Still Dreaming

Just another document of last Sunday's perfect race:

Bettina's PB is 3:45 hrs. Regarding the hard route of the NYC marathon I recommended to aim for 4:15 and that was the pace I tried to set off from Verrazano bridge. The first mile was too slow due to the mass start, but from then on we were on time and I constantly had to fight to hold back Bettina who every now and then tried to increase the speed.

These are the impressive 5K-Splits: 31:47 - 29:33 - 29:54 - 29:34 - 29:43 - 28:35 - 29:03 - 28:24. The fastest 5K we ran between 35 and 40, and the second half was more than 5 minutes faster than the first half.

It was not easy to stay alongside Bettina. Her motto was: "Whenever I see a big buttock in front of me I have to overtake it." And there were hundreds of them! For 25K I tried to slow her down. Then I gradually noticed how strong she was and let her go her pace. Once this acuminated to her question: "Are you still there?" Several times I had to sprint a short slalom to catch up with her.

We had great fun especially when cheered by the crowds who easily spotted the big name signs we were wearing at the front of our t-shirts. This was the scene at mile 25 in Central Park:

It was my 16th maraton but the first one with a faster 2nd half. Therefore I would call it the most successful one and it was certainly the most beautiful one.

NY NY - BETTINA was part of it

This photo was taken at mile 23. No need to say any more.

Result: 4:08:19
First half: 2:06:59
Second half: 2:01: 20 (!)
A perfect race on a perfect day. Endurance smiling record. Bettina has undoubtedly qualified as my favourite running mate - sorry, gals ;-)

If you can make it there ...

... you'll make it anywhere. (Frank Sinatra)

Folks,
kind regards from NYC, Manhattan, 108W 24th Street.

On Tuesday when we arrived it was Halloween Evening. Streets were crowded with costumed people all in a very good mood. It is like a German Carneval, albeit with a very different kind of music.

Thursday afternoon we were out to Central Park for a jog along the last mile of the marathon. We tried the finish for a first time.

Our travel agency www.interAir.de has engaged two famous coaches for us. Herbert Steffny (mid) was 3rd in NY 1984 and won a bronze medal at European Championships. Wolgang Münzel (right) was an international marathon and fell runner, German fell running champion, and now he is the national fell running coach of the German team.

Fred Lebow, founder of New York Road Running Club and the New York City Marathon.

Columbus Circle at the South West corner of Central Park. It gets dark quite early now, around 5.15pm.

See you soon, watch my race number 12233 on Sunday. I hope to run alongside Bettina whose number is F2824.

Unlucky Rehearsal

Sa 28/10/06 easy race, 10K/51min
Fr 27/10/06 gym, 1.5 hrs
Th 26/10/06 easy jogs, 8.5K/48min and 6.5K/46min

As there was a popular 10K race in our neighbour town Bochum today, we - NYC running mate B. and me - decided to go for an easy test run one week before New York. To cut a long story short: I won't call the outcome a complete success.

Even the weather fitted in: It was raining all the time. The route was full of puddles and muddy in places. We thought about finishing within less than 50 mins, but after two of six laps B. started to feel slightly unwell and we preferred to slow down. The run was supposed to be a training workout anyway, so this didn't matter. What me really annoyed was that my left thigh hardened like hell. Obviously it wasn't fully recovered from the long run last Tuesday. This week's mileage of more than 60K appeared to be too much after 3 weeks without running.

I will now throw in lots of magnesium and it looks like I should avoid any running until marathon day. Another one - like the majority of my 15 marathons - which I will start without proper preparation. So far I was able to finish each one - hope this will endure next Sunday.

Peak Gallery

21/10/06 Sat - Run 10K 0:57 hrs
23/10/06 Mo - Slow Jog 8K 0:47 hrs
24/10/06 Tu - Long Run 30K 3:02 hrs


When climbing Island Peak I took just my small camera with me. This day's photos can be looked up in a simple gallery. Mind the blue of the sky!

Next Tuesday I will be off for the New York City Marathon 2006. So today I was happy to be able to do a final long run of 30K after the total pause of 3 weeks without running. High level trekking seems to have kept me fit enough.

The only pity is that - after 3 healthy weeks in Nepal - I caught a diarrhea at home! German food obviously is the harder challenge.

Short Success Report

Folks,

this is the final stage of our trekking around the highest mountains of the world. I am back to the village of Lukla, 2800m, from where tomorrow early in the morning a very small plane will take us back to Kathmandu.

All worked out as planned, the tour was a total success. I remained healthy, albeit most fellows were not so lucky. We were able to see all the scheduled highlights such as Everest Base Camp, 5300m, climbed Kala Pattar, 5545m, and Chukhung Ri, 5546m. Certainly the top adventure was to climb Island Peak, 6189m. Six of our group of 9 trekkers made it to the top, including me! I would call this day the most emotional and remarkable day of all my outdoor life. I am so proud :-)

I took about 700 photos so far and will certainly publish a selection at my website. It will take some weeks to get this completed and I will point out it here when published.

More at the following weekend when I will be home again.

Best wishes from Nepal,
Uli

Quick sign of life

I am sitting in an internet cafe in namche bazar, 3450m, nepal, clouds are down to earth and give me time to drop a short posting.

Trekking in Nepal is not at all a kind of adventure. Pathes are done up like in the English Lake District and lodges and restaurants can be found all the way. shops in the remotest mountain villages offer any kind of sweets, soft drinks, Nepalese beer and the food is excellent.

The monsun has just finished, the weather is fine in the mornings but not settled enough to provide completely fine days. Hopefully this will develop during the oncouming days.

I dont think there will be any internet access at the higher villages. So dont expect any further reports during next fortnight.

Hope to see you soon again.