Sunday, October 22, 2006

The Germans and the Ironman

Once again the Norminator did it. First place at the Ironman World Championships. And third place for last year's winner Faris al Sultan from Munich. Yeah!

Monday, October 16, 2006

Buy one, get two

You may have wondered why it took several weeks to give you the results for the race. Well, I had to think about it a while. On one hand it was a wonderfull weekend up there in Bremen visiting Steffi. On the other hand it was quite an intense experience.

I am still not sure what to think about the result of 3:35 hours. It's not good and not bad either. I had just one training run after the Ostseeman in August, so I did not demand a 3 hour race from myself. I thought about 3:15, yeah, that would be ok.

But on Sunday morning I stood at the start, and suddenly I spotted the three hour pacer with his white balloons. It was a wonderful morning, a little cold, but the sun was coming out already and starting to warm us. I didn't have time to think much as the countdown was beginning already.

10, 9, ...., 3, 2, 1, GO! So I ran, and ran, and ran, and followed the three hour pace. Don't know why, I just thought I can do it. It felt hard from the beginning. Not really hard, but I had the feeling that it is a little too fast for me. Anyway, I decided to try it and make slower once my mind gets weaker than the body. I ran, ran and ran. Until the half marathon which I crossed just under 1:30, perfectly in time. Our group of 3 hour runners had diminished to less than 15 people.

Then the moment came. My mind said: I can't do it again, no more half marathon in 1:30 today, give me a break. I slowed down. People were overtaking me. More people were overtaking me. A Smart came, followed by the first women in the field. They overtook. I became slower and slower.

I came to the point where it was really hard to believe in finishing, my muscles became sore. I had never experienced that before in that intensity. This feeling was interrupted by the cheering crowd at the finish. Wow! The second half marathon took more than 2 hours.

At the end a good experience for myself. And definitly one, that you have to experience on your own.

Next time I will do it better,...

...or make it the same way again. Time will show. ;)