Here it is! Months of training, mainly spent on increasing the distance, my longest run ever done late August, around 25k with some tiny pain in the right knee, but I decided not to worry too much about it.

Why doing a marathon will you ask? Quick answer is alone I will not have done it as I did not have the secret wish to do it, but with a group of cool newbies I changed my mind.

We are around 10 people from spottedbylocals coming from different cities and gathering in Vilnius, Lithuania for its marathon.

The day of the race

We all stay at a hostel downtown sharing a big room, those not running are making smoothies, it’s a team effort.

The start and finish line is the same, near the Vilnius Catholic cathedral. There are two loops on the program, twice 21k.

It’s a group departure, half and full together and we are around 5000. Not much space between us and a good rythm such that the first loop is done smoothly, not too fast, not too slow, a good 10km/h.

21km

Finish line crossed but race not finished, road is suddently empty, basically 80% of the runners are doing half for the full distance, another chapter begins.

The feeling of moving in an empty city, less people cheering as soon as you leave the city center, but the road is more comfortable.

28km

More than half, you know your math, and the tiny pain in my right knee saying hello I’m there. The left-over of a twisted ankle back in early August, something I did not worry enough obviously. I’m slowing down, afraid of increasing the pain at each stride, my legs are heavy after more than 2h of effort.

Luckily I met a friend, Lucas, running as well the marathon and continue together as we cross again the Vingis park. Into some woods, long straigh lines and passing the sign 28k the longest distance I ever ran at this time. Cool I thought! But it is not over, 14k still to do.

From there I’m alone, forced to take some breaks, to stretch, to walk, run , walk run. I’m not really alone as other runners are following the same ordeal, so we smile at each other every time we pass each other.

36km

Amazed to pass that kilometer sign on the side of the race path. We are know back in the old town, it’s pretty but the roads are made of cobblestones, it’s fucking up your feet, legs and it’s going up…

40km

It’s a bit difficult, I will not lie to you, no energy in my legs to just move them a bit forward. It’s blocked.

But crossing the 40k, 41k marks is finally happening! I manage to find my last source energy - Terminator style - and can even run the last 500m, seeing my friend cheering toward the end helps a lot.

The non-alcoholic drink I get a few meters after the finish line is delicious, perhaps the best beer ever.

After the race

While limping back to the to hostel with Martin - one of the newbies - with stars in his eyes - he had a better experience, faster at least - I’m thinking of what I need to do to improve my running. More long distance? Learning how to eat properly during the race, right now my stomach is in pieces, fixing my knee? Many things on the list.

At the end a time of 4:41:03, first half ok and second nightmare-ish, but I did it and survive my first marathon.

Map of the race

Using folium I managed to overlay the gps run traces on the top of a map, and you can interactively zoom in and out.