This is what night currently looks like in Tromso. Picture was taken around 11pm. I arrived here yesterday and thought I’d make use of the time leading up to the marathon going for a test run. At night. To tune in to the whole midnight sun marathon thing. And what a tune in it was. Here the main points that I found out: 1. The midnight sun is really a sun. It is not the duskish or dawnish feeling I expected.…
It had been a while since my main goal for running a marathon was simply to chill and enjoy it. After my PB in Pisa December 2013, I couldn’t help but trying to do the under 3:30 again. Without success so far. And even worse, the marathons went back to this painful last 10 k experience, where you ask the big WHY question: Why the heck am I doing this to myself?? I wanted Copenhagen to be different and to put…
It’s the first marathon where I had a proper photographer at my side, with press pass and all sorts. He had two very impressive cameras around his neck and I actually spotted him around kilometre 10, while I was still fresh and jolly. (Well, the wrinkles around my eyes tell a different story, but that’s probably not running related.) And then there is this surprise picture just after the start. Mirko, the photographer, took a lot more pictures and I…
The odds seemed to be against me: the Monday before the marathon I realised it can’t go on like this. The pain in my left hip area got worse over days. Funnily enough it was not too bad during running, but increasingly worse when I wasn’t. I decided to have a running break. So I did not run for 5 full days. Not sure when it was the last time I had such a long break. But it did not…
I haven’t been running since Monday, as a response to the mysterious pain in the left hip area. Not that running makes it worse, but if even walking causes pain it seemed like a good idea to give the running a little break. Well, the pain is now numbed by ibuprofen and my friend Simone, who also runs Hamburg today, said she has a similar condition. Unlike me Simone got it checked out by a doctor and was diagnosed with…
I tried, I really did. A new PB. But I crumbled, at kilometre 35 to be precise. Up to this point it went actually quite well. The plan was to stick to the pace makers, but could not push to the front of the pen to join them. It took me up to kilometre 12 to catch up with them. And I stuck to them until the crumble started. It was probably one of the worst performance drops ins my…
Gooooooo!! See you at the finsh! 
I came across this ASICS commercial at the Barcelona Marathon Fair where I collected my BIB for tomorrow. The clip was shown on mega big screens and I am loving it 🙂 Saying that, the ASICS brand had never struck a cord with me when it comes to running. They seemed to take themselves a little bit to seriously, a bit like we are real athletes and compete against ourselves all the time and do this very, very seriously and all…
I made it. I made it!!!! I MADE IT!!!!! I can’t believe it. I normally never get into anything that requires luck. I am in shock… What’s next? A flight, I need to book a flight.
Wow factor: Has a nice seaside start and finish and a nice church that you pass. But I have never seen a city with so many ugly buildings. Und there are many of those on the way. (6/10) Organisation factor: A lot of fuelling stations (which I don’t really need running with my hydration pack), but where the heck were the distance markers? It was like running blind. And the start was pretty chaotic: being in the minority as a…
I wonder if I ever did a marathon that started next to the sea. It does add to the experience. It’s 17 degree, weather seems to be perfect. Hopefully I won’t have to much direct sun – I forgot to put sun lotion on. It starts in 30 minutes. See you at the finish!
… the Las Palmas Gran Canaria Marathon. Mix feelings. My heel hurts. Still. Not quite sure if I like Las Palmas, many rough looking corners here. But I saw Paula Radcliffe today, which somehow lifted my mood. She seems to be nice. I like her. And took some of these creepy selfies – the lady in red in the back, that’s her. They did some 3k fun runs today, to warm up for the big event tomorrow. Tomorrow is mostly…
New year, new resolutions. Seems to be true for many people and judging by the increase of runners on the streets, new year resolutions seem to be connected to running. Same for me. However, my resolution is not very original: Running 12 Marathons in 2015, same as in 2013. But this time I want to spread them out and not cram 9 into the year’s last 3 months. One a month would be ideal, starting coming weekend with Gran Canaria. And…
This is the finish line and where the party started. (Took the picture before the marathon though, was too busy and tired afterwards and forgot to take pictures again.) Luxembourg was without doubt one of the most fun marathons I did. Maybe because it started at night 7pm and went through Luxembourg City where the whole town seemed to be out and on their feet and having a good time. Bands were playing everywhere and the supporters really did support…
…in Luxembourg. Only 45 minutes to go. Great party atmosphere. Well done organisers.