10th and 11th of August mark the culmination of the 2024 Olympics: the Marathon.
While I was planning my weekend on Friday, the thought came that I wanted to run a marathon this weekend. Out of respect for and as a tribute to all marathon runners.
It being summer, I set out early to take as much advantage of the lower temperatures as possible. I set out at a high pace. Beforehand I told myself to aim for 3h30, with the possibility to do a bit better. I would push myself without looking at my pace. I would refrain to my gut feeling and run on RPE - which is the way I conduct my longer runs since some time now. I hadn’t trained for a marathon specifically, but I have enough confidence in my basic fitness to be sure that I am able to accomplish this. I plan to take a look at my time and pace around 1h35 in the run, to be sure to mark the half way point.
The first part, from De Panne to the western pier of the harbour of Nieuwpoort, goes fairly well. I am able to maintain a steady pace. Even if I have to dive in a bush for a sanitary stop at a certain moment. Longing the harbour channel, my pace drops a bit. Still, I am able to stay away from my head, stay in my body and focus on enjoy the run.
A bit further starts the long stretch along the Nieuwpoort-Veurne canal. By then a light head wind has started to blow. I pass the half marathon mark at 1:42:35. Not bad at all. My pace drops a bit more due to the head wind, and I start making pace and time calculations in my head. Time for a mental excercise to get out of my head and back into my body: I perform a body scan.
I split the road ahead of me in small parts, ticking them off each time I reach a landmark (village of Wulpen, left bend towards Veurne, footbridge, Veurne city). And suddenly I am in and through Veurne.
I refill one of my two empty flasks at the drinking water fontain in the Vauban Park. Ready for the next stretch: towards Adinkerke, and then to the French border.
Upon reaching the path along the French border, it seems that my tank is empty. My pace drops a bit further. But then I turn back in the direction of De Panne and I realize that if I want to complete this in 3h30, I would have to push myself harder. I think about all the olympic athletes running now or tomorrow, who will also be pushing themselves hard.
If not now, then when?
So I push harder. I reach deep into myself to find some extra energy and strength and keep on pushing.
I did it! I gave everything I had and some more.
Talking to my friend Tinne later that Saturday, I learned that she is planning to run the In Flanders Fields Marathon. She asked me if I would want to run it with her. Yeah, why not? So I promptly registered myself. Rendez-vous on September 15th!