was very hard! We had been warned that it’s not easy running outside here - you tend to suck in big breaths of freezing cold air that feels like needles stabbing your lungs! AND you have to deal with a constant runny nose. It was a challenging first run. The good thing about the snow is that our studs stick to it creating traction, and our footfalls make squeaking noises. This route that runs past the front of our house is famous in Norway for fellow runners. It’s got everything you need for good training, hills to strengthen leg muscle and the flats to test our speed. Race day, temperatures will be between 0° and 10°. So I believe, after a tough few months of sheer dedication and concentration we will not only be able to complete the race but enjoy it in the process - while having a sense that we’re a part of something truly exotic!

Strong words of encouragement from our Boss, Elisabeth:

'Hi Natasha and Charlotte!

Well done for buying running shoes, doing snow shoeing, cross-country skiing and all of the other activities you do and want to get into.

Enclosed you find the excel form to “fill in” and keep track of all the exercises you do.

Fill in and stay fit!’

On top of this, they have installed a spinning bike in the lodge garage! Perfect for cross - training!

It’s funny, when other people start to believe in you, you believe in yourself a lot more!

It just feels so refreshing to be outside in the wilderness, working up a sweat while running on the ice, that I find myself pushing my own limits a little… The colder it is, the more the challenge!

Our surroundings make for a pretty invigorating yet peaceful run. It’s easy to zone out in the Arctic, which means we can run for longer periods.

Cooking ourselves has become a daily, fun event! We’re really experimenting with our meals. We made a deliciously spicy white fish stew yesterday.. With all of the ingredients and nutrition that we need.

Finishing off with a little something sweet!

So it’s now January 21st, and today’s objective: See the sun

This is the day the sun is visible to us here in the valleys, it’s been teasing us with it’s rays, shooting up over the alps for weeks now. After months of sheer darkness, I’m prepared to be amazed.

I woke up naturally at 06.50. Charlotte’s already in work on morning shift. I got up and headed out for a run. I chose a slightly different route today. Off the E6 and along the waters edge. There’s something magical about running on top of glistening snow with the yellowest moon placed directly above the Lyngen alps, lighting up the fjord and creating a blue-shadowy illusion on the mountains. Stars and northern lights still highly visible above me, the combination of this plus a playlist created by the team made for my best run yet.

This photo was taken by Simon, one of our very talented Austrian guides. He seen the sun 2 days ago, he quite happily spends most of his time up mountains whilst we’re busy doing the indoorsy stuff. Hm! :)

I will be right up there on my next day off. I need to feel the sun on my skin!

My run begins the moment I forget that I’m running.

coincidentally, natures winter magic makes this viable the second I step out the front door. Tonight, as the street lights became inexistent. I realised the sky was joining me on this run, The aroura was there to push me. It was captivating beyond belief. This is why our route is named ‘The Rave Run’.

Life is about waking up determined and going to sleep satisfied.

Ok so apologies for the severe lack of updates, due to two new staff members arriving, increasing our social life! So now that we’re one month into our training. Wait….. What? One month has been and gone and now we have got 4 months to get in shape.

Charlotte has been doing her research and it turns out, about half way into the track in Svalbard there is a hill. That’s what you expect yes, but this hill….. Is 4 miles long. The course itself has been reassuringly described by a previous competitor as, 

"desolate, wild, and with some vicious climbs".

Wonderful.

Kind of wishing I hadn’t heard that, think I’d be better tackling that sort of nightmare as it comes! But here we go, I for one will be dreading that hill for the remainder of our journey but we’ve certainly upped our game. I’ve been choosing slightly cross country tracks, through the forests, up the mountains, ducking under trees, diving over the moose dents.. Now that the sun is out, we’ve so much more energy!

Now I suppose it’s time to mention my injury. I haven’t been able to train much over the past week as I’ve quite badly damaged my left knee! Ah! I should be on solid rest but it’s not possible. Plus I feel the need to remain active. I’ve been power walking the loop. It only takes around 1 hour 20 mins and it’s just awesome. I’m so eager to get back on track, it’s a little frustrating. I need to get running, running running!

FINALLY back in the game, 4 days ago I bought some new running shoes, I was so excited about them when I got home that I had to put them on and get outside.

Temperatures are above zero at the moment, the skies are clear, the fjord is still and there’s nothing but silence along the track. I wanted to take it easy seeing as it was my first run after my injury  but I had so much energy after completing the route that I had to keep going, adding an extra loop onto it. It was a great  feeling, I’ve never been so happy with myself. Running has definitely become my favourite thing to do. It’s my happiest hour, with or without company. After aroura gazing  the night before, Charlotte woke me up ridiculously early so that we could go hill training together before her shift.. That was fun.

I much prefer the down hills.

I cannot describe how excited I am for this race. It feels like the greatest adventure, and the fact that I get to share this experience with this nutter is just awesome!

The snow has returned, and about time on that! It’s so much more fun wading through snow than hopping over ice all of the time.

As you can see, we’re very happy!

We had the morning off, so we decided we’d treat ourselves. It’s important to feel girly every once in a while, especially when we spend most of our time sweating it out in running gear, So the plan was to head into town, have a nice lunch - some cakes, hot chocolate and then do a bit of shoe shopping! Massive sale on in town!

But! Our perfect morning didn’t exactly go to plan, we skipped excitedly to work in order to pick up the car, and of course the chef tells us he needs the van for deliveries, which is fair enough…. We’ll take the Panda! Only to realise it had absolutely no fuel. Bravely, hopeful and hungry enough we hopped into our little Fiat and set off. I sat there worriedly as the fuel sign pointed out there wasn’t even a kilometre left, whilst Charlotte was persistent about how she knows exactly how to drive on little fuel (being a Top Gear fanatic) about 12 minutes into our journey (not even a quarter of the way!) … ‘we’re slowing down, Tasha, we’re slowing down…… this is it.’ The car stopped. On a bend. somewhere along the E6. We had no choice but to get out and push it! We wrestled with the Panda for half a mile up the road, up a progressive hill, sliding and laughing the whole way to then it was time to switch places, I jumped in and steered it down to a safe parking location (In some ones drive… But we left a note!). Not one person stopped to help us poor defenceless brits during our 15 minutes of complete struggle. Oh yeah - that’s Norway (Norwegian women are known for their strength and independence, the idea of a man offering help just seems insulting.) Or so that’s what I’ve gathered over the past few months.

Our hilarious Brazilian friend Nathalia came to the rescue, rather sharp might I add, which we were very thankful for. We still had time for delicious treats and gossips! So really, even though our ‘rest day’ turned into the biggest fitness challenge yet, it was still a pretty damn glorious day!

Obviously, doing all sorts of manly chores at work has turned us into strong women!

We’re so far ahead of our game right now where training is concerned, I’m totally mesmerised by running, it’s the feeling I get when I’m out there, I’m just so happy and grateful just to have the ability and the freedom to run!

Norway has really opened up my senses this time round and I’ve found a new love and appreciation for absolutely everything.

As anticipated, I had gained a 2nd injury which kept me away from my running shoes for another couple of weeks. Damn. Just a sprained ankle but it was enough to have me hobbling around for days on end.

I got back into things just as our official 10 week training plan commenced. The funny thing is that our manager is also participating in a marathon, a week or two after us so we can also train with her when possible. With the biggest snowstorm going on outside, Charlotte and I had been ignoring our 8k that was clearly stated on our days training and were in the middle of a shopping mall stuffing our faces with delicious chocolate eggs when our manager called “Girls! Come on, we’re going running” Well….. uh-oh. We rushed home, got into our gear and headed outside to begin this painful run. The wind forced the snow to attack our faces, by the time we’d got home we looked like we’d all just been bitch slapping each other! None the less, it was still beautiful. If you can run through those conditions you can through anything, from now on.. No more excuses!

It wouldn’t be the Arctic without it’s dangers. The days are getting brighter and the snow is continuing to fall, making this part of the world more and more beautiful everyday. Unfortunately though, this causes considerable danger as avalanches become more and more likely. There has been countless slides in just the past week, causing a lot of excitement in our neighbourhood. Fortunately though, there hasn’t been any major incidents involving our guests, just a few close calls encouraging a constant flow of Aquavit.