Running
I used to be an "absolutely no sports, thank you very much" guy. Until I noticed
I was gaining a little weight. And that I was breathing heavily after
climbing the stairs to my flat. And that a simple flu would knock me out for
two weeks. No more, I thought. Something needed to be done about it.
Being overweight wasn't my real problem - I seem to be one of those genetically
challenged folks who won't survive the next Great Famine because the calories
burn and evaporate before they arrive at my stomach. Physical activity, that's what I
was lacking. Being a geek, I quickly ruled out
most kinds of group sports. Plus, I wanted close-to-zero setup effort.
And whatever I would do, it would have to require a bare minimum of dexterity and
coordination skills.
Hmmm. "Summer Games"
on my good ol' 64 - would that kind of sport fit the bill?
Doubtful. Next idea: Biking. Not so bad, except that the bike
was out of shape as well, and needed a minor overhaul. Well, running then, maybe.
Hmmm.
It caught on. I started running end of April 2000, and have since become an addict.
Running gives me brilliant excuses for buying the latest sleek and ultra-portable
MP3 player, for instance. Or pulse watches with more functions than the software
I helped to write back at the time. And it also changed the way I think about
my body. For instance, I noticed I actually had one, with moving parts and all.
Fascinating! Running improved my self-esteem, renewed my interest in nature,
even helped me socialize a little among other
runners. Best of all, finally I can chat about something at parties without either
techno-talking everybody into numbness or freaking them out with geek humor!
'nuff said. I still find it amazing that I even enjoy races now.
Here are some results:
2001
- Herrenberger Frühlingslauf 2001 (10km): 47:26 -
my first competitive long-distance race ever. I was nervous as well, and was fully prepared to not even reach the
finish line. Turns out that I achieved my best result ever for this race...
- Sindelfinger Citylauf 2001 (11km): 51:26. An unpleasant memory. Forgot to wear my chrono, so I didn't know
my speed. Out of control, I ran like a madman for the first 5 km or so, but then crawled to the finish line.
One of the spectators rightfully commented: "Dr schaut abr fertig aus..."
- Stuttgart-Lauf 2001 (7km): 30:30.
First race in a real huge crowd of thousands and thousands of runners. Spectacular.
- Holzgerlinger Stäffeleslauf 2001 (10.2km): 48:30. The course in Holzgerlingen is really tough. Worst of
all: When you arrive at the stadium, you think you've made it, but then they let you run another 200 meters...
- Böblinger Stadtlauf 2001 (10km): 43:50. My best 10km result ever. Boy, I wish I could get there again.
- Aidlinger Crosslauf 2001 (10km): 52:16. Another tough one. Aidlingen is a hilly cross race, and it is usually
really hot since it's held in August.
- Dagersheimer Volkslauf 2001 (15km): 1:10:46. My first race beyond 10km. Incredibly important for
my brainware, giving me confidence for the upcoming semi-marathon.
- Halbmarathon Karlsruhe 2001 (21.1km): 1:42:44.
This one made me really proud of myself. I beat my target by about 10 minutes.
- Ulmer Citylauf 2001: 55:59 (9.4km), 19:01 (4.7km). They let you run around old-town for 5 and 10 times.
I was probably the only one to participate in both races. Good fun!
- Schönbuchlauf 2001 (25km): 2:23:44. Ran this one with a painful right hip and leg. Almost quit after
only 1 km because I felt I could never make it, but then decided to try my best until the pain
would stop me. After 25km, the pain was gone... (After the race, I learnt that
one of my vertebrae had moved and "tilted" my hip.)
2002
- Herrenberger Frühlingslauf 2002 (10km): 48:41
- Kirschblütenlauf Kayh 2002 (14.2km): 1:11:17.
A beautiful race through Schönbuch and past
blossoming cherry trees. Mentally, I found it incredibly demanding because of the long uphill battle which
you need to fight in the second half of the race.
- Stadtmarathon Würzburg (21.1km): 1:42:36. My second semi-marathon. Had a few problems during the race
again, and so I was overjoyed to see that I could still finish 8 seconds
ahead of my result in Karlsruhe.
- Stuttgart-Lauf 2002 (21.1km): 1:38:53. Wow - an improvement of almost 4 minutes over Karlsruhe.
- Degerloch-Lauf 2002 (10km): 49:35.
- Aidlinger Crosslauf 2002 (10km): 56:45
- Baden-Marathon Karlsruhe 2003 (42.2km): 3:51:16. Finished my first
marathon ever. Best of all, I didn't hit the infamous wall, and actually felt I was flying when
I reached the finish line.
- Ulmer Citylauf 2002: 48:09 (9.4km), 19:08 (4.7km).
- Nikolauslauf Tübingen (21.1km): 1:48:28
2003
- Würzburg-Marathon 2003 (42.2km): 3:47:54. Another race with
back and hip problems. But I made it, and even improved my marathon result by more than 3 minutes.
- Stuttgart-Lauf 2003 (21.1km): 1:46:06
- Holzgerlinger Stäffeleslauf 2003 (10.2km): 48:08
- ebm-Marathon 2003
(21.1km): 1:37:01. Hardly slept the night before, but still found this one of the most beautiful
races I ever took part in.
- 3-Länder-Marathon 2003 (21.1km): 1:35:48. It was raining cats and dogs,
and it was awfully cold (6 degrees), but I still broke all records. A really good sign for the upcoming
marathon in munich.
- Medien-Marathon München 2003 (42.2km): 3:36:53. Paid some tribute to several problems in
the preparation period (back problems, caught a flu two weeks before the race, etc.),
so I knew quite early I wouldn't be able to finish in 3:30, which had been my original
goal. But I was still extremely happy with the result.
2004
2005
- Kirschblütenlauf Kayh 2005 (14.2km): 1:10:32
- Schönbuchmarathon 2005 (21.1km): 1:54:49.
Hit the wall halfway into the race, probably because of too strenuous exercises two days
before and because it was so hot (>30 centigrades).
- Stuttgart-Lauf 2005 (21.1km):
1:40:02
Intentionally slower than last year - still building up for the next marathon.
New experience: Ran with a buddy (well, at least the first 17km), which adds a
twist to pacing the race. (Thanks, Christian!)
- Mont Saint Michel Marathon:
The Bretagne surprised everyone with temperatures close to 35 degrees Celsius.
Decided to try it nice and slow. After more than 3 hours into the race,
they cancelled it - presumably due to too many medical incidents! The
real marathon, however, took place afterwards: It took us
four hours in steaming busses to finally get back to the start line.
An unforgettable horror trip.
- Marathon du Vignoble d'Alsace:
Temperatures rose beyond 30 degrees Celsius again, so all I wanted was to finish,
and finish I did! A new and very nice race; kudos to all the volunteers who
made it so much easier to take the heat.
- IBM-Lauf "Rund um den Schönaicher First" (12km): 1:00:20
(official time; 1:00:00 on my own watch)
- ebm-pabst Marathon in Niedernhall (21.1km): 1:35:07;
my second time around, and although it was raining all day, this was just as pleasant an
event as in 2003. Still highly recommended. And of course, I was really happy to beat
my own semi-marathon record (1:35:48 so far)!
- Dreiländermarathon 2005 (42.195km): 3:28:06;
a new best, improving upon last year's marathon in Munich, despite a shaky
week before the event and cold, pouring rain throughout the race.
- Zigeunerberglauf in Kuppingen (12km): 54:38
(according to my watch)
- Schönbuchlauf 2005 (25km): 1:56:46
(again, if I can trust my watch) - what a beautiful race this year!
- Albmarathon 2005 in Schwäbisch Gmünd (50km): 5:01:36;
my first ultramarathon! Very tough, not so much because of the long distance,
but because of the 1100m of altitude difference. Still awfully proud of the result
since it means that I, as an ultra rookie, arrived in the 42nd percentile of all
finishers!
- Marathon du Beaujolais nouveau: 4:52:27;
a beautiful way to end the season - wine, cheese and baguettes every other two or
three kilometers, lots of friendly people, wineyards, lovely chateaus, and sunshine
all day long. We even ran directly through a wine cave! I probably
drank more wine on this single day than in all of the past six months...
2006
- Sindelfinger Glaspalastlauf (9.8km): 45:40;
first race in the year. 45 minutes is probably all I can currently expect from exercising just once
a week.
- Magstadtlauf (March 19th, 21.1km): 1:44:50 (corrected time);
first semi in 2006, and considering that I'm still exercise roughly once a week, I'm
pretty happy about the result. Blue sky, 10 degrees - what more can a runner ask for?
- Kirschblütenlauf Kayh 2006 (14km): 1:11:17;
cool, but very sunny day, excellent conditions.
- medio maraton Donosti (San Sebastián) (21.1km):
1:45:15; my first race in Spain, and the first race with a hangover
after a wedding party the night before. Nice sight-seeing tour through Donosti.
After roughly half a year of hardly exercising at all, I'm now beginning to see
effects: Sore muscles after the race, and at least 5 minutes slower than I probably
could/should have been. Anyway - good fun nonetheless.
- Warema-Lauf Marktheidenfeld (10km):
49:32; on this very hot day, I finally saw the results of not exercising for virtually
6 months or so. Not a pleasant experience.
- Stuttgart-Lauf 2006 (~7.2 km): 32:14;
another hot day, another race with hardly any preparation, so I got what I deserved.
Oh well. (Still, I came in as #126 of 1600.)
- Schönbuchlauf 2006 (25km): 2:06:40;
this year, no preparation whatsoever for this race - so the difference between having
exercised (like last year) and doing nothing is just 10 minutes, in my case.
And sore muscles .-)
2007
- La Course Du Soleil Nice-Monaco (February 4th, 20.8km):
Fantastic scenery along the coastal route from Nice to Monaco. Sunny weather, flowers everywhere even
at this time of year, impressive villas along the way, and a glistening sea. Breathtaking views at
times. Not the easiest course of them all, with several climbs along the way and occasional
strong headwinds - but you come here for the sightseeing anyway, not to break records. Some organizational
weaknesses (lack of signposts, time measurement, showers), but overall, still a great race.
Ran with the folks from http://www.courirlemonde.org/.
Henri, Franck, everybody who helped to set this up: You guys rock!
- Glaspalastlauf Sindelfingen (9.8km, 43:20)
- Werkstadtlauf Sindelfingen (May, 13km, 1:04): A very hot day
- Stadtlauf Böblingen (July 1st, 10.1km, 44:58)
- IBM-Lauf (July 15th, 12km, ~1:00): Beautiful race track
- Dagersheimer Waldlauf (September 15th, 15km, 1:13)
- Köln-Marathon (October 7th, 3:37:23): Brilliant weather,
large crowds of spectators, and since my original goal just was to finish under four hours,
I was very happy with my finish time.
- Florence marathon (November 25th, 5:25):
Feeling a little sick the week before, and not having exercised since early November, the
original plan was to start with the crowd, pick a very slow pace, do some sight-seeing,
and then drop out at km 13 when passing the hotel. This plan failed completely;
we finished the race instead. Ahem. Slightly risky, and I wouldn't recommend this
to anyone, but still, it was a lot of fun - and final proof of "mind over matter" for me...
2008
- Rome marathon (March 16th):
Mind over matter, part II. This time, we actually exercised a little up to
four or five weeks before the race, but then had to stop; so once again,
I was essentially unprepared and decided to take it sloooooow and just enjoy
the scenery. Of which is there is a _lot_ in Rome, of course. Awesome.
- Stadtlauf Böblingen
- Stäffeleslauf Holzgerlingen
- Dagersheimer Volkslauf (15km)
2010
2013
The benchmarks
Every now and then, I run home from work. It's always pretty much
the same distance (8.7km, elevation from 430-480m), so it's a great opportunity to measure
speed and fitness. I also sometimes run controlled 400m or 800m distances. Probably
to my own disgrace, I'll collect those results here over time and then try to map
them against results in actual races.
- Work-home: 38:30 (summer 2004), 37:45 (June 14th, 2005)
- 400m: 1:08 (July 19th, 2005), 1:06 (September 16th, 2005)
- 800m: 2:37 (September 23rd, 2005), 2:36,6 (October 30th, 2005)
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