Tag: sports

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in slovenia

uphill

hiking is the perfect sport for slovenia. with so many mountains and hills, it’s a pleasure to get on your feet and explore them. trails are clearly marked and well maintained – but the main one, the slovenian mountain path, takes the cake. it crosses the whole country, from maribor in the east to ankaran in the coast, passing though all mountain ranges. plus, on all the mountain tops, there are stamps that you can collect in a special hiking passport!

so, all you need is to get a few friends, some comfy shoes and a gps, and walk walk walk until you get to the top of a hill. then sit, enjoy the view, have a little picnic, take photos, and collect the stamp! :)







very important: when you get home, don’t forget to check yourself for ticks…

Categories
in slovenia

‘‘For me, Jure is on another planet. He can die on the bike and keep going.’’

the words are by hans mauritz, the co-organizer of le tour direct, on a fascinating 2006 article on the nytimes. he’s talking about jure robic, a slovenian super endurance athlete, who has a peculiar approach to the sport. he’s not physically stronger than other contestants, but he has the ability to push himself beyond the point of mental breakdown.

‘‘During race, I am going crazy, definitely,’’ he says, smiling in bemused despair. ‘‘I cannot explain why is that, but it is true.’’

The craziness is methodical, however, and Robic and his crew know its pattern by heart. Around Day 2 of a typical weeklong race, his speech goes staccato. By Day 3, he is belligerent and sometimes paranoid. His short-term memory vanishes, and he weeps uncontrollably. The last days are marked by hallucinations: bears, wolves and aliens prowl the roadside; asphalt cracks rearrange themselves into coded messages. Occasionally, Robic leaps from his bike to square off with shadowy figures that turn out to be mailboxes. In a 2004 race, he turned to see himself pursued by a howling band of black-bearded men on horseback.

‘‘Mujahedeen, shooting at me,’’ he explains. ‘‘So I ride faster.’’


they say he wins for the most fundamental of reasons: refusing to stop. long article, but definitely worth a read.

image by camera obscura.