EDIT: 2007-05-30 Spent an extra 15 minutes with the smudge tool to smooth out the skin so I wouldn’t look like a “burn victim”.

Roughly 4 hours in the making.

(click the thumbnails below to view the close-up detail images of the above painting)

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This is the first of my weekly running journal.

On tuesday I went out for a run for the first time in 6 years. Besides some sore muscles on wednesday, the experience was painless. I also ran on thursday and saturday for a total of 18 km this week. Next week I will be aiming for a total of 24 km.

I still run at a pace which is absolutely pathetic. Someone could probably walk faster than I run. But at least I’m running. And it’s actually kind of fun.

Just like the one from yesterday this is a “speedpainting”. It took about 8 hours to paint.

A “speedpainting” (took about 8 hours). The goal was to start and finish a painting within the same day.

I went out and ran for the first time in 6 years this morning. I’ve plotted the route I ran on the map below (map from eniro.se). I ran down to the marina and back in one hour. That’s pretty much exactly 6 km (3.7 miles).

Well, I didn’t exactly run the whole time. I probably walked 60-70% of the distance.

All things considered, that went pretty well. I felt no pain - but I did sweat like a pig. I’m not in terrible shape - but saying that I’m in great shape would not be true either.

Observation: I’m in-between terrible and great.

So I’ve been thinking: I study computer science, which obviously involves a lot of late night hacking sessions. Nothing weird about that, right? But not only do I develop software at school - I do it on my spare time as-well. I also enjoy playing video games and draw octopuses and other weird stuff. I pretty much eat, sleep and live in the sweet glow of my computer monitors.

That can’t be healthy in the long run, I figure.

What’s weird about my life-style is that deep down I’m actually a health freak. I don’t smoke or drink alcohol. I don’t crave for sweets and junk food. I don’t even drink coffee unless I absolutely need it (for those late night hacking sessions).

But there is a piece of the puzzle missing, isn’t there?

So I’ve been thinking: I need a new hobby. Something outdoors. Something perspiring.

And it hit me: I would start running.

So yesterday I paid a visit to Löplabbet (The Running Lab) on Kungsgatan, Stockholm and bought myself a pair of running shoes.

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