Mattias Bramstång

I was not quite prepared for 100 kilometers, but I really wanted to be there. To experience the first national championship ever felt important.

The track was just over 7 kilometers long and every runner had to do 14 laps. It was a typical landscape lap where you ran on footpaths and roads. A little bit more hilly for every lap…

I ran fast and easy initially and passed 50km in 3:52, then it went well for nearly two more hours. When I passed 70km in about 5:40 I had stomach problems and got it tough for the next 20 kilometers. Despite toilet visits and cascade vomit on the track that made me completely out of energy I reached the finish at 7th place at 8:39. Thank goodness I did not have to drive the car home after the race.

A wonderful Saturday to remember 🙂

A recovery run. Not for legs but for the mind. For the fourth time I went to Skövde 6-hour race. The race track is 1,200 meters long and each lap will be up for a 10 meter high uphill. The surface consists of asphalt and gravel, which in winter are a bit sloppy.

This time I had Peter with me, a friend who supports me from time to time. This time he delivered bottles of sport drinks every third lap and read the lap times all the time. The final hour, I was chased by two runners who were a few hundred meters behind. Then Peter got to help me keep me on the edge until the bell rang. Afterwards we had a pleasant evening in Skövde!

After one and a half year with less kilometers Århus 24-hour Indoor race were an trilling moment for me. I didn´t know what it would be like, but it turned out to be perfectly insane! One lap was 251 meter long and it was nothing to look at during these meters. My aim was to stay on the track and keep on moving for as long as possible. I manage it quite well but had to sitt down to recover way to much. But I did never fall asleep. I finished nine place with 160 km. Directly after the race I had to travle 8 hours by train. It was crouded and I just could not fall asleep. I felt the fever, the running fever and I hope there is no cure!

When a hero dies a legend is born. That is how we come to run the marathon distance. To celebrate the great run that Pheidippides did 2500 years ago. All over the Globe runners take part in honorable races over this distance. But there is only one race that takes part on the original course. That is Athen Classic Marathon.

This time it was my turn to run this race. I had a great time and pushed myself as hard as I could during the uphills and downhills. Running the last kilometers was exciting and valuable. To enter the Panathenaikon Stadium and running into the finish line was thrilling. The arena was crouded, the sky was blue, the sun was burning, I was exhausted, I could feel my heart beat and I was very happy.

”Νενικήκαμεν”  (”We have won”)

I was there again. Just can´t help it. I had a great day and reached 71 kilometer. That was a little more than expected because my exercise has been less than normal this winter.

The race began 19^th of April in Bari, south Italy. During 64 consecutive days we ran 4500k through entire Europe to the most northern place in this continent, Cape North. Week by week we ran and the friendship among the participants and helpers grow stronger and more important for every week that past. In some way everybody needed the others to keep on running. It was so nice to sense the attitude among the runners.

For me this was the fulfilment of a journey that I have been dreaming about and waiting for in many years. I was not afraid of the distance. I had no doubts of my own capacity. I just tried to be present every day, even those days with really bad weather…

This race was to be my best 24 hour race ever. It was an indoor race in a steady temperature zone with lots of good runners to hang on from lap to lap. I arrived to Helsinki one day ahead to get a good sleep at a hotel close to the arena. Me and my supporting friend Peter had a great day before the race and we could discuss every thing about the upcoming race. We were really prepared when the race started.

Hour by hour, lap by lap. Everything went by the plan for more than 100 kilometers. Of course some small unexpected things happened but we handled them as good as possible. After 12 hours I was just 400 meters behind my schedule for 114 km. Then, in the middle of the night I just had to run 96 kilometers on the next 12 hours to make my goal. But, I didn’t! After 16 hours I had past 150km and I still had some hope of make it. Then the hard surface made my upper legs very stiff and I had to walk some because my legs could not run at all. Soon I tried almost everything to get my legs ready for some more. Nothing worked, I only lost a lot of time on everything that didn’t move me ahead. Finally I realised that I would not make it. I lost my spirit for some time and after 21 hours I went to the showers. However I ended up on 13^th place of 78 male runner.

Afterwards I was not satisfied at all. But after some days I focused on everything that went really good and there was many things to be satisfied about. A 24 hour race is extremely difficult and this race just give me even more reasons to try yet another time.

During the race friends of mine could send messages to me through the organizers website . This was great and I got a lot of messages from friends. That was really encouraging and inspiring. Thank you all!

Only 4 weeks after I finished La Transe Gaule I was at the start line to the legendary race of Spartathlon. I was not fully recovered and there was no speed in my legs. I was afraid and I had many doubts about the upcoming race. I know for sure that there is only one cure for that fear I had, and that is the start sign that get us running.

Within 10 kilometres I was cured, I felt no fear, just excitement and beliefs. I was running my second Spartathlon and I did it with a brave mind. I ran faster than I ever thought I could in such a race and in the same time I enjoyed life. Actually I ran ahead of my scheme and got to my drop bags way too early. I had to run with my headlight on the head an hour before it got useable, I got my second day cap in the middle of the night so I had to let it be, I even got to Sparta so early that my friends still were at lunch.

However, I had a hard time during my last hours because I pushed it, I tried to finish just below 31 hours and that made me count, and recount, minutes the last 10 kilometres. My effort was worth its costs. When I reached the main street of Sparta every training hour I have done in my life was worth that moment. These two minutes when I ran up to the statue of King Leonidas made it all worthwile. I laid my hand on his foot, I sat down, I cried, I raised my hand of happiness, I got helped up, I did the ceremony, I was taken to health surveillance by a wheelchair. I was happy!