2,500 years after Pheidippides..a RR

mariposai · Nov 12, 2010

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Time has not allowed me to be here much, but you guys are always my cheerleaders and great supporters that I decided to post this RR here for those who may want to read it.
 
The modern Athens Marathon commemorates the run of the soldier Pheidippides from a battlefield at the site of the town of Marathon, Greece, to Athens in 490 B.C., bringing news of a Greek victory over the Persians. Legend has it that Pheidippides delivered the momentous message "Niki!" ("victory"), then collapsed and died, thereby setting a precedent for dramatic conclusions to the marathon.
<img alt="" src="http://www.athensmarathon.com/images/vase1.gif" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;">
 
Ever since becoming a long distance runner, Marathon was always the pinnacle of my dreams. In fact, I always joked that if I ever ran a sub four I would go to Athens instead of going to Boston. When Paul and I decided to take a trip to Europe to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary I started checking out marathon schedules in that continent and this is how I found out that this was the 2,500th year anniversary of the battle of Marathon. This piece of news sealed our plan. I registered for this race the day the registration was opened and it took almost two months to find out if I was in. After receiving a notification in Greek and assuming it was good news (I got a confirmation later in English) I started training on hills and more hills to get ready for the race. I ran all my LR on pure hills and mountain passes and this paid off beautifully.
 
 
This year’s course was run as close as feasible to the original path that Pheidippides ran and it is the exact course of the first modern Olympic (1896) and the 2004 Olympic Games. The blue mark on the route was still very visible along the way; of course I intentionally tried to follow the blue mark as much as I could.
 
The prelude: we arrived to Athens on Thursday, on Friday we spent the morning trying to get to know our way around downtown Athens and in the afternoon we visited the expo, which took place at a museum that was built for the 1986 Olympics’ headquarters and across the road from the Zeus temple.
<img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4015/5168167525_bd88303976.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:500px;height:375px;">

 In the late afternoon we took a tour to the town of Marathon. A time well spent since we learned a lot about the history of Marathon and to get to know the hills that awaited us runner the next day!
 
<img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5168831300_d65dc2fe61.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:375px;height:500px;">


Saturday found us visiting the Acropolis. Being history lovers, both Paul and I drank into the very essence of the sites we visited. We walked and we hiked for eleven hours. When we returned to our hotel our legs were aching and I was sure glad that the marathon next day was just for experience and not for time. Well, the bad cold I got in Spain would not allow me to race it anyway.
 
 
 
<img alt="" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1261/5168239059_df1ed4126a.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:375px;height:500px;">
 
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Sunday: I took the train to Marathon headquarters to be transported to the town of Marathon. Having done the tour before has helped me not to be as demoralized by the hills as most of the runners were in my bus. This marathon course is known as the most difficult Olympic course.
The organization was superb. Everything was well organized and the athletes were treated with such respect and glamour, even after the marathon I was still getting discounts by just wearing my marathon t-shirt. We arrived to Marathon three hours prior to the start. We all tried to take pictures with the Olympic flame.
 
<img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/5168799992_a937d8170c.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:500px;height:375px;">
 At the starting line we were greeted by the President of the country, who by the way also ran the race, and also by our own Joan Benoit and then off we went. 
I made sure I started the race right at the center of Marathon
<img alt="" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1314/5168201907_4b7b9b54d9_m.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:240px;height:180px;">
 
By the time we started the race the weather was already hot, it got to 78F by 11am and the race started at 9am, so yes!!! Once again I ran in very hot conditions (I ran 4 marathons this year in similar conditions). The crowd was great. They gave us twigs of olives, just as they did to the ancient Olympians!
 
<img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/5168875860_40f0814694.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:500px;height:375px;">
<img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/5168808014_4075a40e6d_m.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:240px;height:180px;">
 
and there were many statues built in honor of the FIRST marathoner throught the race course.
 
<img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4059/5168206239_1b27c5575e.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:375px;height:500px;">
 
By mile 17ish I started to fade real fast. In fact, I was contemplating walking when I heard someone calling my name, it was Paul who had found a way to get to this point to cheer me and other Marathon Manics (I got a kiss, of course). What a great surprise. His presence gave me the umph I needed to keep on tackling the longest and hardest hill of the course.
 
<img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/5168207573_2f09438106_m.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:240px;height:180px;">
 
 
Here are my splits and pacing, mind you that 21k to 30kish were over a mountain pass. The hills just never ended and the heat was ferocious. The harder I worked, the more I coughed and the more I learned to work together with my body and mind to cover the distance.
0-5K (5K) - 29:55 (9:3

5-10K (5K) - 30:30 (9:50) 
10-21.1K (11.1K) - 1:13:02 (10:41) 
21.1-30K (8.9K) - 1:05:09 (11:47) 
30-42.2K (12.2K) - 1:21:27 (10:50).
 
Finish time: 4:40:23 (my wild dream goal was 4:30; my realistic goal 5:00)
152 out of 381 - 45 to 49 year old females.
<img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/5168210467_a989512918.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:375px;height:500px;">
 
Finishing at the ancient Olympic stadium is an experience I will never forget, for a moment I felt like an Olympian running to my medal with tears of joy and amazement. 
 
After reciving my medal (see my olive twigs<img alt="Joking" src="http://www.runningahead.com/images/forum/emo_smile_tongue.gif" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;">)
<img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/5168873536_a71c7ec9a2_z.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:640px;height:480px;">
 
 
We walked to the temple of Zeus, where there is a portal where is believed Pheidippidess entered after his trek and I posed there for posterity.
<img alt="" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4045/5168810756_1d90e263ac.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;width:500px;height:375px;">
 
This is a picture, I hope, my great grandkids remember me by!
<img alt="" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1388/5168274997_6d6b3b44f4_z.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-family:Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:1em;border-top-width:0px;border-right-width:0px;border-bottom-width:0px;border-left-width:0px;">
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henrun · Nov 12, 2010

Pheidippides was a legend - so are you
 
Super report and super photos
henrun and marj

Dove · Nov 12, 2010

Fantastic report. You looked every inch the Greek goddess in your photos!

evanflein · Nov 12, 2010

What a wonderful experience for you, Mariposai! After dreaming of this for so long, you made it a reality. Sorry you had that cold, you really could've done without that. Add the hills and the heat and just the fatigue from travel, you did amazingly well! Congratulations on doing this, dear fren. I admire your drive and determination to make this dream come true!

Spareribs · Nov 12, 2010

Worth waiting for. Great report and especially those beautiful and educational pics and comments. 11 hours of hiking the day before too! I'd have been toast. Good job Nancy. Spareribs

Opie · Nov 12, 2010

Those are some great photos, and what a wonderful experience you had!

Sans Souci · Nov 12, 2010

I wonder whether the course has changed since I did it in the last century. I don't remember the hills. Then again, I was a damn youth punk at the time.

What evan said, yes, who needed the cold along with the hills and heat? You are tuff! The pictures are WONDERFUL.
 
I sure do like your style, Nancy. What wonderful running/traveling experiences you're having!

Tamster · Nov 12, 2010

what a wonderful adventure and pictorial race report Nancy!! Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Fantastico! congratulations on savoring the marathon!

bap · Nov 13, 2010

Beautiful

hally · Nov 13, 2010

Thanks for sharing your adventures with us Nancy! I am so happy that you got to realize your dream, and take us along in pictures to share it.
 
Love the short haircut girl!

Labduck · Nov 13, 2010

I just love this report for so many reasons I can't list them all. What a great adventure! Thank you so much for sharing this with us Nancy; I think most of us would be hard pressed to find a race that was 2500 years old!

Laura in Houston · Nov 13, 2010

Wow - that is just inspiring! What a dream come true, to be able to run that 2500th anniversary! 
Thank you so, so much for writing it all up and including all those wonderful pics.
Congratulations!

ksrunr · Nov 14, 2010

Good for you butterfly! Enjoyed the report and especially enjoyed the pics.

Better than yesterday · Nov 14, 2010

Wow. This should be a book, or a magazine article at least...or something. Very awe inspiring!

rtravers · Nov 14, 2010

Nancy, I loved every word of this report! I'm just in awe of your whole experience. You ran such a greta race for being jet lagged and with a cold and running in such heat!! 
 
I think I would have been sobbing like a baby finishing at the ancient Olympic stadium. I get chills just thinking of it. Congratulations!!

Hemerocallus · Nov 15, 2010

What a fascinating read!! WTG, Nancy.... you toughed it out despite the heat, your cold and the jet lag! Thanks for sharing this!

Pie Jones · Nov 15, 2010

WOW....you are awesome. Great race and great report. I am happy you had such a tremendous experience. I will join your grandkids in picturing you in that very scene for a long time to come. Congrats!

rasmussenmp · Nov 15, 2010

Ole Mz Butterfly, What a wonderful experience you had. Thank-you for taking us along for the run. I'm in awe and green with envie.
Congrats.

FlyingFinn · Nov 15, 2010

Amazing experience, Nancy. You are a tough butterfly, girl. Wonderful report and pictures. Congratulations!

OrangeMat · Nov 15, 2010

I'm glad I saved this report to read when I had time to savor every word and photo. Beautiful!! Congrats to you!

2,500 years after Pheidippides..a RR

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