2024. Over time, these yearly recaps have become more than just a reflection; they’ve turned into a kind of family chronicle, capturing the twists and turns of our lives. The start of 2025 has been nothing short of intense: we were eagerly awaiting the birth of our second daughter, Sara, and I was preparing for a 1–2 month sabbatical from work. But life had other plans. A few weeks before her due date, I managed to break my ribs, turning my sabbatical into an unintended recovery period—where I can’t do any serious trainings, can’t properly take care of the kids either, but hey… at least I have time to write this blog and I just hope I’ll recover to enjoy the second half of the sabbatical :)
2024 was a big one for us—as always, we did our best balancing work, sports, travel, and family life, and on top of that we started the renovation of the house (lessons learnt: easier and probably cheaper to build a new one:)). Not a small feat. Between construction dust and moments of adventure, the year was a constant mix of chaos and excitement…
Winter
The winter of 2024 was relatively cold in Vysocina, which meant we got to enjoy some fantastic long-distance ice skating—but unfortunately, the ski season was a disappointment. With little snow to work with, and Vysocina Arena being closed for most of the season, I shifted my focus to proper running speed training, and it paid off: by February, I was already in great shape, clocking a solid 34:15 in a training 10K, qualifying to Czech 1/2 Championship where I wanted to go sub 75min in April.
In early March, the Zdarak cross-country series kicked off, and I managed to set a course record during the first race, feeling super optimistic about the season ahead. But then reality struck—Emily’s time at kindergarten began, and with it came a relentless cycle of colds, two rounds of antibiotics, and months of struggling to stay healthy. Not exactly the season I had envisioned!
Spring
Spring 2024 was a whirlwind. While we were still battling the never-ending stream of childhood illnesses that Emily kept bringing home from kindergarten, we decided we needed a change of scenery—so we booked a trip to Turkey. Since we’re not exactly beach people, we chose a spot near Kemer that perfectly combines mountains and the sea, and it turned out to be a fantastic decision. I couldn’t stand the idea of taking the hotel shuttle, so we rented a car and spent our days exploring the stunning coastline. The highlight? From a sports point, definitely running up and down Tahtali Dagi (2,366 m)—the perfect cherry on top of an already amazing trip, but from all other points of view… it was a best time spent with a full focus on my girls.
Fresh from Turkey, we headed straight for a long weekend in the Jizerky Mountains with our extended family. As the years go by, I find myself appreciating these moments with my brothers and their families more and more—it’s something truly special.
Another memorable weekend came when Emily had her first “night out” away from Anda, as I joined a father’s weekend with old high school & uni friends and their kids. Meanwhile, Anda got to enjoy her first proper weekend off—well deserved!
By early June, I finally made a real return to training and racing. Winning a hilly time trial to Sklene on the road bike and reclaiming victory at Zdarak felt like a comeback—not just because I was healthy enough to compete again, but because I got to share it with a special guest. My close friend Patrick, whom I met while studying at the University of Victoria, flew in from Canada, and we made the most of our three days together. Racing Zdarak, running and cycling through the Vysočina countryside, and capping off the days with beers and barbecues—without a doubt, one of the highlights of the year!
Summer
Summer kicked off with yet another weekend getaway—this time to the Adršpach Rocks with Anda and her parents. The place is absolutely stunning, but wow, does it get crowded in peak season!
June also brought a tough decision: should I race the Lavaredo 80K? After months of on-and-off illnesses, my training was far from ideal, and the thought of tackling 80K with 4,500m+ of elevation in the Dolomites felt pretty daunting. In the end, we decided to take a relaxed approach—spend a week in Alta Badia as a family and just see how it goes. And it turned out to be one of those days where years of endurance training pay off. Not that I wasn’t suffering—I definitely was. When I met Anda and Emily at Passo Falzarego (km 53), it took everything in me not to jump into the car and call it a day. But hey, you don’t get to race in the Alps every day. So I swapped shoes, shoved in some food, and pushed on through the final 30K in the mountains. By the time I hit the last 5K descent into Cortina, all I could think about was whether I’d get to cross the finish line with Emily—and I did. Another highlight of the year!
July brought another first: outdoor camping with Emily, my brother Lukáš, and his girls. So much fun, and honestly, I can’t wait to swap more hotels and apartments for a tent again.
August took us back to the Alps—this time to Grossvenediger Valley. With Anda needing to take it easy during pregnancy, I focused on training while soaking up as much family time as possible. And while the Austrian Alps are undeniably stunning, we just couldn’t resist sneaking in a detour to Italy—enjoying pasta, coffee, and breathtaking views in Antholz (Anterselva) and Passo di Stalle. What a place!
The rest of the summer? Well, that was all about the house. At one point, we had huge holes in the walls, waiting for new windows to be installed with the help of an industrial crane. Just your typical summer fun!
Fall/Winter
Autumn kicked off with a prolonged weekend in the Králický Sněžník mountains with friends—without realizing it would be our last proper trip before winter. Between the ongoing house renovation (and temporarily living at my parents’ place) and Anda’s pregnancy being in full swing, we opted for a slower-paced fall in Vysočina.
Instead of traveling, we focused on finalizing the interiors of the house—leaving the exteriors for 2025, once Sára is born. There was one special exception at the end, a quick weekend in the Orlicky mountains for Lyznik’s 30th birthday mountain party, thas was a must-attend event!
Of course, fall wouldn’t be complete without another round of kids’ illnesses and antibiotics. But despite that, I somehow kept bouncing back into shape—just in time to secure another overall win in the Zdarak series! I’d love to say I can’t wait for the 2025 edition, but with broken ribs, it looks like spring races will be happening without me this time. :/
I also managed to squeeze in a couple of business trips abroad, and before we knew it, Christmas was here!
It’s a wrap
Balancing a demanding job, family, house renovation, and ambitions in sports is a constant challenge. And that’s just the big stuff—because on top of that, there are still all the other hobbies, the daily routines, the unexpected life admin, and the never-ending to-do list that comes with having a young family. You all know it too.
Looking back, if there’s one big lesson 2024 taught me, it’s that I realized that trying to give 100% to everything just isn’t sustainable. Instead of constantly chasing high expectations for myself, I’ve been learning to lower the bar when needed, appreciate the small daily wins, and focus on what truly matters.
2024 was full of incredible experiences—traveling with the family, racing in the Alps, and reconnecting with old friends. It was also a year of struggles—dealing with never-ending illnesses, pushing through unexpected setbacks, and learning to let go of things beyond my control, both at work or at home. There were moments of pure joy, like crossing the Lavaredo 80K finish line with Emily, but also moments of frustration, especially now, as I sit sidelined again with a rib injury that just won’t heal in a couple of days.
And maybe that’s the biggest takeaway—persistence isn’t just about pushing harder; sometimes, it’s about knowing when to slow down, adapt, and be patient. If 2023 was about chasing big goals, then 2024 was about learning to balance them with reality. And in 2025? Who knows. But if there’s one thing I’ll take with me, it’s that often small wins matter just as much as the big ones.
PS: Stats say it all… For the first time in 5 years, # of training hours were below 500 in 2024.
Keep Moving 
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