It is common, that athletes and people doing fitness sports go see a doctor when they experience troubles in breathing or just difficulties in running. One thing explaining the symptoms may be asthma.
Read more
Trail running
Merino wool is a great natural material that is at its best in outdoor sports clothes. I have used different merino wool clothes mostly on hikes, in trail running I have preferred more technical materials. However, merino wool has superior properties compared to technical materials, so I have increasingly turned to merino wool on the running side as well.
Read more
Trail running, or forest running in Finland, is incredibly popular today. In Finland, we have run on trails and in forests for ages, but the sport has become well-known especially through the many trail running events. You can nowadays also find loads of special equipment designed for trail running in outdoor stores.
Read more
Saana fell in Kilpisjärvi Lapland is one of the highest and most popular fells in Finland. It is located in Käsivarsi area in Enontekiö region. There are two great trails: The Saana Summit Trail and the Saana Circle Trail.
Read more
While the Kvalvika beach is the iconic beach of Lofoten Islands, Haukland beach is definitely a ‘must see’ arctic paradise as well. It’s probably the most famous beach for swimming and SUP boarding, with easy access by car (no climbing needed, the parking area is by the beach) or by public transportation.
Read more
Looking back to 2021 I had an amazing year on the trails, both with trail running shoes and hiking boots. The year included a lot of kilometers, beautiful sceneries and new challenges. But it also was a year of injuries, bad weather, and periods of working too much. This is the summary of my training in 2021, my reflections on the performance, and the list of my trail running goals for the coming year.
Read more
The Sevettijärvi-Pulmanki Trail is the most popular hiking trail going through Kaldoaivi wilderness. Kaldoaivi is the largest wilderness area in Finland. The 2924 sq.km wilderness area is located in Utsjoki, in Northern Lapland. The landscape varies from fell highlands to dense birch forests, with countless lakes and river valleys.
Read more
It’s usually recommended not to hike solo or go to the wilderness alone. But that doesn't mean you couldn't or shouldn't do it. I always run alone on the trails. I go hiking solo. And I go alone to the mountains and multi-day trekking journeys. Most of the time I don’t want to have company. I like the solitude and the silence, the freedom from distraction, being my own boss, and the boost to my self-esteem when I have managed difficult things all by myself. There are some outdoors sports that I wouldn’t do alone, such as kayaking, especially when going to the sea or for several days of kayak camping. But when I have solid ground under my feet, nothing could stop me from going for an adventure just by myself. It doesn’t matter whether I’m running alone in a forest for an hour or hiking two weeks – soloing has positive impacts on all areas of my life.
Read more
Nature has always been an important part of life for Finns. We have walked, wandered, jogged, camped, and picked berries in the woods from the beginning of our history. Even though running is probably more popular than ever, and people are increasingly heading into nature in their free time, spending time on trails is sort of a natural way of Finnish living. Trail running may sound even trendy, but the core thing is to enjoy the great outdoors and move. Getting your share of health and happiness doesn’t require any fancy equipment, although a pair of running shoes with a good grip will make it more fun!
Read more
I started trail running in April 2020. Before that, I didn’t even know what is ‘trail running’. Really. I had heard the word (polkujuoksu in Finnish), but I thought it had something to do with the way you run, like stamping style (how embarrassing is that!). Trail running is, well, running on trails instead of running on roads, concrete, tartan or other paved paths. It’s related but different sport from running. The core of trail running is simply being in nature. I would never had guessed how astounding impact trail running could have on my physical and mental wellbeing.
Read more