1 hour each and every day through 8 years

Couple of days ago it started. I got the sore throat and during the previous days it has gone worse. I have a flu and have to rest and stay inside, so it's a perfect time to look back and see what I have been doing and achieving within previous 365 days...

In the end of the last year I decided to list few objectives for this year 2011. The list was

1. Paddle over 1000 km
2. Visit at least 10 new lighthouses by kayak
3. Accomplish 4 sport events at "Kalevan kierros"
4. Run in a "Jukola" orienteering relay at Virolahti
5. To become as a certified Paddling Guide authorized by Finnish Canoe Federation
6. To become as a certified Rope Work Supervisor authorized by Finnish Climbing Association
7. To become as a certified Rafting Guide authorized by Finnish Paddling and Rafting Federation

All of these goals were achieved, which was a bit surprising! As an extra bonus I even managed to paddle whole Finnish coastline, which wasn't originally planned. Coastline paddling has been promoted and originally invented by Finland's long distance paddlers and everyone who successfully paddles Finnish coastline during one season will be honored (list of all-time paddlers).

Over the last year I have been exercising on an average 1 hour and 20 minutes each and every day, which totals 509 hours. It's more than my average on a longer period. When I was curiously checking the average amount of time per day used for exercise during the last 8 years, I was amazed and shocked! Through the last 8 years I have been training on an average over 1 hour each and every day!!!

Next year's 365+ training hours are waiting and the countdown will start on Tuesday 1.11.11. Thanks for everybody who has been running/paddling/orienteering/cycling/swimming/skiing/trekking/... with me during these marvelous 8 years!

The year 2012 will be the 10th anniversary and so it will be something special. I remember 10 years back when I was in a such poor condition, I had to rest 2 days after I managed to walk 1 km! Since that there has been plenty of memorable moments from the cycling exercise in a cold rain at the beginning of May 2003, when I was just crying together with rain drops cause it felt so damn good to be alive and to be able to cycle. At the end of 2004 I was looking death into it's eyes in Andes, when spending night over 6000 m on a glacier without any camping gear and totally lost.

J.P. Fushi at Sappee

At Sappee slopes

It's hard to understand why the calendar is full of bookings at weekends. It seems that every weekend has been reserved for activities of sport events, school periods, parties, friends gatherings and so on...

This weekend was not an exception. On the contrary there were sport event, friends gathering and concert combined into one weekend long activity planned and organized by Haapis. The spot for the gathering was Sappee - skiing center nearby Tampere. Though we don't have snow yet, there were wet swamps, high cliffs, slippery paths and incredible views waiting us, when we drove to Sappee on Friday afternoon. Right after the arrival we put our orienteering clothes and headed to the forest and steep slopes of Sappee to compete 4 km orienteering track. Already the first control point was too difficult for me and the results tell everything...

This map sucks! Even the champs are confused :))))

However the main point was to spent weekend together with great company and when I had had warm sauna and sausages after it, it was time to enjoy the good start for the weekend despite of the huge mistakes at first competition.

Somewhere at Laipanmaa paths

On Saturday was the big day! On a 20+ km orienteering/hiking/running/walking/geocaching activity throughout the Laipanmaa terrain we were tested with unexceptionally difficult orienteering tasks on a modified maps. The whole story can be read from the blog.It took over 6 hours to complete the mission and get back to cottage in Sappee. What a great feeling after recovering a bit, my legs were absolutely at it's limit with nearly 600 meter total climb at the route. There were huge amount of mushrooms (craterellus, chanterelle) and cranberries at the autumnal forest and swamps.

J.P. Fushi's and Jing Pin's ready for the evening

The finnish rock band "Popeda" were playing and having a gig on Saturday evening at local restaurant, which was full of people in the middle of nowhere.

Popeda, Popeda !

All in all big thanks to organizer and other participants for the highlight of this autumn !

Exercise bike

I bought my third bike directly into my living room. My MTB- and City bikes are nicely at bicycle storage at ground floor, but exercise bike got the good spot in the upper floors. Now it's all about training hard for the long distance cycling events next summer...

At the same time I joined a local long distance running and triathlon club, which gives me a good possibilities to train and exercise swimming at Kaleva swimming center throughout the winter multiple times per week.

It seems I have removed all the obstacles for the development of the swimming and cycling capabilities for the next year. When adding skiing, orienteering, running and gym exercises during the winter time I would say the next half a year seems to be very all-round training period.

Authorization test for Rope Work Leadership

Knots, knots, knots

The weekend was mentally and physically tough one. On thursday I was doing the theory exam of the Rafting Guide authorisation test and on Saturday we had a Rope Work Supervisor authorisation test including a theory and practical tests at the same day.

Rescue operation about to start

Most probably the Rafting Guide test went well, but we didn't get the results yet. On the other hand the result of the Rope Work Supervisor test was known after the long day and for my surprise I passed the test and became as a certified and authorized Rope Work Supervisor given by the Finnish Climbing Association, which is member of UIAA. What a great weekend!

Paddling with the C-6 (6 person Canoe)

During this year I have successfully passed multiple tests of outdoor activity sports and has become an authorized Paddling Guide, an authorized Rafting Guide and an authorized Rope Work Supervisor.

When I was back at home at Tampere at midnight, after 4-day tests and outdoor activities at Rovaniemi I was totally exhausted. The Sunday was a long day with 6 hour school day and 9 hour driving. I was feeling the tiredness of my body on this morning and thought I would be resting the whole day. However my buddies were planning a 3-hour orienteering exercise and I decided to participate it, because of the nice weather and the possibility to enjoy once again the forest and the autumn colors of it. The theme for the run was "pain" and sure it was partly that, but anyhow after running 2,5 hours at forest, having warm sauna after it I was feeling relaxed and ready to jump into my bed and have a good sleep tonight. Zzzzzzzzzz

Case Korouoma

View to Korouoma gorge from the top of the cliffs

The Korouoma canyon is a 10 km gorge in Lappland at Posio. As part of the studies this weekend we had a chance to face mighty rocks and cliffs of the gorge as well as rare caves in Finland. Early Friday morning we headed towards Posio and Korouoma from Rovaniemi with all the gear for abseiling and caving in the gorge.

Building anchor points for the abseiling

Because of the natural reserve, it's not possible to climb everywhere, but you need to follow strict rules for climbing, caving and abseiling at both winter and summer time. The spot for climbing in summer time (or actually during september - october) is called Pirunkirkko. Roughly 50 meter high cliff ideal for abseiling activities. So we did! It was great to look over the amazing gorge and abseil down to the bottom of the gorge at sunshine and beautiful weather.

50 meter Pirunkirkko cliffs at background

There are only few caving possibilities in Finland and Korouoma is having one of those rare caves. This was my first caving experience in Finland, just nice but short experience...

Entering the cave