Berlin Marathon 2016

Here we are, finally. Two years after my first marathon, I'm back on the starting line, this time with my sweetheart. 40 000 runners, the waiting, the countdown, the human wave pushing us forward. An amazing feeling and well-earned reward after weeks of hard training :)

The wife and I stay together, progressing with caution, enjoying the last sunny day of the year. Brother-in-run started in a better block and is probably far away. I keep an eye on my foot, carefully monitoring the signals its sending me. The first steps on the asphalt are not really pleasant, but after a few kilometers, it's feeling ok.

The sightseeing of Berlin are popping around us, the mood is great, the music along the road awesome. Thanks to my assiduous training, I get to the half marathon in no time, my foot barely complaining. It's not a PR, not even a PB, but it's a victory, compared to the last half I ran!

Around 22km, very my for start feeling numb and complaining. The Asphalt feel harder and hitting my sole without merci. Know your limits, it's time to stop. I give up after the 23rd km and let the wife disappear at the horizon. No regret, I'm so proud of me! I walk a few km more but the crowd keeps urging me not to give up. I smile, for me the race ends here.

That's when a crazy idea pops in. At a nearby station I jumped in a metro, which takes me 15 km forwards, right before the last one. No barriers separating crowd and runners yet, I jump back in the race and wait for my favourite running girl... Well, one and a half hour later, here she is! Not looking good, but that's another story. We share the last straight line and cross the finish one together, hand in hand. I get a medal, I get a good bag, people congratulate me, hell my name will even be in the paper tomorrow! Not bad for a "24k marathon" :)

I really enjoyed running this event, even if I couldn't finish it. But that I did 2 years ago so I don't have anything to prove anymore! It's another step on my path of recovery and another run on my way to the ultra. Yeah me!

Weeks 6 and 7/18, getting ready for the M-Day

Two more weeks of training, slowly but surely building kilometrage. Trying to run everytime I can, between late work deliveries, daddy duties and giving the wife some training time too.

After two runs of 16km (including one with some creepy under-the-bridge action, check my last post), I did a giant step forwards and ran 20km yesterday, plus one with my little cheese cube. I feel therefore ready for a proper half marathon, not like the last one that broke my foot even more!

Which is perfect, since next Sunday is the big Berlin Marathon. This year, I'll be running with the wife and brother-in-run :) When I subscribed last year, I was sure to run and finish it. But recovery is a long road with many traps. I will be happy if I run at least half of it. But I'll stop at the first complaint of my foot. This is indeed just a long run on my road to the ultra!

Week 5/18, water under the bridge

Another one bites the dust!

Finishing this 5th week of training. I ran 34km times over 4 runs. Oma was still home so I could run with the wife, damn she's really getting better at this than me. I can't believe she will run her second marathon in 3 weeks and I am struggling to finish a half without hurting myself... But I have some nice plans in the tank for next year ;)

Finishing with a long 16k yesterday. I wanted some adventures and I got it! The weather was threatening but I went out anyway. Heavy rain caught me halfway and thunder were beating. I had to stop running and seek refuge under a bridge where I stayed 45min until the storm passed! Little to eat or drink, no warm clothes... and my mobile only had 10℅ of batterie left! Best plot ever for a (bad) Hollywood movie!

When the rain stopped, I found my way home. Eventually I noticed that with all this fuss going on, I did not think once about my injured foot. I was running the last kilometres at a very good pace (5'20) and I could barely feel it. It has therefore become a more psychological issue. My foot may well have completely recovered now but my head keep messing around about it!