forecast for several days were clear: the 6th marathon Treviso was wet. And so it was.
The rain started falling Saturday afternoon and has contributed to the nervousness. Nervousness started for a nagging back pain that I carried out a few days and fortunately Luca has managed to pass myself off with a massage.
But let's get to Sunday. Being the last Sunday in March, you must move the clock back one hour. I do not know how long to wait now. Maybe forever. But I never really tried. I've always done other sports, the most classic. Today, however, 33 years old, I find myself realize his dream of a lifetime. Running a marathon. Running for 42 km and 195 meters ..... Talking with friends, when it turns out that I would do a marathon, I get up at 6 in the morning to go running before going to work, or tease me, or think they are all crazy.
Well, if that were true today, March 29, 2009, here at Vittorio Veneto, there are 3500 nuts, which are even more mad because it rains. And even more rain in Treviso, at least so says the speaker. But here we are: Massimo, Marco, me and 3497 other people. Others seem that crazy 3497 even more so today because they use for shelter from the rain of all: I attached a bag of garbage with a hole for the head and two arms. Marco equal to me, but its not lying. Maximus, however, only a hole for the face, everything else is inside the bag.
Fortunately it does not rain a lot, now at 9.30. On the other hand we are closed inside the cages. When I read that in the regulation needed to enter the cages by 9:30 am, I was expecting something more like a zoo, but they are just fences.
Meanwhile time passes, and the rain does not penetrate beyond my bag of garbage. Someone begins to undress ... space for stretching there. And even if there were, I would not do, I believe, are too busy to look around. A look at the other 3500 people who are there like me. Every now and chat with fellow adventurers and then the decision to leave Mark a more cautious pace, along with Massimo.
recent months of training were used to set the pace: 5'20 "at km. Marco and Massimo will begin running at 5'40" at this point it is better to throw yourself at your own pace or run helped by comrades ?
I made the wrong choice, one that I regret in times of difficulty. A few minutes away from Massimo that makes us all join hands for the ultimate good luck.
From there follow different compaction of the group, moves forward a few feet. Is about to begin, so many thoughts are in my mind that does not remember them. My wife and children there will be no arrival because of the time. Ditto for my parents and several friends ... but maybe someone will make me a surprise. Surely the 35 km mark that will be my father in law with the civil defense on the course.
And the race begins, we start up of the group is large. I take off my bag of garbage, throw it to the curb, hitting someone, I'm afraid, but I'm not sure. The farewell to classmates and then immediately hunt for my pacer, or rather my pacer because there are three people I can follow to get there on time arrival. With their white balloons already deflated before leaving. Pass under the bill of departure (almost 1 minute after the start, but I'll find out only after several hours). Arms up when the photographer shot from just then. And then I start to see something that I did not expect, that I had not thought about how I had heard the forecast that we would progress under the water: the public. There were people who came there to see us leave. With an umbrella, roadside, to incite. They clapped their hands to us.
We were trained for months to that day, we had paid out weeks in advance, we had the medical examination to be there. But they? They could stay at home on dry land, perhaps even in bed. Instead, they were on board road to clap.
If I could I would beat them hands all the way: we were not good ones, but they, to be there.
And then I found that fatigue was not to accompany me throughout the race, but the emotions. Emotions emanating from that audience clapped her hands wet, bathing even more. Screaming almost voiceless.
Several times I almost burst into tears ... I have not felt these emotions often, and I never thought to try them in a race.
In any event, the race continues and the pacer waits for no one, and rightly so. The road is wide, but in the first round, after less than a mile, we must find a way to not be crushed. We are many, many really goes on. Overtake on all sides: every time you open a small step and puts you to gain a few yards to the pacer.
My body starts to not like the clothing: tank top technology, technical long sleeve shirt and jacket breathable rain. I'm hot and sweat. Not good. Pull up your sleeves, then pull down, then lowered the zipper of the jacket: it rains a lot but there is so wet. I'm pretty worried. I remember the advice of Max not to dress too, and I regret it: this will be the only time I'll regret clothing. As soon as that car is amazing that the human body adjusts itself, I'm fine and I am glad to have a minimum of protection rain. Meanwhile
passed the first mile, we are still in Vittorio Veneto. There is still public, not much, but makes itself felt and the emotions that grow have to smother. Sometimes I recognize the road that made hundreds of times to go to the mountains from my grandfather.
Then we take towards Treviso, of course: I know not, but I did sometimes. The miles go by, and I start to struggle. Yet I run behind the pacer. I ask my neighbor, equipped with Garmin 305 (which envy) how we are doing: forecast to close in 3h30 '. 3h30 '?? Already the first mile in less than 5 minutes and the next two little slower. It was probably in the plans of the pacer from a little 'stronger or in the first few kilometers there is little to be done and you can go where you stick to the rhythm of the river runners allows you to do. In each case the rate drops, I think 6 minutes the fourth or fifth mile, then stabilizes around the 5'15 ".
Without thinking I find myself at the first refreshment: only liquids, no solids. I'm not thirsty, and are sufficiently wet ... but whoever is intending a little 'know that you still eat and drink at every opportunity. So I take my water bottle and start drinking a run. It' s more that comes from the mouth than that that goes: I do not want to lose the pacer so do not slow down to drink.
The first few miles have passed quickly. absently listening to the conversations runners near me, I think a lot of training that only one in the rain. I do a checkup of my body and I feel the left knee "strange": I feel almost bloated. Every now and then touching the other knee and I look to see if the swelling is known and visible, however, everything seems normal. LIKELY is all suggestion.
control back: no problem. The massage Luca yesterday afternoon was truly a miracle.
At 7.5 km there is the sponge: to see a lot of laughing and joking with those who proposed the sponges and I think the blog of a marathon runner who raced last year. There was a very hot and several people were hurt today that there is no risk, but perhaps it is better so that with the sun that kitchen.
I wake from my thoughts and I am afraid of losing the pacer, but they are there before, now my legs have not memorized the pace and unlikely to change. But it lacks one: lack of a pacer. That's why there are three, because they are also human beings. And like all too stop to pee recovering the group without strain.
are many of us to run a quell'andatura, we are still so many. The public reads out the timing of balloons: Most people think that just does not understand the meaning. But do the fans and keep up morale. They give an incredible charge.
I'm running a marathon ... the dream of a lifetime, now nobody can stop me. Sometimes I feel strong and I would also increase, sometimes the rain increased and I feel to slow down and wait for Marco.
I talk to a boy of Cervia, also with 305. That morning he and his friend did not hear the alarm and have missed the train to Vittorio Veneto. We take the company until the arrival in Conegliano: there the rest between us but I searched and monitored throughout the race it's always been there before me, until a few kilometers from.
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