As part of my Boston prep, I ran the Peninsula half-marathon last Sunday. I had finished this race in 1:35 last year, so my goal was to match that time – or beat it.
The night before, the wind howled around our house, and waves crashed against the breakers. Tomorrow’s race was going to be a battle against the wind!
At 7am, we took off, merging with marathoners who had started two hours earlier in Cape Town. The route, with mountains on one side and the sea on the other, was breathtaking – but I barely noticed. I was focused only on one thing: hide from the wind by tucking into a pacing group (a “bus,” as South Africans call it). Easy, right?
Except I couldn’t find a suitable bus. Some were too fast, others too slow. So, I improvised, hopping from one big runner to the next, using them as human windshields. My own personal mini-buses! Spectators caught on, laughing, “Yes, let him drive, let him drive!”
The strategy saved energy but wreaked havoc on my pacing. Sometimes I hesitated too long before switching buses; other times, I struggled to find a new one fast enough. The wind was relentless, and without cover, it felt like running uphill.
Still, I managed to pass quite a few of my age group competitors. At kilometre 18, I spotted Obertina and urged her to stick with me – she did. That left only one woman ahead: Debbie. But by then, the finish line was too close.
I crossed in 1:38:58, just 33 seconds behind Debbie. Obertina finished strong, only nine seconds after me. Out of 438 women in our 50–59 age group, we had claimed the top three spots.
Kai finished in 1:47, placing 18th in his age group and was thrilled.
We also met our Swiss friend Brigitta, who had battled fierce early-morning winds to finish her marathon in 3:36, placing fourth in her age group.
On the bus ride back, I thought about last year’s race, when I had unknowingly run on a stress fracture that later cost me the London Marathon. That race had ended in pain, uncertainty, and months of recovery. This time? No pain, no soreness—just a solid effort and a fun, tactical battle against the wind.
Boston is just around the corner. If my legs feel this good on race day, I’ll be ready. And who knows? Maybe all this wind training will come in handy on Heartbreak Hill!
- Do you pick a pacing group in a race? Or do you pick individual runners? Or do you run on your own?
- Do you sometimes think about past injuries? Are you still obsessing about it? – I’m still paranoid about my Achilles!
I’m joining Runs with Pugs and The Running Teacher’s link-up, Tuesday Topics. I’m also joining Runner’s Roundup with Mile By Mile, Coach Debbie Runs, Confessions of a Mother Runner and Runs with Pugs.
congrats on the outstanding performance! I’ve never ran a super windy race, I bet it affects one’s performance quite a lot!
I ran with pacing group once only, Chicago marathon which was the worst race experience ever, not sure if it’s the pacing group or just overall bad jet lagged body. I may try it again in the future maybe for shorter distances to avoid risking any marathon PR opportunity.
I’ve never injured badly so far, knock wood. I can’t imagine being out of running for long time. My longest break was 3 months after I fell and twisted my ankle.
Thank you, Coco! Before moving to Cape Town, I never considered wind a serious factor in racing—but I’m definitely learning!
That Chicago experience sounds rough. I’d do the same—test a pacing group in a shorter race first before risking a marathon PR attempt.
And keep doing what you’re doing! You clearly listen to your body well, and that’s invaluable. Injuries are the worst—I’ve had to sit out for 4–5 months four times now, and it never gets easier!
Das liest sich gut, das sieht gut aus, das sind sehr gute Nachrichten, Boston kann kommen. Freut mich sehr für dich, dass alles so gut gelaufen ist, aber – ehrlich gesagt – es wundert mich auch nicht, bei deinem Ehrgeiz, deinem Biss und deinen durchgezogenen Vorbereitungen. Respekt, liebe Catrina.
Sieht gut aus, du auf dem Treppchen in einer wirklich sehr guten Zeit, wer weiß, welche Überraschungen du uns noch präsentieren wirst, meine Daumen sind natüüüüüüüüürlich – wie immer – fest gedrückt, aber trotzdem: pass auf dich auf ( schaden kann es nicht !!).
Liebe Grüße von der eisigen Ostsee, hier trägt man einiges mehr am Meer 😉
Danke, liebe Margitta! 😊
Ich bin gespannt, was Boston bringen wird. Ja, du kennst ja diese Vorbereitungszeit aus eigener Erfahrung bestens. Nicht alle brauchen das, aber bei mir läuft es nur so am Tag X wirklich rund.
Ich habe mich über das Treppchen sehr gefreut! Als nächstes steht ein 30km Wettkampf Mitte März auf dem Programm. Diese Distanzen sind für die Läufer, die sich auf den Two Oceans Ultra im April vorbereiten, der grösste Laufevent hier in Cape Town. Ich bin froh drum, für mich sind diese Wettkämpfe ideal.
Und danke fürs Daumendrücken, das kann ich gut gebrauchen!
Liebe Grüsse zurück an die eisige Ostsee – hier wären wir froh um ein bisschen Abkühlung! 😆
Liebe Catrina,
Herzliche Glückwünsche an euch! Prima gemacht in Anbetracht der Windverhältnisse. Das war sicher nicht einfach und ich könnte mir auch vorstellen, zermürbend. Da nützt die schöne Aussicht wenig. Aber umso schöner der Erfolg und sogar mit Super-Platzierungen!
Sicher war deine Strategie, sich jeweils geeignete Windbreaker zu suchen, sehr hilfreich, wenn eben kein Bus in deiner Pace fuhr. Ich habe das gelegentlich auch schon gemacht, aber nur dann, wenn das Tempo wirklich passte.
Na klar ist das ein wichtiger Baustein für Boston! Sowohl physisch als auch mental. Und dazu noch der Rückblick im Vergleich zum diesjährigen in gesundheitlicher Hinsicht unbeschwerten Lauf, das pusht!
Ja, bei einem Lauf geht einem so viel durch den Kopf. Ich versuche, dabei negative Erlebnisse oder physische Probleme auszublenden, gelingt aber nicht immer. Hingegen innerliche Rückblicke auf gute oder auch unerwartete Erfolge, das tut immer gut unterwegs.
Weiter erfolgreiche Vorbereitung!
Liebe Grüße aus dem gerade sehr kalten Rheinland
Elke
Liebe Elke
Ich war so froh, dass alles gut gegangen ist! Ja, der Wind war wirklich eine Herausforderung – irgendwann hätte ich die Aussicht gerne gegen etwas Rückenwind eingetauscht. 😆
Die Windbreaker-Taktik hat definitiv geholfen. Ideal ist es natürlich, wenn das Tempo genau passt, aber manchmal muss man einfach nehmen, was man kriegen kann.
Und du hast absolut recht – das war ein perfektes mentales und physisches Training für Boston. Vor allem der Vergleich zum letzten Jahr, als ich nach dem Lauf kaum gehen konnte und dann die grosse Enttäuschung kam – das macht alles umso motivierender.
Genau! Ich versuche auch immer, negative Gedanken auszublenden. Mir hilft es auch, dankbar für den Moment zu sein. Dankbar dafür, dass man laufen KANN und dass ich das zusammen mit Kai erleben darf.
Liebe Grüsse ins kalte Rheinland und hoffentlich bald bessere Laufbedingungen für dich! 😊
Der Wind, unser Endgegner 🙂 Da macht man halt nix, der ist da und wir müssen gegen an rennen, aber die Bedingungen sind dann eben auch für alle gleich. Gut wenn du einen “Bus” nehmen kannst, solange er in deiner Wunschpace unterwegs ist. Ansonsten bleibt ja nur “Bus hopping” oder alleine durchziehen. Du hast auf jeden Fall das Beste draus gemacht würde ich mal sagen, inklusive Treppchen-Belohung 🙂 Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Sehr gute Vorbereitung für Boston!
Ich bin bei solchen Rennen fast immer allein unterwegs, mein Tempo, mein Ding, mein Lauftunnel. Und Verletzungs-Paranoia hab ich (zum Glück!) auch nicht, kann das aber voll verstehen mit deiner Lady Achilles. Aber das Thema ist erledigt, du wirst Boston rocken! 👍
Du wärst der perfekte Windbreaker gewesen, lieber Oliver! 😆 Ein Tempo-Downgrade für dich auf 4:33, und ich hätte mir das ganze Bus-Hopping sparen können. Einfach gemütlich in deinem Windschatten cruisen!
Danke dir! Ich bin echt froh, dass diesmal alles gut gegangen ist. Letztes Mal war ich zwar schneller, aber das Ganze endete leider in einer kleinen Tragödie.
Alleine unterwegs in deinem eigenen Tempo – das passt einfach zu dir! Richtig schön, dass du wieder voll im Flow bist und deine Runden drehen kannst. Und mit deinen starken Füssen brauchst du dir um Verletzungen ja zum Glück keine Sorgen zu machen.
Ich bin gespannt, was dieses Jahr für dich bereithält! 🚀
Something tells me you are going to crush Boston! Your positive, can-do attitude while dealing with that relentless wind is amazing! That wind had nothing on you. I personally find wind one of the most defeating elements affecting my runs. Great job Catrina!!!
And to answer your question, yes, i have ‘drafted’ off a bigger runner in front of me many times, lol!
Oh, I’m so excited for Boston! But at the same time, I can’t shake the fear that something might derail me before I even reach the starting line! 😂
I never truly appreciated how brutal wind could be until I started running in Cape Town. I’ve heard Chicago can be very windy, so you must have plenty of experience battling the elements, Wendy!
And yes—big runners in a race are an absolute gift, right?! 😅
Well done again! 🏃♀️🤚Another 300 ZAR? Soon you will have to declare it as income😅💦
Windy runs are tough and like you said uphill feeling. But so hard to run with an unknown, due to unsynched running rythm. I can’t run with a bus. Tried it many times and just go off on my own after a bit. Buses are good though to ket you know where you are time wise if they have a pace sign.
This was essentially a training race. Keep on practicing on hills and on tired legs. That will serve you well at Boston.🏃♀️💨🤚
I just found out yesterday that I’ve won ZAR 700 (CAD 54)! My multinational empire is expanding! 😂💰
You’re so right—if a bus isn’t exactly your pace, it can throw you off. I definitely lost some time stuck behind runners who were just a tiny bit slower than me. But one guy had his own water and skipped the aid stations, which actually helped me make up some of that lost time! Passing the 3:30 marathon pacer was very helpful to know where I am in the half-marathon race (they started 1h 45 mins before us).
And yes, Yves, that Heartbreak Hill is always on my mind! 😅
Actually heartbreak hill is not that bad. The name makes it so. It is just the placement of the hill in the race. Key is not to get fooled by going too fast at the start which is downhill. You don’t want to burn all your matches at the start.
Run a 10 km to develop tired legs then find some km hills to run. That will make HB hill nothing more than a bump if you do that over 5 weeks for example.
Y
Oh. 700 ZAR. Wow😅
😂
Long Road to Boston by Mark Sutcliffe is a great read for this race.
A must-read for anyone who aspires to run Boston.
Very good point, Yves! I’ve been studying the elevation graph. It has a net drop of 136m over the whole course and you are right, there’s a lot of downhill in the first 8km! Easy to go out too fast 😬 If I see it right on the graph, Heartbreak Hill is only about 30m up. Which doesn’t sound much, but after 33km it’s the last thing you want.
I will definitely do that – I need to figure out a route where I consistently have a hill at the end. Thanks, Yves!
Perfect time to do that fine tuning. You have all your aerobic base in place.
Boston is the end is just another marathon. Just the history of it makes it special.
You already can handle it. It is more mental than anything now. That book I suggested will help you place it in perspective.
Have fun prepping physically but don’t forget the mentally too.
Y
Thanks for the book recommendation, Yves! I ordered it and now it’s sitting in my Kindle, all ready for my bedtime read! 😀🙌🏻
Yes, you’re right. There’s no need to stress about this marathon. But I feel it’s such a big and special event – I’m not likely to do this a second time, so maybe that’s why I’m more nervous about this one.
But I’m also looking forward to it! 🤩
Yay Catrina, well done! Sounds like Boston is going to be your race to triumph, the writing’s clear on the wall.
I once followed a lady (on a normal run, not a race) who had THE bounciest ponytail that worked like a perfect metronome / pacer for me. 😀 It was a good run, I have to say.
Thank you, Riitta! I love the idea of ‘the writing on the wall’—let’s hope it’s not in disappearing ink! 😅
That bouncy ponytail pacer sounds perfect! No need for fancy gadgets when you’ve got a built-in metronome running ahead of you. 😂 I might have to keep an eye out for one in Boston!
I hope it’s not too cold for running right now in Finland!
Liebe Catrina,
was für ein toller Vorbereitungslauf für Boston. Du konntest deine Windbreaker-Strategie testen, mentales Durchhalten trainieren, dein schlechtes Erlebnis vom Vorjahr positiv überschreiben und die Aussicht “genießen”! 😉
Den Bus zu nehmen ist eine super Sache! Auch wenn er nicht auf Dauer vom Tempo her passt, kann er dir eine kleine Verschnaufpause verschaffen, bevor du zum nächsten davon ziehst.
Gratuliere euch beiden zu den tollen Zeiten! 😀
Liebe Doris,
genau so sehe ich es auch – dieser Lauf hatte wirklich alles, was eine perfekte Boston-Generalprobe ausmacht: Windtaktik testen und mentale Härte trainieren. Als Bonus durfte ich noch das Vorjahreserlebnis mit einer besseren Erinnerung überschreiben. Das Einzige, was nicht dabei war, war kaltes Wetter. Boston kann ja SEHR kalt und regnerisch sein im April. Aber ich hoffe mal auf mildes Frühlingswetter. 😅
Die Mini-Busse waren wie kleine Rettungs-Inselchen… eine kurze Verschnaufpause, dann wieder in den Strudel reinspringen und weiter.
Vielen Dank für deine Glückwünsche, wir haben uns beide über die Zeiten gefreut! 😀
Nice that you are going to read that book. Mark Sutcliffe is now the mayor of Ottawa. He is also part of our running club Ottawa Run. Fyi.
Yeah it is pretty expensive to try that again for sure. Lots of logistics. Not like showing up at a local race.
But still it is just a marathon.😅💦 Will Kai travel with you to have some support?
Yes, Kai is the travel manager, support crew and coach all rolled into one! 😂
I have just asked ChatGTP for some Boston travel tips, let’s see how good it is! 😄
Having a runner as a mayor of Ottawa is quite awesome. I bet the city has great running routes! 😊
Ottawa is a running mecca. Fantastic place to be a runner. Only problem for me is I live 1.5 hours away.
Great that Kai is the background crew. You will definitely need his assistance so you can focus on the race. Will you be arriving a few days early?🤔
Yes, on 17 April. I haven’t booked any hotels yet, except for the two nights around marathon day on 21 April (in Milford, it seems not too far away from the starting line). Of course, the hotel rates are quadruple the normal rate around that date! We will stay until 29 April. 😊
So Chat GTP gave some helpful suggestion?🤔
It gave me a perfect plan!
For the days before the marathon, I wanted “history and relaxed activities,” so we have:
• Minute Man National Historical Park
• Walden Pond
• Charles River Walk
• Paul Revere House
• Castle Island
After the marathon, I wanted “active and nature-focused,” so we have:
• Cape Cod National Seashore
• Coastal walks
• Franconia Notch State Park & Flume Gorge
• Plymouth Rock & Mayflower
• Portland (Maine) or Harvard/MIT
Not sure we’ll do all of this, but at least we have plenty of options!
Would you recommend (or not recommend) anything from this list?
Chat GTP reply
Running a personal best (PB) at the Boston Marathon requires strategic training, race-day execution, and smart preparation tailored to the course’s unique challenges. Here are key strategies to optimize your performance:
Training Strategies
1. Hill Preparation:
Incorporate downhill and uphill training to prepare for Boston’s rolling terrain.
Train on long downhill stretches to strengthen quadriceps and avoid fatigue late in the race.
Do hill repeats to build strength and endurance.
2. Long Runs with Marathon Pace Miles:
Include race-pace miles in long runs to simulate marathon effort.
Practice negative splits (starting conservatively and finishing strong).
3. Speed Work:
Include tempo runs and interval training (e.g., mile repeats, Yasso 800s) for strength and speed.
Work on maintaining marathon pace even when fatigued.
4. Stamina and Endurance Workouts:
Train for at least 16-20 weeks with weekly mileage peaking around 50-80 miles, depending on experience.
Run back-to-back hard days to simulate race fatigue.
Race-Day Execution
5. Start Conservatively:
The first 4 miles are downhill—avoid going out too fast to preserve your legs.
Stick to a controlled, even pace.
6. Master the Newton Hills (Miles 16-21):
Prepare mentally for these climbs.
Shorten your stride and maintain effort, not speed.
Recover efficiently after Heartbreak Hill (Mile 21) for a strong finish.
7. Take Advantage of the Downhill Finish:
The last 5 miles are mostly downhill—use your momentum but avoid overstriding.
8. Nutrition & Hydration Plan:
Follow a well-practiced fueling strategy (carbs every 30-45 minutes).
Hydrate properly, taking advantage of aid stations.
Mental Preparation
9. Visualize Success:
Familiarize yourself with the course and mentally rehearse different scenarios.
10. Stay Flexible & Adaptable:
Weather in Boston can be unpredictable—adjust pace and strategy accordingly.
Taper and Recovery
11. Taper Properly:
Reduce mileage 2-3 weeks before race day to arrive fresh.
12. Prioritize Sleep & Nutrition:
Focus on quality sleep and carb-loading in the final days.
Executing these strategies can help you maximize performance and achieve your personal best on race day!
I haven’t thought of asking ChatGPT!! Genius! Thanks very much, Yves! 🙌😄
Preparation physically and mentally for the Newton Hills sounds key.
Fortunately, Cape Town has plenty of hills that I can incorporate in my longer runs to simulate those hills, especially when fatigued.
So good to have this info!
I like what I reading here! No pain, which is really the only thing that matters, and a stellar finish time in spite of the wind and bus mishaps. Boston will be here before you know it, and you are ready to eat Heartbreak Hill for breakfast!
Oh, I like what I’m reading here too—especially the part about eating Heartbreak Hill for breakfast! 😆 Let’s just hope it’s not too tough to chew!
And yes, no pain is the biggest win. The wind and tricky buses were just extra seasoning on the race experience. Boston is coming up fast, and I’m getting more excited by the day!
Congratulations! You ran an amazing race. And- it just goes to show. Our injuries seem so devastating while we’re going through them, but they all PASS. Here you are, running incredibly strong again. I think Boston will be incredible for you!
Thank you so much, Jenny! You’re so right—injuries feel endless when you’re in the middle of them, but eventually, they do pass. It’s such a great feeling to be running strong again!
Boston is getting closer, and I can’t wait to see how it all comes together!
I hope your hamstring and hip flexor issues disappear soon—preferably without a trace! 🤞
Congratulations! That’s a fantastic achievement! I bet you’ll be in good form for Boston (and as you know I’ll say, don’t let Garmin tell you otherwise!).
Interesting about the bus. Cyclists do something similar, don’t they?
I think it’s both inspiring and unsettling thinking back on past injuries. Inspiring because of how far we’ve come since then, but at least I shudder when I remember what shape I was in with both my foot injuries!
Thank you, Susanne!
Ha, yes, Garmin’s opinions are noted but not always obeyed. 😉 Actually, your comment just made me check its prediction, and it says I will run it in 3:13, which is 2 minutes faster than my goal. I think it’s being nice this week! 😂
Yes, for cyclists, it’s even more important to ride in a group, or a peloton. It’s a funny mix of teamwork and survival mode.
Yes, I guess you know more about injuries than I do! Looking back can be motivating, but some memories you would really prefer to be able to delete. Foot injuries are the worst— so glad you’re much better now!
Congrats. Great job.
I know about wind. As you read on Jenny’s post, the last 3 miles had me feeling like I was moving backward a few times.
Yes I’m paranoid about prior injuries.
And my neuroma flares up for unknown reasons.
I try to be grateful that I can move forward. If I think about my pace I’d quit.
Of course I was 4th in my ag. I immediately thought that I could have walked less and hit an award.
That’s exactly what I was thinking when I read Jenny’s post – we both had windy half-marathons last Sunday!
Crazy how that happens – some injuries are real mysteries.
Congrats on your 4th AG, Darlene! It’s a shame about missing the podium but you can be very proud of yourself. I’m looking forward to reading your post about it!
Oh this is so amazing! I’m so sorry it was so windy, but it sounds like it was great for your overall morale! And you did so great!
Boston is going to be so amazing!
It was a great training session, Jenn! I hope Boston won’t be windy, but if it is, at least I have a tested strategy! 😅
Wow! Das hatte ich jetzt gar nicht auf dem Schirm, dass du SO schnell bist :-O
Ganz Herzlichen Glückwunsch und ich bin auf den Boston-Bericht gespannt!
Danke, Lizzy! Objektiv betrachtet bin ich natürlich nicht SO schnell (der schnellste Mann hatte 1:11 für den Halbmarathon) aber für eine 57-jährige Seniorin ist es nicht allzu schlecht. 😅
Boston ist im April – ich freue mich sehr darauf!
Sounds like this race was a great confidence builder for Boston. Nice job!
It was, Deborah! I’m especially grateful that my body is coping well with the training sessions. I hope it stays that way!
Congratulations on such a strategic race! It must feel good to finish that race strong instead of injured! How great to share the podium with friends.
I’m so happy it worked out well, Coco! Now I hope that this non-injury streak will continue until Boston!
Running in the wind is SO hard! It sounds like that strategy worked pretty well. I usually just race on my own so I can run my own pace. I am always so paranoid about injuries!
Running on my own is also my preferred way to race, but this bus-riding strategy was a great way to conserve energy.
Injuries are our nemesis, Lisa! 😅
Liebe Catrina,
gleich mal vorweg, mach dich nicht schlechter als du bist! 😉 (Kommentar bei Lizzy!) Ich hätte mich auch in meinen besten Zeiten nicht mit dem schnellsten Mann verglichen … wäre ja auch nicht (ganz) mitgekommen! 😆
Deshalb erstmal HERZLICHEN GLÜCKWUNSCH für das tolle Rennen und eure beiden guten Zeiten! Wie mehrfach gesagt, es war ein gutes Vorbereitungsrennen für Boston, vor allem für den Schlussabschnitt, wenn kurz vor Schluss der Heartbreak Hill wartet. (Bin darauf gespannt, wie du ihn erlebst … und bravourös überrennst! 😉 )
Bus zu fahren ist doch eine gute Idee! Ich habe es immer den Damen gegönnt, teilweise den Fahrer für sie gespielt. Deshalb hab ich die Trennng in reine Damenrennen nicht verstanden, haben doch die Männer auch ihre Hasen! Schade, dass du keinen Bus erwischt hast, der konstant dein Tempo gefahren ist! 😉 Aber umzusteigen ist auch ne gute Übung!
Für mich selbst hat es seltenst gepasst, im Gegenteil, es war mir oft zu anstrengend mich genau an das Tempo anderer zu halten. Meist hat man eigene Rennstrategien, oder andere Laufrhythmen. Pacemaker für andere zu spielen, war für mich etwas anderes, da ich mich als Pacemaker in den Dienst des Läufer gestellt hatte! Das war dann vorher abgesprochen und ich selbst hatte in diesem Rennen dann nichts für mich und meine Endzeit geplant!
An Verletzungen habe ich eigentlich nicht gedacht. Wenn ich im Training wieder Vertrauen zur verletzten Stelle gefunden hatte, war die Geschichte für mich (meist) ausgestanden.
Halte dich weiterhin gesund und weiterhin viel Spaß beim Training!
Aus dem nächtlich zu erobernden Eberstadt liebe Grüße Manfred 😛
Lieber Manfred,
ha, da hast du natürlich recht! Ein Vergleich mit den Spitzenläufern setzt alles in Perspektive – und hält einen schön auf dem Boden. 😊 Aber du bist ja nicht nur mit den schnellsten Männern mitgelaufen, du warst selbst einer von ihnen!
Danke dir! Das Rennen war wirklich eine gute Vorbereitung für Boston. Gestern habe ich mir das Höhenprofil mal genauer angesehen und ein paar Meinungen von Profiläufern zu Heartbreak Hill gelesen. Interessanterweise finden ihn viele gar nicht so schlimm (nur 30 Höhenmeter), aber die kleinen Wellen davor sollen ordentlich zusetzen. Ich bin gespannt!
Ein Bus mit genau meinem Tempo wäre Gold wert gewesen! Lustigerweise hat mir heute ein Kollege erzählt, dass sein Tennislehrer genau mein Tempo gelaufen ist – aber leider in der zweiten Startgruppe, zwei Minuten hinter uns. Zu blöd!
Pacemaker zu sein stelle ich mir ganz schön anspruchsvoll vor. Da muss man nicht nur das Tempo genau im Griff haben, sondern auch das Rennen strategisch für jemand anderen denken – eine echte Kunst!
Schön, dass du Verletzungen nach überstandener Heilung einfach abhaken konntest – das ist eine super Einstellung. Ich hoffe, deine nächtlichen NRftW-Eroberungen in Eberstadt verlaufen genauso erfolgreich! ☺
Liebe Grüsse aus dem heissen Cape Town!
I love visualizing you tucking in behind all the bigger people on the course. Great job! congratulations on your age group place. Yes, you’re ready for Boston!
Thank you, Debbie! Haha, yes, I did my best to find some good windshields out there. Fortunately, there were a lot of runners to choose from! 😆 Thanks, I really hope that I’m on track for Boston!
Yet another podium! This was a very grand looking podium finish from the looks of it in the photo. Congratulations! (And congratulations to Kai and Brigitta). That’s a large number of people in your category 😮 I would definitely take a look at the 1:38 time as a win over last year’s 1:35 considering all the wind and difficulty in keeping a consistent pace. It must have added 5 minutes at the least.
The wind would only have made you stronger for the marathon in my opinion – more VO2Max training as it would’ve inevitably been pushing you a bit harder than that thin threshold line we try to straddle in these races.
It must have been a lot of fun getting the crowds reactions like that ducking in under cover of your mini-buses 😆
I do still worry about past injuries. Even now I have a slight issue that has been bugging me, and I still haven’t figured out what is causing it, but at least its not bad in terms of pain. I think us runners will always obsess over issues like these. It’s our curse/burden to bare.
Thank you, Sean! It did feel like a grand podium, one of those rare times where the setup makes you look far more important than you actually are. 😆 And yes, that was a big category, which always makes it fun.
I like your perspective on the time! Given the wind, I suppose I should just pretend I ran a 1:33 effort-wise. 😜 But you’re absolutely right: the conditions were brutal, and fighting the wind probably did more for my marathon prep than an unwindy, perfectly paced race would have. Let’s call it unintentional VO2Max training!
Injuries… yep, the eternal runner’s curse. I hope your issue stays minor and sorts itself out soon. We always seem to carry something, if it’s not pain, it’s the mental obsession over it. Maybe that’s just the price we pay for running? 😅