Tuesday 28 July 2009

Marathon Fürth, nearly DNF


The Fürth-Marathon was already a couple of weeks ago but I just could not write this article. It took some time until I could write this down. I just did not achieved my goal and failed by far....
Well lets start with the beginning. I was confident, I was in good shape, everything was going well and Jonas, a friend of mine even accompanied me on the bike, which was great.
So what happened. After already 1km my stomach told me that he is not joining the run. Well since I was running on my feet I said, well this is not going to be fun but I will manage. At about 10km my thighs stop working, they just cramped up and they were stiff. After 10km!!! this was not good this meant pain, no way I can get a good time. Just running with my lower legs I at least made it to 20-25km but then the legs just stopped all together and pain was all I could feel. Something was wrong, very bad. This was not how I planned it. Jonas who accompanied me on the bike helped me by supporting my willpower which was real close to giving up. My brain even stopped working. I tried to figure out the speed I was running but I just could not remember the time when I last passed the last km-mark - my brain was totally fried.
There was no chance in getting a good time, this was just to know my limits. The body stopped, can I still manage this. Well it went on and as last time, at about 35km the guy with the hammer came, and he hit hard. But now there was no way I would give up, I just kept running.
At the last meters a guy wanted to sprint against me and finish before me. This was not tolerable, I had to give everything and I did. I could not bend my knees anymore so I kept the legs stiff and sprinted over the finish line as if I had casts on the legs.... later I found out that the guy was no marathon runner, he did the relay.

Well I finished 31st with 3:10:05h, little more than 1min less than my last marathon. I was devastated. I had real troubles physically and mentally for quite some time. Only after 1 week I could walk properly again and after 3weeks my head started to get over the big loss.

Big thanks to my fans Ines, Pilz, Kathi and Gunnar from Erlangen. My parents who drove the long way from Prague.
And especially Jonas who came along from Klagenfurt, big thanks I owe you!

Well this just means... this was not the last marathon.