Stopover coastal jog

stats of the week: run 21 km, gym 2 h
stats of the previous week: run 33 km, gym 3 h

The mileage looks somewhat modest when the target to prepare for a marathon. However, have in mind that I also did 2 hiking workouts of total 42 km.

On the way to Hawaii we had a 2-day-stopover at Santa Barbara, California, and enjoyed a morning jog along the pacific coastline. On the final stretch I met a guy from Austria who made a challenging pace for the last 4 km. He told me he had a marathon PB of 2:57 and finished the Boston marathon 10 times. Good job, but too fast for me.

No 1 gasping for breath

stats of the week: run 31 km, gym 1 h

Just returned from a strenuous week in New York City I could not resist to take part in a local 10 K race. I didn't expect my year's PB but it was worse than a bad dream. After only 2 km I gasped for breath. A dreadful cough attack followed. The rest of the distance was a pure fight for the finish.

The time was still acceptable - 52:03 - within my current potential. However, I was disappointed to touch my very limits at a speed like this.

Finally there was some comfort. As there was no really fast competitor in my age group I got the cup for number 1.

Biggest Apple ever

stats of the week: run 29 km, gym 2 h

Not running but watching the 49th New York City Marathon was still great fun. I enjoyed seeing all the happy faces at mile 14 between Pulaski and Queensborough bridge. With more than 53,000 finishers it was the biggest marathon ever. No doubt that the 50th edition will beat this.

The leading ladies still close together. Jepkosgei got the crown.

First group of leading men. Winner Geoffrey Kamworor hides in the middle of the pack.

German Arne Gabius misses Olympic qualification by one place as he ends up 11th.

Former WMM champion Irina Mikitenko on her late way to collect one more star.
Without proper training she still manages a sub 3 hours finish.

Friendly Ireland

stats of the week: run 29 km, gym 3 h

The Dublin Marathon saw its 40th edition on Sunday and grew to Europe's 5th biggest marathon. Some 18,000 finishers crossed the line and earned the medal. The men's winner from Morocco set a new race record at 2:08:06 h. I was happy to be back to Dublin after 3 years of absence and enjoyed watching the "friendly marathon".

Too much right now

stats of the week: run 47 km, gym 3 h

I have to admit it was a strange idea to run the Teutolauf just 3 weeks after the Berlin Marathon. It has a distance of 29 km and longish parts of cross country terrain, especially when it is very wet like this time. Anyway I was able to finish after 2 h 52 min - 19 minutes slower than 5 years ago - but it was very hard work with a lot of walking on the steep ascents. Gasping for breath behind the finish line my hindsight was that this was too much for my body right now.

Luckily I made it to the 2nd place in my age group what was a real surprise after 3 guys had overtaken me on the final stretch who looked as old as me.

Lively again

stats of the week: run 19 km, cycled 93 km, gym 3 h
stats of the previous week: run 8 km, cycled 104 km, gym 1 h

Presumably due to the walking parts of my final Berlin marathon stretch I recovered pretty well and did not suffer from any severe muscle pain. However, I missed my Majorca time trial bike record on the ascent to Galilea by 4 minutes. No wonder.

By the way - I kept to my medicine schedule consistently so far. But now I skipped to take in any more statins. After only 2 days I feel much better - much more positive, lively and stronger. I felt more and more depressed since I used these tablets. Now it is my decision to prefer 5 more positive years to perhaps 10 depressed years.

I even got the courage to do a 5 K race and was happy to finish after 24:41. A time to be improved.

Run according to schedule

stats of the week: run 51 km, gym 3 h

My Berlin plan worked quite well. Conditions were wet and not too cold, that's a weather I like. According to the schedule I clocked exactly 2:59:43 at 30 km and even at 35 km I managed to pass at 3:30:25. As I expected I had to take some walking breaks along the final stretch where I lost 4 minutes (and was overtaken by 3000 runners) and finished after 4:18:24. I guess that I would have been able to avoid walking if I had done a couple of more long training runs. However, I am happy with the result.