2025 Sports Summary
Time for a sports summary of this year. They might just be numbers, and the season might never really end, but sometimes it’s worth stopping, looking back, and seeing how much has been achieved despite the odds and the mood swings.
The total distance covered by running is over 2,500 km. Less than in previous years, but let's be honest, this year was dominated by home renovations (about which I’ll probably make a separate post). Truth be told, it didn't go well at first: first getting sick, a lack of motivation, and dropping out of several events. Then came Nowe Granice in Zielona Góra, where I was going for a personal record, but after 60 km I had to give up due to increasing pain in my Achilles tendon. It didn't get better later: I ran a bit here and there, avoided competitions, and although I planned the summer around mountain races, nothing came of it. The Night Forest Half Marathon in Przemków in May went tragically: I barely finished it. I felt down, depressed, tired… As a result, June and July saw only minimal running. I gave it up almost completely; you could say I threw my shoes in the trash.
That’s when an old love was revived. Carbon doesn't rust, after all - I got out the bike and before I knew it, I had clocked almost 1,500 km in a few weeks! I hit Grodziec, covered longer routes (including one over 140 km), it was intense, it was hot, it was like it used to be. This brought me a lot of respite, a break from running. I was able to return, which I did at the Backyard in Koźlice - only a few laps, but that route and race format really squeeze every bit of energy out of you. That was probably some kind of turning point, a breaking point… though I didn't know it then. I went all in and signed up for the Maraton Dookołą Lubina - this is where I debuted at the 100 km distance, and after three years I was going to do it again.
MDL was… as it often is, mean. The weather collapsed at night; it rained hard and heavy. But we kept going. My companions somehow put up with my swearing, and an ice cream stop (in the middle of the rain and cold xD) did its job - exhausted, worn out, and with feet “in need of replacement,” I finished. And I wanted more… Consequently, after a little over a month, I ended up at Ultrakotlina. I didn’t finish this race. I knew it wouldn't be possible because I hadn't run in the mountains this year, but I wanted to go as far as I could, especially in the mountains. And it turned out great. Shortly after that, we did an extra trip, just in the other direction: Karpacz, Śnieżka, along the ridge to Szrenica, and a descent to Szklarska Poręba. Before I knew it, I’d covered 40 km in wonderful autumn scenery. The season was closed by the last run from Weißwasser to Żary. I was only supposed to finish, but after 20 km I “turned on the propeller” and flew like a robot at a steady pace, quite fast for those 60 km.
What this year showed me.. is that you shouldn't give up. That's for sure. Sometimes it's better, sometimes it's worse. You can and should plan, but you have to be ready for even the perfect plan to completely fall apart because of something - and there were plenty of external factors. It also showed me that you can always count on companions in travel and misery (of your own choice, of course :D). Their words can work wonders, convincing you to take one more step… and then the next… and the next. I also know you have to watch out for burnout. There’s no point in constantly doing the same thing, grinding out miles, or constantly sitting in the saddle. I can't do that; I need to change stimuli sometimes, otherwise I'll get bored quickly. Well, that's just my nature and there's no point fighting it; you have to live with it and adopt the right approach.
On the technical side: I switched to Altra shoes and toe socks. I realized I have slight bunions and I'm exercising them. There are results: it's getting better and better, with fewer chafing issues and problems. I don't think my feet are ready for, say, 150 km, so I'll probably skip runs of that length. Better to run those “shorter” (xD) ones like the KBL 110 km, but try to do them faster instead… to race. Because why not? As long as there's the will and the strength, it's worth it.
In 2026 I'm entering “going big” and hungry for more - the first tough competition is already on January 17th. Several starts are already planned and paid for. It could all fall apart, so am I repeating my mistakes? No, because if it doesn't work out, too bad; I know I can always do something else. I'm also not planning any major renovations, so there should be much more time for fun - especially in the mountains. I wish you and myself a successful 2026!