WORLD RUN TRAINING CAMP 2002
Copenhagen, May the 20th - June the 9th.
- Daily distance during the Camp: 50km's.
- 1000km of training & competetion during the 3 weeks.
As part of the Camp we participatet in the Copenhagen Marathon on the 26-th. of May as well as in several other competitions as part of the daily 50km's.
***Link to the detailed Training Camp program***
Sponsor's of the "Camp Copenhagen 2002":
The week before the camp:
16.May
John arrives to Copenhagen.
19.May
Alexander arrives to Copenhagen.
13-19.May
Jesper trains 40km/day in preparation for the Camp.
19.May
'Welcome to Copenhagen' & Runners Meeting.
- The Copenhagen landscape awaits the runners !
20.May The Training Camp begins !
20.May
Alexander and Jesper went training: 22km's slow in the morning (4:50 - 5:20 min/km), and late in the evening: 30km fast (jesper: 3:41-3:47 min/km) and Alexander more moderate + 3km worm-up & cooldown.
Total for the 1.st day of the Trainig Camp: 55km's.
21.May
Alexander and Jesper again made a slow morning jog, this time of about 20km's. Alex' went running 30km's in the afternoon (Jesper at work) and Jesper went training at 23 o'clock: also 30km's.
Training camp is also time for sight seeing!
22.May
Alexander and Jesper ran the first long training session of about 50km's on a day with clear skies and temperatures about 21 - 24 C. They ran past the summer castle 'Eremitage Slottet' - an ancient residense of Danish Kings, and Alex' ritually washed his face in the Baltic Sea water (actually the 'Øresund' channel). The pace was moderate with short stops along the scenic course of todays session.
23.May
The two runners divided this day into 3 sessions of 10, 25 and 16 km's. Now the first signs of fatigue is begining to show ! Hopefully it's just a matter of adaption.
What has happened to John from Canada ? - Unfortunately the first drama struck the training camp as Johns mother was involved in a severe car accident and John was asked by authorities in Canada to immidiately return until her condition was stable. He wen't back to Canada on the early monday flight and we are searching our personal economies to find means for his eventual return to the Camp. We send our best hopes for his mother's recovery !!
- Jesper, 'World Run coordinator', out on the evening stroll...
24.May
Alexander and Jesper made about 18km's slow jogging in the morning at a pace of about 5:10 min/km. After this Jesper went to work, while Alexander without stop continued for an additional 32km's. He is quite a capacity, this Russinan runner ! Jesper ran to and back from work and finally made the last part of the training late in the evening/night where the clear weather allowed for some enjoyable speed-training (3:05 - 3:35 min/km).
25.May
Finally John returns to Copenhagen airport after a swift visit back to Canada due to a severe accident that his mother had unfortunately suffered.
Fortunately her condition allowed him to go back to the training camp, and thus the group has now overcome it's first real obstacle:
To reassamle the runners despite economical and personal stress.
This training day was 'light' with only about 46-48km's. John rested his legs before the upcoming race.
Picking up the start-numbers for tomorrows marathon.
From left to right: John, Jesper and Alexander.
26.May
The World Run Team of Alexander, Jesper and John today ran the Copenhagen Marathon together with 6000 other runners. Immidiately after the finish of the first 42km's the team continued for an additional 8km's to make it a 'World Run training day' of the usual 50km's !
The result: Alexander & Jesper had a good race and comfortly ran the 50km's in 4:25. John was hanging in there and made a good effort, but finished after the 42km's in 3:58. He had severe problems with the heat and a jetlag.
Media-coverage:
Prime time interview in the 1.national channel send at sunday evening news in Denmark. Great !! :-)
Link to the interview on nationwide tv:
http://www.dr.dk/nsapi.dr/newton/tva_indslag/io_tvindexview.asp?id=53997
On the last km's from 45-50 :-)
27.May
Yet another training day. Alexander and Jesper made 2hours of slow and relaxed running in the morning and further 2½ hour's in the evening at moderate pace. The effect of the Copenhagen 50' will probably 'kick in' tomorrow !!
John has choosen to go back to Canada to build on his abilities and tend to personal matters. The training camp is a tuff test and allthough there are sightseeing it's no average holiday for sure. We have been contacted by additional international runners and they may be invited for a later meeting before the start of the World Run. It's crusial that the runners are 100% ready for the hardship and the teamwork.
Alex' with fresh legs the day after the 50km 'marathon' :-)
- on the 2. training session of 2hours on that day !
28.May
Alexander and Jesper took the daily routine: 2hours in the morning and then Alex' did an additional 25km's while Jesper ran to and from work.
Two national newspapers has asked for interview's. Also extreme and adventure magazines has shown taken contact. Interesting development's :-)
The runners are getting focused on the race next sunday: 14km's terrain-race in the Northern province "Farum" near beautifull lake and contryside.
29.May
Today was a quite tuff day. The two runners that has already undergone about 1½ weeks of 50km's pr. day went to the National Athletic Stadium "Østerbro Stadion".
Here they endured a vigorous 50km speed workout.
For example Jesper's spilts (a sample:)
3:49, 3:55, 3:55, 3:52, 3:54, 5km 18:58, 3:43, 3:53, 3:48, 3:48, 3:43, 5km 19:10, 3:46, 3:48, 3:54, 3:55 ....etc.
30.May
This day was named a 'relaxation day' - which meant that the runners went swimming for an hour, along with the daily 50'. Quite nice to move the legs in a different way though !
- A'la Garside, only allready with more official races completed :-)
31.May
This day we have visit from our energy-sponsor, Thomas from Purepower, which will run a 2-hour session together with us :-)
- Also our sponsor's are capable of some qualified running... :-)
AMCM in Denmark ! "Privet" to all my friends, says Alexander.
01.June
A light day of about 44km's as the runners tomorrow will participate in the first version of "Farum Sø" Race - a terrain competetion in the Northern province Farum in lake and wood terrain.
- The Camp moves to the City of "Farum"
02.June
Participating and vigorously racing in a 'short distance' race like todays 14km's isn't that easy event though it's far from the daily distance of 50km's that the runners has now endured for 2 weeks.
Face to face with some of Denmarks best longdistance runners Alexander maneaged to set beside the heaviness of the many km's and finished as no. 18 of over 700 finishing runners. Jesper finished in 49:47 min.'s (3:33 av. min/km) making it 4.th. place after the Danish marathon champion and a kenyan runner.
After the race the two ultra-runners took yet two sessions separated by - for Alex' behafl: a beief swim in the Furesoen Lake ! The days total ended on 60km's !
03.June
The runners are now entering the third week of heavy training and occational speedsessions and competetions. For Jesper the race yesterday has now taken it's toll: The morning session really whasn't easy...
Still the day ended with the requested 50km's total :-)
04.June
Another average training day, perhaps, but still pretty taxing for the legs ;-)
Alexander took the daily 50' in one long session in the pleasant midday temperature of 25C. Jesper ran to work after the first short session and will have a sub 17 min. 5km session to play with in the late evening.
Result: 15:49 min's for 5km on a measured track for Jesper's behalf - perhaps an ok time is on the way on the upcoming World Champs. 100k at 21.st. June...?
05.June
Alexander and Jesper mooved the Training Camp outside as they packed the babyjogger with tent's and food and ran up to lake "Furesøen". After establishing the Camp they took a stroll around the heavy terrain surrounding the lakeside - a tour of approx. 30km incl. detours, making it another day of 50km's (56km).
World RUN Babyjogger 'on the move'....:
06.June
During the stay there was also time for a brief sightseeing at a sculpture park in the North territory:.
The weather is still 'sun & clear skies' with temp. around 23-27 C during daytime - nice for longdistance running, but some rain would help testing the camping skills, but atlas you can't have everything ! ;-)
07.June
A normal training day. The routine has pretty much taken over now, and it no longer seems to be a big deal to do the daily 50km's.
Alexander asked for permission to do an additional 15km in the early afternoon, making it 65km's for his behalf !!
08.June
On the last real training day the world runners completed the 1000km's of training by participating in an exclusive invitation event:
...perhaps a bit excentric as the participants had to eat a sugar-foamball for each 400m of the entire 10.000m track event - eagerly watched by the judges of the event :-)
- and for the record Alexander actually WON the event, prooving to have a very strong stomack as well as good speed
09.June
This was the last day of the training camp. Early in the morning we drove to the airport and saw Alexander take off to Sct. Petersburg, Russia. He has a 250km race coming up in two day's, while Jesper goes back to rest for 2 weeks untill the IAU World Championships on 100km on the 21 st. of June....
The first important preparation for the World Run has begun !
Sponsor's of the "Camp Copenhagen 2002":