last time 30…

marco — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 01:39:50 +0000

mmm, got to enjoy your last day as young 30 young person… what better than going up that mountain that you have been looking at for the last two weeks? well, kind of like that, first I went with my coleagues Tim and Werner up to the waterfall via riverbed, then we came down and I decided that since I was sweatty already, I’ll run a bit more. Just a bit, and then a bit more and then, come on just a bit more to the top… sunset at the top, like if made on purpose… :)
then the part I don’t like, running down, ski touring is sooo much more fun for that :), but eh, promised my host family I’ll cook, so i’ll better hurry up, and its night anyway…

3h, 13km and 1200m gain after leaving home I’m back enjoying my bath and cook some “tagliatelle verdi alla crema di zafferano e limone”… yeahhhh got to love turning 31 :)

Running around in Swellendam

marco — Thu, 30 May 2013 19:02:00 +0000

Well, when it comes to my IT job I’m very dual in the way I feel about it. On one hand, I love what it gives me: intellectual challenge, opportunity to travel and discover new environments, freedom to work where/when I want, satisfaction when I can help somebody and well, it pays my bills :). On the other hand, I really hate what it takes from me, my time and my physical activity. Being used to be a ski/dive instructor my body likes being on the move and sitting at a desk all day doesn’t really qualify as active.
So couple of months ago I took action, no more sitting. I got rid of my chair, got a big ball and build a convertible office. I now work standing or sometimes sitting on my lovely flash green ball. But that is still only half of the equation, back in Sagogn I go skiing, ski touring, mountaineering and foremost climbing. When travelling for workit is harder to find time to go away for a trip and I dont always have all my gear with me. So I decided to combine what I love most (mountains) with a simple sport that only needs minimal equipment. Running up them :)
Last Tuesday I went checking out the nature reserve just behind Swellendamm and to see where the trails went. It was late so I just went till the foot of the rocky part. But today I left the office at 16.30 so I still had 2h of light (kind of ;) remember it’s Autumn here and at 18.10 its basically darkish). I started from my super house and went the same way as last time up to the cliffs where I decided to go straight up the rocky ridge to combine some rock climbing (III) with the running. Was amazing. run. climb. run. climb. climb. climb. bush wading (not amazing ;) ) and then trail again, I was feelin good so I decided to go up a rocky outcrop to enjoy an even better view. plain cool :) then I had to start running against night, good fun foremost when you don’t know where you are going and if your previous recognition was effective.
It was, 1.50h, 11km and almost 700m height gain after leaving I was back on my porch doing some stretching and being told by my host parents that I should never go alone… well I guess as always it’s a point of view thing. :)
oh and did I mention the 500g T-bone I just had? must love South Africa… T-bone, salad and wine 16 chf… as George would say: “what else…”

Berna's travelblog » Trail running

last time 30…

Running around in Swellendam