14. Sielmanns Heidelauf Halbmarathon 2023

Generali Berlin Half-marathon 2022

I can't believe it's been 6 years already, since the 2016 Berlin Half and Marathon that I ran with my Cheeselady. But with our busy life as exhausted parents and our families living far away, we ain't got much time to train and run events together... 😵 That needs to change! 

Very cozy half today, nice weather and uplifting atmosphere as usual. It's our 3rd participation and although I'm not found of the route (too much asphalt for me, I prefer my woody trails), I was really happy to share this moment with someone I love 🏃💑

Beet juice, freezing runs and big projects

What does not kill you makes you stronger - Nietzche

I'm the kind of person who always need goals to aim at in my life. I don't like them unreachable but I want to fight for them. What's the point in running after easy victories?

This is the time, this is now. I feel it in my guts. I'm just a long-run away of breaking the ultra barrier. And this year, no excuses, I'm ready for the Eco-Trail de Paris. Following the footsteps of my brother-in-run, who nailed the 80k some years ago. But I shall be happy with "only" 45km. It will be a helpful step before my ultimate goal of 50km, planned for this spring/autumn :)

But there isn't much time left for training. I need to hurry up! Here I am back on the trail, pushing the 20's to reach the 30's, until a tough 38k before tapering.

Winter weather makes everything hard, I'm always too cold or too dressed. I'm running 3 times a week, every time the weather has a bit of sun to offer. The new backpack is helping, lighter than air and perfectly wrapped around my back. New shoes should follow shortly to replace my good old Salomon which scored more than 600km. Maybe a new watch too, as my disappointing forerunner can barely hold 30km before running out of battery :(

Amazing 28k and 34k lately. The doc put me on vitamins and freshly pressed veggie juice every morning and I'm recovering faster than ever. Although I'm still dying of exhaustion right after a long run until I get a good night sleep.

To complete my training, we spent 4 days in the Erzgebirge mountains, at the Tcheck Republic border. Ski, snowboard, fresh air, good food and daily exercise, all I needed for a healthy break between two long runs.

More to come and good stuff, I promise! :)

Godspeed 2017

Merry Xmas and happy new year!

This is my last post of the year. And what a running year! 2016 was punctuated with failed attempts to recover and climb my way up to the marathon distance again, but 2017 made up for it! A full year of training, more than 1000 km, multiple halfs (Potsdam, Grünewald), my first trail marathon (Schorfheide), and all that without a break, not a single injury, and new personal bests! Yeah me :)

I've never been that close to my goal. 42km... Only 8 more to go and I can close this blog and go back to my couch ;) There is no time to rest, I have big projects for next year, starting with the Eco-trail of Paris in March (45km), the long time dreamed 50km this summer (still looking for a race) and maybe the marathon du Médoc for this automn (running dressed and drinking wine!)

But for now, I'm spending the end of the year in South France. 15 degrees, sunny landscape, way too much to eat and drink, as usual. Santa's been very generous this year (or I've been a very good boy!) and brought me a new running backpack from Raidlight, the one I've been dreaming of for so long. I know I said I would buy it after running a 50k, I'm cheating a bit, but I'm sure it will help me reach my goal :)

I'm testing it on short 5ks around the house. Hard to run when your belly's always full! But so far it is amazing. 200g empty, a micrometric screw to tighten it, 2 flasks on the front, you just don't feel it at all. And it is made in France, in Saint Pierre de Chartreuse, where I spent all my summers and winters as a kid ♥ I'll write a review about it as soon as I have done a few long runs with it.

That's all for this year folks. As said, I had an amazing time training and I'm so proud of having nailed a trail marathon. 2018, here I come, bring on your dirty roads!

Grünewald half-marathon 2017

We all have a non-runner friend who keeps asking why in hell we pay that much money to torture ourselves during all those kilometers, swearing this is the last race but ending up at a starting line all over again? Usually that makes me smile, but not today, with two hours in front of me to think about all the great stuff I could have done with the 35€ entry fee 😓

(Un?)fortunately, I am not as fit as two months ago, so I subscribed to the half only. Thank God for that, the weather is terrible and it's pouring rain. I didn't sleep well and I cannot swallow a bite. I resist the urge to call it off and go back to bed! But today is the perfect occasion to test my equipment and score a new best time.

One hour of train, I manage to eat a sandwich and a banana. My coffee to go starts doing its job and I feel better already. I make a friend on my way, Ben, English, nice guy. We manage to find our way up to the event, through muddy trails. I am all wet, despite the umbrella.

I have never seen such a depressing starting line! No more than 50 runners are queuing under the rain to get their bib. A poor fella with a microphone is trying to motivate us, while playing cheap music we can barely hear. They give the start to the women half and marathon, 30 min before the men. Why aren't we allowed to run together? I don't bite (not before 30km!). Oh, they have a real gun with blanks to shoot the start, that's probably where all the budget went 😄

After changing and leaving my bag, I'm waiting for the start... under the toilets poarch! It's definitely the best day to test my rainy-run equipment: waterproof jacket and pants (that I just got from Decathlon yesterday), gaiters to prevent wet socks and my god old Speedcross which are hitting 500km. They finally call us to the starting line, short countdown and GO! Did they fire the gun, I didn't heard... Maybe they only had one bullet! 😆

We follow the wet trail on the first 5km, jumping above puddles of mud. Half and full marathoners started together, with no distinction (like a different colour on the bib). I'm overtaking some of them but impossible to know if they are in for the full experience! However, based on what I hear, most of them only for the half like me. I wonder how many just changed their mind on the starting line! Indeed, the marathon is actually running twice the 21km loop. Another reason I was not really motivated to do it.

We arrive on a very long bike lane flowing the highway. Asphalt, noisy cars and no supply point at the horizon, not really the first kilometers I was hoping for. I take over more runners, pace around 6:30. My goal today is to score a new PR and finish in less than 2h15. The rain intensifies. It's not unbearable, but forces to keep the head down. My tummy is growling. Hunger, but I feel some discomfort too. I am on vitamins this month and I have some digestion issues. Hopefully it won't bother me to much...

Finally, at the end of the lane and after more than 7km, the first aid station appears. I'm ok but I pity the poor marathoners who won't have more support than this! Bananas, tea, dry fruits and some drinks. The water is too cold, the tea is too warm, I have to mix them. Everyone is overtaking me, barely stopping. Most runners don't take the time to refuel. I will finish before them in the end!

After following the highway, we are now following the road... And they call that a trail race! We run along the banks of Wansee. I catch up on the others and overtake them. The puddles of water and mud change us into jumping goats :) But so far I don't feel wet. Jacket and trousers are protecting me perfectly, for less than 50€, merci Decathlon 👌

I have been holding a good pace for some time and a quick estimation makes me realize that I could finish in 2h, if I manage to keep it. Unfortunately, that's when we reach the steep climb up to the Grünewald tower, highest point of the route. Lungs burning, striving to breathe, I keep a steady pace, while my heart flies to unknown territories. I try to keep it below 180 bpm but it's damn hard. The runners behind lose ground on me. Cardio, I got you babe! Training the skipping rope like a little girl finally pays off 😊

I reach the second aid station at the top. Water, tea, banana, and I'm on my way. I swallow a cliff bar I brought with me, that should hold my craving until the finish line. The route is getting down again, still following the road. I let gravity do its job and catch up on the delay accumulated while climbing up. My peace is still good and the 2h drive seems more reachable than ever. But my belly aches are giving me a hard time. They don't last long but are really painful. I try to massage it, play with my abdominal muscles to unlock the food stuck. I should be really careful what I eat the day before a race 😥

Finally, we are back on trail roads. The rain is less intense but the ground still like a swamp. My belly forces me to stop once or twice and runners overtake me. I catch them up again and find myself running along Ben. Quick talk, hill coming, I distance him. I lock myself to a 5:30 pace, heart still around 180bpm. Another few kilometers to hold tight and its over. I pray that my belly is thinking the same.

Finally, after a last bit of road, I enter the stadium and crosses the finish line, like I just did... 1h59 ago! Yeepeeee. I did it! Half in less than 2h! It's amazing, considering that I ran my first half in 1h50 three years ago and it was on flat concrete on a sunny day. I head to the finish aid station, the third one I found today (out of five advertised on their website, did I miss the other two?). Soup, sausage, bread and cake. I feel better already. Although it was raining all the way, I don't feel wet. My equipment did it's job. My shoes are covered with mud, but my socks are still dry. Thank God I bought the GTX version (waterproof). Time to visit the shower, change to dry clothes and head home.

To sum up, I can't say I really enjoyed the run itself. It was as expensive as my last marathon and I got way less for the price. Only three aid stations (again, did I miss the others?), nice people but too few volunteers. Men end woman running separately. Only a few kilometers of trail, mostly roads and highway. But on the other hand I am really proud of my post-injury PR, and it's nice to add a rainy muddy race to my experience. Bucket list: checked! 😁