Follow Max Bulger, a 2010 graduate of Cheverus High School now at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA, as he trains for his first marathon and his final cross country season. Bulger is the 2012 NECC champion in cross country who finished 78th at the New England Division III Cross Country Championships.
Hey Milesplit! As a very-small-some of you may know, I ran cross country and (some) track at Cheverus High School, the 5th runner on the 2009 Class A state championship team, before graduating in 2010. I study psychology and run at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Right now though, I'm living one of my life goals of studying abroad! My school has an exchange program with Örebro University in the heart of Sweden, and I jumped at the opportunity to live and study here.
This past fall I enjoyed a second straight season of improvement, and knew that I was fitter than ever before. Because I knew I was studying abroad, I was worried about the fitness just going to waste; I didn’t want to spend 5 months seeing Sweden, traveling Europe and getting in modest training. I wanted to do more.
So I decided in December that I would run the Stockholm Marathon in June just before coming home, and train in a new environment, by myself, and for a new distance. I wanted to challenge myself and do something I couldn’t do if I was training for the 3k or 5k back home; so the marathon seemed a logical choice right?
I feel crazy for doing it, but every day I look forward to finishing my first true endurance race in the “Venice of Scandinavia”, Stockholm. I just need to keep reminding myself that each year in college has been a progression. Now is the time, while away from NCAA competition and my team to train for a marathon.
Sweden is a stunning country with epic landscape and more trails than I’ve seen anywhere, as well as safe pedestrian and bike paths through the busiest areas. I cannot be happier with my choice to come here and to run a marathon in such an incredible place. It’s training heaven!
In this blog, I will share my experiences running the Swedish countryside, doing workouts, and making strides in my fitness as I look to both the marathon and my final college cross country season in the fall.
Hej do! (“goodbye” in Swedish!)
Max