A Weekend in Gothenburg

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We last left our hero as he was hallucinating, and waking random people up in their hotel rooms.  Ok so I wasn’t actually hallucinating and it wasn’t our fault we woke those people up, but that sentence makes me sound like a superhero so I’m down.  Before going to bed Martin and I had to decide on a full nights sleep, or getting breakfast.  The breakfast ended at 10:30, so it was either don’t get adequate sleep or don’t get fuel for the furnace.  I chose to eat. I always choose to eat. We stayed in the Scandic hotel which Martin told me is just like a basic hotel, similar to like a Hampton Inn.  I figured, ok I'll just get a little cereal, maybe make a PBJ, have a banana, try the weird fruit mix you know they always have, and if I’m lucky grab some microwaved bacon.  Boy was I wrong. This breakfast was not a breakfast for sissies.  No. This breakfast was massive.  The Swedes know how to do it right.  I’m talking whole watermelons, fruit smoothies, real bacon, eggs, crepes, oatmeal, multiple kinds of yogurt and toppings.  Oh you want to make a sandwich? Heres a whole table with lunch meat, veggies and like 5 different cheeses.  Oh you need bread with that? Here choose from our 10 different loaves that are all 100x healthier than wonder bread and are most likely homemade.  Oh and something to drink. Right. Heres some milk machines, juice machines(with this magical mixed fruit juice as an option), coffee and like 80 kinds of tea.  Wow.  That’s all I could say. So. I stuffed my face and then made two sandwiches for lunch and added some fruit just to have. Hell yeah.

After breakfast we headed out to the track.  The meet I am scheduled to run in is called the Gothenburg Youth Games(actually its this super long Swedish word that I won’t even attempt to try and say).  The meet is 3 days long with over 7000 races.  I don’t think that includes field event heats either. It sort of reminds me of a Penn Relays type meet where there’s a billion races. Only here they have a separate warm up track(not city streets), you don’t have to wait 2 hours in a corral to know when to run, and they allow adequate time before each start.  All while somehow keeping on schedule.  Sweden you do it right.  The meet is run in Ullevi stadium.  Ullevi has held the World Track and Field Championships in 1995, the European Track and Field Championships in 2006 and a whole bunch of different UEFA Football games and concerts.  The history in this place is beyond nuts. As well as its size.  This thing is absolutely massive.  I thought North Florida was big for NCAA’s. Boy was I wrong.  The track itself was super close to our hotel, which made getting there super easy. Aside from the world’s most confusing intersection.  Also, right outside the hotel was this track mural painted on the side of a building. Rad.

What the heck is this thing? How many crosswalks do I have to take?!?!

The only murals we have back home are graffiti and hippy stuff.

No photo I have will do this place justice.

 

So shortly around noon thirty we arrived at the track.  I checked in at the international check in, and then double checked what time my race was.  We then went and hung out with a few of Martin’s Swedish friends.  I’d tell you their names but I have a hard enough time remembering my dogs name, let alone random sounds that are supposedly names in Swedish. We spent the time just talking about differences in our country and why they think NYC is the greatest city in the world.  Personally I think Phoenix NY is, but no one thinks to visit that place.  Eventually, it came time for me to get ready for my race.  Usual stuff like I’ve said before.  Getting dressed, going to the bathroom, getting lost.  Typically stuff.  Except the bathroom.  Apparently in Sweden the urinals have games on them. Or so I thought. Turns out it’s a way to check your prostate.  Look at Sweden be all efficient on their health check ups.

The top says world class. The bottom says prostate check. In case you were wondering. I’m world class at peeing.  I’ve said it for years, but this proves it.

Speedsuit city! (Fabric numbers. FABRIC!)

After winning the bathroom game, I headed across the street to the warm up track.  It was actually in rough shape, but it still was a warm up track! Not an infield or actual track having races you have to warm up around. Rad.  After the extended warm up because of hurdle drills, I headed towards the start to find out what heat I would be in.  Upon check in, I’m told B heat lane 5. Works for me!  So I step aside to watch the first heat and get a feel for the starter.  As I stood there, I realized how nuts this stadium really was.  So many incredible runners have run here before.  Donovan Bailey. Hicham El Guerrouj. Gail Devers. Michael Johnson. Michael Gosh Dang Johnson! Crazy.  As I’m dreaming I hear a whistle.  I quickly snap out of it and go set my blocks.  My turn to rage.  During warm up I felt surprisingly better than I thought I would having run the night before.  Todays going to be good.  The next thing I know the starter says something in Swedish.  No idea whats going on.  I stand and look around at everyone for a bit before realizing that everyone is getting in their blocks.  Turns out todays commands are actually in Swedish.  Weird.  After what felt like an eternity the starter made another noise(I took this to mean set).  And then he held us. Forever.  Dear Sweden, Why U No take less time in the set position?! Eventually the gun went off(actually it was a false gun.  The sound came through speakers. Not the gun itself. Weird).  Heres the race!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwqBe3iTH-E

Well.  It’d didn’t exactly turn out as I had hoped.  I ran 54.73 and I’m not even sure what place I finished in.  I’ll save you all the technical mumbo jumbo and say I messed up right from the start.  And then had an awful finish. Oh well can’t win em all.  There was actually a lot of good that I can take from it moving forward.  I’ve only been here a week and to have an opening two races like I’ve had. I’ll take it.  Plus. I just ran in Ullevi. Hell yeah! 

Little European Shiner!

After cooling down(both physically and mentally), I headed back to the stands to watch a few more races. Turns out there was a USA Middle School team from California at the meet.  If you listen to the video you can hear them cheering for me. I have my own cheering section. In Sweden! I had a good talk with their coaches and met a bunch of them.  They were there for a week and just having the time of their lives.  Hopefully when they’re older they can remember that meet, because going to Sweden to run(especially at such an young age) absolutely rules.  Look at me giving Grandpa talk.  A few of them were getting ready to run the steeple chase for the first time ever.  Kids. I’m sorry for what you are about to go through.  I didn’t actually tell them that. But I’m sure they found out soon after running(or during!). 

Fast forward through a bunch more races, a stop at the hotel to pretty up, and then meeting up with a few girls from Martin’s club team to go grab dinner. Chicks!  We walked around a bit before grabbing dinner.  I finally got to see some of the city in daylight.  Pretty incredible.  Lots of statues and a river that runs through the city.  Also. Crazy amount of trams/public transport.  I’m surprised I didn’t get hit at least 3 times.  After a bit of searching we settled for a Chinese buffet.  Which always sounds like a good idea, but then you regret it after. Actually. Its always a good idea.  This place didn’t hold a candle to Grand Buffet, but I still approve.

Swedish Chinese food.  Looks and tastes a little different. Still makes you feel just as bad about yourself.

After dinner we headed back to the hotel to go to bed.  My racing this weekend is over, so I just get to enjoy the city for a few days. Martin on the other hand still has 3 races ahead of him.  Brutal.

I don’t remember what time we got up on Saturday, but I do know that the breakfast from the day before wasn’t fake and that I got to eat it again.  Sandwiches for lunch and all. Hell yeah! At breakfast there was this kid who was clearly spoiled.  All she did was scream and run around. And her parents had no control over her.  Dear Sweden. Spoiled brats in your country are the same as in America. Except I can’t understand yours.  Not because of the screaming. But because they’re screaming in Swedish.   After a long talk about our youth days we headed towards the track for day two.  The weather was pretty cold and had periods of rain on and off.   Martin was running the 100 today.  I felt a little bad. I wouldn’t have wanted to run in that weather.  Actually. Who am I kidding. I for sure would have loved running in that weather.  I’m in Sweden!  I sat pretty high up during his race, A.) Because it was cool and B.) Because I had shelter from the rain.  Martin actually ran really well(that shouldn’t surprise people) given the weather.  He ran an 11.34 I think, but didn’t make finals.  He wasn’t too upset about that.  That would have meant he’d have to run 3 races on Sunday. Super brutal.

Look at that. Perfect Form.

After the race we headed back to the hotel to hang out for a bit and plan our next move.  Yolanda was coming later that night so we knew we had to meet her and go get dinner at some point.  Luckily while Martin was showering the Sun came out and the weather ended up pretty nice.  We decided now was a good time to go check out the city more in depth.  This included checking out the river, checking out different statues, being in awe of sweet buildings, seeing some Swedish celebrity at a café(Yolanda didn’t know him, I’m calling Martin’s bluff on that one), laughing at this guy dancing in a monkey suit, riding a lion, walking through a mall, and then meeting Yolanda at the train station. The following are a series of pictures from said checking out the city more in depth.  

Now that’s my kind of place! Classy lounge while still being able to get your toilet on.

Just a man on his horse. This thing is older than America. Rad.

Clearly Swedes feel the same as I do about Burger King. WTF?

 

Swedish time travel machine.

Deep.

What are you up to? Oh, not much. Just riding my lion and discovering new land!

I thought I was done with this food once I graduated!

The fetal position people do exist!

After our adventure we finally met up with Yolanda at the train station.  She stayed in the same hotel as us, so we went back to check her in before looking for some dinner.  She lucked out and her room was empty upon check in, so we dropped her stuff off and headed to the track to watch a few races.  Upon arriving we decided that instead we’d go grab some dinner and possibly go to this amusement park that was in the city before coming back to watch some races.  As part of the meet we were given free entry to the park, though we’d have to pay to ride the rides. Whats the point of that!? As it ended up neither Martin nor Yolanda were able to get tickets because the meet ran out or something. I dunno.  It looked pretty cool, but I wasn’t all that upset.  I just wanted dinner.

Kinda like Disney World. Except less awesome, and I wouldn’t pass up a chance to go to Disney World.

After a long debate we settled on eating at this Lebanese restaurant.  Now I’ve never had Lebanese before but I can only assume that this is what I would eat if I went to visit my friend Tess in Lebanon(New Hampshire…).  The best part of it all was not only did I not know what food was what because it was Lebanese food, but it was also in Swedish so I was double lost!  I just let Martin order.  I should really not put so much trust into letting people order for me.  Luckily yet again it worked out and whatever we had ruled.  Except now if I ever want to get it again I won’t know what I got. Oh well.

After dinner we headed back to the track to watch the 400s.  Martins friend Elias PR’d again. Rad. Eventually we’d had enough and we went back to the hotel so Martin could get some sleep(and because I was super exhausted. Forgot what racing 2 days in a row felt like. Brutal)

Sunday morning we got up around 7, (or maybe 8, I don’t know. It was earlier than before.) because Martin raced in the morning.  We met Yolanda for the awesome breakfast(yet again made lunch as well. Score!) and then the two of us checked out of the hotel.  After a long debate with myself I decided to go back and hang out with Yolanda until it was closer to the time Martin had to actually run.  I tried watching Cars 2 in Swedish, but failed miserably.  Even when I know whats going on I don’t understand this gosh dang language!  I ended up falling asleep for a bit(Can I still blame 2 races?) and Yolanda snap chatted it to a bunch of people I’m pretty sure.  Hopefully I look cute when I sleep.  Once I woke up we headed to the track to watch Martin.

Sunday’s weather was better than Saturday’s.   But his trial didn’t really end up his best race. He still made finals which was cool.  Between his trial and final I went for my “distance run”(all you distance people can go ahead and laugh at me. 20 mins).  I found some woods trails to run on which were really cool.  I passed a skatepark(whole lotta razor scootering going on here in Sweden) and a park that was like carved out of giant logs.  Like one looked like a dragon the other a race car.  I also came upon this really weird place which I can only assume to have been a sacrifice table at some point in its existence.  It was just this stone table in the middle of a clearing in the woods. Real creepy.  Anyways, once that as over I went back in to watch Martin’s final.  This race went way better than his trial. He ran 14.52 and placed third. Third place! He even got a medal! Hell yeah! After his race we immediately got on the road because we still had a six hour drive ahead of us.  Because of this we didn’t get to watch Yolanda run. Dang.(She ended up 2^nd in 2:08! Boom!)

Another runner from Martin’s club drove back to Falun with us. I don’t remember his name(read paragraph 8 million pages above).  I finally got my chance to drive in Sweden.  Hell yeah.  I drove for 3 hours and boy was it an experience.  If I thought watching Swedish drivers was crazy, driving along with them was even more terrifying. 1.) Stop signs still don’t exist. 2.) People turn 2 lane rural roads into 4 lane highways. 3.) They have speed cameras everywhere.  I made faces at every camera we passed in hopes to entertain whoever has to look at all the pictures(turns out it only takes them if you’re speeding.  I still made faces just in case). 4.) I hit 120. Yeah that’s right 120. Kilometers per hour… Still 120! To sum it all up.  It’s a free for all.  Pretty crazy drivers. But hey! Super efficient! We arrived back home around some time. ( I don’t know. I can’t even guess. It was night and the sun was still out.)  Before finally unpacking and settling in for bed we went and swam off a pier near Martins house.  Pretty awesome way to end the weekend. 

To sum up my racing this past weekend, I’d say I’m ok with how it started.  Given all the new challenges I’ve faced from being over here and various other things, I still ran well to open my European Season(that sounds so cool!).  It’s a good starting point and the only way to go is up! Next weekend is Belgium and the Netherlands. More about them later.  Until then I’ll leave you with this picture of the pier and a quote from no one special.  “A wise man washes his hands after he pees. A wiser man doesn't pee on his hands.”