I did it again. Masochist’s Dream in Paloheinä: 100 km over 55 loops.

The first 33 km went well, but I ran too fast. Again. Which meant the rest simply hurt, quite a lot. I don’t think there’s any better way to describe how it went.

Still, I finished 7th among the men. And if I’d registered for the Finnish Championship, I would have been 5th among the men, which was a nice surprise.

And the prize? Pea soup. Again. Excellent.

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Highlights & Hard Moments

• On the morning of the race, I cycled there, and much of my Gatorade opened and spread throughout my backpack. Strong start.
• The first 33 km felt good. Unfortunately, they felt a little too good.
• After running 100 km, I decided to cycle 55 km home. The ultra runners thought I was crazy.
• On the ride back, I saw a Tawny Owl for the first time, which was exciting and made the questionable decision to cycle home slightly more worthwhile.

I finally got to do what I’d been thinking about for a long time: Masochists Dream in Paloheinä. 100 km over 55 loops. It was everything I hoped it’d be, tough, local and funny.

It was hard. But finishing felt amazing. And the prize? Pea soup. (Last year it was oatmeal, both excellent.)

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Highlights & Hard Moments

• My mom came out to support. Brought coffee, which was very much needed.
• Pre- and post-race: danced at Flow Festival with my partner. A solid motivational boost, though the extra steps definitely added to the challenge.
• One runner listened to David Goggins’ autobiography during the race. Sounded like a brilliant idea.
• Another runner had to take a bathroom break in the woods in the first loop, without toilet paper. The same person also managed to get lost once, even though the track was under 2 km. He endured, finished, and walked away with the story of the day.
• Finland’s professional ultra runner Juuso Simpanen took part, set a new course record, and even had a quick chat with me mid-run. What a figure.