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runningrosesruins.bsky.social
@runningrosesruins.bsky.social
220 followers 440 following 320 posts
Science editor, long-distance runner, and (apparently) firm believer in the power of threes. American living in Europe. Roots in the high Arctic.
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runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Ice on the puddles today - sunny but cold. Trying to settle on a plan for next year: do I aim for mountain goat ultra running or should I try to get that one PB I still want, while I'm as young as I'll ever be again? Decisions, decisions! #running #runsky #trailrunning
Stats for a run: 12 km at a 6:01 min/km. A panorama from a limestone cliff overlooking the ocean. The water darkens from almost tropical aqua near the coast to dark denim by the horizon. Some white caps. The sky is a very pale blue. The cliff runs along the left of the image, with some pine trees on top and a steep drop straight into the ocean.
November 15, 2025 at 10:47 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
I'M HOME! Thrilled to be back on the trails again, even though it's freezing cold and windy. Typically, whereas I got one hello meeting hundreds of people in eight days' worth of running in the city, I got three hellos in one day here. #running #trailrunning #runsky
The sun behind a thin veil of clouds, strong enough to create a weak sun ray and a reflex. Some pine trees make up the horizon, with a few juniper bushes in front of them. In the foreground, there's a narrow path with broken rocks. A view across a heath with sparse vegetation, most of which is brown. A few juniper bushes and pine trees break up the brown with grey. In the distance, two wheel tracks lead off toward the edge of the cliff. The horizon is a deep blue ocean. The sky is pale blue with a few thin white clouds. Stats for a run: 12.68 km at a 6:02 min/km pace.
November 14, 2025 at 12:37 PM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Tired legs, but wanted to get out before the rain. Tomorrow, I should (hopefully...) be heading home and can jostle for space with rabbits and eagles instead of e-bikes and vapers. #running #runsky
Stats for a run: 5.77 km at a 6:12 min/km pace. The route is like a lasso: a small oval at the end of a longish curved line that bends up to meet a straight line (like the arm holding the lasso).
November 12, 2025 at 9:52 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
As fate would have it, I'm stuck here for a few more days. Disappointed, but you know - run the mile you're in. Making the best of it with two laps around the island today. #runsky #running
Stats for a run: 21.12 km at a 5:41 min/km pace and HR 160 bpm. There's an outline of the route, which is a circuit with a few squiggly bits here and there. A view from Stockholm City Hall, looking south. The ground is paved over with large flat stones laid out in an almost herringbone pattern. At the edge of the stones, there is a low stone railing. On the left, some kind of pillar rises upwards. It's raised above the stone pavement on two large steps, the lower is roughly octagonal and the upper is roundish with four faces on the sides, where there would have been corners if it was square. Beyond the railing, there's a large, calm lake. On the other wise, there are colorful stone townhouses on the left and a church steeple. A bit further off, in the middle and to the right, there are more stone buildings. The sky is overcast, though there's a slight crack in the clouds and you can sense the sun beyond.
November 11, 2025 at 10:27 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Another lap around the island (with a bit tacked on to up the distance some more). Last day of urban running for a while (yay!). #runsky #running #trailrunning
Stats for a run: 11.8 km at a 5:50 min/km pace. Cloudy, 7 degrees C.
November 9, 2025 at 9:43 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Morning run in a light drizzle. Early enough to catch some wildlife (and not just rats). My best race buddy registered for a skyrunning ultra next August, so mulling over whether to join him. #running #runsky #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Stats from a run: 11.03 km at a 5:53 min/km pace. Six degrees C, cloudy. The stern of a white passenger ferry lying at a quay. Its upper deck is shielded from the weather with a white tarp. The lower deck is enclosed, and the five rearmost windows are visible. From the stern, a bright aqua rope runs across the water toward the lower right corner of the image. A grey heron is standing on the rope. The water is fairly calm. In the background, there's a city skyline with low, stone apartment buildings along the waterfront. The sky is white, overcast with fog and clouds.
November 8, 2025 at 8:28 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
A hint of a sun dog. Stockholm is pretty and all, but I still can't wait to get back to my trails. #trailrunning #runsky #running
A low sun behind some clouds, with a weak sun dog to the right. At the bottom of the image, there's a calm lake with some sunlight reflecting off it. Across the lake, a city skyline with mostly late 18th and early 19th century buildings, so relatively low apartment housing. To the right, there's a wooded island, so the horizon goes from skyline to trees. Stats for a run: 9.40 km at a 5:45 min/km pace with 78 meters elevation gain. 11 degrees and cloudy.
November 7, 2025 at 12:16 PM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Eleven km today. Urban running is not my favorite, but needs must. Plus, running someplace I don't run often means low-hanging fruit in the automatic digital praise department. ☺️🙄 #running #runsky
November 5, 2025 at 3:24 PM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Monday base run on a slightly blocked route... One merganser, a tree full of cedar waxwings, one woman losing a debate with her dog on whether or not it should roll in the grass (she was against, the dog was very much for). #trailrunning #runsky #running
Stats for a run: 13.19 km at a 5:56 min/km pace. Cloudy, 9 degrees C. An footpath blocked by a low-hanging branch of a leafless tree. To the right of the path is a rock wall and the remains of an old stone building (I think it was a sauna or just a bath house, the ocean is about two meters away). A pretty desolate scene, with a grey sky behind the barren branches.
November 3, 2025 at 10:41 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Nice, easy 5.25 km today. Now: coffee and some editing work. #running #runsky #trailrunning
A narrow footpath winds its way between bright green juniper bushes and and bright orange barberry bushes, some growing so close together that they look like one. A few leafless branches of unclear species of small tree or large bush are mixed in and a pine tree can be seen on the left. There's some grey, cloudy sky visible and you can just make out a slate-grey ocean horizon in the background.
November 2, 2025 at 9:58 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
A gorgeous day for a long run. Half a marathon in the bag - and the month and weekend are off to a fine start. Good times! #running #runsky #trailrunning #ultrarunning
A rocky footpath cresting a small hill with a pine tree on the right and two very small fir trees and a tiny juniper bush on the left. In the distance, there are a few more trees, somewhat obscured by a thin fog. The sun is right behind one of the branches of the pine tree, but also obscured by the fog. Stats for a run: 21.30 km at a 5:53 min/km pace. Temperature 8 degrees C, feels like 6 degrees C, partly cloudy with winds of 13 km/h. Elevation gain 120 meters.
November 1, 2025 at 10:42 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
You have to visit the gallows when it's Halloween (I don't make the rules, I just abide by them). Short (quite windy!) Halloween run. Lots of errands to do, long run planned tomorrow. #running #runsky #trailrunning
Mostly intact medieval gallows. There are three large pillars made of square flat stones stacked on top of each other. There would have been wooden beams between them, for hanging people. The pillars are surrounded by a low stone wall. They stand on a grassy field atop a cliff - some grass is visible by the wall and a few bushes just peek up on the other side of the gallows. Beyond that, the ocean appears in the distance, far below. It is mostly grey. The sky is overcast with grey clouds. The gallows were on top of the cliff so everyone in town and coming in to port could see that a) you could be hanged here if you committed a crime, and b) that guy [who had committed whatever crime] had been hanged. A pier extending out into the ocean. It has a railing on one side. There is a person way out at the end of the pier. There are big rolling waves coming in, so the ocean is grey with plenty white. In the foreground, a beach covered with autumn leaves is inundated with water that is splashing over a breakwater wall. There is about as much water inside the wall as outside it. A large wave is splashing over it in the image, throwing water high into the air. Stats for a run: 4.20 km at a 5:57 min/km pace. Temperature 8 degrees C, feels like -1 degrees C. Wind 28.1 km/h from the northwest.
October 31, 2025 at 10:19 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Another base run: 13 km and some change. Many, many Germans (two cruise ships in today), plus a cat out walking its humans.
Stats for a run: 13.18 km at a 5:59 min/km pace. Temperature 8 degrees C, feels like 4 degrees S. Partly cloudy and wind 18 km/h. A narrow dirt footpath across a grassy field with some yellow leaves in the grass. A few pine trees in the distance, as well as a small cliff with orange-red barberry bushes scattered across it. In the far distance, a medieval city wall can just be seen behind the trees and cliff. The sky is overcast and grey.
October 29, 2025 at 10:35 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
First interval run since May. If I'm going to run up a mountain next summer, it's not too early to start working on the foundation now. Warm up, 2x10x30 seconds, cool down. #running #runsky #trailrunning #ultrarunning
Stats for a run: Distance 7.94 km at a 5:17 min/km pace. Cloudy, with wind from the west. A collection of pine tree trunks, with ivy climbing on all of them, as well as mostly covering the forest floor. A small birdhouse can be seen in on a smallish tree trunk. There's a small maple and a small rowan tree, both with still-green leaves mixed in among the pine trees. Only the bottoms of the trunks are visible.
October 28, 2025 at 10:28 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Base run, to set the week off in a good way. Enjoying a break in the clouds (always better when you see the rain that's isn't falling on you). #trailrunning #runsky #running
Stats for a run: 13.48 km at a 6:06 min/km pace, 84 m elevation climb. Sunny, with a temperature of 7 degrees C and a slight breeze from the south. A rocky cliff overlooking the ocean. The cliff is in sunlight. There are some twisted juniper bushes and barberry bushes with bright red foliage on it. The sky overhead is a light blue, but there are grey clouds closer to the horizon, darkening to grey-blue in the distance. There is rain falling from the grey-blue cloud.
October 27, 2025 at 10:27 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
A bring-your-own-sunshine kind of day. Easy pace. I consider this the off season - still mulling over what kind of races I want to focus on next year. #trailrunning #ultrarunning #runsky
A rocky footpath across an undulating cliff. On both sides, there are some stunted pine trees and juniper bushes. There's a bare branch in the foreground, against a grey overcast sky. Some creeping barberry bushes provide the only brightness, with their orange-red foliage. A very overcast day. Mordorian half-light. To the right, there's a rocky footpath with a puddle of water. The middle of the image is mostly a bright orange-red barberry bush. Off in the distance, the ocean can be seen and if you know it, you can pick out a pier and other parts of a port. There are some pine trees and bushes in the middle distance, on an otherwise greyish-brown limestone cliff. Stats for a run: distance 13.87 km, pace 6:09 min/km, elevation gain 108 m, cloudy weather, 10 degrees C.
October 25, 2025 at 8:39 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Shake-out run, 3.5 miles at 9:05 min/mi. A bit of fog and a smattering of rain, but also some fall colors to admire. #runsky #trailrunning #nature #running
A broad, rocky path across a limestone heath. The ocean is just visible off to the left. There a a bunch of short, stunted pine trees and juniper bushes in the middle distance, as well as some bright red and orange barberry bushes. The ground is mostly beige and dirty brown and the sky is overcast with grey clouds.
October 23, 2025 at 9:43 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
The forecast says rain all week, so better to get out while it's sunny. Strava thinks pretty much all my runs are "massive" or "historic." I generally disagree. I wasn't really in the mood for a run, but seeing the ocean always cheers me up.
Statistics for a run: 12.92 km at a 6:02 min/km pace with 110 m elevation gain. The system calls this a "massive relative effort." Weather: windy (24.5 km/h), 9 degrees C, but feels like 3 degree C. A wooden bench with rusty supports on a stone cliff overlooking the ocean. The trees are all devoid of leaves (though some branches of evergreen pines can be seen peeking up from below). The ocean is royal blue, the sky is baby blue, and there is a cloud cover way off over the mainland.
October 21, 2025 at 11:16 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
A bit more than eight windy miles today. Winter is coming, which means that windy days = eagles. One obligingly flew into the frame here (that tiny black speck at the top middle).
A cliff overlooking the ocean, which is choppy with waves. A few fir trees peek up from below, sporting lots of cones. There's also a pine tree and a juniper bush. The lower half of the sky is cloudy, whereas the top half is light blue. A tiny black speck is soaring across the middle of the image, near the top.
October 19, 2025 at 9:37 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Almost 8 miles. Some pain in my knee, but I seem to be recovering well. Windy, but glorious today. #trailrunning #runsky #ultrarunning
A grove of pine trees seen across a field of grass with a path faintly visible. The trees on the far left are very tiny and the trees grow steadily taller the further right they stand. Each tree is itself skewed inland too, with the top growing higher on the right-hand side. The sky is pale blue, with the waning gibbous moon visible. The sun is fairly low, with the trees behind the camera long shadows across the grass.
October 11, 2025 at 10:30 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Three days later, 2 miles to test my legs (they felt fine). What next? I *think* my ideal distance is 20-30 km, but also wonder how much better I can get at ultras if I work at it. #runsky #ultrarunning #trailrunning
A rocky cliff overlooking a calm, light blue ocean. The sky is mostly blue, but a white fluffy cloud is blocking the sun where the picture is taken. The cliff snakes along the ocean and ends with a dramatic silhouette against the horizon. Over in the distance, the clouds break and the sun is reflected in the ocean, making it bright white and a strong contrast to the foot of the cliff.
October 8, 2025 at 7:12 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
My take: 50K was far enough that distance became meaningless. "This is just life now," was what I was thinking. A very tricky trail with lots of roots, sandy beaches, and loose rocks - but also great views. Finished just before the wind and rain really hit. #ultrarunning #trailrunning #50K #runsky
A map of north Gotland, with a track going from Hallshuk at the top along the coast down to Visby. At the top, there's an automatic message: "Congrats! You just set your PR in the 50K!" A grassy cliff overlooking the ocean. There's one small juniper bush at the edge of the cliff, and a branch of a pine tree to the left. The ocean is slate grey. The cliff continues along the coast a long, long way (and the place where the finish line is cannot yet be seen). The sky is nearly all overcast, with dense grey clouds, but the horizon is lighter, with a hint of sunlight penetrating the cloud cover. A rocky beach with a few juniper bushes creeping along the ground and a few bonsai pine trees braving the wind. A dense grey cloud cover hovers overhead, but there is some sky visible off in the distance. The ocean is dark grey, with some rolling waves.
October 5, 2025 at 4:19 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Short run this morning. The spiders have been working hard. Reading race reports and working on the mental side now. Next Saturday is go time. 50K. My first. #ultrarunning #runsky #trailrunning
A patch of grass looking autumnal, with a few yellow flowers still putting in an effort. Between pretty much every set of stalks, there's a dew-covered cobweb, maybe fifty in total.
September 28, 2025 at 11:47 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Lovely day and a nice trail. Sneaking in a longer run for my sanity. Only 8 miles and still a week to go before the ultra. #runsky #ultrarunning #running
A forest trail - brown earth with a few early fall leaves on it. On both sides, thick green vegetation covers the ground. There are trees leaning over the path from both sides, creating a kind of archway. The tree trunks are covered with ivy, so they are also mostly green. In the distance, it starts to look like a green tunnel. Far, far away, there's a opening of light, where the path heads out into open terrain again.
September 26, 2025 at 10:51 AM
runningrosesruins.bsky.social
Eight miles yesterday, only 2.5 today. I hate the taper. My main strength as a runner is that consistency comes naturally - so breaking the routine is stressful in itself. Trying to trust that Garmin upping my endurance score means I've done something right. #runsky #ultrarunning #running
September 25, 2025 at 9:39 AM