Running around in circles

After a long train journey north, we finally arrived in J's hometown. It looked festive and Christmassy, all dressed in white. I couldn't wait to put on my running shoes and head out for a run. And so I did, that same afternoon. A short run later, having discovered new cycle paths and cozy residential areas, I was back and sported a clogged nose. Oh yeah. My cold is definitely back.

I didn't let that stop me this morning. I woke up with the thought of a long run by the frozen river, and drew a route on jogg.se. It looked simple enough on the computer screen. J tried to convince me to use Endomondo and Google maps, in case I got lost, but me? Get lost? Never. I just have to take a quick look at a map and I got it memorised for all eternity.

8 km later, finding myself in the middle of nowhere, I had to consult Google maps for the second time. Stupid Endomondo wouldn't let me look at the map for some reason, and a growl of frustration left my throat more than once. I was this close to throwing my phone in one of the snow heaps by the road.

Let me make this clear: I was most definitely NOT lost. But having got to a crossroads and seen that the street I was supposed to be following continued to my right, instead of in front of me, kind of threw me off. Later on I would realise that some mischievous troll had turned the road sign around so that it was pointing in the wrong direction.

A postman drove by looking at me jumping up and down on my phone. Then, a police van did the same, probably wondering what I was doing doing jumping jacks in the middle of a deserted industrial area. Unfortunately for me, who was looking at them pleadingly, neither one stopped to ask if I needed any help.

My irritation was replaced by elation as soon as I found the cycle path I had been looking for. The path was surrounded by spruces with limbs hanging low under the weight of the snow. It was magical. I now thought I knew where I was. Over the bridge and towards the river again, after a couple of wrong turns (well, I write wrong, but that's in the eye of the beholder. Right? I mean, for someone that wanted to run in precisely that direction, they would have been the right turns).

..and then I wouldn't have seen this.

Then I got confused yet again. I was exactly where I had planned to run when I drew my route, yet that long stretch of road towards the town centre was much longer than I had anticipated. I ran for days and nights, and still, the only thing I could see around me were trees and a few scattered houses. I started getting nervous. Would I have to eat my words and ring J, asking him to come and get me? Never! I pushed on, on packed snow, slipping a couple of times, staring longingly at the distant goal that I hoped was ahead of me.

Finally, one of the city's landmarks rose above the trees: the church tower! It was still a few kilometres away, but now I knew I wasn't half way to China. Soon, I was running past traffic lights and shoppers. With almost 21 km behind me, I was back where I started. I shook my feet to get rid of the excess snow and stepped through the door.

- Endomondo isn't working, said J. We haven't been able to keep track of where you ran.

That could only mean one thing. I would never have to admit to J that I got lost.