The Royal Park Foundation’s Half Marathon 2014

My links:

• New York Road Runners – http://www.nyrr.org
• Goteborgsvarvet – http://www.goteborgsvarvet.se/en
• London Parks Foundation Half Marathon – https://royalparkshalf.com
• BMW Berlin Half Marathon – http://www.vattenfall-berliner-halbmarathon.de/en

Waiting for start in Gothenburg

Half way through in Gothenburg

Waiting for start in London 2011

After the Royal Park Foundation Half Marathon

Interviewed by Karen from the NY runners’ television

At the Finish Line in New York 2011

Ten years ago my daughter asked me to start running with her. The experience I had with running was exhaustion and losing my breath. I gave it a chance, pleased by her suggestion. I had never competed either.

I started to learn and appreciate running through realizing that I will never be the fast type of runner. During these years I have participated in 4 half marathons per year in Denmark and in other countries. The distance is not unreachable with constancy in training. I train many other things than running because I enjoy the variety. Normally three lessons a week at a fitness centre and two days of running. I have done all the mistakes also and I will share them with you.

• Training too much the up to the race will just slow you down!
• I am convinced it’s advisable to eat properly two hours before the race starts. And it must be something you are used to eating like pasta, vegetables with some ham, chicken or eggs. That gives the much-needed energy during the race.
• Don’t eat full English breakfast before running in London!  That would be very unwise!
• And don’t ever buy new training shoes to be used first time in a race!
• Take something to drink when offered on the route. I have seen enough strong young men lying on the ground waiting for first aid not a long distance from the finish line.
• When not in too good training condition you have difficulties in walking downstairs after the race. That’s how you watch who is in good or bad condition after a race. Running in foreign countries give me a feeling of belonging to the place and I get high long before the race is over.
• To have a race to look forward to helps you to get enough of training. If I can manage Half Marathons, most others can as well. In New York, the Danish team was interviewed by New York Road Runners, who organized the races. Normally that’s only the fastest who experience that.

The big and famous races are so well-organized in all details and there will be nice depots with water and energy drink and fruit. In smaller local races it’s not always so that you get enough to drink during the race.

After the race, I have found my self in different conditions. If I have made an effort to be “fast” I sometimes have felt a bit sick, but the moment, when I enter the finish line, I am always very high in my feelings and want to talk with complete strangers.

I am thinking of the words from Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint”.

The last mile hurts, but I have never given up before the race was finished.