Here I am, at the end of 2024 and the dawn of 2025.
Regarding running and health it has been a rollercoaster year. A simple rollercoaster, going up for the first six month, then crashing down to far below the starting height for the last six month.

It’s difficult for me to know how to start this post.

For me as a runner and a man, the first half of 2024 was very standard for me.
The only real impact from my age being, that I need more and more time for recovery, but not really feeling any limitations other than I should loose a few kilo’s and that I have a lack of time in my everyday life to add some extra slow distance-running and strength exercises. Same as most other people.
Not that much different from my past 40 years of running.

Then things changed.

In the last half of july, I got injured with achilles tendonitis in my left leg.
Within two weeks it got really, really bad, even when I backed down on training.
The reason it showed it’s ugly face was, that I transitioned from ultra distance training to short distance speed work in very hilly terrain.
Even with my base strength and endurance being at a very high level, the quick transition from one type of training to another type of training, was to much strain on the body.
Something had to give…
And that was the achilles at first.
I stopped running and started recovery training for the achilles issue.
Then I was struck with Covid.
I dont know if it’s just me, but that had an impact on me for several weeks. I felt tired and drained for more than a month.
Whenever I did any training, my recovery time was sky high.

Doing a 5K in 27-28 minutes could give me a 48+ hour recovery. In my world, doing a 5K in 27 minutes is very, very relaxed running!

Then my sciatica joined the party.
Most likely from sitting down a lot more than I usually would do.

And I started to gain a little weight.
Not much, but just shy of 0.5 kg each month.
Even if I did maybe 50% of the training I did before, I felt tired all the time and had a lust for junk food.
I managed to ignore the junk food, but I ate a lot more sugary stuff. Almost a sugar craving.

Parallel to these training and running issues, I began having a bigger problem.
Urinating had begun to be a problem.
Old man prostate issue.
I had to go to the toilet more, and more often. The portion of urin got smaller and smaller and it took longer, and longer, and longer to finish with a sad trickle.

Then one day there was a very tiny bit of blod in the urin.
I had no pain at any point, just some “tingling pressure” and almost no production of seminal fluid. It had gone dry in a couple of month.
And here I sit at the end of 2024.

For the first time ever in my life I feel that age has actually struck me.

I’m scared of what 2025 might bring.

Remember:
Strive to be happy and do what you love.
Be honest and and open, stand up for what you believe in.

Be trustworthy.
Do not live by the sword, unless another sword is pointing at you.

Defend freedom of speech in any form.

Fight against suppression in any form.
Fight for equality, fight for fairness.

Fight for the weak.

Help anyone that is in need.
Never hide your love and your passion.

Always educate yourself broadly.

Always try and learn yourself a new skill.
Stay physically active and well trained.

Eat healthy and varied.

Drink fresh water every day.

Live simple and do not complicate your life or the life of others

Stay open minded but skeptical.

Preserve your knowledge and make it accessible.

I wish everybody a happy 2025 and hope that we all have a lot more good years to come.