The First Marathon: Athens, Part 2.
Few minutes after I crossed the finish line I met my partner, this is me moments before the tears flooded down my cheeks.
I love this photo as behind me there are people filled with joy, pain, relief and so many more emotions.
At 4.00 a.m. the alarm went off. I did not sleep a lot, I was too excited about race day, thinking and overthinking, and double and triple checking in my mind whether I have prepared everything - coconut water in a soft flask, check; 10 pitted dates, check; sour jelly snakes, check; wet wipes, check; tissue, check; spare plasters, check; sunscreen, check; lip balm, check; a spare panty liner (as it was the third day of my cycle, thank you to Ruby Cup for staying put), check; waist bag packed, check; jacket to keep me warm pre-race, check; Cliff bar to eat before the race, check; water to drink pre-race, check; phone charged, check; playlist ready, check!
I got out of bed, drank a glass of water, did a bit of movement, ate (oats, yoghurt, chia pudding and almond butter) and then showered. Timing is everything, as my body is used to certain rituals before longer runs. Then I attached and re-attached my race bib to my top. I always have a fear that I will fold the timing chip at the back of the bib - where it says do not fold or bend. I pinned back my hair with some bobby pins, put on sunscreen, as the day was promised sunny with some clouds, +20C (which really seemed hot after +9C and rain weather in Galway), and wrapped a buff around my wrist (in case I need to put it around my head to keep hair out of my face or to wet it to wash the sweat off my face).
At 5.40 a.m. I was ready to leave for a bus.
The Athens Authentic Marathon involves quite a bit of waiting around as all the participants have to take a bus to the start line, and then there are around 2 long hours of waiting before the race start.
At 6.00 a.m. I said goodbye to my partner and I boarded a bus to the town of Marathon (aka the start line). The bus was filled with anticipation and excitement, no one really talked to each other as loudspeakers were on, and the information about the race and the history was given.
At 7.00 a.m., just as the sun was rising over the mountains the bus arrived in the town of Marathon, along with lines and lines of other buses. What a view! Stream of thousands of runners heading towards the stadium to get ready for the start.
Once I departed the bus, I had two hours before the start. As I walked towards the stadium and the start line, I left my kit bag with extra clothing that I had with me to keep me warm at the assigned truck, and received my Runners’ Forest buff.
I knew that the 2018 was a special year for the Athens Authentic Marathon. In the weeks leading up to the marathon I read about devastating wildfires in Greece, and I knew that part of the marathon course was affected by these fires, which resulted in lost lives, destruction of property, and large decimated forest areas. As runners entered the start area of the marathon, each was given a green bandana, on which both in English and in Greek was written - Runners’ Forest. To show support for the tragedy the organisers of the Athens Authentic Marathon launched “Runners’ Forest”, an initiative sought to plant trees over a 4 km stretch along the decimated marathon course. This area of the marathon course was marked and each runner was asked to put on the green bandana they were given to show support for those affected by the tragedt, and in a symbolic way create a forest.
I entered the stadium and gazed up at the sun rising up above the mountains, the first warmth of the day. At that moment it struck me, I couldn’t believe that I am standing in the middle of the stadium in the town of Marathon waiting for the start of the 36th Athens Authentic Marathon. I was in awe!
One hour to go. I walked around, found the toilets, went to find where my starting Block is. I was in Block 7 out of 12; it was a wave start system, in each block there were 1000 to 2000 runners. In 2018, the marathon race had 18 870 runners participated from 105 different countries (15 293 runners finished). Just take that figure in for a moment! I had never been together with so many people in one place (maybe only in Latvian Song and Dance Festival), this was different, with so many people with one goal in mind - to run to Athens. Epic and overwhelming!
I passed the Marathon Flame (which they were trying to light up again and people were queuing to get up to it and take a photo), and headed towards the line of flags to find Latvia’s. Low and behold, I met two Latvian women. We helped each other out and took some photos, had a brief chat, wished good luck and parted our ways. Then, I headed back towards my starting block and timed my way to the nearest toilets (just in case), finished up my water bottle, and as asked 30 min before the start I was in my starting block ready to run. Nervous, I just wanted to start running.
At 9.18 a.m. I crossed the start line. The first moments of the race were really crowded. It was so busy! I finally saw my feet around the 3 km mark, and a space to breathe between all the runners. At the 5 km mark (I knew it would happen and that out of fear of dehydration I would drink too much), I stopped at the aid station and WC. As I continued I took in the sights, I saw barefoot runner dressed in ancient Greek Warrior Armour, scores of cheering of supporters, and just before the 10 km mark a little girl reached out and kindly gifted an olive tree branch to me. I stopped, said thank you, smiled and carried on. I felt happy to be there!
As the race continued the runners got scarcer, and I finally looked around further and not just at my feet. From the 12 km mark to the 16 km mark was the Runners’ Forest area. As I ran through the wildfire decimated area, I saw that both sides of the road were burnt black, I was shocked, there were barely any trees left, the houses were in ruins, and locals were all dressed in black standing in silence, peacefully asking for support. It was a dark sight on a sunny day, I got goose bumps all over my body, and I slowed down my pace, in a way trying to show respect, besides just having my green bandana on. It didn’t feel quite right to be running pass these people and this area. My heart ached.
Just past the half marathon mark I felt tired, my face was covered with salt and sweat, the sun was above the head. I stopped in the next sponge aid station, washed my face, re-applied sunscreen and continued. In my head I started to do the race maths: the hill started at the 10 km mark, the downhill starts at the 31 km mark, which means I have 10 km of uphill left. In total it is 21 km uphill. HALF of the race is uphill; at that moment it felt like that hill would never end.
My knee started to ache, so I decided to stop in the next aid station and ask for something; they marked down my bib number (I wonder how many times you can ask for aid before they tell you that you have to stop), put on a cooling gel for pain and swelling, and fortunately it did wonders. Not sure whether it really helped or was it also partially a placebo, that my knee simply felt taken care of, either way it worked.
The sweet downhill! At the first downhill, I felt like I could let go and just run and run, it felt wonderful! Yet at that moment I saw the bus passing me, with runners who decided not to continue. Doubt sneaked in, and I thought, is it really within my abilities to finish the race, am I going too fast, should I eat more, drink more (I carried my own coconut water), eat some gels (I ate a date every 5 km, gels don’t sit well with my stomach). Doubt! Surely I have no idea what I am doing. Past the 33 km mark, this was an unknown territory for me, as I had never run further than 33 km. My mind rambled on and tried to stop my legs from moving, until I saw the aid station at the 35 km mark with coca cola, there was nothing else I wanted more than that glass of coca cola. I stopped and had two! It did the trick. I sent a text to my partner, letting him know that I am almost there.
As I neared closer to the finish line I could see more and more runners on the sidelines with foil blankets over them, some with oxygen masks on, some lying down on the ground; it was scary but inspiring at the same time, to see people who have given it all. I turned the corner and saw in front of me a guy running with a Peppa pig balloon. I made myself a promise that I will keep up with him (and Peppa). More and more supporters were lining the marathon course, the streets were flooded with people. I passed The Runner statue, where I got on the bus in the morning, so I knew that I was close to the finish line. I picked up the pace, overtook the guy with the Peppa pig balloon and ran - the last downhill into the Panathenaic Stadium. Cheers and roars, and loudspeakers named my bib number and name, I DID IT! I FINISHED.
Adrenalin and joy filled every single part of my body, the pain was gone, and all I could do was smile. A helpful volunteer took a photo of me right after crossing the finish line. I walked around the stadium, found my partner. And there and then tears came flooding, joy, pain, exhaustion, surreal feeling, that I actually did it, I ran 42.195 km from the town of Marathon to the city of Athens. The famous course that Pheidippides had run more than 2000 years before me, and today I shared this finish line with 15 293 runners.
My partner and I climbed up the stairs of the Panathenaic Stadium, to take in the view and sit for a moment on the steps. I felt happy.
4:24:33.
This is it.