Winterthur Marathon 2017 - Who is crazy to run a marathon at 30 celsius...

Winterthur, why do I love you so much?
I didn't have to go, but I wanted to be there again. I didn't expect the heat when I signed up for this. I just though: I want to race it again because is a fantastic course, most nature path with trail and only a few kms on the asphalt, hilly and challenging, the surrounds take the attention and is  for me a very enjoyable race.
My morning started at 4:30 am, with a breakfast at 5, before the family is up. That is what coasts me most when I go race. They could sleep a little longer on Sunday and I just force them to stand up 2 hours earlier. But " Why Mama? I am still tired..." because mama will run a marathon today. It sounds so selfish. And it is. So I only race a few times per year, but that means so much for me.
The drive took us two hours, which I used to take a nap, hydrate and take one more snack. It was already warm enough at 8 am.
Picked my bib and got already the t-shirt and the medal. " So we can go home" (ahah) . For sure not. It's time to earn it. I took an easy 10 minute warm-up. Incredible warm already. If this would happen at one or two years ago, I would even not go. I am not a warm appreciator, unless I am laying but I wanted to test me. I knew if I would find that hard race that tests me to the point of give up I would have one more reason to challenge myself. I though that day at Winterthur would be that one, the one testing me as runner and teaching me to become a stronger runner.
To run a marathon in the heat with 21°C  at start? Holly day, I come for you.

I was confident. I took it with a smile. I knew all could happen and the pace was the last thing worrying me. I wanted to enjoy it and don't push it. So I did. The first kms were easy, I decided me for try the isotonic drinks proposed in water stations to keep me hydrate ( I never took anything else than water, what probably caused my collapse in past marathon) . I knew was a risk of try something new at race day but that was not a race for me. It was a marathon I decided to go , test new things, do mistakes and learn a lot.
Shortly after Km 14 I started to feel stomach cramps and I though: this isn't going well. At 15k I found Matthias, who gave me a bottle of water and showed compassion for the situation. The heat was not to take it easy. I decided don't take a gel and keep going, I was thinking  in stay at half-marathon. Live and feel the frustration of give up. But soon I was feeling better and between the hesitation between right or left, I decided to keep testing until where i Hold it.
11 am and so hot. the sweat was all over and in every station I was taking something. Banana, water, isotonic or a refreshing sponge. I didn't miss any but I am sure I was smart. The heat was not the worse, the worse was my physiologic needs. Yes, there was a lot of forest, trees, leaves and even toilets on the way, but stop was not an option for me. " If I stop, I will need lots of time and probably I won't finish it because i will feel too lazy or bored to pick it again" - my thoughts... So I kept going, walking when the pain was intensive but I didn't see Matthias anymore, he said was too hot for watch the race. (LOL) I had realized that on second round, the crowds disappeared and only on the shadows you could see some, most bathing on the river.
This race is so well organized. friendly and funny people on the stations which itself is a great support, motivating words and even tips. My pain was coming and going, which lead me to walk a little with a runner who was complaining about the heat. Yes! It's too hot for run a marathon but we are almost there! Once you see the last water station, you forget the pain. You hold it a little longer and run. In a instinctive reaction I started clapping on the last meters in though of all who I saw running in that hot day. In though of all who didn't stay home because was too hot. I was happy, in finish it. I wasn't counting in finish with such a reasonable time for a hot day even. I though 4 hours wouldn't be enough and I surprised myself in walk sometimes, fighting with my stomach and cross it at 3:48.03,9 . If you ask me: it was tasty. I feel  me proud, I respected my body, but the most of all, I faced a fear: Run in the heat. And that's the most important of all.

 We meet us again in Winterthur next year and it really doesn't matter how hot it will be.

Waffenlauf - Do you wanna run a Military Run?

I remember the first time I saw runners wearing military uniform with a bag on their back and a gun shinning from it. It was on my first marathon - Frauenfelder, 2015. I was amazed to see them running, I couldn't imagine how hard that should be, so made me respect them even more.
Past November I ran it again, and the feeling was the same. I don't know what is it about, but is different. One of the fastest men , Fritz Gast and I, crossed our paths in social media and soon came the invitation:  Do you wanna run a Military Run? I never though about it, but after that question, oh yes. I do.
Months went by,  I was concentrated in Zurich Marathon and shortly after, we talked about it again. My answer was yes, I go for the Domleschger-Lauf . A 14k between asphalt and trail, hilly hard course and 5kg on my back seemed to be the perfect challenge.
Fritz gave me many tips, very good and helpful ones and I was super excited for the all new thing.
I was surprised with the running community, named by Fritz as: "we are family". I had never been in such a friendly ambiance in any race. I remember the Winner of the race arriving to me and give me her hand wishing me luck.

The shot went off and I was concentrated in follow the tips. The bag didn't seem that hard to carry but the hills, were worse than I expected, so the last tip: Follow them. I walked when they walked, ran when they ran and arrived at the finish-line with a happy smile. It was my ever first and I enjoyed so much. But the surprises didn't stop. As soon we cross that line, the big spirit of Brotherhood came to show me why they are different. All congratulate everyone, doesn't matter who, if they are new or veterans. That was what I was looking for in every marathon and I didn't find it. After our snacks, the ranking was known and I was surprised for a 2nd place (age-group) . It was the cherry in the top of the cake. The perfect start for a new modality.
I felt me a Baby between the big ones, They are fast, mental and physically strong, they are unstoppable and I am truly inspired by them. I wanna learn with them and give me to the sport as well.
For more than I try to put in words the feelings, I can't. It was intensive, magical and such an amazing  experience which became for me unique, unexplainable. Just who lives it can understand what I felt without use words.

Hoplitodromia says you something? It was part of the Ancient Olympic Games where the participants had to wear a heavy armor but Waffenlauf is a Swiss Sport modality founded in the First World War(1916) . The men must wear the swiss military uniform, the gun and a military backpack of 6.5kg. This modality was as long of many years very popular in Switzerland ( more than the running categories ) Women were not allowed to take part of the event until 20 years ago(1997). For women, the gun isn't obligatory and 5kg backpack is the demand. 

When I participated in Frauenfelder 2015 I had no idea about all the story and meaning of the Military Marathon. Frauenfelder is the Crown for the Military Modality. 

It's togetherness, it's community, it's passion and give away. Humanity. 

My forever respect for military runners and a special thanks to Fritz Gast for the opportunity to join them for a day and hopefully the first of many. 

The Boston Dream - Zürich Marathon 2017

The girl who one day ran hidden, is the woman who wants to qualify for the most desired marathon in the world. She dreamed she would be worthy of Boston. The woman in fear of crowds can run this world. 

I could talk only about the marathon that allows me to inscribe me for Boston, but that's not where it all began.There were 9 months of training, some races, lots of hills, trails, treadmill and snow runs. It took a little courage to start this training. The first half of the training was the hardest. Back in summer of last year... many desires to give up, run for anything, do not work at all. Giving up current thoughts... mentally these months of training were the hardest that I faced. I was not taking the training seriously enough, I was not believing it. I had a test marathon: Lucerne Marathon and after that I made some changes in that direction. I needed a 5 minute improvement to get my under 3.35 time. I did not doubt  that I could anymore, but I knew I had to work harder to get ready.During the winter months, I doubted. I was running so slow... and everything seemed to be so difficult. Each treadmill was frustrating. The winter roads and the freezing temperatures were not letting me see any improvement. I was running blind. I had no idea if it was working or not. Once the winter was almost over, I wanted to test it but I had to keep the training straight ... and I was seeing a little improvement... no one unless I, could compare the effort.  I knew I could run Zürich with a PB. I was not sure if that would be enough for Boston.



Race weekend...All week I was very nervous about the Sunday Race. Zürich is not a city where I go often or get pleasured about. The mess and traffic are hard to deal with, generally I leave there wishing never to return. On Saturday, we left our peaceful village at the Grisons mountains to join the chaos in the urban ZÜRICH.I was incredibly nervous. I risk to say that I have never felt this way before. I notice that I am more nervous about half-marathons than marathons. Somehow I have the feeling I can control marathons. But not this time. I was feeling tense, it would be this race or no one. Another year waiting? It had to be now.As soon as we arrived to the hotel, I realized that the Sporthalle was on the other side of Zürich and I did not have much time to pick my race pack. The worst thing I could do was what I decided to do:  to walk instead of take a public transport. I surrendered. When I came back to the Hotel, the tears toke me. I walked / jogged almost 1:30 and I was tired, I felt dehydrated as it was warmer than I am accustomed to. Dirty and tired, the quick dinner at the Italian restaurant didn't make me to relax. I had the feeling I had screwed this race even before the start. At 20:30 I was in bed, ready to sleep. I woke up sometimes during that long night to check the clock.  I wrote my refueling in a decorating band as I'm always doing counts during rush to try to guess when it's next station, so I had already decided that I wouldn't take the first station at least and fixed 4 stations where I would have to refuel. Near it:  "STRONG MIND" a keepsake to not let my mind betray me: I HAVE A STRONG PHYSIQUE; I AM A STRONG MIND; I HAVE A STRONG WILL! "Graham made me promise that I would repeat it.
 At 5:15am, I was the first to appear for breakfast, but soon the room was full with athletes. I just took the meals I know and for my surprise, no oatmeal, but the delicious Blueberries Birchermüesli.The start was about 2.5k (1.5 miles), which was perfect for warming up, thinking, imagining everything ... but more: to feel ready for it. At this point, I realized that I was mentally saying to myself: I did not come here to have fun. I never really liked Zürich, so today, Zürich makes me love her or hate her forever. I was even amazed by the ambience, the history, the many details I have never noticed that were there for anyone to see but somehow never seen. How different Zürich is without traffic. I was loving it.It was sunny, it would be hot. I remember I thought: I can not run fast when the sun is warming me. It's not my favorite time to run. How would I run a marathon below 3.35? With this weather I should be thankful if I would be able to finish it.

I was warming up when I saw some of the most incredible athletes in the world. I felt like I had never been into something so great. I had already run with some, back to 2015, my first 10k but here was different. They came all over the world for win. My warm-up was canceled because I met two other runners with who I stayed  until Julie arrived. I was nervous, she gave me some motivational words, holding a shield : Silvia #roadtoBoston. I had been hydrating very well with water and powerade when I joined the 3.30 group. 

This walk along made me feel strong, I had a plan: Run a little faster than my 5'/km pace for when I feel the sun,  don't need to push. I knew I couldn't handle a 5 pace under sun on the late stage of a marathon, so I took the risk of bunk. It was to give all or nothing.

Half-way

I still feel I lived a dream race. The crowds were amazing, the runners were enthusiastic and all seemed so comfortable. I relaxed as soon my Garmin marked 1k and more strange of all is that i thought : only 41,2 to go. And suddenly I felt that was hilarious. I confess I was surprised with my pace at the half-marathon. I was running my fastest half-marathon ever in a marathon race and I wasn't feeling I was pushing hard.

For a few minutes crossed my mind:  will I make a 3.26 marathon? On that point, the first athletes were crossing by us and I saw some painful expressions, some others giving up and I decided me for forget that vision and be careful from that point. I started to pace myself back to a 5'/km , I just had to defend that pace now to guarantee I finish it with a Boston time. 

It was a little over the 20 mile mark , at km 33 that the wall came to take me. What happened? It took me fast. It got warm, I was trying to fix my eyes  on a runner ahead me, but I could only follow his pace for more 4km. The under 3.30 pacemaker crossed us at what seemed to be a Killer pace. I was feeling too slow, too weak to keep going. I was now taking every water station as a gift and aiming for the finish-line. 

I never thought in give up, but a weak feeling crossed me : only this time, I will never try to qualify for Boston anymore. ( lol ) i checked my arm again, as I was doing since mile 20 : STRONG MIND! My Garmin was still pacing for a under 3.30 marathon and I've tried to keep the 5 pace but was getting down and down. At km 39 I knew i just had to keep going, even if I would be slower I would make it. 3.30 on my garmin, but the course was longer, I've noticed at some kms away the distance wasn't matching, so I couldn't trust my garmin, I tried to push, but I was done, my body was giving up, I was not feeling well my arms, I wanted to drink, my head was too heavy and every try of mine to keep on running was breaking me more, I could see many crossing me and I had the feeling I was about to faint. I still got conscience I wasn't running straight. I know my garmin was 42.2 and I wasn't seeing the finish line. When I saw it, I wished I had power to celebrate it. I just crossed it, pressed my garmin while fainting in a stranger arms. I came to me somewhen, in a wheelchair, asked for water and as soon my head stopped to spin around I gave a few steps. Back into the racing area, received my earned medal, I wasn't sure about my time. I knew by my garmin I was under 3.35 but official is what counts. When I met Julie again I could meet my official result and celebrate this fact with the woman that was for several times on the road supporting me.When I was again alone, I walked slow to the hotel, looking around. there were still people racing and I was still not knowing what happened. A part of me was not realizing I made it. 3:32.19,9 

"The Dream commands the Life"

One week after, I still find hard to believe it. It was a fight, I may didn't feel like running the 3/4 of the race, but that last 10km tested me to the point I don't recognize myself. I feel I broke limits, I was far from my comfort Zone, I gave all of me and I feel I couldn't do better or in another way.


Sometimes,  we surprise ourselves. Other times, we fear ourselves. There are the times we overcome all the other times and all the others I, selfs and me , that sets us back and We become a fearless new being.

This dream scared me for so long that I even feared to make it true. Confused still... it was a big dream. I gave my best and now, just B.A.A. can make the 5% difference on this dream. I am no one but if you arrive here and read this, let
me tell you that If I could, you can. If it scares you, it's big enough and if you want it, you will get it.

I conquered Zürich, but Zürich conquered me. Forever. 

This post is dedicated to all who supported me on my journey, the whole time, a few days, for a while, at race day or a lifetime. Thank you for believe me.