Next in line among the major Swedish running events is Lidingöloppet, which takes place this weekend. Many brave runners will take on the race's many challenging sections. Not least the notorious Abborrbacken, with its 522 meters and eight percent incline.
"Great challenge"
Lorenzo Nesi, who is, among other things, national team leader for cross-country and marathon runners as well as elite responsible for Lidingöloppet, has a lot of tips on how to tackle the tough hill as a runner.
After already having run 25 kilometers, Abborrbacken is a great challenge. But the most fundamental tip is not about what to do when you get there, but what you should have done before you get there, he says and continues:
The most common mistake, for both runners and elite athletes, is to start too fast. You can't rush off when it feels easy at the beginning, you'll pay for it later. If your muscles are completely exhausted a bit into the race, it's over. You have to run controlled, says Nesi.
For runners who don't have a time goal, but just want to complete the race, the national team leader has a different tip.
There, the big advice is to just calmly walk up the hill. Then you can take the opportunity to enjoy nature.
When it comes to the more practical tips for tackling hills, there are, according to Nesi, a few things to keep in mind.
First and foremost, you should shorten your stride. You shouldn't try to take big strides. Then you want to try to maintain an upright posture and look upwards. The most important thing is to maintain a pace that doesn't give you too much lactic acid.
"Dare to be confident"
Elite runner and two-time Swedish champion in trail running, Frida Michold – who is trained by Nesi in her daily life – emphasizes the mental aspect as crucial for tackling Abborrbacken, but also the entire race.
You should dare to be confident, your body can handle much more than you think. You have to try to get into the mindset that this is where you want to be, that it's supposed to be tough. Don't think too much about where it hurts, accept and enjoy the pain.
In a survey by Kantar Sifo, Abborrbacken was voted the most feared part of any of the major Swedish running events.
The result of the survey:
Question: Which part of any of the following major Swedish running events do you fear the most, regardless of whether you've participated or not?
Abborrbacken at Lidingöloppet: 62 percent
Älvsborgsbron at Göteborgsvarvet: 16 percent
Guldbron/Katarinavägen at Stockholm Marathon: 14 percent
Sofia Kyrkbacke at Midnattsloppet in Stockholm: Six percent
Guldbron up to Hornsgatan at Stockholm half-marathon: Two percent
