This coming weekend I am running my very first full marathon. As I have been mentally preparing and hydrating like we are about to have a drought, I have been reading about Kenyan, Patrick Makau. Makau finished the Berlin Marathon this past September in a record time of 2:05:08, the 11th fastest time in Berlin Marathon history! Prior to the Berlin Marathon, Makau won the Rotterdam Marathon in April with a time of 2:04:48. With these two wins under his belt, he has really established himself as one of the world's best marathoners.
Makau started running seriously at the age of 17, and only a few years later started racing and doing exceptionally well. Read more about Makau's running journey and great success here iaaf.org - Makau now the Marathon’s man to beat.
How are you supposed to know if you are a marathon runner? I found my first half-marathon to be quite the breeze. Don't get me wrong, I trained hard, but I loved it and ran a great race. My biggest fear going into this weekend is what if I am not a marathon runner? Not every great half-marathon runner can make the transition to a great marathon runner. While I am not a "great" half-marathon runner, I am most definitely proud of my personal best, and can only hope my transition is as smooth as Makau's. Check out Makau's phenomenal finish at the Berlin Marathon above.
I am so fascinated by Makau's outstanding performance and amazing journey . Reading about his journey as a runner has me very excited to get my legs moving on Sunday, as his story is truly an inspiration to all. "In the marathon, you have to be strong in your mind" Makau says, I will certainly be remembering and exercising this advice at The GoodLife Fitness Toronto Marathon - Sunday, October 17, 2010.
Happy Trails,
Road Runner
No comments:
Post a Comment