After probably two years of no injuries, and a few months of decent training, I find myself in really good shape. Sunday, I ran a half marathon in 1:16.02, which is a few minutes off my PR, but it was windy, I ran alone, the course was very hilly, and I got lost twice. I don't know what it translates into but the legs felt like they could go for a PR.
On the treadmill, where I have been doing my speed work, I'm running faster than I remember running during previous peaks.
Only problem is that it's December and we're moving to Wisconsin in three weeks. I don't even know when or where our next race is going to be. Before we leave, I do have two tiny marathons, but these are on crazy hilly trails so the times won't mean anything.
What to do, what to do?
And you may be curious to know that my future will be decided today. I have to choose between two jobs that are as different as night and day. Some may know that I will work as an ER doc in Wisconsin until next summer, but then we come back to Denmark for the final year of the Girl's eye study (and PhD).
One job is in the city, at a university hospital, where I would work as a junior attending. There are about 20 hematologists in the department, the teaching environment is great, opportunities for research are ample, and I would have a group of diseases (plasma cell disorders) that would become my area of expertise. I would learn from an near-retirement plasma cell guru. But it's in Copenhagen, and we live in the burg of Næstved. Commuting isn't really an option in my mind, so we would have to move to the city, away from Natali's school, Christian's day care and the Girl's job.
The other job is in Næstved, in a smaller department, where I have worked previously during my fellowship. It's one of the last (if not the last) combined hematology/oncology departments in Denmark. (For some reason, the combined heme/onc concept has survived in America to this day, and is still found in community hospitals everywhere; but that's another post.) The hematology seen there is generally not overly exciting, as the complex cases are sent to the city for treatment. There are four hematologists, who are all nice, and with whom I would love to work, but I would certainly have to do a little oncology, too. That would be fun to learn, but it would also dilute my hematology skills. I would be a decent-sized fish in a small pond, with the usual pros and cons.
It would be nice to stay in Næstved, with our safe routines waiting for us in Agust, when we come back from Wisconsin. Career-wise, it's a no-brainer, of course.
I am meeting with the deparmtent chair in 3 hours and I still haven't made up my mind what to tell him.
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Can't help with the career decisions, but... you have two marathons scheduled in the next three weeks? And you're looking for another race to PR in? Even I think that's a little obsessive.
Well, you have to realize that there is a crazy marathon culture in Denmark right now. Take all the yahoos who run ultras in Wisconsin and Minnesota and convert them into people who try to run as many marathons possible in a year, and you have the current sentiment here.
These tiny marathons that happen every weekend are technically races, but they play out more like group runs with aid stations.
These particular two marathons over the next three weeks are interesting in that they are super hilly. The times for the two races are added together for the "Zealand King of the Mountains" competition. Ane who wouldn't want to win that?
King of the Mountains in Zealand? That's like surfing champ of Nepal!
Now now, Zealand (=Sjælland) is an island, so it's "on Zealand", not "in Zealand".
But point taken, since the highest "mountain" on the island is little more than 300 feet.
gather together some of your running buddies and go run a time trial over 5 or 10 km on a track. PB shape is NOT something to be frittered away at a trail marathon!
Oh, Piccolapinecone, you purist, you. I use those marathons as my long runs so it's not a matter of frittering.
The track idea is nice but isn't going to happen on this side of the Atlantic, because of long work hours and short days. Maybe if you stop by La Crosse to pace me through 3k, I'll go for a PR.
Okay, I was thinking of the Dutch Zeeland, land reclaimed from the sea which is not an island.
Could you take a look at the Bornholm 6 Day race and tell me when it is next year? I don't trust my translation. 6 Day races typically start on Mondays, so June 8th (a Wednesday, I think) doesn't make sense and August 6th does. There's a 1 in 100,000,000 chance I might do it if it's in August.
I don't see the 6-day race on the website. The Girl thinks they only put on the 6-day race every other year, which I think I heard somewhere also.
And Zealand and Zeeland are confusing, no doubt. To make it even worse, I think New Zealand gets its name from Zeeland, not Zealand!
The 6 Day race is held every other year and was held in 2010, so i figured they'd have it in 2012. The 2010 race was in June, though. It looks like they've discontinued the 6 day for lack of interest.
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