TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Sunday's run in Brugge was highly successful. Though my preparation was less than optimal - painful left knee in the days prior and a heavy football match on Saturday followed by the club's end of season bash - conditions conspired to make it a good day. It was so hard to find parking space that I only arrived at the starting area fifteen minutes before GO, leaving me little time to fiddle around nervously. The weather had changed to a wonderful 16 degrees C with a slight breeze for additional cooling. And all along the 14.3 kilometers circuit spectators were flanking the roads in large numbers, contributing to a great atmosphere.

Of course, with over 5,000 runners on the small roads, the start was slow. Just before leaving home, I had decided to adjust my target from finishing in 1h30m to finishing in 1h24m. That meant an average of about 5m50s per kilometer. As it happened, I did the first in 5m45s and the following four or five kilometers in about 5m30s each.

And then I really got into my stride.

Head down for most of it, floating on the rhythm of my pace and breath and the noise from the audience, I ran lighter than ever before. Not each kilometer point was marked, and much to my surprise I reached the 11k point in 58m40s (that's about the best time I had previously run over 10 kilometers!). I even picked up pace further to finish in under 1h15m. That's 19 minutes faster than a year earlier on the same run.

And I wasn't even that tired...

Promising. If I'm fit and conditions are right, I should be able to make my target for the Brussels 20k on 27 May: finish in less than 2 hours. At Sunday's pace, I'd even get close to 1h45m. But that'd really be pushing it, also because Brussels is much hillier than Bruges.

Still, it feels like I've reached the next level indeed. I used to finish my races among the last 20% of the runners. In Bruges I finished number 2,530 out of the 5,000 that started. Pretty soon, I'll rank among the 50% fastest runners.

BACK AT IT

Since 15 November: 70 hours 12 minutes, 649.2 kilometers
Weight: 76 kilos

The week after the failed first attempt at finishing a marathon, I did not train. Only in the weekend, when we were with my family on the lovely island of Texel, did I run a few kilometers.

Since, I have picked it up again. I have to, as the 15k of Bruges is now only a week away. And I've set myself a cautious speed target: finish in less then 90 minutes. Last year I took 93 minutes and a bit, so it should be doable.

Secretly I hope to get close to 85 minutes. After all, I'm much better trained than I was a year ago.

THE MADNESS CONTINUES

Apparently close to half of the runners did not finish yesterday's marathon in Rotterdam. I may not have been in good company, but I was in a crowd. Some other telling statistics: 125 people were put on drips along the track, 30 were hospitalised - runners and spectators - for hyperthermia and heart problems. Reanimation was necessary in two cases.

People like me would still have had to run / walk for over two hours after the race was "neutralised". Eventhough the last bit was more shaded, it would have meant a much higher number of victims.

One thing that many runners do not appreciate is the starting time. Rotterdam starts at 11am, whereas most other big marathons begin earlier, thus avoiding the hottest part of the day. Much be commercial reasons; revenues from live TV take priority over the health of competitors.

It was really sickening to see the organiser on TV claim that there was, contrary to what people say, no shortage of water at the drinking stations. Get real and face up, Mr Organiser! I was there running and the first station, after 5k with no shade, was completely dry. Not a drop. Believe me, we searched every corner of the stalls. At all following stations there were buckets of water, but no clean cups or sponges. I was forced, like thousands of others, to pick up dirty cups and drinks from them.

So that was it, then.

But wait a sec... Are you kidding? I just registered for the Amsterdam marathon, on 21 oktober. Hopefully the weather will be kinder, and at least I'll be able to train for higher temperatures.

I can't just give up, can I? Moreover, Amsterdam is what feels closest to a home town for me. I've never been a fan of Rotterdam anyway.

After the 20k of Brussels, on 27 May, I will start working on a training routine that'll get me through my second attempt in better shape. Again, there'll be almost five months to prepare. And that's on top of what I built up for Rotterdam already.

NOT

The title of this blog stays.

Just my luck: today was the hottest April day on record in the Netherlands. They measures 28.7 celsius in the home town of the Meteorological Society, De Bilt. Beat the previous high by almost a full degree.

Running (and sometimes walking) along two-thirds of the track, I found no shade from the ruthless sun.

The race organisers were smart and brave enough to stop the marathon after a bit over three hours. There's a point in the circuit, at about 28k, where you are very close to the finish. From this point, they now led all runners traffic straight to the recovery area after the finish line. I got there at 3:13.

So now I still do not know whether I can do a full marathon. Need to think a bit. It's tempting to schedule another attempt in autumn (Amsterdam or Brussels).

Pity, though. Been training for it, off and on, for five months.

TOMORROW

They predict temperatures of over 25 degrees! Normal marathons start at 9am, and then these temperatures are doable. But Rotterdam, with a 11am start, is going to be sheer hell.

I won't force myself too much. If I cannot finish, then at least I'll have tried. And I'll try again.

Would save me the trouble of having to rename my blog, too.

Good luck, me!