Running through nature with Helena Klangemo

Helena Klangemo is the chair of the local branch of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation and has lived on Lidingö her entire life. She is a true nature enthusiast and makes sure to spend time outdoors every day, at least two hours, all year round. She often leads nature excursions and mushroom foraging trips on the island and has extensive knowledge of both flora and fauna.

If you live on Lidingö, you almost always have a connection to the Lidingöloppet race. Helena, who was an active runner in the 1980s and 1990s, has herself run both the 30 km race (once) and the 15 km race (four times). Her connection to the race is strong, and as she puts it:

"I know every stone, dip, and root along the course."

For Helena, Lidingöloppet is more about the experience of nature than performance. Her favorite part of the course is the northern stretch and the area around Elfvik, which she describes as particularly beautiful and varied.

"The best thing about Lidingöloppet is that you truly get out into nature. Along the course, you experience an incredible variety of coastline, lakes, oak forests, old spruce forests, meadows, and open grazing land. You take in the colors and the scent of the forest—that, to me, is completely unique," says Helena.

Runners also pass through areas rich in wildlife. At Hustegaholm, you can see long-haired water buffalo grazing by the water. Along the course, there are also cows, horses, and sheep—and if you're lucky, you might spot the herd of around twenty fallow deer that live on the island. And of course, plenty of birds.

A course through protected nature

Lidingö has three nature reserves: Långängen–Elfvik Nature Reserve, Sticklinge Nature Reserve, and Kappsta Nature Reserve. According to Helena, these protected areas are an important reason why the race has been able to take place year after year.

"The Swedish Society for Nature Conservation in Lidingö has long worked to ensure that the forests here are managed as recreational forests, and the association’s work has strongly contributed to protecting the area around the course. Today, the Lidingöloppet course is a living landscape, and that is part of the running experience that also makes it unique," says Helena Klangemo.

When asked what motivates her in her role as chair of the association, she answers:
"I usually think that when I know we are right, then we must keep fighting. In a municipality, it is the politicians who make the decisions, and they do not always have the right knowledge."

Helena’s best running tips

For those who will run the race in September, Helena has clear advice:

"If you have the opportunity, run the course beforehand. That way you get to know the terrain and can plan your race better."

She also emphasizes the importance of staying properly hydrated—and highlights vegetarian food as an obvious choice before a race.

But perhaps her most important advice is something else: To lift your gaze from time to time. To see where you are.

Because in the midst of the effort, there is something more—a nature experience that is hard to find anywhere else.

About the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation

Since May 1909, the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation has helped influence decisions on environmental issues and protected both species and valuable natural areas. Without it, Sweden would in fact look very different today.

Would you like to learn more about nature on Lidingö? Visit: https://lidingo.naturskyddsforeningen.se/