After struggling with knee pain during the final stretch of Vätternrundan 2025, I took a hard look at my training routine and realized I had neglected strength work. In this post, I share how I’ve rebuilt my approach with a two-part strength training program designed to support both endurance cycling and military readiness—blending science, experience, and practical strategies for integrating strength into a busy endurance schedule.

July has been a month of transitions—a gentle ramp down from a busy training block into a period of recovery, a ten-day adventure in the hills combined with team-lead training, and finally a gradual return to structured workouts. On top of that, I’ve just started my last month of parental leave, which means mornings of bike rides with the kids, afternoons at the playground.

After a busy stretch, this week was about pulling back—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. The arrival of a new baby has shifted a lot of routines, and it’s been hard to find one-on-one time with my older son. This week, with my wife and the baby away at camp, I had a rare window to focus just on him.

A post-Vätternrundan recovery trip that turned into a quiet lesson in pacing, history, and hydration—plus this week’s recovery metrics and next week’s return to motion.

Returning to blogging with a three-year mission to qualify for the UCI Gran Fondo World Championships 2027. Here’s the structured plan and the mindset behind it.

Despite starting the week with flu symptoms, this year’s Vätternrundan became a meaningful ride focused on family, resilience, and key lessons for future improvement.

A detailed look at my gear and nutrition plan for Vätternrundan 2025, building on lessons learned from last year’s ride.

The last few weeks have been all about fine-tuning the engine and dialling in the race plan for Vätternrundan. With the big day right around the corner, here’s a quick recap of the final training block and a deep dive into the fuelling plan that will carry me through 315 kilometers around Lake Vättern.