Natural fartlek, or how dogs can help you do fartlek

To stave off boredom during running, would-be bored runners have a plethora of techniques available to them. The simplest method being a change of route, but you can also try some Fartlek!

This is how fartlek works

You pick a point in the distance, a tree or a Starbucks, whatever takes your fancy, and then you run like hell to get to it. Then you double over, gasping for breath. Once you've regained your breath you pick another point and race towards it. Repeat till you drop dead.

Natural fartlek

But sometimes you don't have to pick a point to have a nice fartlek. Dogs can help you pick up the pace! I have this special Fartlekroute, filled with scary dogs who may very well bite me, and have helped me break many a personal pr.

Sometimes I like to add some high jumps to my fartlek. Like yesterday, when I almost stumbled over a very dead cat and jumped in horror.

And then I shattered yet another pr, because you know, that dog may still be out there...

When every run is a battle. Make sure you win!

Running doesn't come naturally to me. Not even after 18 years!

I still takes me 40 minutes to run 6 kilometers.

How do other runners do that?!

I listen in admiration and amazement to the stories of runners, who say that the first thirty minutes can be hard, but then for the next ninety minutes it's just lovely.

I mean 90 minutes of running? Are you kidding me?!

My biggest goal is to keep on running for 30 minutes. Let alone a whopping hour and a half! And then enjoying it too?!

Every run is a battle

Every run is a battle with myself and that little voice that whispers: '

'Why don't you just sit down?'

But I always win!

So that's my wisdom for you for today:

When running is a battle with yourself, make sure you win!

Running in Afghanistan

Natalie Brighton is a Dutch journalist/correspondent. She lived a 1000 days in Afghanistan, while writing for the Dutch news paper De Volkskrant.

Most journalists travel 'embedded' in Afghanistan, which means within army protection. But Natalie lived among the local people of Afghanistan She visited hairdressers, tea houses and local markets, to hear the word on de street.

You can't just run in Afghanistan

But after 1000 days of constanty looking over her shoulder, and being vigilant 24/7 her body was filled with tension. So she asked an expert for advice. He told her to take up running to release the built up stress. Sound advice, but not so easy to follow if you're living in Afghanistan!

The problem with running in Afghanistan

In her book Natalie sums up the problem with running in Afghanistan very neatly:

'There's no way I can go for a run outside. Anyone who is running in this country is either a terrorist or trying to get to safety.'

So Natalie used the treadmill in her hotel to do some running. But even then a handyman and a cleaner bother her. She has to talk to the hotel manager to get them to leave her alone.

Reading Natalie Righton's book made me realize how lucky we are for living in a free country. I think of running as freedom, but I've learned that freedom is dependent on living in a free country.

Existential running