Leiden marathon 2021
Disclaimer: Automatically translated from Russian
At the end of 2021, after participating in the N70 trailer marathon, as I already wrote about it, there was an idea to try to run all the marathons of the Netherlands. At that time, I already had registration for the Eindhoven marathon. And since I already ran him in 2016 year, then I decided to turn in the slot and run away something new.
After studying the start calendar, he stopped at the Leiden Marathon, which was held on the same day as Eindhoven. A few years ago I ran a half marathon in Leiden and, as far as I remember, I really liked the atmosphere. It is resolved. I register.
He planned to run without any goals in time, as he would. The clock forecaster showed the finish time 2:57:52. But I did not want to work for the result. After all, the next marathon was planned next month.
The form at that time was also far from perfect. It was in October, and since about September my back began to reach me. It was possible to run the treil marathon, but it was clear that the problem was happening and could be aided at any moment. And a couple of days before the start, in addition to the back, the ear was sick for two nights. In short, just getting off is good.
The marathon was held on Sunday October 10, and on Saturday morning I went to the local Schoterbos Parkrun.
On the morning of the marathon, rise at 6 o’clock. Check weighing: 75.4 kg - too much, at least a kilogram of four from a comfortable competitive weight. Breakfast. Preparation of the shell.
The weather was promised a comfortable, cool, in the area of + 9 degrees. Without rain and wind. I decided to put on my sleeves. On the legs - Brooks Hyperion Tempo.
At 8 o’clock I leave the house and go on the train.
The station is empty. I sit down, eat, listen to music along the way. I arrive at Leiden on a schedule and go to the starting town, about two kilometers from the station.
The city, as last time, has already prepared. Indications are diluted:
And all kinds of banners:
The organizers are preparing to block the streets. Runners pull up.
Clearly on schedule I come to the starting town. I get the number. Large tents for changing clothes were installed in the clearing, souls and toilets were brought. Music is playing.
I warm myself up. I make a ritual visit to the booth (without a spire which):
Then I go to the start. Start from the first cluster. I stand hands-in-side:
At 10 a.m. a shot is heard and an adventure begins.
Starting as usual a little fast, the pace is around 4:10 min / km. Well, I think now everyone will quickly overtake and slow down. After a couple of kilometers, he caught up with a girl who was running accompanied by a bicycle. Clearly, the first of the women. Here I have, as it was already, turned on the helper mode - I go a little forward and adjust to the pace. After a couple of tens of meters there is contact - the passenger has fixed. We work. Temp 3: 58-4: 05 min / km. Quick runners are overtaken periodically, sometimes we select ourselves.
It runs normally, but it is obvious that I can’t stand the entire distance at this pace. From the ninth kilometer I begin to look around in search of another more lively potential paser. Some Asian guy with a trailer backpack runs past by, but the pace is a little faster. Clearly running for the result. No one else.
Immediately after the mark of 10 km, I slow down a little and line up with the dude:
- hi, at what target pace are you running?
- hi, well, this one in the area of 3: 58-4: 00 is what you need
- ok, but I’m falling off now - I won’t be able to
- damn, you can be a little slower then, 4: 05-4: 10
- no, it’s too fast, then I’ll just die in half and not finish
- ok thanks
I slow down to the pace of 4:15 and lag behind. After a hundred meters, I try to accelerate one more time until 4:00, otherwise it suddenly seemed that it was hard? But no - it didn’t seem. I will run on a relaxation, as originally planned.
The next 17 kilometers were at a comfortable pace, but with a gradual slowdown from 4:15 to 4:40. I’m running, I look around. And then you run forever in different places, but you don’t notice what happens around. For the top ten, it was possible to break away a little from the main mass, so the road in some areas was almost empty. You run such a past of some farm or village, people sit near houses and directly so actively support, clap, choke into pads. I looked around even a couple of times, I thought maybe the crowd is catching up, but there is no one but me. Very nice and motivating. Probably, the audience also missed such fun events during the Lockdowns.
A kilometer from the 26th something went bad. More and more often, more organized comrades began to overtake, who knew how to correctly decompose at a distance. But the fact that I was running without a plan and goal was very happy. I want to - I’ll go on foot!
And I had to. The left sneaker began to put very much pressure on the outer knuckle at the 32nd. Pancake. It really hurts to run. There was a great desire to ask the audience for a knife and cut this stupid slipper. And he seemed to have time to run in them. Thirty did not seem to run, but they were long, and did not notice such outrage. Most likely, due to fatigue, the technique sank, began to land on the heel and the soft sole was heavily squeezed. In short, I run and suffer. And even I go and suffer. So, in fact, I moved to 37 km - I’ll run a little, I’ll go a little, I’ll go a little.
At the 38th kilometer, the leg was reduced in general. It’s good that near the power point. I got up there on my side and started drinking all the available liquid, watching those running past.
When the limb let go, set off further. The track has already begun to enter the city. Along the road, viewers stand, clap, somehow go. The rise has also begun. I’m barely crawling. Some girl is overtaken by a bicycle. The third of women. Come on, push, say a bit left.
At the end of the climb, it is about 4 kilometers to the finish line, the marathon and semi-marathon distances merge together. Viewers are darkness. Us runners - to tear. Viewers from cafes wave glasses, music yells, pays with balls. Buzz. I run carefully, sometimes I still have to stop. In addition to the knuckle, for no reason the shoulder got sick.
Kilometer to the finish line. City center. Narrow street. On the sidewalks of the cafe with tables and spectators. On the road is a crowd of runners. 500 meters to the finish line, literally around the corner, I make a sharp movement so as not to crash into a sudden-slowed person, and reduces the left caviar. I jump onto the sidewalk, stand waiting until I let go, watching the muscle twitch. People usually look so sympathetic at such moments - “ crowps, crimps ”. Well, we don’t get used to it. And not that happened.
Finally lets go and I’m running to the finish line. Hooray.
I get a medal. I drink water. At the end of the finish zone, beer is pouring in. I drink half the glass. Good.
In the finish zone I notice a girl from the top ten. With flowers and a cup:
- hi, how is the result?
- oh it’s you hi. First! Thank you
- fine!
Then he looked at the protocols: Verena Vogt from Germany, time - 2:48:58. The result can simply be envied. And the pace layout is just perfect - 4: 00/3: 58 all the way.
My result - 3:21:58. It’s quite normal for myself. 83rd of 577 in the overall standings, 80th of 463 among men and 25th of 125 in the M40 category.
After changing clothes, he staggered around the finish zone, then he waited for his family and we walked around the city center a little more. Which was pretty difficult: - )
Upon arrival home, he carried out a control weighing - 73.5. All night with the habit of buzzing legs. But the next day I went for a restorative run. It is interesting that the back did not react at all to the load and did not show itself for about a week.
What can be said as a result:
- I really liked the marathon - and the track is interesting, and the support is just crazy
- running without a goal in time is a buzz. Especially if you run at an even pace the entire distance. But I have not tried yet
- in the sneakers for the marathon now I still want a bigger sneaker (in the sense of a bigger sole). Well, I closed the Brooks brand forever. And specifically, I now mainly use these sneakers for the hall, and sometimes I put on the stadium
- this was the first time I rubbed my nipples. And it’s damn unpleasant :-)
Such is the story.
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