What to say.<\/p>\n
I did not make my goal time. \u00a0Not by a long shot!<\/p>\n
I DID finish! \u00a0That’s what counts.<\/p>\n
Here’s the story:<\/p>\n
Up until mile 8, every single split was spot on. \u00a0The race was going perfect! \u00a0All of a sudden, my right knee kicked in with ITBS. \u00a0I couldn’t believe it! \u00a0I NEVER have difficulties with my knees. \u00a0*sigh*<\/p>\n
MFH (My Favorite Husband) and I chatted about this post race and figured that it was probably due to all the sightseeing and stairs to and from the trains. \u00a0Everywhere you go there are stair. \u00a0LOTS of stairs. \u00a0IRL, this wouldn’t be a problem but we live in a single story ranch and I hardly ever do stairs. \u00a0Oh well…<\/p>\n
The first couple of aid stations were a zoo. \u00a0Very congested. \u00a0Lots of crunched cups on the ground. \u00a0It was an obstacle course of people and litter. \u00a0Things started to thin out after that and they weren’t so bad.<\/p>\n
Dummy me didn’t figure out until after the 13.1 mark that the little blue lines painted on the road were the tangent markings for the route. \u00a0Duh. \u00a0I had been trying so hard to avoid other runners and aid station cups that I really dropped the ball on that. \u00a0My total finishing distance (gospel according to Garmin: 27.73 miles).<\/p>\n
Once the ITBS kicked in at mile 8, I had to walk a bit every single mile to keep my leg from completely seizing up. \u00a0Boo. \u00a0You just do what you have to do to finish! \u00a0I’ve never had a DNF (Did Not Finish) and I wasn’t going to get my first one yesterday! \u00a0That’s for darned sure! \u00a0So, I did a lot of running and a LOT more walking than I would have liked. \u00a0This was the first time ever that I have walked in a marathon. \u00a0It also ended up being my second slowest marathon ever.<\/p>\n
BUT~I finished!!!<\/p>\n
At the 15 mile mark, I met a man from a small town in Germany that was having a really tough time. \u00a0Poor man. \u00a0Bless his heart! \u00a0I stopped and walked about a half mile with him. \u00a0Tried to cheer him up. \u00a0Chatted with him about his little town…that kind of thing. \u00a0When he said he was going to walk the rest of it, I thought, “Yikes!” and wished him a good day and good race and started running again.<\/p>\n
It was a beautiful day in Germany yesterday. \u00a0Picture perfect racing weather! \u00a0I can’t blame yesterdays bad finishing time on the weather, that’s for sure. Just dumb bad luck. \u00a0\ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n
Right about at the last 5K point, MFH was there to cheer me on. \u00a0He hollered at me and said, “Only 5K to go! \u00a0That means only 15 minutes!” \u00a0Hahaha!!! \u00a0He’s such a joker.<\/p>\n
There were a lot of turns in that last 5K of the race. \u00a0We passed the 40K mark (a marathon is 42K and change) and I thought to myself, “Sweet! \u00a0Almost there!” \u00a0I thought the sign had said 42K. \u00a0I was very, very wrong. \u00a0Oops! \u00a0We kept turning corners and I didn’t see the Brandenburg Gate! \u00a0I kept looking for it. \u00a0It’s not like it’s a tiny landmark in Berlin or anything. \u00a0I turned to a man running along side of me and said (fortunately for me, he understood English) “I think they moved this Gate during the race.” \u00a0He thought that was hilarious. \u00a0Apparently he had been thinking the same thing. \u00a0Hahaha!!!<\/p>\n
About 2 blocks from the finish line is where you run through the Brandenburg Gate. \u00a0Boy, it that an experience!!! \u00a0It gives you chills to run through that thing!<\/p>\n
My goal time was shot. \u00a0I knew that. \u00a0I was just happy to be done. \u00a0I was thrilled to have run this event! \u00a0I had run through the gate. \u00a0I could see the finish line.<\/p>\n
Now, bear in mind there are cameras and stuff everywhere. \u00a0Race course photographers and all. \u00a0All of a sudden, this TV camera crew steps in front of me and wants to interview me…before I’ve finished!!! \u00a0UGH! \u00a0The clock is still ticking. \u00a0I was a little frustrated. \u00a0Like I said, I knew my finish time was shot but still…<\/p>\n
The TV guy asked me my name and where I was from. I told him. He then asked me if I was celebrating anything while in Germany. I told him MFH\u00a0and I were celebrating our 30th Wedding Anniversary while we were here.<\/p>\n
He had been waiting for me, you see…<\/p>\n
So, he says, this song’s for you as you successfully complete the Berlin Marathon and they started playing the Wedding March while I finished the race!!!<\/p>\n
How awesome is that!?! The perfect ending to a great, albeit difficult race. \u00a0This is one for the books, y’all. \u00a0I don’t know of anybody else, ever, who has completed a WMM (World Marathon Major) race being accompanied by the Wedding March~just for them!<\/p>\n THAT is my recap of the Berlin Marathon. \u00a0Best. Race. Ever.<\/p>\n
\n<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n
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