I Did It But I Didn't Do It!

The short version: I ran Hamburg with a goal of coming in at or near 4:15. I came in at 4:38. Dang!

The long version: I arrived in Hamburg - after a 4-day sojourn with my family in Ohio - early on Thursday morning. Carlsson, our former exchange student, was there to meet me with a big smile and a warm embrace. We quickly gathered my luggage and headed off to his hometown of Travemünde, a Baltic seaside village. First thing I wanted to do after depositing my suitcases in his parent’s house was to walk to the beach. It’s a beautiful, wide, sandy beach with those cool wicker beach cabanas arranged in rows. It was too cool for sunbathers so we had the sand to ourselves and we walked along throwing starfish back into the sea. After snapping a few pictures we decided to go to Lübeck and do some shopping and then hit the grocery to get some brats and beer for a balcony barbeque. By 8:30pm Carlsson, his sister, her boyfriend, another friend and I were enjoying jazz, brats, a huge salad, and beer. By 10:30 it was time to clear the table and head off to the club. They decided to go to the bar where the sister worked – it attracts patrons of ‘all ages.’ Carlsson and I had to leave early – 1:30am – as we were both running that weekend – he at a track meet the following day, and me the day after.

The next morning, Friday, we woke, packed up, and headed to Hamburg to pick up my race packet. I had brought ‘Ethel” – our portable GPS along and she guided us right to the messe where the marathon expo was. We got my timing chip and packet and were perusing the give-aways when we met Wolfgang, a family friend who was planning on running with me during the marathon. After talking for a bit, Wolfgang needed to leave and Carlsson and I continued our shopping. Soon we were headed to Cologne (Köln) where Carlsson is attending college. We arrived at his apartment, unpacked, then headed out to find a nice restaurant. By 10pm I was exhausted and we returned to get some sleep. The next morning we hit one of those wonderful German bakeries for rolls and coffee before heading to the track meet. Carlsson runs the 400m – went to state in that event when he stayed here with us. Today he would be running a 150m and a 300m (odd distances – even for Germans). He did just OK on the 150m but won his heat in the 300m Yes! Met a number of his friends and talked for a long time with one of them. Nice, nice kids. We returned to his apartment and made some pasta for my pre-race carbo-meal. We left Köln for Travemünde around 6:30 or 7pm. The drive is usually around 4+ hours, but we had decided to post our car as a ride-share and were going to be picking up a young man at the Köln train station and then delivering him to the train station in Hamburg on the way. This would add some time to our commute, but it would also pay for some of the fuel. I thought it would be fun too. I really wanted to ‘live’ in Germany this trip, not just ‘visit’, and this is how the Germans live. Besides, on the autobahn, time can be made up with speed. We arrived in Travemünde a little after midnight. We would be leaving at 6:30am to take the train to Hamburg for the marathon. No problem – I usually don’t sleep well before a race anyway.

At 6:30am the doorbell rang and there was Wolfgang. His wife, Hanne (not running) and Alexander (a 29-year-old friend who was also running – but at a faster pace) were in the car. The five of us headed to the train station. Halfway to Hamburg, Wolfgang and Alexander proceeded to change shirts and shoes. Changing clothes seems to be a German preoccupation. Carlsson and I used this time to plot where he would be along the course; 10k, 25k and 35k. About a mile from our stop, the train stopped and after a few minutes a voice came on and announced that the track was busy and we would have to walk the rest of the way. Everyone exited. The train conductor exited too and used a phone on the platform to make a call and after just a few seconds of conversation it was decided that the train would continue and there was a mad dash to re-board the train. Whew! No long trek before the marathon. The day was sunny and warm. It had warmed the day before too. Hmm. Maybe too warm? The train stopped near the start area and I needed to use the port-a-potties. Wolfgang and Alexander needed to find the bag drop. After deciding on a meeting spot we went about our business. Carlsson and Hanne stayed with me. When we returned to the meeting spot, Wolfgang and Alexander were nowhere in sight. We waited. They didn’t come. We decided it was time to line up so we went to the corral for my time group. We looked and looked. Still no sign of Wolfgang or Alexander. Carlsson lifted me to his shoulders to look - nada. Oh well, I wasn’t planning on doing a lot of talking anyway. If I found them on the course great, if not, it would be fine. Carlsson and Hanne seemed concerned however.

Before long it was time – a song, (their anthem?) then the start. It took a few minutes before we started to move and several more before we crossed the start line. I remembered to start my Garmin. We’re off! First mile or two felt a little ‘creaky’ but I found my groove soon enough. About three miles into the run I saw a man wearing a Brazil shirt. I asked in Portuguese if he was really Brazilian. Sim! We chatted for a mile or more before I saw another man ahead with the same shirt and asked if they were friends. Sim! The Brazilian called ahead to his friend that there was a ‘Brasileira aqui’. Made me laugh. If you speak ten words of Portuguese to a Brazilian they immediately include you as one of the gang. We ran together for awhile chatting away until we neared the 10k mark. Then I told them I needed to look for my son. The crowds were thick there and I didn’t want to miss Carlsson. I finally saw him ahead on the right. Big hug. Next thing I knew a lady was pushing a microphone in my face asking me in German how the race was going for me. A quick switch to my pathetic German and I managed to tell her it was good, and that I was American and didn’t speak much German. She asked a few more questions and then I was off again.

By this time it was starting to get hot and I was jealous of the Brazilians who of course were not affected by the heat. One was even wearing long sleeves and a cap on his head. Dang! I started looking for the next water stop. They seemed to be spaced every three or four kilometers. The first water stop I had encountered took me by surprise. They were using large tubs and filling them by hoses. There were plastic cups afloat in them which the runners then grabbed and immersed into the tub of water. Hmmm. Not what I expected from the ordinarily super-hygenic Germans. The other end of the ‘water’ issue was at the 5k mark more or less. I noticed a large number of runners veering off to the sides. Not sure why. Oh…..I see…..really see….. many men peeing in the bushes along the route (seen that before) but lots of bare bottoms too……women joining the men in their ‘elimination endeavor’. Made me smile. The Germans are just not concerned with modesty the way Americans are.

The race course wound along the waterfront and then past many beautiful homes – one of which looked like a miniature White House. The scenery helped to hold my interest, and pace. Up through to 18k or so I was keeping my pace right where I wanted it to be. After that though, I really started to tire and it was a struggle to hold the tempo. I knew I’d see Carlsson again soon and decided I could hold on until then. At 25k he was there; with gel, a wonderful sign he had made, and words of encouragement. He had seen Wolfgang - about 4 minutes in front of me. Carlsson said he would be at the 35k mark and would be ready to run with me to the end. I had asked him earlier if he’d like to run the last 5 miles or so with me as my son Elliot has done in the past. He jumped at the chance. OK, now I just had to hold on for another 10k. It was work, but I did it. The last few kilometers were slow, but I kept moving. Finally, I saw him and he was indeed ready to run. I had told him earlier how hard it had been for Elliot the first time he ran with me at the end of a marathon - difficult to be the one doing most of the talking. I was really hurting by the time 35k came along and I really needed the encouragement he offered. He really worked hard at keeping my spirits up. We walked more than I would have liked but we did keep moving. I’m pleased that on the videos that were taken every 5k by the race officials, I was always running. Didn’t seem that way to me. As we neared the finish line, Carlsson saw Wolfgang right in front of us. He was hurting too and didn’t want to slow down. Carlsson veered off right before the finish and I ended up crossing the line about 15 seconds behind Wolfgang. We would find out later that I had actually beat him by about 3 minutes because he had started earlier than me. Yes!

The finish chute was long. It ended in a ‘runner’s village’ where we got our goodie bag (apple, banana, power-aid, and granola bar) and beer (non-alcoholic). Wolfgang and Alexander (who we amazingly found too) then proceeded to disrobe, wipe with a towel, and change into jeans and t-shirts. An amazingly German thing to do. Can’t stay damp. They do this at the beach too – get out of the water, disrobe, air-dry, then change into a dry suit or clothes. Actually, Wolfgang used a towel-around-the-waist approach to change, most of the men around me did not. After a too-long time of wiping and changing and drinking, we were finally ready to go to the exit to meet up with Hanne and Carlsson. About this time Alexander started to get sick and we all just wanted to go home. Nice to have taken the train – no traffic delays. Home, shower, then off to Alexander’s house where his parents hosted a post-marathon evening of drink and food for all of us. A realllly fun evening - but that’s for another blog!