Forum federato con il resto del mondo. Non contano le istanze, contano le persone
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I finished the Helsingborg Marathon in 4:14:31.
This was a monumental victory for me and an emtional moment Not so much because I shaved almost 10 minutes off my PR and broke a time I though impossible for me (yes, both of course matter to me!) - but because I managed to push through and keep going during the hardest parts of the race.
Time is but one measurement of performance. How I felt and what I learned yesterday is what matters most. In the end, we only compete with ourselves.
3k to go: Downhill in shadow with the wind in my back. Nice! I ran strongly.
2k: Now it was a flat course, so I had to work for every meter. I tried to accelerate, chasing my goal. I had to dig deep.
1k: Still a long way to go. It was hot. Runners struggled, elderly ladies cheered. The visceral buzz of the homestretch.
150m: So close now. I heard my wife and daughter cheer. There was only me and the finish line. I had a job to do; I didn't come this far to not give it all I had.
Before the race, my PR was 4:24:28.
Early on, I felt I had a decent shot at beating it. Halfway through, I committed to going for it. Around 34k, as I was running through the wall, I knew I would succeed.
And with 4k left, I did the math and realized I could not only beat it; I had a real opportunity for breaking 4:15:00, which is a magical limit for me. It would require a steady pace of ~5:51m/km for the rest of the race. I could probably do this, but it would not be a walk in the park.
I learned yesterday how much experience matters.
When I was under pressure, I could calm myself down and focus because I had been in this situation before. I knew what to do when I hurt. I knew when to push and when to back off. I knew what was demanded to run the remaining distance(s). I knew when (not) to drink or eat.
I knew that if I stopped running and started walking, it would not solve anything. I knew I wanted to run this race.
It was hard, yes, but I was never out of control.
Around 32k, I hit the wall. My legs hurt, I was thirsty, and there was still a long way to go. I knew I would struggle, physically and mentally.
Except ... it didn't feel like the struggles I've had in other marathons. My legs kept running, I didn't really suffer, and I was able to dismiss negative thoughts and focus on how being there brought me joy.
This was no existential crisis, rather a phase of the race I just had to get through. I had come so far, and I could go on. So I kept going.
It is a somewhat challenging course, technically. Lots of hills, and lots of shift in the surface you run on. One moment, it's a broad street in the city; 100m later, a narrow forest trail. So I had to adapt constantly. This kept the race interesting and fun to run, but it also made it harder than what I'm used to from Denmark. Still, I felt strong and managed to keep the pace somewhat steady.
My daughter had compiled a Taylor Swift playlist for this part of the race (25-32k). It was good.
I raced the same course last year. Running it again held up a mirror for me; I remembered places and inclines, experiences and emotions.
Last year, the heat knocked me out. From my race report: "I do not know how I managed the next kilometers. From 24 to 28-ish is a blur for me."
Yesterday, it gave me strenght to see I could negotiate the same streets and trails without much trouble. Even if my legs were getting heavier now.
Oh, and there was my wife and daughter with an orange and cheers!
One stride at a time.
Running is repetitious.
One stride at a time.
An energy gel every 5k.
One stride at a time.
Easy breathing.
One stride at a time
Water or energy drink at every station.
One stride at a time.
Smile.
One stride at a time.
Trust the process.
One stride at a time.
Strides accumulated to meters that accumulated to kms.
One stride at a time.
At 7k, we raced through a cozy small harbour. At 10k, we climbed hills and soon got into the woods.
Around 16k, my right leg started aching. Not much, and I could still easily run. I have struggled with a sore tendon for a few months and it seeminly hadn't fully recovered.
I ended up running together with one of the pacers. He had apparently done his part (his co-pacers were far ahead), so he just chilled. Taking to people, joking around, and now running in sandals; nice guy, but wtf?!?
The first 21.1k was basically transport. My plan was to get through it without spending too much effort or energy. I would need it later.
I listened to two live albums as I've done on many runs (The Rolling Stones "Totally Stripped" + The War on Drugs "Live Drugs"), reminding myself that this part was actually just another run.
Even so, my pace was faster than it should be. My effort was easy, but I probably got a little carried away by how great I felt and how much fun these races are.
Yesterday, I raced Helsingborg Marathon. It went quite well, and I learned a lot.
Here is the race report.
True perfection has to be imperfect.
And my race was not perfect - but I am so happy and proud of how it all played out. I more or less did what I had planned to do, and I crushed my PR.
Full report later.
This is it: Helsingborg Marathon, now.
I am ready with just the right nervous energy. The weather is windy but fine. I feel good. I don't fear the marathon, but I respect it. I look forward to this.
My goal is to enjoy it - and to stay in control all the way. I'd be happy to beat my PR (4:24:28); I think it's realistic, but all bets are off for the last 10k.
I'm runner no. 183. I think you can follow along through https://helsingborgmarathon.se/en/marathon/.
Let's go!!