MannImSchatten

I could feel it already during the warm-up. I was rather slow, weak and kind of unfocused. My throat was not yet completely OK, and I had a feeling that I had a slight fever during the day. And it was extremely hot for me, although the start was at 7:30pm. Anyway, I was sure it won’t be that great this night, but still was looking forward to the race. I started quite in the front, not so much hidden in the pack of slower runners as is my usual strategy. I guess I felt like I dont want to waste any energy dealing with traffic. I thought I went out not that fast but still came to the first mile mark at 6:32. I felt like my legs are from jelly, my arms have some invisible weights attached to them and my throat was dry as sand. I slowed down to try to find a more sustainable pace, but it seems there is not any. Menthaly i kept pushing harder and harder, but objectively I was slowing down. I could see my wife and friends cheering me up in the first of the two laps, but it was like running in a tunnel during the second lap, and had no idea where they were standing, although they all claim they were screaming loud like never before. The second mile was exactly 7min, and the third must have been even about the same. I came to the finish on the 49th spot (out of 482 finishers) quite wasted. I was completely exhausted, but not in a sense that you collapse, rest a bit and then can move on, but more like completely drained out of all my strength, so just lifting my hand with a bottle of water was already quite a feat even hours after the race. I felt like this next two days, which is very unusual for me. Next morning I got out for a recovery run and I could barely keep 10min/mile pace, coming home more tired than relaxed. but I am sure i’ll be better again.

I do not feel tired after the marathon anymore, but I have been sick for a couple of days. I ran only once this week, so it is hard to predict the result. Maybe it will help that I will not start that fast as usual and I may profit from it in the end. I am decided to push it the best I can, but if i do not improve this time I want be dissapointed. I am just looking forward to a great run, to meet all those people again and get cheered when passing thru the finish. And yes, I am looking forward to get the T-shirt too ;-))

... for 50K ultra solo … so it’s oficial now. I think I will die there, but it will be a beautiful death.