Berlin Marathon

So there I stood last Sunday (20th Sept) in the central road in the Tiergarten, Berlin. Which for those not familiar with Berlin, is the main city centre park, with approx 35,ooo runners in front of me and some 5,000 behind. Blue skies and temperatures of 25c in the shade expected with a course of 42 Km's (26.2 miles) stretching ahead.

Training had started in the third week of June after a couple of weeks off following trailtrekkers so giving the feet a rest. Would I find this more difficult? Training mileage slowly gathered in distance with a max distance of 22 miles which passed ok. Surely an extra 4 miles wouldn't make much difference? But disaster struck a fortnight before the marathon, a strained ligament made running difficult so led to no exercise at all for the final 2 weeks. You are suppose to take things easy at this stage anyway but was far from ideal. A sports massage 4 days before helped although the guys remarks that people only normally attempt marathons after a couple years of running as a minimum didn't help. I had been running just 14 months!

Would recommend Berlin to anyone for a long weekend, easy to get too, lots to see and quite cheap in the days of unfavourable Euro exchange rates. In hind sight maybe spending 11 hours on the Saturday (day before) treading the streets looking at all on offer wasn't my brightest idea, but was dammed if I was going to miss the opportunity (Berlin Wall, WW2 and Cold war bunkers, 1930's Olympic stadium, Brandenberg gate, Alte Museum, Jewish memorial etc etc). Had collected my race number and kit bag etc from the Sports Expo the evening before at the Templehof airfield. The atmosphere was electric with thousands of runners buzzing in anticipation for the race that weekend. The hangers being another 1930's listed building in the style you would associate with Hitler. Difficult not to be impressed.

The hotel took a bit of finding but was excellent for my needs with the mega bonus that the bath also doubled up as a jacucci, this would turn out to be invaluable! The transport system is also excellent for getting around. You can buy a 3 day pass but didn't go through one barrier or ticket check during the complete trip. Everyone must be very honest? The other challenge was finding somewhere which served Pasta so I could start Carb loading. Went to the same place on two consecutive nights but a request on the second night for a Gross Spag Bol did get me a strange look! But I did get a big plate full!

So Sunday came, a little nervous about how the leg would cope. A light Breakfast at 7am then a 30 minute walk down to the start area. From all the streets a procession of people could be seem with their clothing bags slung over their shoulders. With typical German efficiency, was lined up on the road at 08:30, just half an hour to go.

The Berlin Marathon is one of the 5 world majors (London/Berlin/New York/Chicargo/Boston), some of the top athletes had missed the world championships the month before just to do this one. Purely I guess as the top point scorer in a two year period wins half a million dollars! The big boys only run a couple of marathons a year. Indeed last year the world record had been broken here, an incredible 2 Hours and 3 minutes!

So at 9am the gun went off and loads of balloons shot into the sky. But nothing happened, well it did but couldn't see where I stood! Berlin has the greatest number of participants then any other marathon, even shading London. So takes a while for 40,000 to start moving. After 3-4 minutes started to walk slowly, eventually went over the start line at a jog 13 minutes later! Despite it being a dual carriage way (4 lanes) trying to get past people was difficult. I wanted sub 4 hours and wasn't prepared to go with the flow. After a km, the course left the park and was into the streets, the first of 70 bands were in full flow with the Saints Go Marching In. Lots of people cheering, it does make a big difference. The swiss supporters made me smile banging on their cow bells, this wasn't a downhill!

Was thrown a bit as I expected to see clocks showing the time elapsed at regular intervals, but there wasn't, plus the distance boards weren't that numerous. So didn't have a clue on the pace I was doing. When running, you have good days when you feel like Forest Gump and can run for miles, bad days when you feel drained straight away (like most of my training runs after having worked the night before!) and those in the middle. It was a middle run today! But more importantly, the leg was not playing up. The first 5KM passed in 26 minutes.

Was still like running into a wall of runners although roundabouts gave me a chance to gain quite a few spaces, as most went around anti clockwise, while the Brits tended to go around clockwise (think about it, driving cars!). A group of 4 chefs banging their ladles on their pans made me smile. Didn't see many runners in fancy dress, just a few "man" nuns and a guy in a kilt. Think the deep Sea Diver was right at the back!

The sun was now starting to make a difference. Every 5kms they have water stops where you can get a cup of water on the move. I had a bottle with me which lasted me the first 20kms so didnt have to slow down,but under foot was wet with thousands of crushed plastic cups as early on some 30,000 runners plus had been before us. Made a hell of a racket!

The course had now entered East Berlin (ex DDR) with less people lining the streets, can remember the noise of all the feet hitting the tarmac. Its the shudder which goes through your body when your feet hit the tarmac which which takes it toll. But we soon past the iconic TV tower (Fernsehturm). Over the river Spree and back into cheering crowds. Had been going over 1.5 Hours now, breathing hadn't broken beyond normal, but starting to sweat. Legs still fine.

But it was around the 18km mark, had a real boost, caught up with the 4 Hours Pace maker who had a yellow balloon tied to her belt. As long as I kept in front, I should get my sub 4 hours. Half Marathon distance (21Km) came at 1 Hour 50 minutes was still feeling positive and still overtaking people all the time and hardly getting overtaken myself.

So the relentless push continued, more Samba Band, a pair of Indians in full dress (USA) playing pipes by the road side made me look twice and a cheery wave to the course photographers at the 30km mark just had to be done. The course had now turned and we were heading away from the suburb heading back towards the centre. Only 10Km to go, thats the same as one of my training runs from Sprowston down the Yarmouth road, I can do this!

But after 30km's I was starting to show signs of tiring. Looking at my stage times afterwards, started to fall from 26-27 minute 5KM sections to 28 minutes. Breathing was fine but the legs were start to feel heavy. Some people were starting to walk with others doing stretches against tree's. Was still overtaking people but aware fatigue was setting in. But no sign of the 4 hour Pace maker so was a good sign.

There was suddenly a lack of distance boards, the last I had seen was 35Kms. At some water stops there is fruit so garbed a bit of banana while an Italian runner who ran with me for a minute or so gave me a high energy sweet. Such is the spirit of these truly international events. This stretch was going on for ever, I was hanging in there but had gone past the 22 mile mark, this was all new territory.

Finally a board, yes 40km, only 2 kms left, but then the realisation there was still 12-15 minutes running left to do. It was past midday, the sun was beating down and then suddenly the energy seemed to of left me. This was getting very close to the runners wall, when the body just runs out of energy and you can do nothing but walk or in extreme cases people collapse. Didn't hit it dead on as I dug in deep and the pace only dropped by 30 seconds. But its an experience I've never ever had, this was pushing my poor excuse of a body to the edge, more than trailtrekkers by a long way. Saw the edge of Reichstag poking out behind a building ahead which is next to the Brandenberg gate and the finish. But the course then dog legged left and started to run away from it. Remember saying to myself, for christ sake! One of the highlights for me should of been running through the Brandenburg gate. But to be be honest, all I could see through the gate some 100 metres further on, was the finish. I had no energy for emotion, I wanted it to stop. Was now being overtaken. Went over the finish, I had done it, sub 4 hours.

The next few minutes were totally mad, you file past tables where you get your medal then its the drinks tables, hundreds of runners desperate to re-hydrate themselves as soon as possible. As soon as I had stopped I had gone light headed, all available energy had gone. But three cups of water, two cups of energy drink in quick succession after fighting my way to the tables saved the day. One Women next to me fell over and couldn't get up, her leg had locked with extreme cramp. It was a complete frenzy. You then claimed your goodie bag (snacks), had you finishing photo taken and then just found a spot and just rested. Legs started seizing but couldn't be bothered to stretch. Neither could most other people flaked out all over the place. The heat had made it tougher than past years so more than one person told me.

So there you go, my maiden marathon completed. Stayed in the runners area for the best part of 2 hours resting/getting changed before getting enough energy to walk back to the hotel. Walked along the Marathon course some of the way, still a steady stream of people were finishing (6 hours plus).

Yes a heck of of an experience, and glad I did it, absolutely. Yes the aching legs didn't stop until 5 days later and still feel void of energy a week later. But now know what it is all about. Many people who have done one, have said never again. But not me, find out in the next fortnight if accepted to the London Marathon. If not will pick another at a European city in the spring.

Yes I am totally nuts, but that's what happens to some people when they turn 40!!!