From my mother’s house, I can see the ocean – the North Sea – and the power of the waves always amazes me. It is most common for the wind to be tough here but today it is calm and almost windless. In this open area where no tall buildings or wires disturb, my Garmin watch soon connects to satellites and I am ready to go. The sun is breaking through and my run today is promising. I run north towards the lake, Ferring Lake, and the first kilometer is downhill and good for my hamstrings to warm up. Usually, I run along the lake but due to a lot of rain lately there is a flood and instead I run on the cycle path which is between the ocean and the lake.

I look over the ocean and I find it hard to believe that on this calm sea, more than hundreds of years ago, the world’s largest sea battle took place just 100 km outside this coast. A while ago, an old sweet lady told me a story that made me think about another story that I had heard as a child. It is always amazing how words and stories can remind you of something you hadn’t thought about for ages and how associations takes you on a journey. Anyway, I did some research and I learned about the Battle of Jutland which took place on March 31, 1916, during World War I. Almost 9000 people were killed, most were British soldiers, and the rest were Germans. Many bodies washed on land along the coast line of Jutland and many of them were buried in the great many graveyards here.

The Battle of Jutland Animation

The North Sea has forces unimaginable. I pass a place where the ocean has almost “eaten” the land, it has been trying to get through to the lake. The coast guard is working hard to prevent the ocean to take the land and they have been working hard day and night during the storms. Here is an example of how strong the force of nature is:

Heavy blocks of concrete have almost crashed down in the ocean.

When I reach the north of the lake, I run east and now I feel the headwind on my cheeks but as soon as I turn back south, it seems windless again. On my right I see the lake with the ocean behind. I am on the top of a hill and I can see far. There are many churches, old churches from the 11^th century which are still standing proud. I can see the light house in the horizon, the red landmark of Bovbjerg which is said to be on the highest top of the coast of Jutland.

Only a few cars passes me and I don’t meet or see any other people. Running here is this open landscape with these magnificent and powerful forces of nature is pure mindfulness; here, I am completely in the present. I can think about historical events and imagine how everything happened but I don’t care about my own problems or what I should eat for lunch or buy for dinner.

I run west with the ocean in front of me. I cannot feel the tailwind but I know that I am lucky now to have the best part ahead. I just have to stop and take a photo over the lake with the ocean in the background.

On my way back, I pass the village – Ferring Strand – where there are almost only summerhouses; it is completely deserted but I know that in a few months, many tourist will come here and enjoy the beauty and the tranquility of this area.

Since the first kilometer was downhill, the last is now uphill and I feel the strain in my hamstring and have to pace down. The fresh air of the North Sea fills my lungs and I am happy.