Nordmarka-Oslo: From North to South

Todays endurance workout started at Mylla and ended at Sognsvann some 46km after the start. Mostly on gravel roads but a very technical part on trail from Sandungen Gård to Kikut, passing Kikuttoppen on the way. Distance was just under 9km and we used approximately 2h on the distance. It was a very wet part of the course, partly off-trail and was pretty demanding. Originally we had planned on encoutering another technical trail from Fyllingen to Blankvannsbråten, but redecided and ran on gravel roads passing Kikutstua, Bjørnholdt, Skjærskjøen and finally Sognsvann. Initially we ran the course used in Kristin Runde. We started at Mylla, passed the beautiful lake Gjerdingen, Katnosa and Sandungen Gård were we left the course of Kristins Runde.

I was fortunate enough to be accompanied by two nice people and skilled runners-Adelheid and Gunnar. We started from Mylla at about 10:30 and ended our journey at Sognsvann around 17:15.
Weather was excellent as the pictures from the start indicates.
The course is pretty nice initially as there is some 3-4 km of descend-It's pretty heavy to ascend it at the end of Kristins Runde.
Afterwards the course ascends about 1,5 km moving towards the lake Gjerdingen. Shortly before Gjerdingen we have to leave the road and navigate through the wood to reach Gjerdingen. Mood was good and we chatted along and passed the point by a couple of hundred metres before I realised we were about to run around the lake! Anyhow, my fault as chief-navigator-and we were soon on the rigth course again, only loosing just a couple of minutes.

Lake Gjerdingen is one of Nordmarka's most beautiful places. I was completely enthralled on my first visit earlier this year when I passed it on Kristins Runde. We had a short break, refuelled and were soon on our way towards or next target-Sandungen Gård. The course ascends a bit after Gjerdingen but not more than a 100 metres over 2 km. The course levelled out a bit after that and we reached Katnosa. I knew we weren't supposed to se much of the lake as we were to gain some heigth before descending towards Sandungen Gård. Anyhow, I didn't pay enough attention at a critical point and we ran towards Katnosa Gård-which we weren't supposed to do. Some 1km extra run. Anyhow I realised my wrongturn as I noticed the lake Katnosa appearing on our left side. We went back and were soon on the right course again. Weather was still good and it's wonderful to be running on days like this. After a pretty long descend we arrived at Sandungen Gård. The point were we were to leave the course of Kristins Runde. Gunnar and Adelheid refuelling there as we had a short rest before encountering a demanding technical trail towards Kikut. Leaving Sandungen Gård after 2,5 h from the start, covering about 20km we had a average pace within our scheduled area. After a couple of 100 metres we left the road and started the ascend towards Kikuttoppen after crossing a bridge between the lakes.

We were to spend just over 2h covering 9km on a very demanding trail. Good training, but demanding. It was very wet-we went on lengthy sections almost in a stream and the trail was absent on several parts. Fun, but time-consuming. Well, we finnally reached the top-Kikuttoppen and had by this ascended 100 metres above the heigth at Mylla.
It felt good to be on the top.
Anyhow we were soon on our way towards Fyllingen Gård encountering a descend consisting of mostly a stream in the mountainside. Fun, exciting and time-consuming.

Anyhow, after settling at the road were we planned to leave i and enter another technical part we redecided and went by gravel road the rest of the run. Passing Kikut.hytta we stopped a few minutes, but were soon on our way towards Bjørnholt. There is a pretty heavy ascend just at the end of the lake Bjørnsjøen and Gunnar impressed os both by running it all the way.
Passing Bjørnholt we increased our speed and were soon arriving at the lovely lake Skjersjøen. After that we went by the road Ankeren towards Sognsvann and finished our run with a beautiful run through the pinewoods. After finishing at Sognsvann we were all chers pleased with the outcome of a nice day.

Technicals:
-Distance: 45,43 km
-Time:  6h 46m 22s
-Average speed: 8,94 min/km
-Elevation gained: 784 m
-Calories:  3.047 kcal
-Average heart rate(max): Not monitored.

The GARMIN logfile can be found at:
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/42542847