Running > Review

2001 May 10 - Austria, Vienna Marathon #1. Time 3:59

(Letter to Disney Deads 6 months later)
Artic cold wind, rain and snow was sweeping down and offloading here on the northern Alpine foothills yesterday. Once geared up and outside with a biting head wind early morning on the regular training round, compelling reasons to throw in the towel (just this one exception to prove the rule) kept springing to mind, which under the current weather conditions suddenly seemed supremely sensible. 20 minutes went by before reason won over determination, and I turned back. After all, there was some impelling weekend shopping to do, and the teenagers did require taxiing. And anyway, running towards home with the blizzard blowing in your back was much easier. So that was that 'till next time. Let's hope the weather's better then.

I've been doing regular light spare time jogging for the last 19 years, and the WDWM on Jan 6th 2002 will be my second marathon. This time I want to try and practice some of the lessons learned from the first marathon, which was the Vienna City Marathon on May 10th 2001 with 24000 participants (including shorter distance runners). During the run-up to the event I had had some knee trouble, and was forced to break off training three weeks prior to the day. After around 10 days rest, training was restarted, albeit somewhat gingerly. The knee seemed better, so it was decided to go for it and take part. The marathon event started off well. Fantastic weather, great atmosphere... thoughts of "this is easy" came to mind. But after 10 miles the ominous knee trouble returned, and I shortened my stride to ease the pain. Strangely, after a further 10 miles the knee trouble disappeared. Was my brain so numb with self produced endorphins that I couldn't feel pain any more? Or were the now much shorter strides causing less stress to the old knee? By mile 22 the lack of proper training was taking its toll, and it was getting harder to get going again after halting at the refreshment stations. So I pressed on choking down anything liquid I could grab without stopping, and finished just 48 seconds under the 4 hour mark. I felt totally exhausted, but also really happy to have finished in an unexpectedly respectable time. In the finishing area everyone was chatting to each other about the exhilarating experience. On the 3 hour train journey back to the northern Alpine foothills there was a spontaneous party of about 20 marathon runners in the restaurant car.

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