2012 race starts

My stats of the week: run 13km, cycled 104km

Don't miss the opening of the 2012 ballot tomorrow morning. Unfortunately there is no information about the exact time of the opening. Last year it was around midnight. For 2011 125,000 applicants were accepted for the national ballot, 5,500 for the overseas one. 46,698 numbers were provided but less than half of them via the ballot.

Date of next year's race is 22 April. Good luck!

Black Marathon Day

stats of the week: run 56km
London Marathon result: 3:57:13

I finished my 32nd marathon and 12th London. That's all to notice. It was the worst race I ever did. Don't ask me why. I don't know. I think it was just my personal black marathon day.

I started the race highly determined but had to recognise first problems after only 10km. Serious problems occurred after 25km and soon I had to stop aside to vomit. However, I never thought about giving up and walked most of the remaining miles while I anxiously watched fellow runners dropping down to the tarmac. That's how I looked during the final stage:


Nevertheless I performed a smile having received the medal.


B did far better and finished her fastest marathon for five years! She made up for my desaster.


She received her well earned congratulations by Emmanuel Mutai (KEN), winner 2011 and course record holder.

BIB age race

stats of the week: run 42km, gym 3hrs

Proudly I present my bib number I wore on our local 10k race according to my birthday. The race consisted of 4 laps thereof I ran three ones at marathon pace and the final one as fast as I could. The result was 47:32 min. Next Sunday I hope to run my 12th London Marathon but I think it's the first time I was able to realise the scheduled mileage. Now I am highly scared to catch a cold or an injury during the final week. I just would prefer to stay inside all week ...

Peak week

stats of the week: run 65km, gym 1.5 hrs
Meanwhile I have lived in this flat at the second floor for almost 17 years and all the time I have fed the birds in winter. Finally a squirrel discovered the peanuts I put out every morning. I could not yet see how it manages to get up to the balcony built as part of the roof.

The third week before your marathon race should be the peak of your training. So was mine. Taken the 7 days from Sunday to Saturday I gathered 86km which is among the most intensive weeks I ever ran. However, the older you get the more you have to run to keep your performance just on the same level. In vain as I had to learn. After yesterday's long run of 30km I was even more exhausted than after recent races.