In Motion

by Jonas Colting

The sated day is never first.
The best day is a day of thirst.
Yes, there is goal and meaning in our path -- 
but it's the way that is the labour's worth.
The best goal is a night-long rest,
 fire lit, and bread broken in haste.
In places where one sleeps but once,
 sleep is secure, dreams full of songs.
Strike camp, strike camp! The new day shows its light.
Our great adventure has no end in sight.
-Karin Boye (1900-1941) , Swedish poet

I live vicariously through my dreams and yearnings. Dreams of new horizons. Yearnings of the simplest of days where the road itself is the goal. To move between two dots on the map under the steam of my own engine. The adventure disguised in a workout.From time to time I feel like an old Cadillac running a strong V8 attempting to cut loose the force from all my cylinders with a revving sound hadn´t the ignition been so worn and used. No spark. No juice. Life is routine. Working out is routine. My blood is luke warm.

That´s when my longing reaches up and grabs hold of my nature. Longing away. And longing too. That´s when I´m seated for hours on end reading maps and web based distance calculators. And with the the aid of my logistical creativity I lay down a jigsaw puzzle of multi-athletic endeavours going point to point in my own version of tour de heartrate and grand miles. From here to there. From there and further. Far and away. It's the mere thought of new roads, pristine waters and unseen trails and forests that lures med and intrigues my fantasy.

To swim across lakes, run between cities and ride across countries are projects that fascinate me and sends a shiver along my spine in excitement. Last year I rode my bike across Sweden with my fellow Colting Campers. Next year we´ll do it again. And I can hardly wait. Even though I know that there will be plenty of hardship and less glamour than misery. It doesn´t matter. Last year's 280 kilometres between Örebro and Gävle in pouring rain and challenging routes was a long way coming and brought tears to our eyes as we faced a lot of personal time that day. In hindsight though it stands out as the single most memorable day of the tour. And I cherish the memory.

I dream about riding across the U.S., through eastern and Atlantic Canada on a mountain bike across the Alps and as always down to Båstad and back again. I do it every so often just for the running on the Hallandsridge and the prettiest forest in the country!

I want to ride the night train to Abisko in northern Sweden and fall asleep to the sound of thumping rails dreaming about the days ahead of running the trails to Hemavan. 200 kilometres of solitude between sparkling streams and mountains and days that never turn in to night in the summer.

I yearn to swim between islands in warm waters. I long for new grounds to travel. For sunrises and sunsets and in between, days of motion, and a life small enough that it would fit in my backpack.

Room to roam. Freedom of movement. The longest of days. The best of days.

2010 marks Jonas's 20th season as a triathlete and his 14th year as a professional. Jonas has always considered himself a student of the sport which he believes has been the foundation of his athletic longevity. He is an accomplished writer in Sweden, having written two books on health, food and fitness, as well as writing for the Swedish edition of "Runner's World." In addition to sharing his insights into the sport of triathlon from both a esoteric and practical perspective, Jonas provide recipes for EC readers.