Results tagged “marathon”

These are the TomTom runners (spot me if you can).

I knew I could do it, and that's exactly what I did. Just a steady pace for 16 kilometers keeping focussed and resolute. At almost exactly two o'clock I crossed the finish line, having run the whole way without stopping. That was a tremendous feeling.

05 km    0:29:06
10 km    1:00:25
15 km    1:32:20
-----    -------
16 km    1:38:53 <<<

So when I finally got home I took a nice long hot bath, and I haven't had such a nice bath like that in years.

The timing could not have been worse. Two days before the big race, I trip over the front door and slice a good-sized gash in my right big toe.

Ouch that hurts, blood all over the place, and it won't stop bleeding, what a bummer.

They tell me again that it's not a good idea to run in the marathon, and it now really looks like God does not want me to take part in that grueling sixteen kilometer run from Amsterdam to Zaandam.

I am not going to give up that easily (and I hope God forgives me for going against his will). In just ten minutes I'm going to take a trial thirty minute run in order to see how well I hold out. Wrap a tight tourniquet around my big toe to reduce the bleeding and hopefully keep it from falling off. 

For practice this time, I will carry with me one of those jogging belt pouches filled with extra tape, band-aids and so forth, in readiness for any emergency that might arise. Just to get used to that thing hanging from my waist.

My fingers remain crossed.

In a little more than two weeks (21 September to be more exact) I'll be taking part in the annual Amsterdam marathon called Dam tot Damloop as one of the team members for my company TomTom.

Currently I'm training intensely three to four times a week, running my usual loop of 6 kilometers, picking up the pace significantly, ending the thirty minute jog huffing and puffing and sweating all over the place.

Soon I'll have to increase the distance quite a bit, as the marathon is officially 16 kilometers long. I hope I'll be ready by then, but if not then I'll just have to take it slow and easy, the goal being simply just to complete the race.

I believe that I'll be one of the oldest members, but that should not matter, I hope. Just by completing this fine event I'll be another hero.