Sunday, October 16, 2011

I had never been to Amsterdam and the marathon there sounded cool. So, why not - let's go!

Early this summer I reduced my training after my marathon in Prague to totally recuperate and to be able to start kicking ass again in Mid-July. Of course the plan didn't work out as it should have. I pulled a muscle in my calf at the end of June and had to stop all training until Mid-August. I wasn't really worried because I knew that I would recover and I wasn't planning on beating any kind of record this time.

I started my running and my legs were actually great but my stamina sucked. Of course it could've been the heat that put me down because running at 35 ° C in the shade without shade was not nice - not nice at all. I did a run for example and had to give up and walk after 15 k which was not really building up my confidence.

I kept training but not really that much - compared to Prague not even half as much. Early September Tina and I went hiking in Austria and that was awesome. I did a run covering 21.1 k and 600 altitude meters in 2:12:57 which made me damn happy. I felt back on track!

In the last four weeks I at least managed to do two 30 k runs which  was good and necessary - I felt ready to be able to complete the race.

I had done a diet throughout summer and had lost 6 kg. The diet had made me weak so I started eating normally again and by the date of the race I had actually weighed more than usual - 90 kg.

But I again didn't care because I just wanted to run for the sake of running - the Spirit of the Olympics you could say ;)

On the morning of the race I woke up at 6:30 am and felt a bit tired but actually quite good and very relaxed - no pressure whatsoever (and believe me that is something you can't really control!). I SHOWERED and then Tina and I went to have breakfast with Sam & Jen ("What! We're on vacation!") and Lino who had gotten up as well just to accompany me to the race. Erik was still in bed but that's another story... ;)

Final preparations before we hit the road.

The five of us went to the stadium via tram and metro. It was quite chilly but it was going to be a beautiful day - the sun was coming up slowly - unfortunately very slowly...

There were already thousands of runners and spectators outside the stadium when we arrived. The atmosphere was great - I always get that special feeling of excitement. And even Tina who had just said the day before that she wouldn't run again got infected and had a twinkle in her eyes..."Well, maybe."

WOW - we were below sea-level!

Tina, Sam & Jen and Lino wished me luck and I headed to the track - still not really nervous at all. I had said to Tina that I would just run at a more or less comfortable pace and see what would happen - no real goal whatsoever. Ok, Jen had said that I should at least beat my time from Prague - haha - thanks (although that thought never left me during the entire race!).

Me happy about the sun finally coming out. It was still quite chilly.

Giving my crew the Sign of the Hammer while the lady beside me was probably thinking, "WTF is he doing?!"

And then it was my turn, "WTF..." ;)

Waiting, anticipating!

I don't know how many runners started the race but 9633 crossed the finish line.

Tina, Sam & Jen, Lino and Erik who had joined the small yet mighty group were only able to watch me running at two points during the race.

The race had started at exactly 9:30 am in the Olympic Stadium of Amsterdam and it was cool and easy going from the very first meters. There was no pushing or shoving and it seemed that almost all the runners had started in their appropriate starting blocks. No one was running to slow and being in the way of any of the other competitors. I really enjoyed that because in Prague and Athens and almost everywhere else I'd ever ran, many of the runners were always "making themselves too fast" only to be annoying for everyone else. The only thing that disturbed me this time was the fact that some of the runners stank like hell - old sweat pierced my nose! I mean, yes of course one sweats like hell while running but a shower in the morning could prevent you from smelling as if you had slept in a pigpen...FFS!

The crew enjoyed themselves (so I was told) and waited for me in the stadium while watching all the faster runners cross the finish line (there were 2897 of them;)).

The sun was shining but it was still a bit too cold. The wind although not heavy was chilly. It was an amazing race because the runners around me seemed to "pull me with them" - in  a kind of flow. The Dutch spectators were very enthusiastic along the way, too which was very motivating.

As always the kilometers between 28 - 37 are a pain in the (MY) ass. We ran outside the city and there were not many spectators so I always tend to fall into a sort of limbo. I unconsciously slow down and it's hard to try to keep a steady pace. Thinking about this and that - Why the hell am I doing this in the first place - Will I make it to the finish line without pulling a muscle and so on. Your legs get heavier and start to feel crampy. It's hard to explain for me and probably to understand for you if you have never endured a situation like this before. Just damn hard minutes that feel like hours while the kilometers slowly pass by.

Yet I felt quite strong throughout the entire race and when I reached kilometer 38 I started smiling because that's when I thought, "Hey, you won't beat your personal best but maybe you could run faster than in Prague!" Something I would never have really believed to be able to achieve at the beginning of this race. I kept running and all of a sudden I almost had a "Runners High" - that crazy feeling where you can't control your emotions for a short period of time. I smiled and my eyes filled themselves with tears of joy but only for a moment this time and then it was gone...

I felt great and was able to maintain an almost constant speed throughout the entire race.

After 40 k I knew I would be faster than in Prague and gave it everything I got! I fought like hell and I felt like a machine while covering those last kilometers. I knew I would be deadmeat after the finish line but I didn't care. Fuck yes - this was damn cool!

I entered the stadium and saw my friends on the bleachers cheering for me - what an awesome feeling and then I ran as fast as I could raising my fist in victory just before crossing the finish line. It was MY victory - against myself.

I crossed the finish line after 3:38:06 which meant that I had ran almost 5 minutes faster than in Prague. I was happy as Jackshit! And I was totally worn-out. But it was worth it - for that moment- for that feeling. Done.

Tina gave me a big kiss and was so proud of me and that is something that always makes me extremely happy. Sam & Jen, Lino and Erik congratulated me - it was so great to have them there beside me!

Hail!

Tired...

Amazing!

And finally happy again!

My special prize! Haha - what a lot of fun!

We took the metro and the tram home and I had a short nap. I really needed one today - I was totally knackered compared to Prague but content. In the evening we went out and partied until 1 am having fun together. An unforgettable night with my soulmate and great friends - thanks...

...and because these are the days that I need like the air to breathe - see you again here

Milano City Marathon
Sunday, April 15, 2012

Running makes us strong,
It makes us stronger, stronger, stronger...
Running makes us STRONG!

Joey DeMaio once wrote me probably one of the shortest emails I've ever received:

"Do it."

And I personally think that no matter what you want to achieve in your life that's all there is to it - just stop all the talking!

PEOPLE - what the fuck are you waiting for...