I’ve run over 3000 kilometers since August 2023 and finished a 105k ultra marathon with 6600 meters of climb, and I still have no injuries, not even any pains or anything nagging or nibbling. That’s my proudest flex, and honestly, my biggest fear at the same time. As
Author: Juriaan Karsten
My writing is all over the place. Just how I like it.
For the first time in nearly two years, I don’t have a race circled on the calendar. And oddly enough, I feel good about that. But just because I don’t have a big, hairy race doesn’t mean I’m standing still. In fact, I’ve been active since August 8th,
May 17, 2025, Llanberis, Wales At 4:45 AM, under the quiet darkness of a sleeping village, four friends and I began the Ultra Trail Snowdonia 100K, also known as UTS 100k. The next day, only four of us would finish. What follows is a stage-by-stage account of the
On Running Improvements With my 100K Snowdonia race just eight days away, this month has been all about looking back and measuring progress. Six months ago, I did a VO₂ max and lactate threshold test in Amsterdam to understand where I stood at the start of my training
So this afternoon, completely out of nowhere, I got smacked with a chocolate craving so strong it felt like a personality shift. Not “ooh, a little sweet would be nice,” but full-on desperation. Chocolate or death. No in-between. The best part? I wasn’t even hungry. I’d eaten a
A few weeks back, I laid out my plan for the next four months until Snowdonia 2025: a mix of fear, focus, and forward motion. I’m deep in it, and the reality is starting to hit differently. The mileage has gone up, the mental load has increased, and
The Fear of What’s to Come I’m afraid of the next four months. Not because something terrible will happen but because they will demand a lot from me. Balancing my training, work, family, and writing will be tough. Running: The Mileage Skyrockets My weekly mileage will soon hit
Somewhere in the Middle of the Woods, Alone in the Dark The temperature had dropped below freezing, and my breath started forming clouds. The only sound was the crunch of my footsteps on the frozen ground. My headlamp casts a narrow beam ahead, lighting up the next step
Placing the Jim Biden pardon bet was driven by intuition, hours of research, and precedent. But nothing could have prepared me for the heart-pounding, nerve-wracking culmination that unfolded in the literal last minutes. With less than two hours to go, panic was sweeping the market. Prices were plummeting,
I’ve sold high and bought back low while securing some cash on the sideline. Here’s how it happened. When you’re playing high-stakes markets, it’s not just about conviction—it’s about knowing when to double down, when to cash out, and how to stay nimble. Over the past few days,
A Deep-dive on why Joe Biden will pardon his younger brother Jim Biden. Jim Biden receiving a presidential pardon isn’t just a hunch; it’s a calculated belief grounded in precedent, logic, and the realities of brotherly solidarity. In this post, I’ll walk you through my analysis and arguments
This year has been transformative—a journey of self-discovery, growth, and realizing my potential. Looking back, 2024 feels like the year I started to awaken to the forces within me, propelling me toward a better version of myself. Here’s my year in review. Running: A Catalyst for Change In
I sometimes wonder if I’m the only one who feels they mastered a skill or a lifestyle within weeks instead of decades. For me, currently, that expresses itself in that I find myself an incredible athlete. I see myself as the Dutch version of Nick Bare. It’s so
It should be apparent by now, but I’m trying to feel healthier and lose weight by being more active. I’m not doing that by focusing on a single activity, no. I’ll be focusing on a split of activities. This split is slightly based on the methodology of Nick