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!
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