VÃ¥russet

Monday was VÃ¥russet, a spring relay race for women.  The relay is across Sweden, with women in lots of cities running in a way that I presume is coordinated but don’t actually know how it works. It ends up looking kind of like a mini-sun run but with all women. Familiar parts include crowded, elongated start line, aerobics for warm up led by smiling folks on platforms, and dodging walkers as you pick your path through the melée.   Jennie encouraged our CBF group to enter a team, and organized our entry and generally provided enthusiasm for running. Marina, Mathilda, Eva, Camilla, Jennie and I all finished and got medals on pink ribbons and more importantly, a sport sac filled with snacks.  We had great weather: sunny, warm and only a slight wind from the local pulp mill (yuck).

One of the cutest thing about Vårusset is that there is a GIANT PICNIC.  People bring their blankets and spread them out in the park by the river. We got a team bag with bread, luncheon meats, spreading cheeses, liver spread (?), yogurt, pear cider (non-alcoholic, too bad) and even chocolate for desert! We were lucky that we work very close to the start/finish so that we got to go back to our lunch room for a warmer picnic, the air gets a chill once the sun goes behind the trees.  There are baby strollers and cheering families everywhere.  I saw some tiny babies held by Dads, it is pretty awesome if their moms are running so fast after giving birth!  There were also Grandmas and very young girls (below elbow height on me).

Graham was an awesome 1-man cheering squad, although I don’t think he saw all of us.  It is hard to take sporty pictures with our little point-and-shoot, but he caught a few.  Thanks Graham. :)  Thanks also to Jennie who organized, and all the arbetshälsovetenskap avdelning women for coming out!