The Reykjavik Miracle

Doing Reykjavik pushed my marathon count up to 60. Yet, I can’t remember the last time I got that nervous and felt so underprepared. My running summer had not been great. There were too many weekends where I just had shortened or skipped the long run. Not running had almost become a new habit. Four weeks before Reykjavík I tried to reverse the trend and came up with an emergency plan for the 3 remaining weekends. Long runs that increase by 7k (4.2 miles) each week, starting with the half marathon distance 21k. With I often tend to think in 7k sections, because it comes together so neatly. (Sorry to all who think in miles. With miles it does not come together at all.) Let me explain: 7k is one-sixth of a marathon (if you simplify and neglect the last 195 ), 14 is one third, 21 half-point, 28 is two thirds and 35k is the mark with only one-sixth marathon left. This pattern can create a mental pull and I tried to use it to my advantage for my last-minute training. With little success. The 21k run felt like I had never run before. Ever. It was worse than the ultra that I did in January. And it was not even that hot. (Summer heat is always a convenient excuse for bad or no performance.) The weekends after were not much better. It did complete the 28k without stopping (in a dead slow pace though), but with the 35k it took all my mental resources not to give up. I walked and had . However, I was abroad and had no public transport nearby which kind of forced me to complete it.

And then there was the Reykjavík marathon weekend. Without a doubt, it would take me longer than four hours, maybe even four and a half. Reykjavik and Iceland, in general, were really nice. Stunning countryside with outlandish looking landscapes and scenery. The day before the marathon, my friends and I cruised with our rental SUV along the Golden Circle, a route that connects plenty of spectacular nature attractions: the Geysir (a regularly erupting water fountain), the crater, the waterfall and the national park. If you are a Game of Thrones fan, you will love all the references to filming locations and the overall feeling of being in “the North”. Reykjavik is a vibrant place and the marathon happens to be part of the biggest event of the year, the Culture Night with countless things to do and to see. So it was good to have things to fill the time before the race and straight after. The run itself would somehow take care of itself.

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And then came a reminder in form of a picture that my friend send me in the morning of marathon day. It showed the silhouette of a tired-looking runner with a backdrop of a stunning sky and, well, a landscape that looked volcano-like. The picture featured the letters “RUN WITH ENDURANCE” and underneath “Hebrews 12:1” which is a book in the bible. In Hebrews 12 life and faith is compared to running an endurance race, something I could always relate to. The picture was the right reminder of what marathon running really meant to me and that it was not about time and pace, but about showing-up, embracing life and the option for success or failure, all while fixing my spiritual eyes on the one who gives strength. I finally felt ready.

Our hotel was only a five minutes walk from the start line. There was a party atmosphere. I talked to an American guy who walks marathons in under 4 hours 30. When asked, he demonstrated this walking, which really looked like a different movement altogether, but fast and fluid. Respect. A little more waiting, start line selfies, short vids and off we went. It felt as hard as expected. This wasn’t going to end well. However, against any reason or hope I held on to this picture of the runner and what it meant to me. At kilometre 15 (mile 9.5) something happened. I got faster like my legs remembered something forgotten. The whole thing started to feel like actual running and was becoming enjoyable. I smiled, not because of the enjoyment, but because it simply helps. Science is backing it up. Facial muscles pressing at something that releases happy hormones or so. And it is easy to smile, which such friendly marshals and a happy crowd of people cheering. The Reykjavik air felt fresh and smelled like the sea. The course was mainly flat and had stretches along the seaside and parks. Bevor the halfway point the marathoners and half marathoners split and we followed a route through residential streets and corners. At almost every corner there was music and people partying with us.

Somehow I did not slow down until kilometre 35 (mile 22) and even then I kept a reasonable pace. It was unbelievable, my little private running miracle. On the last kilometre or two I even managed to speed up again and when it came to the finish line I took out my phone and recorded the final stretch, with people cheering and high-fiving. It was awesome. The recording is not very good, but I want to share it anyway because it is the first time that it did that.

The time was under 3 hours 45 and, I think, it was my first marathon with a negative split. Again, I am still not sure what actually happened, but I probably don’t have to. Unbelievable.