Giving up is not an option!
Those who can still laugh at the finish line have probably not yet reached their limit.
It’s raining, its cold, I’m tired. So what can possibly go wrong on my first Megamarsch? A lot, but everyone can do easy:
3 km: The pain in the little right toe starts.(Was expected, just hoped not so soon!)
7 km: Running downhill hurts less. Let’s run!
12 km: Finally: Short break, tea and something to eat. Changing tape on my toe. Not wasting any time. Let’s go.
15 km: Still hating going uphill. Friend takes me by the hand. Going 2 km/h faster. I think he just doesn’t want to wait again. Thanks!
20 km: 2nd short break, tea and something to eat. So many people here. We leave immediately after filling up our bottles and pockets.
25 km: Halftime! Point of no return. Motivation is sinking but there is one thing helping: Music! Funny, on every Ultra I have different music to support my mood. This time it is SDP.
30 km: 3rd break. Food! Tea! So happy! I don’t want anymore, but I can still go on. There’s not enough pain to make me just stop now.
35 km: We hear a melody through the trees.
Friend: Maybe an ice truck!
Me: This worries me. It’s amazing grace and traditionally played on funerals!
Older Guy we were passing: I’m not so far away from it!
Lesson 1: ” If you can still make jokes you’re not done yet.”
40 km: 4th break. Tea! Coke! Food! I want it all, I want it all, I want it all and I want it now!
And then there is playing this one song: Blink 182 – All the small things. So many good memories about this song, let’s add one more! Let’s go!
41 km: It feels like my sock is wrinkling under my foot. That’s not good so let’s check it out: It’s not my sock!
42 km: “Pain fades, Pride stays!” – It doesn’t feel like it right now.
44 km: The wrinkling part on my foot starts to feel softer.
Lesson 2: If pain is getting softer, the blister gets thicker!
46 km: I can feel the blister pops. It doesn’t hurt any more or any less, so I just go on. “Just keep hiking, just keep hiking, just keep hiking, hiking, hiking. What do we do? We hike, hike, hike.”
47 km: I break down in tears. Everything feels too much: pain, tiredness, even the happiness. But that’s why I have friends with one. They’re taking turns, taking me by my hand. No one is left behind! Giving up is not an option!
48 km: “Turning around now would be stupid.” – That’s fucking true! So head up and go!
49 km: One to go.
50 km: Done. Out and over!
Lesson 3: 50 km do not equal 50 km.
Lesson 4: After the third blister in 4 weeks at the same spot there’s no skin left! Don’t try this at home, kids!
The difference between doing this alone or with 3149 others? I felt a lot less crazy.
Total time was 9 h 40 m. That’s 2 h and 4 m faster than the best time I’ve ever had! It feels fucking awesome! As I swore to myself to tell here the stone-cold truth, here we go: Even though I am really proud of all of us (especially my sister who has never done anything like that before!) and that we finished within such an amazing time, I’m facing a hard time to deal with the fact that I broke down in tears and needed help. I know it’s not a bad thing, but I am used to be the one helping others not the one who needs help. I did this before and one completely alone without any help somewhere in the middle of the Central Bohemian Highlands. But I will not let it take me down completely. I’ll be back: Stronger, better and one day faster!
For now, I have to go into an at least 5 weeks break to let everything heal a 100 %. I hope strongly to be back on my feet by easter when it’s time for “Discovering Slovakia”. Stay crazy!
Max elevation: 192 m
Total time: 09:40:46
