u/bachvad

I've recently started running to get better running endurance and speed as I'm leaving for a one year military service in August.

In my country, all new recruits have to go through a bunch of physical tests as well as a 3000 meter test, to then later be grouped in one of three groups, group 3 being the worst and group 1 being the best.

I'm pretty interested in doing a tough and interesting year in the military, so I'm trying to score as high as possible on these tests, so to not be sent to a boring and slow position during my one year military service.

As for running, I started with running longer distances at lower intensity once a week, as well as doing intense 4x4 intervals with 3 minute light running between the intervals once a week.

Lately, I've upped the frequency to two longer runs a week, and 4x4 intervals once a week.

To get the highest grade for running, you have to complete the 3000 meters at a pace of 4:00/km or 12 minutes or lower. I tested my 3000 meter pace yesterday and ran it in 12:45 minutes. Therefore I was thinking I could maybe alternate between the 3000 meter test and the intervals every other week, as both serve as tough, short and intense running sessions mostly to increase VO2 max and learn to manage lactic acid buildup.

I really don't want to become prone to injuries, so I've been taking it slow. People have told me though that I should just be running every day, and that there's no chance I will be injured, and that it doesn't make sense for me to not push myself to the max every time I'm running, which is the opposite of what I've researched. In my head, too much volume = counter productivness (unless you've been running for many years and your body is used to alot of volume each week)

I understood it's best to take my longer runs at a medium to slightly high intensity, and reserve those intense runs for sessions like intervals, and have rest days in between so to get more out of each session when I do run.

Do you guys think my current plan of two longer runs a week and one intense, shorter session a week is too little, or is my current plan effective in training both stamina and speed?

Hei!

Jeg skal inn for førstegangstjenesten 12. August, og skal hvertfall ha rekruttperiode i Setermoen. Etter sesjon ble jeg inndelt i avdeling Panserbataljon.

Jeg har lest meg litt på tjenester jeg kan ta i førstegangstjenesten og leter ideelt etter noe som er utfordrende både fysisk og mentalt. Jeg vil utforske mine grenser når det kommer til det fysiske og mentale og håper jeg får en slik stilling for å lære mer om meg selv og generelt bli en mer robust person, i tillegg til at jeg oppriktig er interessert i en mer aktiv tjeneste (som jeg sikkert regner med mange andre også er). Jeg har derfor landet på kavalerist som en tjeneste jeg gjerne vil søke meg til.

Til tross for at jeg håper at jeg blir tildelt en slik spennende tjeneste, og at jeg har egentlig bare hørt bra ting om tjeneste i nord-norge, så må jeg være sann og si at jeg er ganske engstelig for dette. Jeg er noen som til tider blir veldig fort kald, spesielt på fingre og tær, og har opplevd at jeg ofte blir negativ til alt rundt meg når jeg er så kald at det er det eneste jeg kan tenke på. Høres kanskje litt dumt ut men jeg må oppriktig vurdere hvordan jeg vil evt. takle dette. Jeg vil gjerne høre andres opplevelser med tjeneste i Nord-Norge, der man noen gang kan være timesvis ute i store minusgrader. Bortsett fra dette føler jeg at jeg kan klare å komme meg gjennom det meste, både fysisk og mentalt, men akkurat det med kulden kan jeg ikke la vær å engste meg over.

Til de som har tjenestegjort i Nord-Norge, eller tjenestegjort i det hele tatt uansett område: lærer man å takle kulden? Eller er det noe jeg må forberede meg på at kan være ganske jævlig i min tilfelle?

Hvis noen også har evt. anbefalinger til tøffe og morsomme tjenester jeg kan søke meg på bortsett fra kavalerist, så hører jeg gjerne på!

Takk 😄

9th of June, I will be taking a one way flight from Oslo, Norway, to Thailand, Bangkok.

I'm 19 years old, and in August, I'm leaving for my one year military service. Doing a trip like this is something I've wanted to do for a long time, but my big brother, who has backpacked lots was the one who inspired me to actually buy the ticket instead of waiting for a trip like this to just, happen.

I need to be back home latest around a week before I leave for the military, so I have circa 2 months to travel to wherever in SEA I want really.

I'm gonna have saved up a budget of around 40 000NOK (~4300$) for this trip after my one way ticket, which was around 300$.

I was actually thinking of trying to visit Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, but as of lately there's been some tension between Cambodias and Thailands border, so I'm starting to wonder if I should skip Cambodia.

I've currently only made a rough plan for my itinerary, which is as follows:

(days spent are just currently estimates, if I feel like staying longer I will)

- Land in Bangkok, spend around 3-5 days to get used to the heat, people and energy

- Take an overnight train to Chiang Mai, spend around 3-5 days there.

- Minivan to Pai, chill out, take walks, maybe indulge in some smoothies.. 1-3 days

- Take flight either from CM or BKK to south thailand (thinking Surat Thani airport as I've heard that's the cheaper alternative to Koh Samui Airport)

- Visit islands preferably in gulf of thailand due to rain season, ride bikes and enjoy the beaches, nature and people. Currently planning on Koh Phangan as I've heard Koh Samui is overly touristy and other islands are better picks. (I'm happy to take any suggestions of what to do / see in the south of thailand)

- Travel on further to cambodia and vietnam - I've not really planned beyond this point.

Otherwise I would love to rent a scooter. But, as I'm not very experienced with scooters, I won't rent whilst in Bangkok or any other bigger cities, but I would like to try to ride one around on one of the smaller islands of thailand, vietnam or cambodia, as it just seems like such an amazing experience really.

Other than this, I don't really have anything more planned other than the idea that I'd like to visit cambodia and / or vietnam after this. I've heard about the banana pancake loop, but feel like my time and budget might become a limiting factor in a loop like this.

Are there any changes you would suggest in terms of my current blueprint of an itinerary? Any places I must visit, POI to skip in place of something else? Do's and Dont's?

Any help appreciated!